The Tarteeb of the Quran

CategoriesQur'an [167]

Fatwa ID: 05402

 

Answered by: Maulana Syed Johir Miah

 

Question

 

 

The tarteeb or order the Quran has been set into, was it revealed in this order, chosen by Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) to be placed in that manner?

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

فإن القرآن مكتوب في اللوح المحفوظ على هذا الترتيب الذي هو في مصاحفنا الآن، أنزله الله جملة واحدة إلى سماء الدنيا؛ كما قال تعالى: ﴿شَهْرُ رَمَضانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ القُرْآنُ﴾ [البقرة ١٨٥] وقال تعالى: ﴿إنّا أنْزَلْناهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ القَدْرِ﴾ [القدر ١] ثم كان ينزل مفرقًا على رسول الله -ﷺ- مدة حياته عند الحاجة؛ كما قال تعالى: ﴿وقُرْآنًا فَرَقْناهُ لِتَقْرَأهُ عَلى النّاسِ عَلى مُكْثٍ ونَزَّلْناهُ تَنْزِيلًا﴾ [الإسراء ١٠٦].

 

The Quran is written in the Preserved Tablet in this order that is in our Quran nowadays. Allah (عز و جل)sent it down in one sentence to the lowest heaven; like he said: ﴿شَهْرُ رَمَضانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ القُرْآنُ﴾ [البقرة ١٨٥]

 

During the month of Ramadan, the Quran was sent down.

 

Then he said﴿إنّا أنْزَلْناهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ القَدْرِ﴾ [القدر ١]

We sent it down on the Night of Glory. Then he would reveal it upon the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم)of Allah (عز و جل)

for the duration of his life when needed; as the Almighty said

﴿وقُرْآنًا فَرَقْناهُ لِتَقْرَأهُ عَلى النّاسِ عَلى مُكْثٍ ونَزَّلْناهُ تَنْزِيلًا﴾ [الإسراء ١٠٦]

And it is a Quran which We have revealed in portions so that you may read it to the people by slow degrees, and We have revealed it, revealing in portions.[1]

 

To make it clear the order of the verse in the surahs occurred with the endeavor of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and this matter of His (saw) is undisputed amongst the Muslims. And indeed differences were in the order of the Surahs upon which it was. [2]

 

And as it was proven in the copy of the Quran of Sayyiduna Usman Bin Affan( رضى الله عنه ), which was sent with a copy to the horizons, and the companions applied to the approval of Sayyiduna Usman( رضى الله عنه ) in arranging his surah and his work in it. The majority of scholars are of the view, that the order of the Surahs only took place by the discretion of the Companions, and that the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) delegated that to his nation after him.[3]

 

There are 3 opinions of the scholars regards to the order of the Surahs of the Quran.

 

The first: that the arrangement of the surahs as it is in the Quran now is my suspension and that no surah was placed in its place except by an order from the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم)on the authority of Gabriel (عليه السلام)on the authority of his Lord, his glory is the same as the arrangement of the verses.[4]

 

Imam Kirmanee (رحمه الله) said: The arrangement of the surahs is thus with God in the Preserved Tablet in this order. [5]

 

Imam Teebee(رحمه الله) said: “The Quran was first sent down as a single sentence from the Preserved Tablet to the lowest heaven. [6]

 

Then it was revealed in separate sections according to the interests, then it was proven in the Quran according to the authorship and the order that is proven in the preserved tablet.

 

The second saying: The arrangement of the surahs is an act of diligence on the part of the companions.[7]

 

The third view: that the arrangement of some of the surahs was suspensive some of them were according to the discretion of the Companions. [8]

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Maulana Syed Johir Miah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

 

[1] Asraru Tarteebil Quran, Suyuti, 11/1, Darul Fadilah

 

[2]اعلم أولا أن ترتيب الآيات في سورها وقع بتوقيف – ﷺ – وأمره من غير خلاف في هذا بين المسلمين، وإنما اختلف في ترتيب السور على ما هي عليه.

Al-Burhan Fee Tanasubi Suwaril Quran, Ibnuz Zubair Al-Gharnatee, 182/1, Wizaratul Awqaf, Morocco, 1410 H.

 

[3]وكما ثبت في الإمام مصحف عمان بن عفان ﵁الذيبعثبنسخةإلىالآفاق،وأطبقتالصحابةعلىموافقةعثمانفيترتيبسورهوعملهفيه،فذهبمالك،والقاضيأبوبكربنالطيب. فيما اعتمده واستقر عليه مذهبه من قوليه، والجمهور من العلماء، إلى أن تريب السور إنما وقع باجتهاد الصحابة، وأن رسول الله – ﷺ – فوض ذلك إلى أمته بعده، وذهبت طائفة من العلماء إلى أن ذلك إنما

Ibid

 

[4]ترتيب السور

للعلماء في ترتيب السور في القرآن الكريم ثلاثة أقوال

الأول: أن ترتيب السور على ما هو عليه في المصحف الآن توقيفي وأنه لم توضع سورة في مكانها إلا بأمر من الرسول -ﷺ- عن جبريل ﵇عنربهعزشأنه كترتيب الآيات سواء بسواء

Dirasat Fee Uloomil Quran, Fahd Rumi, 108/1, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 1428 H.

 

[5]وقال الكرماني في البرهان: «ترتيب السور هكذا هو عند الله في اللوح المحفوظ على هذا الترتيب»

Al-Itqan Fee Uloomil Quran, Suyuti, 217/1, Egypt, 1394 H.

 

[6]. وقال الطيبي: ” أُنْزِلَ القُرْآنُ أوَّلًا جُمْلَةً واحِدَةً مِنَ اللَّوْحِ المَحْفُوظِ إلى السَّماءِ الدُّنْيا ثُمَّ نَزَلَ مُفَرَّقًا عَلى حَسَبِ المَصالِحِ ثُمَّ أُثْبِتَ فِي المَصاحِفِ عَلى التَّأْلِيفِ والنَّظْمِ المُثْبَتِ فِي اللَّوْحِ المَحْفُوظِ

Ibid

 

[7]القول الثاني: أن ترتيب السور اجتهاد من فعل الصحابة.

Dirasat Fee Uloomil Quran, Fahd Rumi, 110/1, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 1428 H.

 

[8]القول الثالث: أن ترتيب بعض السور كان توقيفيًّا وبعضها كان باجتهاد الصحابة:

Dirasat Fee Uloomil Quran, Fahd Rumi, 111/1, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 1428 H.

 

 

 

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