Arrangement of the Qur’a#n Module 1 Contents A. The Classical View Section I: Divisions of the Qur’a#n i. Initial Format a. 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 Connection’ ii. The Adverseries Section III: Makkan and Madi#nan Division Arrangement of the Qur’an A. The Classical View Section I: Divisions of the Qur’a#n The written and oral text of the Qur’a#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 Arrangement of the Qur’a#n Module 1 2 ٢ ١٣ ٢ The initial format of the Qur’a#n consisted of A%yahs (verses) and Su#rahs: a. A%yahs --These are divisions of the Qur’a#n where the Prophet (sws) paused while reading the Qur’a#n keeping in view its rhyme and rhythm. --They were marked by the Companions when they heard the Prophet’s recital and there exist slight differences in ascertaining them. Suyu#t@i# writes: سبب اختلاف السلف في عدد الآي أن النبي كان يقف على رؤوس الآي للتوقيف فإذا علم محلها وصل للتمام فيحسب السامع حينئذ أﻧﻬا ليست فاصلة The reason that the scholars have differed on the number of verses of the Qur’a#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 (shay‘r). --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 Qur’a#n and signify a whole set of meanings. Each Su#rah of the Qur’a#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 Meaning In the subcontinent, the Ruku#‘ division was introduced to paragraph the Qur’a#n according to a shift in meaning. It was indicated by the symbol ع and the explanation of the Arabic numerals written with each is as follows ع --The top figure indicates that the Ruku#‘ 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#mi’l-Qur’a#n, 2nd ed., vol. 1, (Bayda#r: Manshu#ra#t al-Rad@i#, 1343 AH), p. 37-8 Arrangement of the Qur’a#n Module 1 3 b. Divisions regarding Memorization The Huffa#z@(people who have memorized the Qur’a#n) and the Qurra# (people who have learnt the science of reciting the Qur’a#n) divided the Qur’a#n into thirty equal parts (each part is called a Sipa#rah) by counting the total words of the Qur’a#n and dividing them by thirty so that the whole of the Qur’a#n could be recited out in one month. The divisions of a Sipa#rah are: 1. Rub‘ ( رُبْع ): One-quarter of a Sipa#rah. 2. Nis@f ( نِصْف ): One-half of a Sipa#rah. 3. Thuluth ( ُثُلثْ ) : 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 Qur’a#n in seven equal parts to recite it in a week. These divisions are called Manzil (pl. Mana#zil: Stages). Copies of the Qur’a#n printed in the Middle East in particular have each Sipa#rah subdivided into four ~H@izbs indicated by the sign حزب . Each H@izb is again subdivided into quarters, indicated as follows: --First quarter of the H@izb: رُبْعُ الحِزْب --Half of the H@izb: نِصْفُ الحِزْب --Third quarter of the H@izb: َث َ لاَثةُ َأرْبَاعِ الحِزْب Section II: Naz@m Are the verses in a su#rah and the su#rahs themselves in the Qur’a#n arranged in a meaningful way? In technical terms: Does the Qur’a#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 and su#rahs both. 1. This section has been summarized and re-arranged from: Mustansir Mir, Thematic and Structural Coherence in the Qur’a#n, (Ann Arbor: University Microfilms International, 1983), pp. 16-28 Arrangement of the Qur’a#n Module 1 4 a. Naz@m as ‘Word-Meaning Relationship’ To this group, the Qur’a#nic Naz@m is basically a component of Qur’a#nic I‘ja#z (inimitability of the Qur’a#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# and Jurja#ni#. b. Naz@m as ‘Linear Connection’ Zarkashi# in Burhan discusses the question of interrelationships of Qur’a#nic verses in a chapter entitled ‘Ma‘rifat 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 Qur’a#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# cites Ra#zi# as an outstanding figure. We will presently discuss Ra#zi#’s method. Ra#zi# is probably the first person to apply the idea of Naz@m to the whole of the Qur’a#n. He is convinced that the Qur’a#n yields most of its lata#’if (‘fine points’) through the Naz@m or arrangement it possesses. He often draws the attention of the reader to the exquisiteness of the Naz@m of this or that verse, and criticizes certain interpretations of Qur’a#nic verses on the grounds that they violate the Naz@m of the verses. Ra#zi#’s method of establishing Naz@m in a Qur’a#nic su#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 the Naz@m connection and, at the same time, adduce a Sha’nu’l-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 sha’nu’l-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 are Zarkashi# himself, Suyu#t@i# and Baqa#‘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 and su#rahs. 2. Zarkashi#, Burha#n, 2nd ed., vol. 1, (Beirut: Da#ru’l-Fikr, 1980), pp. 35-52 Arrangement of the Qur’a#n Module 1 5 2. The Adversaries As far as scholars who are adverse to the concept of Naz@m are concerned, the most notable authorities among them are Qa#dhi# Shawka#ni#, ’Izzu’l-Di#n Ibn ‘Abdu’l Sala#m and Sha#h Wali#’ulla#h. The arguments presented by all three of them are summed up as: 1. Since the Qur’a#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. ’Izzu’l-Di#n Ibn ‘Abdul Sala#m says: وقال الشيخ عز الدين بن عبد السلام: المناسَبة علم حَسن’ لكن يشترط فى حسن ارتباط الكلام َأن يقع في َأمر متَّحد مرتبط َأوله بآخره: فإِن وقع على َأسباب مختلفة لم يقع فيه ارتباط’ ومن ربَ َ ط ذلك فهو متكلَّف بما لا يقدر عليه إِلاَّ بربط ركيكٍ يُصان عن مثله حسن الحدي ُ ث فضلا عن َأحسنه: فإِن القرآن نزل في نيّف وعشرين سنة ’في َأحكام مختلفة’ شرِعت لأَسباب مختلفة’ وما كان كذلك لا يتَأتَّى ربط بعضه ببعض. The science of Muna#sabah regarding the verses of the Qur’a#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 varying circumstances 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 Qur’a#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 Qur’a#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: إن سألوا لم نشر هذه المطالب فى سور القرآن ولم يراع الترتيب فيذكر آلاء الله أو ً لا ويستوفى حقها ، ثم يذكر أيام الله ثم مخاصمة الكفار؟ قلنا: وإن كانت القدرة الإلهية شاملة للممكنات كلها، ولكن الحاكم فى هذه الأبواب الحكمة ، والحكمة موافقة المبعوث إليهم فى اللسان وأسلوب 3. Suyu#t@i#, Itqa#n Fi# ‘Ulu#mi’l-Qur’a#n, 2nd ed., vol. 3, (Bayda#r: Manshu#ra#t al-Rad@i#, 1343 AH), p. 370 Arrangement of the Qur’a#n Module 1 6 البيان ، وأشير إلى هذا المعنى فى آية ‘‘لقالوا لولا فصلت آياته أعجمي و عربى’’ وما كان فىالعرب إلى وقت نزول القرآن كتاب لامن الكتب الإلهية ولامن مؤلف البشر وما كان العرب يعلمون ما اخترع المصنفون الآن من الترتيب، فان كنت في شك من هذا فتأمل قصائد الشعراءالمخضرمين واقرأ رسائل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ، ومكاتيب عمر الفاروق رضى الله عنه ليتضحهذا المعنى ، فلو قيل بخلاف طورهم ، لبقوا فى حيرة حين يصل إلى سمعهم شىء غير معهود فيشوش فهمهم ، وأيضًا ليس المقصود مجرد الإفادة بل الإفادة مع الاستحضار والتكرار ، وهذا المعنى فى غير المرتب أقوى وأتم. If they ask: Why are these five types of verses4 are dispersed in su#rahs of the Qur’a#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 ( (ألاء الله should have been mentioned thoroughly and discussed first and then those pertaining to the Days of God ( آيام الله ) should have been mentioned with due details? 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 Qur’a#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 Qur’a#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 contrary to 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 Qur’an contains five types of verses. For details see Al-Fawzu’l-Kabi#r.fi# Usuli’l-Tafsi#r, 1st ed., (Lahore: Maktabah ‘Ilmiyyah, , 1970), pp. 1-3 Arrangement of the Qur’a#n Module 1 7 memories to make it available to them through repetition. And this purpose is served more strongly and completely through the un-arranged form of writing.5 At another place, he says: لم يجعل القرآن مبوبًا مفص ً لا ، ليطلب كل مطلب منه فى باب أو فصل ، بل كان كمجموع المكتوبات فرضَا كما يكتب الملوك إلى رعاياهم بحسب اقتضاء الحال مثا ً لا وبعد زمان يكتبون مثا ً لا آخر ، وعلى هذا القياس حتى تجتمع أمثلة كثيرة فيدوﻧﻬا شخص حتى يصير مجموعًا مرتبًا كذلكنزل الملك على الإطلاق جل شأنه على نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم لهداية عباده سورة بعد سورة بحسب اقتضاء الحال The Qur’a#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 Qur’a#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: السبع الطوال أولها البقرة وآخرها براءة ...... والمئون ما وليها سميت بذلك لأن كل سورةمنها تزيد على مائة آية أو تقارﺑﻬا والمثاني ما ولي المئين لأﻧﻬا ثنتها أي كانت بعدها فهي لها ثوان والمئون لها أوائل وقال الفراء هي السورة التي آيها أقل من مائة لأﻧﻬا تثنى أكثر مما يثنى الطوال ..... والمفصل ما ولي المثاني من قصار السور سمي بذلك لكثرة الفصول التي بين السور بالبسملة The first among the Tiwa#l Su#rahs is Baqarah and the last among them is Bara#’. Next come the Mi’u#n Su#rahs. They are named so because each of the 5. Sha#h Wali#’ulla#h, Al-Fawzu’l-Kabi#r, 1st ed., (Lahore: Maktabah ‘ Ilmiyyah, 1970), pp 86-7 6. Sha#h Wali#’ulla#h, Al-Fawzu’l-Kabi#r, 1st ed., (Lahore: Maktabah ‘ Ilmiyyah, 1970), pp 74-5 Arrangement of the Qur’a#n Module 1 8 Su#rahs of this category have more than one hundred verses or near about this number. Next come the Matha#ni#. They are so called because they come after the Mi'u#n and … Next come the Mufas@s@al. They are the shorter Su#rahs of the Qur’a#n and they are named so because of they are large in numbers and as such are frequently separated by Bismilla#h.7 In other words, Su#rahs of the Qur’a#n according to these scholars are grouped according to their number of verses according to the following scheme: 1. Al-T@iwa#l: Long Su#rahs (2-10) 2. Al-Mi’u#n: Su#rahs with approximately 100 verses (11-35) 3. Al-Matha#ni#: Su#rahs with less than 100 verses 36-49 4. Al-Mufas@s@al: The last section of the Qur’a#n beginning with Su#rah Qa#f: 50-114. Who arranged the Qur’a#n in the present form? Most classical scholars are of the view that it was the Companions of the Prophet (sws) and not the Prophet (sws) himself who arranged the Qur’a#n in its present shape.8 Section III: Makkan and Madi#nan Division Su#rahs of the Qur’a#n have also been classified into Makkan and Madi#nan su#rahs. In this regard Suyu#t@i# has pointed out three views regarding this classification: اشهرها أن المكي ما نزل قبل الهجرة والمدني ما نزل بعدها سواء نزل بمكة أم بالمدينة عام الفتح أو عام حجة الوداع أم بسفر من الأسفار الثاني أن المكي ما نزل بمكة ولو بعد الهجرة والمدني ما نزل بالمدينة الثالث أن المكي ما وقع خطابا لأهل مكة والمدني ما وقع خطابا لأهل المدينة The most famous of the opinions is that whatever was revealed before migration is Makkan and whatever was revealed after migration is Madi#nan whether revealed in Makkah or in Madinah in the year Makkah was conquered or in the year of the last pilgrimage or in the various journeys. 7. Suyu#t@i#, Itqa#n Fi# ‘Ulu#mi’l-Qur’a#n, 2nd ed., vol. 1, (Bayda#r: Manshu#ra#t al-Rad@i#, 1343 AH), pp. 220-21 8. Suyu#t@i#, Itqa#n Fi# ‘Ulu#mi’l-Qur’a#n, 2nd ed., vol. 1, (Bayda#r: Manshu#ra#t al-Rad@i#, 1343 AH), p. 216 Arrangement of the Qur’a#n Module 1 9 The second opinion is that whatever was revealed in Makkah is Makkan even though if it was revealed after migration and whatever was revealed in Madi#nah is Madi#nan. The third opinion is that whatever portion of the Qur’a#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 85 su#rahs, according to Zarkashi#,10 are of Makkan 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 29 su#rahs, according to Zarkashi#,11 are of Madi#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#nan su#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 on what is Makkan and what is Madi#nan to the reports of the Companions and the views of scholars from the Tabi’u#n generation.12 The Companions were eyewitnesses to the revelation of the Qur’a#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 Prophet’s life in which he was blessed with political authority and therefore they contain directives with regard to the collectivity. ______________ 9. Suyu#t@i#, Itqa#n Fi# ‘Ulu#mi’l-Qur’a#n, 2nd ed., vol. 1, (Bayda#r: Manshu#ra#t al-Rad@i#, 1343 AH), p. 37 10. Zarkashi#, Burha#n, 2nd ed., vol. 1, (Beirut: Da#ru’l-Fikr, 1980), pp. 249-50 11. Zarkashi#, Burha#n, 2nd ed., vol. 1, (Beirut: Da#ru’l-Fikr, 1980), p. 250 12. Zarkashi#, Burha#n, 2nd ed., vol. 1, (Beirut: Da#ru’l-Fikr, 1980), pp. 246-7