Contemplation

﴾ ‫ﺂ‬‫ﺏ ﹶﺃ ﹾﻗﻔﹶﺎﹸﻟﻬ‬
‫ﻋﻠﹶﻰ ﹸﻗﻠﹸﻮ ﹴ‬ ‫ﻡ‬ ‫ﺮﺀَﺍ ﹶﻥ ﹶﺃ‬ ‫ﻭ ﹶﻥ ﺍﹾﻟ ﹸﻘ‬‫ﺑﺮ‬‫ﺪ‬ ‫ﺘ‬‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﻼ‬
‫﴿ﹶﺃﹶﻓ ﹶ‬
Will they not then reflect upon the Qur'an, or are there locks upon their hearts.
Al-Qur’an 47:24

Introduction to the study pattern

Discussion - I
 Contemplation

﴾ ‫ﺂ‬‫ﺏ ﹶﺃ ﹾﻗﻔﹶﺎﹸﻟﻬ‬
‫ﻋﻠﹶﻰ ﹸﻗﻠﹸﻮ ﹴ‬ ‫ﻡ‬ ‫ﺮﺀَﺍ ﹶﻥ ﹶﺃ‬ ‫ﻭ ﹶﻥ ﺍﹾﻟ ﹸﻘ‬‫ﺑﺮ‬‫ﺪ‬ ‫ﺘ‬‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﻼ‬
‫﴿ﹶﺃﹶﻓ ﹶ‬
Will they not then reflect upon the Qur'an, or are there locks upon their hearts.
Al-Qur’an 47:24

Introduction to the study pattern

Discussion - I
The revelation of Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad began with an allusion to man’s humble
origin as well to his consciousness and intellect

Read in the name of thy Sustainer, who has created -

created man out of a germ-cell!
Read - for thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful One
who has taught [man] the use of the pen -
taught man what he did not know. Al-Qur’an 96:01

and concluded, shortly before his death, on the reminder of the life to come

And be conscious of the day on which you shall be brought back unto God,
whereupon every human being shall be repaid in full for what he has earned,
and none shall be wronged;

Al-Qur’an 2:281

between these two verses unfolds a book which stresses the importance of man’s discovery of
truth and brings glad tidings to mankind along with divine admonition. This fresh reading of the
Qur’an is intended to serve the same purpose.
1
Though several basic exegesis of the Qur’an are consulted by the first line members, the study
follows the simple summarization pattern based on Quran’s internal structural & thematic
2
coherence .

Structure & Theme

Revelation of the Qur'an in Seven Ahrûf

It is a well-known fact that there are seven different ahrûf in which the Qur'an was revealed. In
the Islamic tradition, this basis can be traced back to a number of hadîths concerning the
revelation of the Qur'an in seven ahrûf. Some of the examples of these hadîths are as follows:

Narrated Abû Hurairah:

The Messenger of God said: "An All-knowing, Wise, Forgiving, Merciful sent down the Qur'an in seven ahruf."
 And in another hadîth Abdullâh Ibn Masud said:

The Messenger of God said: "The first Book came down from one gate according to one harf, but the Qur'an
came down from seven gates according to seven ahruf: prohibiting and commanding, lawful and unlawful, clear
and ambiguous, and parables. So, allow what it makes lawful, proscribe what it makes unlawful, do what it
commands you to do, forbid what it prohibits, be warned by its parables, act on its clear passages, trust in its
ambiguous passages." And they said: "We believe in it; it is all from our Lord."

And Abû Qilaba narrated:

It has reached me that the Prophet(P) said: "The Qur'an was sent down according to seven ahruf: command and
prohibition, encouragement of good and discouragement of evil, dialectic, narrative, and parable."

3
These above hadîths serve as evidence that the Qur'an was revealed in seven ahruf. The
defination of the term ahruf has been the subject of much scholarly discussion and is included in
the general works of the Qur'an.

Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi, in his “Tadabbur-e-Qur’ān”, has presented conclusive evidence that
the Qur’ān is divided into seven discrete groups. Each group has a distinct theme. Every group
begins with one or more Makkan Sūrah and ends with one or more Madinan Sūrah. In each
group, the Makkan Sūrahs always precede the Madīnan ones. The relationship between the
Makkan Sūrahs and Madīnan Sūrahs of each group is that of the root of a tree and its branches. In
every group, all the phases of the Prophet’s mission are depicted. Two sūrahs of each group form
a pair so that each member of the pair complements the other in various ways. Sūrah Fātihah,
however, is an exception to this pattern: it is an introduction to the whole of the Qur’ān as well as
to the first group which begins with it. Each sūrah has specific addressees and a central theme
around which the contents of the sūrah revolve. Every sūrah has distinct subsections to mark
thematic shifts, and every subsection is paragraphed to mark smaller shifts.

Following is a brief description of the seven Qur’ānic groups:

Group Chapters Central theme

I Sūrah Fātihah (1) - Sūrah Māidah (5) Makkan: 1 Islamic Law,
Madinan: 2-5 Admonition (indhār) to the Jews and the Christians.
II Sūrah An`ām (6) - Sūrah Tawbah (9) Makkan: 6,7 The consequences of denying the Prophet (sws) for
Madinan: 8,9 the Mushrikīn of Makkah.
III Sūrah Yūnus (10) - Sūrah Nūr (24) Makkan: 10-23 Glad tidings of the Prophet’s domination.
Madinan: 24
IV Sūrah Furqān (25) - Sūrah Ahzāb (33) Makkan: 25-32 Arguments on the Prophethood of Muhammad (sws)
Madinan: 33 and the requirements of faith in him.
V Sūrah Sabā (34) - Sūrah Hujrāt (49) Makkan: 34-46 Arguments on Tawhīd and the requirements of faith
Madinan: 47-49 in it.
VI Sūrah Qāf (50) - Sūrah Tihrīm (66) Makkan: 50-56 Arguments on Aakhirah and the requirements of
Madinan: 57-66 faith in it.
VII (Sūrah Mulk (67) - Sūrah Nās (114) Makkan: 67-112 Admonition to the Quraysh about their fate in the
Madinan : 113-14 Herein and the Hereafter if they deny the Prophet.

This is just a brief introduction of the thematic and structural coherence in the Qur’ān as
presented by Islāhī in his “Tadabbur-e-Qur’ān”. The masterpiece needs to be studied by every
person who wants to understand the Qur’ān so that he may have an idea of the giant leap forward
it has brought about in the field of Qur’ānic Sciences.
Quran chapters in Chronological Order:
Chronological Order Surah Name Verses Revelation Present Order
4
1 Alaq (Al-) 19 Mecca 96
2 Qalam (Al-) 52 Mecca 68
3 Muzammil (Al-) 20 Mecca 73
4 Mudathir (Al-) 56 Mecca 74
5 Fatehah 07 Mecca 01
6 Masad (Al-) 05 Mecca 111
7 Takwir (Al-) 29 Mecca 81
8 A'la (Al-) 19 Mecca 87
9 Leyl (Al-) 21 Mecca 92
10 Fajr (Al-) 30 Mecca 89
11 Dhuha (Al-) 11 Mecca 93
12 Sharh (Al-) 08 Mecca 94
13 Asr (Al-) 03 Mecca 103
14 Aadiyat (Al-) 11 Mecca 100
15 Kauthar (Al-) 03 Mecca 108
16 Takathur (Al-) 08 Mecca 102
17 Ma'un (Al-) 07 Mecca 107
18 Kafirun (Al-) 06 Mecca 109
19 Fil (Al-) 05 Mecca 105
20 Falaq (Al-) 05 Mecca 113
21 Nas (Al-) 06 Mecca 114
22 Ikhlas (Al-) 04 Mecca 112
23 Najm (Al-) 62 Mecca 53
24 Abasa 42 Mecca 80
25 Qadr (Al-) 05 Mecca 97
26 Shams (Al-) 15 Mecca 91
27 Bhruj (Al-) 22 Mecca 85
28 T'in (Al-) 08 Mecca 95
29 Qureysh 04 Mecca 106
30 Qariah (Al-) 11 Mecca 101
31 Qiyamah (Al-) 40 Mecca 75
32 Humazah (Al-) 09 Mecca 104
33 Mursalat (Al-) 50 Mecca 77
34 Q'af 45 Mecca 50
35 Balad (Al-) 20 Mecca 90
36 Tariq (Al-) 17 Mecca 86
37 Qamr (Al-) 55 Mecca 54
38 Sad 88 Mecca 38
39 A'Raf (Al-) 206 Mecca 07
40 J'nn (Al-) 28 Mecca 72
41 Ya'sin 83 Mecca 36
42 Farqan (Al-) 77 Mecca 25
43 Fatir 45 Mecca 35
44 Maryam 98 Mecca 19
45 Ta Ha 135 Mecca 20
46 Waqiah (Al-) 96 Mecca 56
47 Shuara (Al-) 226 Mecca 26
48 Naml (Al-) 93 Mecca 27
49 Qasas (Al-) 88 Mecca 28
50 Israa (Al-) 111 Mecca 17
51 Yunus 109 Mecca 19
52 Hud 123 Mecca 11
53 Yousuf 111 Mecca 12
54 Hijr (Al-) 99 Mecca 15
55 Ana'm (Al-) 165 Mecca 06
56 Saffat (Al-) 182 Mecca 37
57 Luqman 34 Mecca 31
58 Saba 54 Mecca 34
59 Zamar (Al-) 75 Mecca 39
 60 Ghafer 85 Mecca 40
61 Fazilat 54 Mecca 41
62 Shura (Al-) 53 Mecca 42
63 Zukhruf (Al-) 89 Mecca 43
64 Dukhan (Al-) 59 Mecca 44
65 Jathiyah (Al-) 37 Mecca 45
66 Ahqaf (Al-) 35 Mecca 46
67 Dhariyat (Al-) 60 Mecca 51
68 Ghashiya (Al-) 26 Mecca 88
69 Kahf (Al-) 110 Mecca 18
70 Nahl (Al-) 128 Mecca 16
71 Noah 28 Mecca 71
72 Ibhrahim 52 Mecca 14
73 Anbiya (Al-) 112 Mecca 21
74 Muminun (Al-) 118 Mecca 23
75 Sajdah (Al-) 30 Mecca 32
76 Tur (Al-) 49 Mecca 52
77 Mulk (Al-) 30 Mecca 67
78 Haqqah (Al-) 52 Mecca 69
79 Maarij (Al-) 44 Mecca 70
80 Naba (Al-) 40 Mecca 78
81 Naziat (Al-) 46 Mecca 79
82 Infitar (Al-) 19 Mecca 82
83 Inshiqaq (Al-) 25 Mecca 84
84 Rum (Al-) 60 Mecca 30
85 Ankabut (Al-) 69 Mecca 29
86 Motafefin (Al- ) 36 Mecca 83
87 Baqarah (Al-) 286 Madina 02
88 Anfal (Al-) 75 Madina 08
89 Imran (Al-) 200 Madina 03
90 Ahzab (Al-) 73 Madina 33
91 Mumtahana (Al-) 13 Madina 60
92 Nisa (Al-) 176 Madina 04
93 Zilzaleh (Al-) 08 Madina 99
94 Hadid (Al-) 29 Madina 57
95 Muhammad 38 Madina 47
96 Ra'd (Al-) 43 Madina 13
97 Rahman (Al-) 78 Madina 55
98 Ensan (Al-) 31 Madina 76
99 Talaq (Al-) 12 Madina 65
100 Beyinnah (Al-) 08 Madina 98
101 Hashr (Al-) 24 Madina 59
102 Nur (Al-) 64 Madina 24
103 Hajj (Al-) 78 Madina 22
104 Munafiqun (Al-) 11 Madina 63
105 Mujadila (Al-) 22 Madina 58
106 Hujurat (Al-) 18 Madina 49
107 Tahrim (Al-) 12 Madina 66
108 Taghabun (Al-) 18 Madina 64
109 Saff (Al-) 14 Madina 61
110 Jumah (Al-) 11 Madina 62
111 Fath (Al-) 29 Madina 48
112 Maidah (Al-) 120 Madina 05
113 Taubah (Al-) 129 Madina 09
114 Nasr (Al-) 03 Madina 110
1. Tafsir Ibn Kathir ('Imad Ad-Din Isma'il bin 'Umar bin Kathir), Tadabbur-i-Qur’an (Maulana Amin
Ahsan Islahi), Tafheem-ul-Quran (Maulana Syed Abul A’ala Maududi), Ma’arif-ul-Quran (Mufti
Muhammad Shafi)
2. Though we are going to use the thematic and structural coherence as an instrumental tool to
understand the message of Qur’an, it is not considered to be a key element in understanding the
meanings. The key to understand the Qur’an in its own words is
Taqwa.
02:282 Vُ XWY‫ ُ] ُ\ ُ[ ا‬X^`َ aُ‫ َو‬Vَ XWY‫اْ ا‬dُefW‫وَا‬
08:29 iًoiَpْqrُ ْ[\ُ YW sَ`tْ aَ Vَ XWY‫اْ ا‬dُeuWfَ ‫اْ إَن‬dُxyَ ‫{ ءَا‬ َ aِhYW‫ ا‬iَjaklَ‫ِـ‬a
57:28 Vِ ƒِ ‫ن‬
َ dُ„]ْ fَ ‫رًا‬dُo ْ[\ُ YW sَ`t
ْ aَ ‫ َو‬Vِ uِ ]َ |
ْ ‫ر‬W {ِy {
ِ ~ْ Xَْ ‫ ُ\[ْ ِآ‬fِ ْaُ ِVYِdُ‚qَ ƒِ ْ‫ا‬dُxyِ ‫ َوءَا‬Vَ XWY‫اْ ا‬dُefW‫اْ ا‬dُxyَ ‫{ ءَا‬ َ aِhYW‫ ا‬iَjaklَa
See discussion in Mutala-e-Qur’an (Maulana Wahiduddin Khan) page 04-21
3. Abû Jafar Muhammad bin Jarîr al-Tabarî’s Jami al-Bayân, 1987, Volume 1, Oxford University
Press, p. 16.
4. The division of surahs into 'Meccan surahs' and 'Medinan surahs' is primarily a consequence of
time consideration. Classification of the surahs into these periods is based upon Prophet's
migration (hijra) from Mecca to Madina. Surahs revealed before migration are labeled as being
Meccan and those revealed after migration are labeled as being Medinan.