• Jane Dammen McAuliffe
    • Jane Dammen McAuliffe was appointed Dean of the College at Georgetown University in 1999. She is also a tenured Professor in the Department of History and the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies.
    • EARLY MANUSCRIPTS
    • IPTS Writing Material Early manuscripts of the Qur'an were typically written on animal skin. We know that in the lifetime of the Prophet, parts of the revelation were written on all kinds of materials, such as...
    • Al-Humazah (The Gossipmonger)
    • ger) Name The Surah takes its name from the wordhumazah occurring in the first verse. Period of Revelation All commentators are agreed that it is a Makki Surah; a study of its subject matter and style shows that this too i...
    • Al-'ASR (Eventide)
    • Name The Surah takes its name from the wordal-'asr occurring in the first verse. Period of Revelation Although Mujahid, Qatadah and Muqatil regard it as a Madani Surah, yet a great majority of the commentators opine th...
    • The Quran in Manuscript and Print
    • Writing, although not very widespread in pre-Islamic time, was well-known among the Arabs. The script used in the seventh century, i. e . during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, consisted of very basic symbols, which expressed only the consonantal s.
    • The Mushaf Of 'Uthman
    • During the time of 'Uthman differences in reading the Qur'an became obvious, and after consultation with the Companions, 'Uthman had a standard copy prepared from the suhuf of Abu Bakr that were kept with Hafsa at that tim...
    • Al-Takathur (Competition)
    • ion) Name The Surah taken its name from the wordal- takathur in the first verse. Period of Revelation Abu Hayyan and Shaukani say that this Surah, according to all commentators, is Makki, and this same is the well known vi...
    • Al-Qari'ah (The Stunning [Blow])
    • Name The Surah takes its name from its first wordal- qari'ah. This is not only a name but also the title of its subject matter, for the Surah is devoted to Resurrection. Period of Revelation There is no dispute about its ...
    • ĀD ('ĀD/ AAD)
    • The people of "Hud" were living in "Al-Ahqaaf" which means "the Dunes", and the historians said that it is located betweenYemen and Oman. They also said that Ᾱd’s people worshi...
    • Collection of Revelation during the Prophet's Lifetime
    • During his last pilgrimage, at the sermon which he gave to the large gathering of Muslims, the Prophet said: 'I have left with you something which if you will hold fast to it you will never fall into error- a plain indicat...
    • Al-ZILZAL (The Earthquake)
    • ake) Name It is derived from the wordzilzal in the first verse. Period of Revelation Whether or not it was revealed atMecca or Medina, is disputed. Ibn Masud, 'Ata, Jabir, and Mjahid say that it is a Makki Surah and a sta...
    • Al-QADR (Power)
    • (Power) Name The Surah has been so designated after the word al-qadr in the very first verse. Period of Revelation Whether it is a Makki or a Madani revelation is disputed. Abu Hayyan inAl-Bahr al-Muhti has made the claim th...
    • THE MASAHIF OF THE COMPANIONS
    • ONS There are numerous indications in the literature of hadith that several of the Companions of the Prophet had prepared their own written collections of the revelations. [Suyuti. Itqan, I, p 62] The best-known among thes...
    • Al-BAYYINAH (Evidence)
    • nce) Name The Surah is so designated after the word al-bayyinah occurring at the end of the first verse. Period of Revelation Where it was revealed, atMecca or Madinah, is also disputed. Some commentators say it is a M...
    • Collection of Revelation during the Prophets Lifetime
    • time During his last pilgrimage, at the sermon which he gave to the large gathering of Muslims, the Prophet said: 'I have left with you something which if you will hold fast to it you will never fall into error- a plain in...
    • Al-ADIYAT (The Chargers)
    • gers) Name The Surah has been so entitled after the wordal 'adiyat with which it opens. Period of Revelation Whether it is a Makki or a Madani Surah is disputed. Abdullah bin Masud, Jabir, Hasan Basri, Ikrimah, and Ata say...
    • AT-TIN (The Figtree)
    • ree) Name The Surah has been so named after the very First wordat-tin. Period of Revelation According to Qatadah, this Surah is Madani. Two different views have been reported from Ibn Abbas: first that it is a Makki Surah, ...
    • Al-'ALAQ (The Clot)
    • ot) Name The Surah is so entitled after the word `alaq in the second verse. Period of Revelation This Surah has two parts: the first part consists of vv. 1-5, and the second of vv. 6-19. About the first part a great majorit...
    • TRANSMISSION OF THE WRITTEN TEXT
    • EXT The Written Text at the Time of the Prophet Muhammad What is meant by Jam' al-Qur'an?The general meaning of jam' al-qur'an is to 'bring together the Qur'an'. This was done and has to be understood in two ways: Bringi...
    • CHAPTER 2
    • R 2 Transmission of the Qur'anic Revelation The revelation contained in the Qur'an has been transmitted to us by numerous persons in two ways: orally and in written form. MEMORISATION AND ORAL TRANSMISSION Memorisation b...
    • Al-DUHA (Morning Bright)
    • Bright) Name The Surah takes its name Al-ḌUHA from the very first word. Period of Revelation Its subject matter clearly indicates that it belongs to the earliest period atMecca. Traditions also show that the revelation...
    • ALAM-NASHRAH (Consolation)
    • ion) Name The Surah is so designated after the first sentence. Period of Revelation Its subject matter so closely resembles that of Surah Al-Ḍuha that both these Surah seem to have been revealed in about the same per...
    • Al-SHAMS (The Sun)
    • Sun) Name The Surah has been so designated after the word ash-shams with which it opens. Period of Revelation The subject matter and the style show that this Surah too was revealed in the earliest period atMecca at a stage w...
    • AL-LAIL (Night)
    • ht) Name The Surah takes its name from the wordwal-lail with which it opens. Period of Revelation Its subject matter so closely resembles that of Surah Ash-Shams that each Surah seems to be an explanation of the other. It is...
    • CHAPTER 1
    • R 1 The Qur'an and Revelation REVELATION AND SCRIPTURE BEFORE THE QUR'AN God's Communication with Man God communicated with man. This is the key concept of revelation upon which all religious belief - if more than a...
    • AL-BALAD ([This] Countryside)
    • ide) Name The Surah has been so named after the wordal balad in the first verse. Period of Revelation Its subject matter and style resemble those of the earliest Surahs revealed at Mecca, but it contains a pointer which indi...
    • AL- GHASHIYAH (The Pall)
    • all) Name The Surah takes its name from the word al-ghishiyah in the first verse. Period of Revelation The whole subject matter of the Surah indicates that this too is one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed; but this wa...
    • AL-FAJR (Daybreak)
    • eak) Name The Surah is so designated after the wordwal-fajr with which it opens. Period of Revelation Its contents show that it was revealed at the stage when persecution of the new converts to Islam had begun inMecca. On ...
    • Al-TARIQ (The Nightcomer)
    • omer) Name The Surah taken its name from the wordal-tariq in its first verse. Period of Revelation The style of its subject matter resembles that of the earliest Surahs revealed at Mecca, but this surah was sent down at a st...
    • AL-INSHIQAQ
    • IQAQ (Splitting Open) Name Itis derivedfromthewordinshaqqatinthefirstverse.Inshaqqatisinfinitivewhichmeanstosplitasunder,thereby implyingthatitisthe Surahinwhichmentionhasbeenmadeofthesplittingasunderofthe heavens. P...
    • AL-BURUJ (Constellations)
    • ons) Name The Surah is so designated after the wordal buruj appearing in the first verse. Period of Revelation The subject matter itself indicates that this Surah was sent down atMecca in the period when persecution of the M...
    • Mustansir Mir
    • Mir University Professor of Islamic Studies Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies EDUCATION : B.A ., Government College, Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan, 1967 M.A ., Government College, Punjab University, ...
    • 'ABASA (He Frowned)
    • Name The Surah is so designated after the word`abasa with which it opens. Period of Revelation The commentators and traditionists are unanimous about the occasion of the revelation of this Surah. According to them, once some...
    • AL-MUTAFFIFIN
    • IFIN (The Cheats or: Cheating) Name It is derived from the very first verse; Wayl-ul-lil mutaffifin. Period of Revelation The style of the Surah and its subject matter clearly show that it was revealed in the earli...
    • Mahmoud Mustafa Ayoub
    • oub Professor of Islamic Studies and Comparative Religion Department of Religion College of Liberal Arts Temple University Philadelphia, PA 19122-6090 Telephone: 215-204-5603 Fax: 215-204-2535 Email: m...
    • AL-INFITAR
    • ITAR (Bursting Apart) Name It is derived from the wordinfatarat in the first verse.Infitar is an infinitive which means to burst or split asunder, thereby implying that it is the Surah in which the splitting asunde...
    • Al-TAKWIR
    • WIR (Extinguished or: Wrapping things up) Name Itis derived from the wordkuwwirat in the first verse.Kuwwirat is passive voice fromtakwir in the past tense, and means "that which is folded up", th...
    • Al- NAZI'AT([Soul-] Snatchers)
    • rs) Name Itis derivedfromthewordwan-nazi`atwithwhichthe Surah opens. Period of Revelation Accordingto Abdullahbin Abbas,this Surahwassentdownafter Surah An-Naba.Itssubjectmatteralso testifiesthatit belongstotheearlie...
    • AL –NABA (The announcement)
    • cement) Name The Surah derived its name from the wordan-Naba in the second verse. This is not only a name but also a title of its subject matter, forNaba implies the news of Resurrection and Hereafter and the whole Surah is ...
    • AL –MURSALAT ([Winds] Sent Forth)
    • rth) Name The Surah takes its name from the word wal-mursalat in the first verse. Period of Revelation Its subject matter bears full evidence that it was revealed in the earliest period atMecca. If this Surah is read tog...
    • AL-QIYAMAH (Resurrection)
    • rection) Name The Surahhasbeenso namedafterthewordal- Qiyamahinthefirstverse.Thisisnotonlythenamebutalsothetitleofthis Surah,foritisdevotedtoResurrectionitself. Period of Revelation Althoughthereisnotraditiontoind...
    • AL-MUDDATHTHIR (The Man Wearing a Cloak)
    • ak) Name The Surah takes its name from the word al- muddaththir in the first verse. This also is only a name, not a title of its subject matter. Period of Revelation The first seven verses of this Surah belong to the earl...
    • AL MUZZAMMIL (Bundled up)
    • dled up) Name The Surah has been so designated after the wordal-muzzammil occurring in the very first verse. This is only a name and not a title of its subject matter. Period of Revelation The two sections of this Surah ...
    • JINN (Sprites)
    • s) Name "Al-Jinn" is the name of this Surah as well as the title of its subject matter, for in it the event of the Jinn's hearing the Qur'an and returning to their people to preach Islam to them, has been related i...
    • NUH
    • NUH Name "Nuh" is the name of this Surah as well as the title of its subject matter, for in it, from beginning to the end, the story of the Prophet Noah has been related. Period of Revelation This also is one...
    • AL-HAAQQAH
    • AQQAH (The Reality) Name The Surah takes its name from the wordal-Haaqqah with which it opens. Period of Revelation This too is one of the earliest surahs to be revealed at Mecca. Its subject matter shows that it was se...
    • AL-QALAM (The Pen)
    • he Pen) Name This Surah is calledNun as well asAl-Qalam, the words with which it begins. Period of Revelation This too is one of the earliest surahs to be revealed atMecca, but its subject matter shows that it was sent...
    • AL-MULK (Sovereignty)
    • ereignty) Name The Surah takes its nameal-Mulk from the very first sentence. Period of Revelation Itcouldnotbeknownfromanyauthentictraditionwhenthis Surahwas revealed,butthesubjectmatterandthestyleindicatethatitisoneofthee...
    • Al-Talaq (Divorce)
    • (Divorce) Name At-Talaqisnotonlythenameofthis Surahbutalsothetitleofitssubjectmatter,forit contains commandmentsaboutTalaq(divorce)itself. `Abdullahbin Mas'udhas describeditasSurah an-Nisa al-qusraalso,i.e.theshorter Surah...
    • Al – Munafiqun (Hypocrites)HHHh
    • tes)HHHh Name The Sura takes its name from the sentenceIdha jaa kal-munafiquna of verse 1. This is the name of the Sura as well as the title of its subject matter, for in it a review has been made of the conduct and attit...
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