The Qur'an and Its Study. Adnan Zarzour
of the period when the Prophet (peace be upon him) lived in Madinah, the unanimity of Muslims, the sequence of every surah and its focus on its subject matter confirm, without any doubt, that the ordering of verses in each surah was given by revelation. It is well known that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to recite surahs of the Qur’an in prayer, and at other times, when his Companions were listening. His recitation followed the order in which these surahs were written on parchment, and later in the complete copies, i.e. the muṣḥafs.
Imām Mālik, the leading scholar of Madinah, said: ‘The Qur’an was ordered according to how the Prophet’s Companions heard him reciting it.’183 Al-Bukhārī relates quoting ‘Abdullāh ibn al-Zubayr: ‘I said to ‘Uthmān: “The verse that says, ‘Those of you who die leaving wives behind, their wives shall wait, by themselves, for four months and ten days’ (2: 234), has been abrogated by the other verse. Why do you leave it in?” He said: “Nephew, I shall not change a word of it.”’184
Imām al-Baghawī said: ‘The Prophet used to teach his Companions whatever was revealed to him of the Qur’an, reading it in the same order as it appears in our muṣḥafs. This was the order given to him by the angel Gabriel. Every time a verse was revealed, Gabriel told him that it should be written at its particular place within the surah in which it appears. This means that the efforts of the Prophet’s Companions were directed towards putting it together into one complete copy; they were not concerned with its order. The Qur’an is written in the Preserved Tablet that remains with God in this order. God sent it down to the nearest heaven, and subsequently revealed it in parts, according to need. The order of its revelation is different from the order of its recitation.’185
Imām al-Baghawī discusses the ordering of verses and surahs and quotes a number of Hadiths. One of these is mentioned by Ibn ‘Abbās: ‘Ubayy ibn Ka‘b told me: “The opening of a surah might be revealed to the Prophet and he would order me to write it down. He would subsequently receive fresh revelations and he would tell me: ‘Ubayy, write this in the surah which includes such and such.’ He might receive new revelations and I would wait until he gave me instructions, like: ‘Place these verses in such and such surah.’”’186
Evidence confirming that the ordering of the verses in each surah was given by Divine instruction is plentiful, and here are some examples:
4.1 Numerous Hadiths clearly state that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to read many surahs of the Qur’an in the order still used today. Other Hadiths mention the particular benefit of reading certain groups of verses in particular surahs, such as the final verses of Surah 2,187 or the first ten verses of Surah 18, or its last ten verses.188 There are also Hadiths speaking about the value of reading certain surahs, such as the one reported by Abū Umāmah al-Bāhilī: ‘I heard the Prophet when he said: Read the Qur’an, for on the Day of Judgement it will intercede on behalf of those who frequently read it. Read the two illuminated surahs, ‘The Cow’ and ‘The ‘Imrans’ (Surahs 2 and 3). On the Day of Judgement, they will be like two clouds arguing on behalf of the ones who read them often. Read Surah ‘The Cow’: to learn it is a blessing, to abandon it is a grief, and it cannot be grasped by sorcerers.’189
Numerous Hadiths are given in the most authentic anthologies mentioning the surahs that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to recite. Ḥudhayfah ibn al-Yamān reports: ‘I prayed with the Prophet one night. He started the Surah “The Cow”. I thought that he would read 100 verses and bow, but he continued. I thought that he might finish it in one rak‘ah but he started the Surah “Women” and read it through, then he started the Surah “The Imrans” and read it. His recitation was relaxed. When he read a verse that mentions God’s glorification, he would glorify Him, and when he read a verse that included a supplication, he would supplicate, and when he read a verse that sought shelter with God, he would seek it. He then bowed...’.190
Al-Bukhārī and Muslim relate on Anas’s authority: ‘God’s Messenger said to Ubayy ibn Ka‘b: “God has instructed me to read to you Surah 98, (The Clear Proof).” Ubayy asked: “And he named me to you?” The Prophet said: “Yes”. Ubayy wept.’191
‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd reports: ‘Once the Prophet said to me: “Read from the Qur’an to me.” I said: “Messenger of God, how can I read to you when it is to you that it has been revealed?” He said: “I love to listen to it recited by others.” I read Surah 4, ‘Women’, but he told me to stop after reading the verse that says: “How will it be (on Judgement Day) when We shall bring a witness from every community, and call you as a witness against these people?” (4: 41). I looked up and I saw his eyes tearful.’192
Ubayr ibn Muṭ‘im reports: ‘I heard God’s Messenger reciting Surah ‘Mount Sinai’ in Maghrib Prayer.’193
Al-Barā’ ibn ‘Āzib reports: ‘The Prophet was on his travels. He prayed the obligatory prayer of ‘Ishā’ and read Surah 95, The Fig, in one of the two first rak‘ahs. I never heard anyone with a sweeter voice or better recitation.’194
Al-Nasā’ī relates on the authority of ‘Ā’ishah: ‘God’s Messenger offered Maghrib Prayer, reciting Surah 7, ‘The Heights’, spreading it over the two first rak‘ahs.’195
Al-Bukhari relates that Marwān ibn al-Ḥakam said: ‘Zayd ibn Thābit said to me: “Why do you choose the short surahs to read [in prayer]. I heard the Prophet reading the longer of the two long surahs.”’196 Abū Dāwūd gives a longer version, adding: ‘I asked him which surah did he mean. He said: “The Heights.”’
Al-Bukhārī and Muslim relate on Abū Hurayrah’s authority: ‘The Prophet used to read in the Fajr Prayer on Fridays Surah 32 (Prostration) and Surah 76 (Time).’197
Al-Ḥākim reports that ‘God’s Messenger read Surah 55, The Lord of Grace, to the jinn.’ He confirms that this Hadith is authentic according to the rules and conditions established by al-Bukhari and Muslim. Al-Dhahabi and al-Tirmidhi agree.
‘In Friday Prayer, the Prophet read Surah 62, “Friday”, in the first rak‘ah and Surah 63, “The Hypocrites”, in the second. ‘Alī followed his example when he led the prayer in Kufah.’198
Muslim also relates: ‘The Prophet used to read Surah 50, Qāf, in the two Eid prayers.’199
The Prophet (peace be upon him) often read Surah 50, Qāf, in his speech that preceded the Friday Prayer.200 Authentic Hadiths on this subject are numerous across all Hadith anthologies.
4.2 During the blessed period of the Qur’an’s revelation in Makkah and Madinah the verses of every surah were arranged in the right order. By the time the Muslims of Makkah emigrated to Madinah, they had learnt and memorised the surahs that were revealed before their migration. Needless to say, they read these, which were more than 80 of the 114 surahs of the Qur’an, in the right order of verses. They studied them together in that fashion. No rational person can imagine that any one of them memorised or recited any surah in a different arrangement. Thus, we have a state of tawatūr in this regard, which means reporting by so many people that they could not all agree to a lie. The same situation existed in Madinah, and the Prophet’s Companions read the Qur’an and studied it as they heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) reciting it in prayer and at other times.
The angel Gabriel read the Qur’an with the Prophet (peace be upon him) once every year, reading all that was revealed until that point in time. In the last year of the Prophet’s life, they read the entire Qur’an together twice. The Prophet (peace be upon him) felt this was an indication that his life was drawing to an end.
Needless to say, this clearly indicates that the verses of the Qur’anic surahs were properly arranged. Indeed, it points out that the surahs were arranged in the way they were subsequently written in the muṣḥafs. Hence scholars are unanimous that the arrangement of verses in the Qur’anic surahs was, no doubt, given by God.201 To quote these scholars: ‘Certainty has been achieved by tawātur transmission of this order according to the Prophet’s