The Qur'an and Its Study. Adnan Zarzour
Indeed, such a change is unacceptable, even though it might rely on what some of the Prophet’s Companions used personally. Therefore, it is not permissible to print the muṣḥaf or ‘arrange its surahs, particularly in written form’216 in any different arrangement.
6.1 When reciting the Qur’an in prayer and teaching its surahs in mosques or schools, it is permissible not to follow its strict order. Ibn Baṭṭāl said: ‘It is not known that any scholar considered following its arrangement as being obligatory in prayer, or when reading or studying the Qur’an. No one says that it is not permissible to learn Surah 18 before Surah 2, or Surah 22 before Surah 18. ‘Ā’ishah answered the man who asked her about this: “It does not matter which surah you start with.” The Prophet used to read a surah in the first rak‘ah and in the second he might not read the next surah.’217 ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb read Surah 18 in the first rak‘ah of Fajr Prayer and then Surah 12 in the second.218 Ibn Baṭṭāl adds: ‘It is, however, reported that Ibn ‘Umar and Ibn Mas‘ūd disapproved of reading the Qur’an in reverse order, saying that a person so doing had an upside-down heart. This refers to the person who reads a single surah in reverse order, starting with its last verse and then all the way back to its beginning. This is strictly forbidden... It changes the surah and makes its message chaotic.’219
Al-Nawawī said: ‘Reading a surah from its end to its beginning is strictly prohibited. It undermines some aspects of its inimitability and disregards the purpose of its arrangement. Ibn Abī Dāwūd mentions that Ibrāhīm al-Nakha‘ī and Mālik disapproved of it. Mālik censured such a practice and said that it was very serious.’
6.2 Some scholars give different rulings on reading the Qur’an in prayer and teaching it. In this respect, they make it permissible to teach without observing the order of the surahs, but consider it reprehensible to do so in prayer. Imam al-Nawawī said that a number of scholars disapprove of reading the Qur’an except according to its arrangement in the muṣḥaf. In fact, some scholars of the Shāfi‘ī School maintain that if a person reads the last surah of the Qur’an, Men, in the first rak‘ah he must then read in the second some verses of Surah 2, after he finishes al-Fātiḥah.220 Al-Nawawī adds: ‘The evidence in support of this view is that the arrangement of the Qur’an in the muṣḥaf is meant for a specific purpose. Hence, it must be maintained, except where exceptions are specifically mentioned... Teaching children surahs from the end of the Qur’an and proceeding in reverse order is perfectly acceptable... This is good reading on different days, and it makes it easier for the young to memorise the same.’221
6.3 Arranging the Qur’anic surahs in the chronological order of their revelation in books of commentary on the Qur’an, not in the muṣḥaf, is considered permissible by some scholars. However, we feel that it is inappropriate because it breaches the unanimity of the Muslim nation. Moreover, it can only be done with allowances, because the Qur’an’s surahs were not always revealed in their complete form. Nor was it always the case that a surah was completed before the start of revelations forming another surah. Indeed, portions of one surah might be revealed while an earlier surah had not as yet been completed. Hence, a chronological arrangement cannot be accurate, or fully correct. Moreover, it gives undue importance to the periodic nature of revelation and narrows the scope of the Qur’anic text which God wanted to be broad and comprehensive. Its revelation in parts, so that it addresses events and specific concerns, helps to break the confines of time and environment and so enable a better understanding of it. Hence, we disapprove of phrases like: ‘The Makkan Qur’an is that which was addressed to the people of Makkah’, and ‘The Madinan Qur’an addressed the people of Madinah’, and similar ones that are often used in books of commentary. Perhaps this is one of the more important factors that give greater weight to the view that the arrangement of all the Qur’an’s surahs is based on Divine instruction. Indeed, the arrangement places four long surahs revealed in Madinah, comprised of nearly 800 verses at the beginning. They are preceded only by Surah al-Fātiḥah, which sums up the Makkan period and which is composed of seven short verses.
Some scholars say:222 ‘The right thing to say concerning the verses of the Qur’an is that their revelation was in line with events, but that they are arranged and placed as wisdom demands. The muṣḥaf is arranged according to how it is written in the Imperishable Tablet that is with God. All its surahs and verses are arranged as He instructed, as if it had been sent down complete to the nearest heaven. Its style and flow are clearly inimitable. What is needed when studying every verse is to determine whether it complements what precedes it or whether it is independent of it. If it is independent, then how does it flow from the one preceding it? This gives us great knowledge. The same applies to the surahs: in other words, it is important to note the relation of each surah to the one that comes before it and the message it imparts.’223
7. Relationships Between Verses and Surahs
We need to add a brief word on the discipline of correspondences in the Qur’an. Al-Zarkashī discusses this under the heading ‘The Knowledge of Linkages between Verses’, ranking it as second only to knowing the reasons for their revelation. Al-Suyūṭī, however, combines all such relationships into one type only, which is the 62nd type. In much of his writing on this, al-Suyūṭi follows the same line as his predecessor, al-Zarkashī.
Al-Zarkashī mentions that from a linguistic point of view, clear relationships between parts of the same text make it well written, like a good fabric or a solid structure in which all parts support one another.224
It goes without saying that the Qur’anic style is closely-knit, with close association between its verses. Hence, God describes His book: ‘This is a Book, with verses which have been perfected and distinctly spelled out, bestowed on you by One Who is Wise, All-Aware’ (11: 1). The relationship between verses may be absolutely clear, immediately noted by the reader, as the words go hand in hand, and the meaning of one verse is not complete without the next verse, or because a verse reaffirms the one before it, explains it, or mentions a proviso applicable to it.225 On the other hand, the relationship may appear only after some reflection. This is the case where the relationship is produced by rhetorical features, such as citing parallels or contrasts, or how progress is made to another point. Indeed, there may be grammatical features that produce such association. However, all such features confirm the clarity that describes the language of the Qur’an and elevates it to an absolutely inimitable standard. God says: ‘The trustworthy Spirit has brought it down into your heart – so that you may give warning, in the clear Arabic tongue’ (26: 193–195). Here, the condition that must be met by anyone who interprets the Qur’an is such that they must be well-versed in Arabic and its literary styles, for the verse states that the Qur’an is revealed ‘in the clear Arabic tongue’.
We need, however, to refer briefly to some of the verses which al-Suyūṭī mentioned as being difficult to associate with the context in which they occur. He mentioned in particular two instances:
7.1 The verses: ‘Do not move your tongue repeating its words in haste. We shall see to its collection and recitation. When We recite it, follow its recitation. Then it will be for Us to make its meaning clear’ (75: 16–19). Al-Suyūṭī said: ‘Relating these verses to the beginning or the end of the surah is very difficult, as the rest of the surah speaks about the Day of Judgement and what takes place then. Indeed, some among the Shia allege that some verses of the surah were deleted...’.
We, however, maintain that nothing of the surah was deleted, as these Shia allege. Nor is it difficult to see the relationship between these verses and the rest of the surah as al-Suyūṭī thinks. Rather, these verses speak of the Qur’an and its revelation. The Prophet (peace be upon him) hastened to repeat it when Gabriel read it out to him. Indeed, any verse that speaks of the Qur’an, its qualities, preservation, the challenge it poses, or its recitation by the Prophet (peace be upon him) may be included in any context and in any surah. Their subject matter and context is the Qur’an, or the portions of it being revealed. A similar example to this is the verse: ‘Do they claim that he [i.e. Muhammad] has invented it? Say: “If I have invented it, upon me be this crime of mine, but I am innocent of the crimes you perpetrate”’ (11: 35).