Chronological Order of Surahs

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Chronological Order of Quranic Surahs

This page presents a series of tables presenting the traditional Islamic chronological order of the surahs.

The source I used presented the information in three slightly contradictory tables, as those had been taken
from various sources as well. I reconstructed the information below from the information apparently taken
from the unnamed work of Abu al-Qasim `Umar ibn Muhammad ibn `Abd al-Kafi. Interestingly, Noldeke
(in his Geschichte des Qorans) utilized the same as the basis for his own chronological order of the surahs.

The only differences in order between the traditional order and the order given by Noldeke are the following:
a.) surah 110 is last in the traditional order, but Noldeke places it between 59 and 24;
b.) the order of 64, 61, 62 in the traditional order becomes in Noldeke 62, 64, 61

Source: History of the Quran by Allamah Abu Abd Allah al-Zanjani
(from Al-Tawheed vol. 4, no. 3; vol. 5, nos. 1, 2, and 3).
A series of 4 pdf files obtained from www.playandlearn.org.

Any comments, suggestions, or questions are welcome here.

Chronological Order of the Meccan Surahs:
The following table presents the Meccan Surahs in chronological order. Please note that somewhat
unorthodox transliteration is due to font limitations for web pages. I think it will still make sense.
The columns for the first two tables are: Surah number in the Quran, transliteration of Quranic title,
translation of title, and a column of notes describing any exception to that chronological placement, etc.

96	al-`Alaq	The Clot
68	al-Qalam	The Pen	except 17-33, 48-50, from Medinah
73	al-Muzammil	The Mantled One	except for 73.10-11, 20, from Medinah
74	al-Muddaththir	The Clothed One
1	al-Fātiĥah	The Opening
111	al-Lahab	The Flame
81	at-Takwīr	The Cessation
87	al-A`lā	The Most High
92	al-Layl	The Night
89	al-Fajr	The Dawn
93	aď-Ďuĥā	The Early Hours
94	al-Inshirāĥ	The Expansion
103	al-`Aşr	Time
100	al-`Ādiyāt	The Assaulters
108	al-Kauthar	Abundance
102	at-Takāthur	Worldly Gain
107	al-Mā`ūn	The Daily Necessaries	only 1-3; rest from Medinah
109	al-Kāfirūn	The Unbelievers
105	al-Fīl	The Elephant
113	al-Falaq	The Daybreak
114	an-Nās	The Men
112	al-Ikhlāş	The Unity
53	an-Najm	The Star	except 32, from Medinah
80	`Abasa	He Frowned
97	al-qadr	The Majesty
91	ash-Shams	The Sun
85	al-Burūj	The Constellations
95	at-Tin	The Fig
106	al-Quraysh	The Quraish
101	al-Qāri`ah	The Terrible Calamity
75	al-Qiyāmah	The Resurrection
104	al-Humazah	The Slanderer
77	al-Mursalāt	The Emissaries	except 48, from Medinah
50	Qāf	Qaf	except 38, from Medinah
90	al-Balad	The City
86	aţ-Ţāriq	The Night-Comer
54	al-Qamar	The Moon	except 44, 45, 46, from Medinah
38	Şād	Sad
7	al-A`rāf	The Elevated Places	except 163-170, from Medinah
72	al-Jinn	The Jinn
36	Yā Sīn	Ya Sin	except 45, from Medinah
25	al-Furqān	The Criterion	except 68, 69, 70, from Medinah
35	al-Fāţir	The Creator
19	Maryam	Mary	except 58, 71, from Medinah
20	Ţā Hā	Ta Ha	except 130, 131, from Medinah
56	al-Wāqi`ah	That Which is Coming	except 81, 82, from Medinah
26	ash-Shu`arā'	The Poets	except 197 and 224-end, from Medinah
27	an-Naml	The Ant
28	al-Qaşaş	The Narrative	except 52-55 from Medinah and 85 from Juhfah at the time of the Hijrah
17	Banī Isrā'īl (or al-Isrā')	The Israelites (or The Night Journey)	except 26, 32, 33, 57, 73-80, from Medinah
10	Yūnus	Jonah	except 40, 94, 95, 96, from Medinah
11	Hūd	Hud	except 12, 17, 114, from Medinah
12	Yūsuf	Joseph	except 1, 2, 3, 7, from Medinah
15	al-Ĥijr	The Rock	except 87, from Medinah
6	al-An`ām	The Cattle	except 20, 23, 91, 93, 114, 151, 152, 153, from Medinah
37	aş-Şāffāt	The Rangers
31	Luqmān	Lukman	except 27-29, from Medinah
34	Saba'	Sheba
39	az-Zumar	The Companies
40	al-Mu'min	The Forgiving One	except 56, 57, from Medinah
41	Ĥā Mim Sajdah	Revelations Well Expounded
42	ash-Shūrā	The Counsel	except 23, 24, 25, 27, from Medinah
43	az-Zukhruf	The Embellishment	except 54, from Medinah
44	ad-Dukhān	The Evident Smoke
45	al-Jāthiyah	The Kneeling	except 14, from Medinah
46	al-Aĥqāf	The Sandhills	except 10, 15, 35, from Medinah
51	adh-Dhāriyāt	The Scatterers
88	al-Ghāshiyah	The Overwhelming Calamity
18	al-Kahf	The Cave	except 28, 83-101, from Medinah
16	an-Naĥl	The Bee	except last three verses 126-128, from Medinah
71	Nūĥ	Noah
14	Ibrāhīm	Abraham	except 28, 29, from Medinah
21	al-Anbiyā'	The Prophets
23	al-Mu'minūn	The Believers
32	as-Sajdah	The Adoration	except 16-20, from Medinah
52	aţ-Ţūr	The Mountain
67	al-Mulk	The Kingdom
69	al-Ĥāqqah	The Inevitable
70	al-Ma`ārij	The Ladders
78	an-Naba'	The Tidings
79	an-Nāzi`āt	Those Who Pull Out
82	al-Infiţār	The Cleaving Asunder
84	al-Inshiqāq	The Rending
30	ar-Rūm	The Romans	except 17, from Medinah
29	al-`Ankabūt	The Spider	except 1-11, from Medinah
83	at-Taţfīf	The Defrauders	last from Mecca

Chronological Order of the Surahs from Medinah:

2	al-Baqarah	The Cow	except 281 from Mina at the time of the Last Hajj
8	al-Anfāl	The Spoils Of War	except 30-36 from Mecca
3	āl-Imrān	The Family Of Imran
33	al-Aĥzāb	The Allies
60	al-Mumtaĥanah	She Who is Tested
4	an-Nisā'	Women
99	al-Zilzāl	The Shaking
57	al-Ĥadid	The Iron
47	Muĥammad	Muhammad	except 13, from during the Hijrah
13	ar-Ra`d	The Thunder
55	ar-Raĥmān	The Merciful
76	ad-Dahr	The Man
65	aţ-Ţalāq	The Divorce
98	al-Bayyinah	The Proof
59	al-Ĥashr	The Exile
24	an-Nūr	The Light
22	al-Ĥajj	The Pilgrimage	except 52-55, from between Mecca and Medinah
63	al-Munāfiqūn	The Hypocrites
58	al-Mujādilah	She Who Pleaded
49	al-Ĥujurāt	The Chambers
66	at-Taĥrīm	The Prohibition
64	at-Taghābun	The Cheating
61	aş-Şaff	The Ranks
62	al-Jumu`ah	The Day of Congregation
48	al-Fatĥ	The Victory	while returning from Hudaybiyyah
5	al-Mā'idah	The Food	except 3, from Arafat on Last Hajj
9	at-Taubah	Repentance	except last two verses from Mecca
110	an-Naşr	The Help	last one, from Mina on Last Hajj

Quranic Order of the Surahs
(Note the additional first column which includes both the city and number of order for each surah, following the order
in which they are given in the above tables. The other colomns are the same.)

Mecca_05	1	al-Fātiĥah	The Opening
Medinah_01	2	al-Baqarah	The Cow	except 281 from Mina at the time of the Last Hajj
Medinah_03	3	āl-Imrān	The Family Of Imran
Medinah_06	4	an-Nisā'	Women
Medinah_26	5	al-Mā'idah	The Food	except 3, from Arafat on Last Hajj
Mecca_55	6	al-An`ām	The Cattle	except 20, 23, 91, 93, 114, 151, 152, 153, from Medinah
Mecca_39	7	al-A`rāf	The Elevated Places	except 163-170, from Medinah
Medinah_02	8	al-Anfāl	The Spoils Of War	except 30-36 from Mecca
Medinah_27	9	at-Taubah	Repentance	except last two verses from Mecca
Mecca_51	10	Yūnus	Jonah	except 40, 94, 95, 96, from Medinah
Mecca_52	11	Hūd	Hud	except 12, 17, 114, from Medinah
Mecca_53	12	Yūsuf	Joseph	except 1, 2, 3, 7, from Medinah
Medinah_10	13	ar-Ra`d	The Thunder
Mecca_72	14	Ibrāhīm	Abraham	except 28, 29, from Medinah
Mecca_54	15	al-Ĥijr	The Rock	except 87, from Medinah
Mecca_70	16	an-Naĥl	The Bee	except last three verses 127-129, from Medinah
Mecca_50	17	Banī Isrā'īl (or al-Isrā')	The Israelites (or The Night Journey)	except 26, 32, 33, 57, 73-80, from Medinah
Mecca_69	18	al-Kahf	The Cave	except 28, 83-101, from Medinah
Mecca_44	19	Maryam	Mary	except 58, 71, from Medinah
Mecca_45	20	Ţā Hā	Ta Ha	except 130, 131, from Medinah
Mecca_73	21	al-Anbiyā'	The Prophets
Medinah_17	22	al-Ĥajj	The Pilgrimage	except 52-55, from between Mecca and Medinah
Mecca_74	23	al-Mu'minūn	The Believers
Medinah_16	24	an-Nūr	The Light
Mecca_42	25	al-Furqān	The Criterion	except 68, 69, 70, from Medinah
Mecca_47	26	ash-Shu`arā'	The Poets	except 197 and 224-end, from Medinah
Mecca_48	27	an-Naml	The Ant
Mecca_49	28	al-Qaşaş	The Narrative	except 52-55 from Medinah and 85 from Juhfah at the time of the Hijrah
Mecca_85	29	al-`Ankabūt	The Spider	except 1-11, from Medinah
Mecca_84	30	ar-Rūm	The Romans	except 17, from Medinah
Mecca_57	31	Luqmān	Lukman	except 27-29, from Medinah
Mecca_75	32	as-Sajdah	The Adoration	except 16-20, from Medinah
Medinah_04	33	al-Aĥzāb	The Allies
Mecca_58	34	Saba'	Sheba
Mecca_43	35	al-Fāţir	The Creator
Mecca_41	36	Yā Sīn	Ya Sin	except 45, from Medinah
Mecca_56	37	aş-Şāffāt	The Rangers
Mecca_38	38	Şād	Sad
Mecca_59	39	az-Zumar	The Companies
Mecca_60	40	al-Mu'min	The Forgiving One	except 56, 57, from Medinah
Mecca_61	41	Ĥā Mim Sajdah	Revelations Well Expounded
Mecca_62	42	ash-Shūrā	The Counsel	except 23, 24, 25, 27, from Medinah
Mecca_63	43	az-Zukhruf	The Embellishment	except 54, from Medinah
Mecca_64	44	ad-Dukhān	The Evident Smoke
Mecca_65	45	al-Jāthiyah	The Kneeling	except 14, from Medinah
Mecca_66	46	al-Aĥqāf	The Sandhills	except 10, 15, 35, from Medinah
Medinah_09	47	Muĥammad	Muhammad	except 13, from during the Hijrah
Medinah_25	48	al-Fatĥ	The Victory	while returning from Hudaybiyyah
Medinah_20	49	al-Ĥujurāt	The Chambers
Mecca_34	50	Qāf	Qaf	except 38, from Medinah
Mecca_67	51	adh-Dhāriyāt	The Scatterers
Mecca_76	52	aţ-Ţūr	The Mountain
Mecca_23	53	an-Najm	The Star	except 32, from Medinah
Mecca_37	54	al-Qamar	The Moon	except 44, 45, 46, from Medinah
Medinah_11	55	ar-Raĥmān	The Merciful
Mecca_46	56	al-Wāqi`ah	That Which is Coming	except 81, 82, from Medinah
Medinah_08	57	al-Ĥadid	The Iron
Medinah_19	58	al-Mujādilah	She Who Pleaded
Medinah_15	59	al-Ĥashr	The Exile
Medinah_05	60	al-Mumtaĥanah	She Who is Tested
Medinah_23	61	aş-Şaff	The Ranks
Medinah_24	62	al-Jumu`ah	The Day of Congregation
Medinah_18	63	al-Munāfiqūn	The Hypocrites
Medinah_22	64	at-Taghābun	The Cheating
Medinah_13	65	aţ-Ţalāq	The Divorce
Medinah_21	66	at-Taĥrīm	The Prohibition
Mecca_77	67	al-Mulk	The Kingdom
Mecca_02	68	al-Qalam	The Pen	except 17-33, 48-50, from Medinah
Mecca_78	69	al-Ĥāqqah	The Inevitable
Mecca_79	70	al-Ma`ārij	The Ladders
Mecca_71	71	Nūĥ	Noah
Mecca_40	72	al-Jinn	The Jinn
Mecca_03	73	al-Muzammil	The Mantled One	except for 73.10-11, 20, from Medinah
Mecca_04	74	al-Muddaththir	The Clothed One
Mecca_31	75	al-Qiyāmah	The Resurrection
Medinah_12	76	ad-Dahr	The Man
Mecca_33	77	al-Mursalāt	The Emissaries	except 48, from Medinah
Mecca_80	78	an-Naba'	The Tidings
Mecca_81	79	an-Nāzi`āt	Those Who Pull Out
Mecca_24	80	`Abasa	He Frowned
Mecca_07	81	at-Takwīr	The Cessation
Mecca_82	82	al-Infiţār	The Cleaving Asunder
Mecca_86	83	at-Taţfīf	The Defrauders	last from Mecca
Mecca_83	84	al-Inshiqāq	The Rending
Mecca_27	85	al-Burūj	The Constellations
Mecca_36	86	aţ-Ţāriq	The Night-Comer
Mecca_08	87	al-A`lā	The Most High
Mecca_68	88	al-Ghāshiyah	The Overwhelming Calamity
Mecca_10	89	al-Fajr	The Dawn
Mecca_35	90	al-Balad	The City
Mecca_26	91	ash-Shams	The Sun
Mecca_09	92	al-Layl	The Night
Mecca_11	93	aď-Ďuĥā	The Early Hours
Mecca_12	94	al-Inshirāĥ	The Expansion
Mecca_28	95	at-Tin	The Fig
Mecca_01	96	al-`Alaq	The Clot
Mecca_25	97	al-qadr	The Majesty
Medinah_14	98	al-Bayyinah	The Proof
Medinah_07	99	al-Zilzāl	The Shaking
Mecca_14	100	al-`Ādiyāt	The Assaulters
Mecca_30	101	al-Qāri`ah	The Terrible Calamity
Mecca_16	102	at-Takāthur	Worldly Gain
Mecca_13	103	al-`Aşr	Time
Mecca_32	104	al-Humazah	The Slanderer
Mecca_19	105	al-Fīl	The Elephant
Mecca_29	106	al-Quraysh	The Quraish
Mecca_17	107	al-Mā`ūn	The Daily Necessaries	only 1-3; rest from Medinah
Mecca_15	108	al-Kauthar	Abundance
Mecca_18	109	al-Kāfirūn	The Unbelievers
Medinah_28	110	an-Naşr	The Help	last one, from Mina on Last Hajj
Mecca_06	111	al-Lahab	The Flame
Mecca_22	112	al-Ikhlāş	The Unity
Mecca_20	113	al-Falaq	The Daybreak
Mecca_21	114	an-Nās	The Men

� 2002 Kevin P. Edgecomb