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Arrangement of the Qura#n Module 1

Contents

A. The Classical View

Section I: Divisions of the Qura#n

i. Initial Formata. Verses

b.Su#rahs

ii. Later Format

a. Divisions regarding the Meaning

b. Divisions regarding Memorization

Section II:Naz@m (Order and Arrangement)

i. The Advocates

a.Naz@m as Word Meaning Relationship

b.Naz@m as Linear Connectionii. The Adverseries

Section III:Makkan andMadi#nan Division

Arrangement of the Quran

A. The Classical View

Section I: Divisions of the Qura#n

The written and oral text of the Qura#n has undergone two distinct stages as far

as its format is concerned. While the initial format existed from the days of the

Companions, the exact dates of the latter is difficult to identify. We shall briefly

discuss the two.

i. Initial Format


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The initial format of the Qura#n consisted ofA%yahs (verses) and Su#rahs:

a.A%yahs

-- These are divisions of the Qura#n where the Prophet (sws) paused while

reading the Qura#n keeping in view its rhyme and rhythm.

-- They were marked by the Companions when they heard the Prophets recital

and there exist slight differences in ascertaining them. Suyu#t@i#writes:

The reason that the scholars have differed on the number of verses of theQura#n is that the Prophet (sws) used to pause at the end of certain verses.

When the place of pause became known, he would read the next verse such

that he would join the previous one with it without pausing. A person who

would happen to hear this reading would think that there is no pause between

the two verses [and they are actually one].1

--They do not necessarily signal the end of a sentence and can be compared

with the hemistitch (mis@rah) of a couplet (shayr).

-- A verse can contain more than one sentence (eg 2:282) and one sentence can

be made up of more than one verse (eg. 96:9-10).

b. Su#rahs

There are 114 Su#rahs of the Qura#n and signify a whole set of meanings. Each

Su#rah of the Qura#n, with the exception of the 9th, begins with the words: In the

name of Allah, the Most Gracious the Ever Merciful.

ii. Later Format

a. Divisions regarding the MeaningIn the subcontinent, theRuku#division was introduced to paragraph the Qura#n

according to a shift in meaning. It was indicated by the symbol and theexplanation of the Arabic numerals written with each is as follows -- The top figure indicates that theRuku#of the respective Su#rah

-- The middle figure indicates the number of verses of the completed Ruku#

-- The lower figure indicates that the Ruku# of the respective Sipa#rah (see

below).

1. Suyu#t@i#, Itqa#n Fi# Ulu#mil-Qura#n, 2nd ed., vol. 1, (Bayda#r: Manshu#ra#t al-Rad@i#, 1343

AH), p. 37-8


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b. Divisions regarding MemorizationThe Huffa#z@ (people who have memorized the Qura#n) and the Qurra# (people

who have learnt the science of reciting the Qura#n) divided the Qura#n into thirty

equal parts (each part is called a Sipa#rah) by counting the total words of the

Qura#n and dividing them by thirty so that the whole of the Qura#n could be

recited out in one month. The divisions of a Sipa#rah are:

1.Rub(): One-quarter of a Sipa#rah.2.Nis@f(): One-half of a Sipa#rah.3. Thuluth (): Three-quarters of a Sipa#rah.These three division are denoted by the words being written on the margin.

According to another division, the Huffa#z also divided the Qura#n in sevenequal parts to recite it in a week. These divisions are called Manzil(pl. Mana#zil:

Stages).

Copies of the Qura#n printed in the Middle East in particular have each Sipa#rah

subdivided into four~H@izbs indicated by the sign . Each H@izb is againsubdivided into quarters, indicated as follows:

-- First quarter of theH@izb: -- Half of theH@izb: -- Third quarter of theH@izb:

Section II:Naz@m

Are the verses in a su#rah and thesu#rahs themselves in the Qura#n arranged in

a meaningful way? In technical terms: Does the Qura#n possess Naz@m (order,

coherence, meaningful arrangement)? Classical scholars are divided into two

groups regarding this question: One group answers it in the affirmative and the

other in the negative. We shall take a look at both these views.

1. The Advocates1

As far as the advocates are concerned, two distinct categories exist. These

categories spring forth from the connotation of the word Naz@m . One group

interprets Naz@m to be some kind of relationship between words and meanings,

while others understand it to mean a linear connection between verses, su#rahs or

verses andsu#rahs both.

1. This section has been summarized and re-arranged from: Mustansir Mir, Thematic

and Structural Coherence in the Qura#n, (Ann Arbor: University Microfilms

International, 1983), pp. 16-28


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a.Naz@m as Word-Meaning RelationshipTo this group, the Qura#nicNaz@m is basically a component of Qura#nicIja#z

(inimitability of the Qura#n) and in essence constitutes (with slight differences

between the authorities) the particular ways in which words are arranged in order

to put across the desired meaning. The upholders of this view are Ba#qilla#ni#,

Khat@t@a#bi# andJurja#ni#.

b.Naz@m as Linear Connection

Zarkashi# in Burhan discusses the question of interrelationships of Qura#nic

verses in a chapter entitled Marifat Muna#saba#t bayn al-A%ya#t (The

Understanding of the Relationships between the Verses).2 The word muna#sabah,whose plural, muna#saba#t, is used in the title, literally means suitability,

affinity, relation. As the tile indicates, it has the technical meaning of

connections or relationships that may exist between the Qura#nic verses.Zarkashi#

notes that the task of discovering muna#sabah is a difficult one and very few

scholars have therefore attempted it. Of those who have, Zarkashi# citesRa#zi# as an

outstanding figure. We will presently discussRa#zi#s method.

Ra#zi#is probably the first person to apply the idea ofNaz@m to the whole of the

Qura#n. He is convinced that the Qura#n yields most of its lata#if(fine points)

through theNaz@m or arrangement it possesses. He often draws the attention of thereader to the exquisiteness of theNaz@m of this or that verse, and criticizes certain

interpretations ofQura#nic verses on the grounds that they violate theNaz@m of the

verses.

Ra#zi#s method of establishingNaz@m in a Qura#nicsu#rah consists in showing how

verse 1 leads to verse 2, how verse 2 is related to verse 3, and so on until an

unbroken linear connection between all the verses of the su#rah is established.

Sometimes, though not always, Ra#zi# seeks to connect a few su#rahs in similar

fashion. Not infrequently, Ra#zi# suggests two or even more types of connections

not always mutually reconcilable between verses. Thus he may give his own

explanation of theNaz@m connection and, at the same time, adduce a Shanul-nuzu#l(occasion of revelation) that links up the verses in question. It should be noted,

however, that Ra#zi# does not hesitate to reject a shanul-nuzu#l if it contradict the

Naz@m he himself has arrived, although this does not often happen. Other scholars

who belong to this school areZarkashi# himself, Suyu#t@i# andBaqa#i#.

Moreover, it is to be noted that the scholars of this school also acknowledge

the word meaning relationship in verses but are more occupied in determining the

linear sequence between verses andsu#rahs.

2.Zarkashi#,Burha#n, 2nd ed., vol. 1, (Beirut:Da#rul-Fikr, 1980), pp. 35-52


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2. The AdversariesAs far as scholars who are adverse to the concept ofNaz@m are concerned, the

most notable authorities among them are Qa#dhi# Shawka#ni#, Izzul-Di#nIbn Abdul

Sala#m and Sha#h Wali#ulla#h. The arguments presented by all three of them are

summed up as:

1. Since the Qura#n was revealed over a period of twenty-three years and dealt

with so many diverse subjects any attempt to induce coherence in it would be

futile. Izzul-Di#nIbn Abdul Sala#m says:

:

:

:.

The science of Muna#sabah regarding the verses of the Qura#n is a very

grand branch of knowledge. However, the prequiste for a piece of writing to

be coherent is that it should possess unity and be sequentially arranged from

the beginning to the end. If a piece of writing is composed under varyingcircumstances it cannot be coherent. A person who tries to find coherence in

this sort of a writing would inevitably resort to artificial means and would

only come up with faulty coherence something which is not found in good

writings, what to speak of the best. The Qura#n was revealed in a period that

exceeded twenty years and its injunctions and verses were revealed in

different circumstances. How can such a writing be coherent?3

2. Sha#h Wali#ulla#h is of the view that the Qura#n has not been arranged in a

sequential and coherent way because its foremost addressees were not used to such

type of writing. He says:

:


AH), p. 370


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.

If they ask: Why are these five types of verses4

are dispersed insu#rahs of theQura#n and no consideration has been given to their proper arrangement?

Why was it not done that the verses relating to the favours of God ()should have been mentioned thoroughly and discussed first and then those

pertaining to the Days of God () should have been mentioned with duedetails? After that they both again should have been followed by the verses

in relation to disputations held with the unbelievers? In reply to these

questions, I would say that though God has the power to accomplish any

thing, the fact which governs this layout is the wisdom [of the Almighty].

And that wisdom is that this form of arrangement of the Qura#n is in

accordance with the language and the style of expression in vogue among the

Arabs to whom the Prophet (sws) was sent. The following verse bears

reference to this: They would say, what! [a Book] not in Arabic and [a

messenger] an Arab? (41:44). Before revelation of the Qura#n, there was

neither any Divine Book with them nor any written by a human being. The

type of arrangement [in writings] which authors nowadays have adopted

invented was not known to the Arabs. If you have any doubt about this, you

should take a deep look at the odes of the poets who have seen both the ages,

pre-Islamic as well as Islamic, the epistles of the Holy Prophet (sws) and

Umar(rta) so that you may come to know this aspect. Had a style contraryto theirs been employed, they would have been simply astonished because of

the fact that had heard something unfamiliar; this would also have made

jumbled their comprehension. Moreover, the intention [of the divine

wisdom] was not merely to give them the benefit [of imparting divine

knowledge], but also to [make this knowledge] a permanent part of their

4. According to Sha#h Wali#ulla#h, the whole of Quran contains five types of verses.

For details see Al-Fawzul-Kabi#r.fi#Usulil-Tafsi#r, 1st ed., (Lahore: Maktabah Ilmiyyah, ,

1970), pp. 1-3


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memories to make it available to them through repetition. And this purpose

is served more strongly and completely through the un-arranged form ofwriting.5

At another place, he says:

The Qura#n was not arranged in separate sections and chapters so that each

topic could be found in one section or other. It is similar to a collection of

written ordinances, just as kings, according to the requirements of times and

conditions, issue ordinances for their subjects, and after some time some

other ordinances are issued in view of the changed circumstances and so on,

till many such ordinances are collected. A man puts them into writing and

prepares a collection of them. In the same way, the Absolute King [God], for

the guidance of His servants, has revealed to His Prophet su#rahs, one after

another, according to the requirements of circumstances.6

It is to be further noted that scholars of this category, generally group the

Qura#nic su#rahs according to their number of verses. In other words, they do

not say that the su#rahs are arranged as regards some coherence in their

meaning, but with regard to the number of verses. Suyu#t@I# writes:

......

.....

The first among the Tiwa#l Su##rahs is Baqarah and the last among them is

Bara#. Next come the Miu#nSu#rahs. They are named so because each of the

5. Sha#h Wali#ulla#h, Al-Fawzul-Kabi#r, 1st ed., (Lahore: Maktabah Ilmiyyah, 1970),

pp 86-7

6. Sha#h Wali#ulla#h, Al-Fawzul-Kabi#r, 1st ed., (Lahore: Maktabah Ilmiyyah, 1970),

pp 74-5


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The second opinion is that whatever was revealed in Makkah is Makkan even

though if it was revealed after migration and whatever was revealed inMadi#nah is Madi#nan. The third opinion is that whatever portion of the

Qura#n is addressed to the people of Makkah is regarded as Makkan and

whatever portion is addressed to the people of Madi#nah is regarded as

Madi#nan.9

The following 85su#rahs, according toZarkashi#,10 are ofMakkan origin:

96, 68, 73, 74, 111, 81, 87, 92, 89, 93, 94, 103, 100, 108, 102, 107, 109, 105,

113, 114, 113, 53, 80, 97, 91, 85, 95, 106, 101, 75, 104, 77, 50, 90, 86, 54, 38, 7,

72, 36, 25, 35, 19, 20, 56, 26, 27, 28, 17, 10, 11, 12, 15, 6, 47, 31, 34, 39, 40, 41,42, 43, 44, 45, 45, 51, 88, 18, 71, 14, 21, 23, 32, 52, 67, 69, 70, 78, 79, 82, 84, 30.

The following 29su#rahs, according toZarkashi#,11 are ofMadi#nan origin:

2, 8, 3 33, 60, 4, 99, 57, 47, 13, 55, 76, 65, 98, 59, 110, 24, 22, 63, 58, 49, 66,

61, 62, 64, 48, 9, 5.

As far as the determination of the Makkan and Madi#nansu#rahs are concerned,

no statement on this matter has ever been quoted by any sources from the Prophet

(sws). Abu# Bakr Baqilla#ni# (d. 403 AH) confines the sources of information onwhat is Makkan and what is Madi#nan to the reports of the Companions and the

views of scholars from the Tabiu#n generation.12 The Companions were eye-

witnesses to the revelation of the Qura#n. They knew very well what came down

where.

Moreover, it needs to be appreciated that the basic reason for this classification

is that Makkan Su#rahs portray that part of his life in which the Prophet (sws) did

not have political authority. Therefore, this period marked is mostly marked with

directives that pertain to the individual. On the contrary, the Madi#nan Su#rahs

depict that part of the Prophets life in which he was blessed with political

authority and therefore they contain directives with regard to the collectivity.

______________


AH), p. 37


11.Zarkashi#,Burha#n, 2nd ed., vol. 1, (Beirut:Da#rul-Fikr, 1980), p. 250


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