The Quran is a compilation of six thousand two hundred and thirty-six verses also called ayat. The Quran’s suras are arranged in order of length from largest to smallest and not in the chronological order of the visions. Discover the architecture of the Quran’s suras.
How are the suras of the Quran presented?
The basic book of Islam, the absolute guide to the faithful, is made up of one hundred and fourteen suras of disproportionate measures. The smallest still called al kawthar and an nasr have three verses called ayat, and the most extensive is known as Al baqara which has 286 verses. The purpose of the architecture of the Quran’s suras is to facilitate the assimilation of the verses and the binding of the common threads.
The titles given to the suras are made up of keywords from the beginning or the end of the body of the text. These refer either to a touching word or to the dominant subject of the sura concerned. Most suras are made up of names used to designate them, such as the first sura known as Fatiha, but which is referred to by more than a dozen other names. It is the same for sura one hundred and twelve. The Koran despite the disparity of the suras, retains all its originality and its integrity. It is perfectly accessible as a whole to the followers of the Prophet Muhammad.
The chronological order of the suras, a controversial concern
The suras were originally arranged in Medinan or Makkan expression, although it is impossible to know exactly what this demarcation looks like, or why verses from one group are inserted into suras from another. A chronological organization of the suras was formalized by the conformists, on principles that go back to ancient times marking the beginnings of the Muslim religion. This did not prevent disagreements within the Muslim tradition and a complete lack of agreement. Antagonistic versions are maintained until the sixteenth century, but these lists are received with reluctance.
In view of these controversies, the accepted hypothesis is that scholars of the Koranic sciences are not aware of the chronological order of the suras. However, in 1924, Islam recognized the chronology edited by Ga’far al-Sadig in the eighth century. It must be said that despite this canonical decision, the Arab-Muslim world, in general, is still divided on the question of the chronology of the suras which, for the latter, must preserve their sacred aspect for objective social control. It must be said all the same that the establishment of the order of the suras is still a challenge pending to be taken up by the Muslim world.
Whatever one says, this heritage of God through the Prophet Muhammad remains through the ages a real lever of the foundation of the Muslim faith and of the doctrine of this religion which is in the second position next to Christianity. The harmony and configuration of the suras clearly allows for fluid meditation for the devotee. This is the main thing to note from the architecture of the suras in the Quran.
