37. As-Saffat (Those Aligned In Ranked) This sūrah of 182 verses was revealed in the last stage of the middle Makkan period when God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, and His Companions were heavily persecuted. It derives its name from the first verse. As-Saffat or As-Saffaat (Those Aligned...
39. Az-Zumar (The Companions) Revealed in the mid-Makkan period, when the persecutions of the believers had escalated, this sūrāh of 75 verses derives its name from the word zumar (companies) that occurs in verses 71 and 73. Az-Zumar (The Companions) expounds the signs of God’s Oneness in the natural world...
40. Al-Mumin (The Believer) This sūrah of 85 verses takes its name from verse 28 which mentions, from among the clan of the Pharaoh, a distinguished believer who supported the Prophet Moses, upon him be peace. Al-Mumin (The Believer) is also called al-Ghāfir (The All-Forgiving), the Divine Name mentioned in verse...
75. Al-Qiyamah (The Resurrection) This sūrah is concerned with death as the “doom” of every individual, and with events that will take place during the final overall destruction or doom of the world and revival of all the dead. It was revealed in Makkah. It has 40 verses and takes...
46. Al-Ahqaf (The Sandhills) Revealed toward the end of the Makkan period, this sūrah of 35 verses takes its name from the word Al-‘Ahqāf, Al-Ahqaf or Al-Ahqaaf in verse 21, which means The Sand Hills or The Sand-Dunes; but is also the name of a place in the southern part...
45. Al-Jathiyah (The Kneeling Down) This sūrah of 37 verses was revealed toward the end of the Makkan period. It takes its name from the word Al-Jathiyah or Al-Jaathiyah (The Kneeling or The Kneeling Down) in verse 28. In its initial verses, the sūrah draws attention to God’s signs in...
44. Ad-Dukhan (The Smoke) This sūrah of 59 verses was revealed in Makkah toward the end of the Makkan period. It derives its name from the word Ad-Dukhan or Ad-Dukhaan (The Smoke) in verse 10. It warns the obstinate enemies of the Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, of the...
43. Az-Zukhruf (Ornaments of Gold) Consisting of 89 verses, this sūrah was revealed in Makkah toward the closing years of the Makkan period, when the polytheists were concocting plots to assassinate the Messenger of God, upon him be peace and blessings. It takes its name from verse 35, where the...
42. Ash-Shura (Consultation) Revealed in Makkah, this sūrah of 53 verses derives its name from the word Ash-Shura or Ash-Shooraa “consultation” in verse 38. Consultation is one of the most important principles of Islamic social life. This sūrah concentrates on Revelation and the fact that all the Messengers came with...
41. Fussilat (Distinctly Spelled Out) This sūrah of 54 verses was revealed in Makkah after the conversion of Hamzah, the Prophet’s uncle, and before the conversion of ‘Umar, may God be pleased with them both. It derives its name from the word fussilat in the third verse, which means, “arranged...
49. Al-Hujuraat (Private Apartments) Revealed in Madīnah and consisting of 18 verses, this sūrah takes its name from the word Al Hujurat or Al-Hujuraat (Private Apartments or The Chambers) that occurs in verse 4. It is concerned with how the believers must behave toward the Messenger, upon him be peace and...
48. Al-Fath (The Victory) This sūrah was revealed in Madīnah in the sixth year after the Hijrah, on the occasion of the Treaty of Hudaybiyah between the Muslim city-state of Madīnah and the Makkan polytheists. It has 29 verses and is named after the word Al–Fath (The Victory) in the...
47. Muhammad (Muhammad) One of the earliest Revelations in Madīnah, this sūrah of 38 verses is named after Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who is mentioned in the second verse. It deals with such matters as fighting, the treatment of prisoners of war, the distribution of the spoils...
50. Qaf (Qaf) Revealed in Makkah, most probably in the fourth or fifth year of the Makkan period, this sūrah of 45 verses takes its name after the letter Qāf (Qaf) in the first verse. It mentions many phenomena in the universe that indicate God, and then concentrates on the...
53. An-Najm (The Star) Revealed in Makkah, this sūrah of 62 verses derives its name from the word An-Najm (The Star) in the first verse. God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, recited it in its entirety to both the believers and the Makkan polytheists at the Ka‘bah. It...
52. At-Tur (The Mount) Revealed in Makkah, this sūrah of 49 verses derives its name from the word At–Tur or At-Toor (The Mount or The Mountain) in the first verse. It deals with the confused reactions of the Makkan polytheists to the revelation of the Qur’ān and how they made...
51. Adh-Dhariyat (The Scatterers) Revealed in Makkah when the Quraysh’s persecutions of the believers began, this sūrah of 60 verses derives its name from the word Adh-Dhariyat or Adh-Dhaariyaat (The Scatterers, Those That Scatter or The Wind That Scatter) in the first verse. It concentrates on the afterlife and God’s...
57. Al-Hadid (The Iron) Revealed in Madīnah, most probably four or five years after the Hijrah, this sūrah has 29 verses and takes its name from the word Al-Hadid (The Iron) in verse 25. It deals with God’s absolute sovereignty, the necessity of sacrifice in God’s cause, and the passing...
55. Ar-Rahman (The Beneficent) Revealed in Makkah, this sūrah of 78 verses derives its name from Ar-Rahman (The All-Merciful or The Beneficent), which constitutes the first verse. Throughout, it is mentioned that the manifestations of God are a result of His being the All-Merciful. As explained in note 4 on...
54. Al-Qamar (The Moon) This sūrah of 55 verses, revealed five years before the Hijrah, derives its name from the word Al-Qamar (The Moon) in the first verse. It mentions the splitting of the moon by a gesture of God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, and contains, in...