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Concept
Surah
Summary
A surah (ˈsʊərə; sūrah, سور, ), 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, as they were revealed before the Hijrah, while 28 are Medinan, as they were revealed after. This classification is only approximate in regard to the location of revelation; any chapter revealed after migration of Muhammad to Medina (Hijrah) is termed Medinan and any revealed before that event is termed Meccan. However, some Meccan surahs contain Medinian verses (verses revealed after the Hijrah) and vice versa. Whether a surah is Medinian or Meccan depends on if the beginning of the surah was revealed before or after the Hijrah.
The Meccan chapters 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 Basmala and denotes the boundaries between chapters. The chapters are arranged roughly in order of descending size; therefore the arrangement of the Quran is neither chronological nor thematic. 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 word surah was used at the time of Muhammad 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 24:1: "A surah that We have sent down and appointed, and We have sent down in it signs, clear signs, that haply you will remember.
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