What Is Surah? Everything You Need To Know

What is surah? In this post, we will learn the meaning of surah and terms and facts associated to the Arabic word Surah.

What Is Surah?

A surah is the equivalent of “chapter” in the Qur’an. There are 114 surahs in the Quran, each divided into ayats (verses). The chapters or surahs are of unequal length; the shortest surah (Al-Kawthar) has only three verses while the longest (Al-Baqara) contains 286 verses.

Of the 114 chapters in the Quran, 86 are classified as Meccan, while 28 are Medinan.

This classification is only approximate in regard to the location of revelation; any surah revealed after migration of Muhammad SAW to Medina (Hijrah) is termed Medinan and any revealed before that event is termed Meccan.

The Meccan surahs generally deal with faith and scenes of the Hereafter while the Medinan chapters are more concerned with organizing the social life of the nascent Muslim community and leading Muslims to the goal of darul islam by showing strength towards the unbelievers.

Except for surah At-Tawbah, all chapters or surahs commence with “In the Name of Allah, Ar-Rahman (The Beneficent), Ar-Rahim (The Merciful)”.

This formula is known as the Bismillah and denotes the boundaries between chapters.

There are, however, still 114 occurrences of the basmala in the Qur’an, due to its presence in verse 27:30 as the opening of Sulaiman’s letter to the Queen of Sheba.

Surahs (chapters) are recited during the standing portions (Qiyam) of Muslim prayers. Surah Al-Fatiha, the first chapter of the Quran, is recited in every unit of prayer and some units of prayer also involve recitation of all or part of any other surah.

The Qur’an consists of 114 surahs of varying lengths, each known as a surah. The title of each surah is derived from a name or quality discussed in the text or from the first letters or words of the surah.

We believe that Prophet Muhammad himself, on Allah’s command, gave the surahs their names.

In general, the longer chapters appear earlier in the Qur’an, while the shorter ones appear later.

As such, the arrangement is not connected to the sequence of revelation.

The word surah was used at the time of Muhammad SAW as a term with the meaning of a portion or a set of verses of the Quran. This is evidenced by the appearance of the word surah in multiple locations in the Quran such as verse:

“A surah that We have sent down and appointed, and We have sent down in it signs, clear signs, that haply you will remember.”

Surah An- Nur verse 1

It is also mentioned in plural form in the Quran:

“Or do they say, He invented it? Say, “Then bring ten surahs like it and call upon whomever you can besides God, if you are truthful.”

Surah Hud verse 13

First Surah of Quran

Surah Al-Fatiha which literary means  ’The Opening’ or ‘The Opener’, is the first surah (chapter) of the Quran. It consists of 7 ayah (verses) which are a prayer for guidance and mercy. Surah Al-Fatiha is recited in Muslim obligatory and voluntary prayers, known as salah.

Last Surah of Quran

Surah Al Nasr revealed was the last Surah in Quran. Al Nasr is 110th surah in the Quran has 3 verses, 80 letters and 19 words. It is in the para or juz 30 of the Quran.

Surah Al Nasr is the Madni Surah because it was the last Surah revealed on prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) in Madina.

It is also one of the shortest surahs of the Quran after Surah Al-Asr and Al Kwathar. However, surah Nas is the last surah in the order, it is the 114th chapter.

Longest Surah in Quran

Surah Al Baqarah is the longest Surah in the Quran. It consists of 286 verses, 40 rukus and 6201 words. Surah Baqarah is in from 1 to 3 juz of the Quran. Baqara means the heifer or the cow. Al Baqarah was the first to be revealed in Madina.

Shortest Surah in Quran

The shortest surah in Quran is surah Al-Kawthar. It has only three verses.

What Juz Is Surah Yaseen In?

Surah Yaseen begins in Juz 22 and most of it verses are in Juz 23. Surah Yaseen is the 36th chapter of the Quran. It has 83 verses. It is regarded an earlier “Meccan surah”. Some scholars maintain that verse 12 is from the Medinan period.

What Page Is Surah Al Kahf?

Surah Al Kahf started from page 293 and ended in page 304. Surah Al Kahf contains 110 verses.