According to the Islamic tradition, Muhammad was born around the year 570 in Makka, a trading and cosmopolitan town of Arabia where different religious communities, mainly polytheists, Jews and Christians, coexisted. Toward 610, he began to receive messages by the intermediary of the angel Gabriel. In front of the persecutions by his family and his fellow citizens because of his religious exclusivist positions, he fled from Makka in 622, together with some of his companions, to Yathrib, the city of his mother which later came to be known as Medina. The date July 16, 622 (corresponding to Muharram 1st) marks the beginning of the Hegira Islamic calendar. In 630, Muhammad returned to Makka with an army and conquered it. He died in Medina on July 8, 632.
The Chronological order of the Koran
For Muslims, the Koran was revealed by God to Muhammad between Mecca and Medina. But there are doubts about the historicity of Muhammad and of Mecca, and about the authors of the Koran and the place in which it was drafted. For the researcher, the Koran is a confused compilation full of linguistic and stylistic errors, probably established in the region of Syria or Iraq, which collects information coming mainly from Jewish and Christian sources.
According to the Islamic tradition, the period during which Muhammad received the revelations lasted for over twenty-two years, time during which he progressed from being a simple tradesman to becoming a head of state. According to this tradition, as soon as a revelation was received by Muhammad, his scribes noted it down on patches of leather, pottery shards, median veins of palms, shoulder blades or ribs of camels. After Muhammad's death, a first collection of the Koran was done during the reign of the Caliph Abu Bakr (d. 634). But as divergent private collections were put into circulation, the Caliph 'Uthman (d. 656) decided to compile his own edition called the 'Uthmanian Koran, currently used by Muslims. All the other collections were burnt.
The 'Uthmanian Koran is composed of 114 chapters (called surat). Every chapter has a title, some two, or even more (as indicated in our translation; see for example the title of chapter 5/1). The title is derived either from one of the first words of the chapter (23/53: Star; 97/55: The all-merciful), or from a characteristic narration (72/14: Abraham; 44/19: Mary), or from an episode considered to be significant (70/16: Bees; 85/29: Spider).2 These titles are not part of the revelation and do not figure among the early known Koranic manuscripts; they were added by the scribes in order to distinguish the chapters of the Koran from one another. Some authors, however, attribute the titles to Muhammad having been introduced into the Koran by him.
The chapters are usually classified more or less in the decreasing order of their length, with the exception of the first. Some Muslim authors believe that the order was approved by Muhammad, under the inspiration of the angel Gabriel. But the dominant opinion sustains that only the order of the verses inside the chapters were approved by Muhammad, whereas the order of the chapters was determined by the commission that established the Koran. It is mentioned that the companions of Muhammad were in possession of versions of a Koran whose chapters were classified differently from the usual order.
The usual order of the Koran poses problems of comprehension. We can say that today we read the Koran almost upside-down, since the first chapters, the longest, are composed, broadly speaking, of revelations received by Muhammad toward the end of his life. Hence, the chronological order of the Koran is important not only for the historians who want to know the different stages of the revelation, but also for jurists. Indeed, the Koran comprises legal norms which had evolved over a period of time, some having abrogated others. In order to determine the abrogated passages and those which abrogate them, it is necessary to know which passage preceded the other. For this reason, some Muslim authors proposed to publish the Koran in Arabic by chronological order,1 but this has never been done to date. Régis Blachère published in 1949-1950 a French translation of the Koran by a chronological order he himself established. The first edition is no longer available in bookstores. Blachère reverted to the usual order of the Koran in his edition of 1957, without giving any explanations. From that time on, our French translation of the Koran can be considered to be the only one available comprising the Arabic text with the French translation by chronological order. However, we came across three English translations based on the chronological order by Mirza Abu'l-Fadl, John Medows Rodwell and Nessim Joseph Dawood.
Muslim scholars and orientalists resort to different criteria for the chronological classification of the chapters of the Koran: the testimony of Muhammad's companions, the content of the chapters, historical events to which they refer, etc. But they are far from being unanimous among themselves2 and it is probably impossible to have a realistic chronological order.3 The classification which acquired the most adherence among Muslims and which is the one we follow here was the one adopted by the commission of the Azhar which produced the Egyptian edition of the Koran in 1923, called Mushaf of King Fu'ad. This edition indicates at the head of every chapter the chronological order in which the chapter was revealed and distinguishes the chapters of the Makkan period from those of the Hegirian (Medinan) period. The classification may correspond to the version of the Koran established by the Caliph 'Ali.
We have given here-below a summary table indicating the chronological order of the chapters according to the Azhar, Noldeke (d. 1930) and Blachère (d. 1973), as well as the usual order based on the 'Uthmanian Koran, indicating in bold the Hegirian (Medinan)4 chapters and verses. The reader will find at the end of this book two indexes: one by the chronological order of the chapters (according to the Azhar), and the other according to the usual order of the chapters of the 'Uthmanian Koran. Thus he can read the Koran in the order of his preference.
Chronological order according to:
|
Usual order according to the 'Uthmanian
|
The Azhar
|
Noldeke
|
Blachère
|
Koran
|
Name, number of the verses and period of the chapter
|
5
|
48
|
46
|
1: الفاتحة
|
The opening - 7 verses - Makkan
|
87
|
91
|
93
|
2: البقرة
|
The cow - 286 verses - Hegirian
|
89
|
97
|
99
|
3: آل عمران
|
The family of Imran - 200 verses - Hegirian
|
92
|
100
|
102
|
4: النساء
|
The women - 176 verses - Hegirian
|
112
|
114
|
116
|
5: المائدة
|
The table - 120 verses - Hegirian
|
55
|
89
|
91
|
6: الأنعام
|
The cattle - 165 verses - Makkan
[except: 20, 23, 91, 93, 114, 141, 151-153]
|
39
|
87
|
89
|
7: الأعراف
|
The battlements - 206 verses - Makkan
[except: 163-170]
|
88
|
95
|
97
|
8: الأنفال
|
The spoils - 75 verses - Hegirian
|
113
|
113
|
115
|
9: التوبة
|
The repentance - 129 verses - Hegirian
|
51
|
84
|
86
|
10: يونس
|
Jonah - 109 verses - Makkan
[except: 40, 94-96]
|
52
|
75
|
77
|
11: هود
|
Hud - 123 verses - Makkan
[except: 12, 17, 114]
|
53
|
77
|
79
|
12: يوسف
|
Joseph - 111 verses - Makkan
[except: 1-3, 7]
|
96
|
90
|
92
|
13: الرعد
|
The thunder - 43 verses - Hegirian
|
72
|
76
|
78
|
14: إبراهيم
|
Abraham - 52 verses - Makkan
[except: 28-29]
|
54
|
57
|
59
|
15: الحجر
|
Al-Hijr - 99 verses - Makkan
[except: 87]
|
70
|
73
|
75
|
16: النحل
|
The bees - 128 verses - Makkan
[except: 126-128]
|
50
|
67
|
74
|
17: الإسراء
|
The night journey - 111 verses - Makkan
[except: 26, 32-33, 57, 73-80]
|
69
|
69
|
70
|
18: الكهف
|
The cave - 110 verses - Makkan
[except: 28, 83-101]
|
44
|
58
|
60
|
19: مريم
|
Mary - 98 verses - Makkan
[except: 58, 71]
|
45
|
55
|
57
|
20: طه
|
Taha - 135 verses - Makkan
[except: 130-131]
|
73
|
65
|
67
|
21: الأنبياء
|
The prophets - 112 verses - Makkan
|
103
|
107
|
109
|
22: الحج
|
The pilgrimage - 78 verses - Hegirian
|
74
|
64
|
66
|
23: المؤمنون
|
The believers - 118 verses - Makkan
|
102
|
105
|
107
|
24: النور
|
The light - 64 verses - Hegirian
|
42
|
66
|
68
|
25: الفرقان
|
The salvation - 77 verses - Makkan
[except: 68-70]
|
47
|
56
|
58
|
26: الشعراء
|
The poets - 227 verses - Makkan
[except: 197, 224-227]
|
48
|
68
|
69
|
27: النمل
|
The ants - 93 verses - Makkan
|
49
|
79
|
81
|
28: القصص
|
The story - 88 verses - Makkan
[except: 52-55]
|
85
|
81
|
83
|
29: العنكبوت
|
The spider - 69 verses - Makkan
[except: 1-11]
|
84
|
74
|
76
|
30: الروم
|
The Romans - 60 verses - Makkan
[except: 17]
|
57
|
82
|
84
|
31: لقمان
|
Luqman - 34 verses - Makkan
[except: 27-29]
|
75
|
70
|
71
|
32: السجدة
|
The prostration - 30 verses - Makkan
[except: 16-20]
|
90
|
103
|
105
|
33: الأحزاب
|
The coalitions - 73 verses - Hegirian
|
58
|
85
|
87
|
34: سبا
|
Saba - 54 verses - Makkan
[except: 6]
|
43
|
86
|
88
|
35: فاطر
|
The creator - 45 verses - Makkan
|
41
|
60
|
62
|
36: يس
|
Yasin - 83 verses ~ Makkan
[except: 45]
|
56
|
50
|
52
|
37: الصافات
|
The ranked - 182 verses - Makkan
|
38
|
59
|
61
|
38: ص
|
Sad - 88 verses - Makkan
|
59
|
80
|
82
|
39: الزمر
|
The groups - 75 verses ~ Makkan
[except: 52-54]
|
60
|
78
|
80
|
40: غافر
|
The forgiver - 85 verses - Makkan
[except: 56-57]
|
61
|
71
|
72
|
41: فصلت
|
The expounded signs - 54 verses - Makkan
|
62
|
82
|
85
|
42: الشورى
|
The consultation - 53 verses - Makkan
[except: 23-25, 27]
|
63
|
61
|
63
|
43: الزخرف
|
The ornaments - 89 verses - Makkan
[except: 54]
|
64
|
53
|
55
|
44: الدخان
|
The smoke - 59 verses - Makkan
|
65
|
72
|
73
|
45: الجاثية
|
The kneeling - 37 verses - Makkan
[except: 14]
|
66
|
88
|
90
|
46: الاحقاف
|
Al-Ahqaf - 35 verses ~ Makkan
[except: 10, 15, 35]
|
95
|
96
|
98
|
47: محمد
|
Muhammad - 38 verses - Hegirian
|
111
|
108
|
110
|
48: الفتح
|
The conquest - 29 verses - Hegirian
|
106
|
112
|
114
|
49: الحجرات
|
The clusters - 18 verses - Hegirian
|
34
|
54
|
56
|
50: ق
|
Qaf - 45 verses - Makkan
[except: 38]
|
67
|
39
|
49
|
51: الذاريات
|
The winnowers - 60 verses - Makkan
|
76
|
40
|
22
|
52: الطور
|
The mount - 49 verses - Makkan
|
23
|
28
|
30
|
53: النجم
|
The star - 62 verses - Makkan
[except: 32]
|
37
|
49
|
50
|
54: القمر
|
The moon - 55 verses - Makkan
[except: 44-46]
|
97
|
43
|
28
|
55: الرحمن
|
The all-merciful - 78 verses - Hegirian
|
46
|
41
|
23
|
56: الواقعة
|
The event - 96 verses - Makkan
[except: 81-82]
|
94
|
99
|
101
|
57: الحديد
|
The iron - 29 verses - Hegirian
|
105
|
106
|
108
|
58: المجادلة
|
The dispute- 22 verses - Hegirian
|
101
|
102
|
104
|
59: الحشر
|
The gathering - 24 verses - Hegirian
|
91
|
110
|
112
|
60: الممتحنة
|
The tested woman - 13 verses - Hegirian
|
109
|
98
|
100
|
61: الصف
|
The rank - 14 verses - Hegirian
|
110
|
94
|
96
|
62: الجمعة
|
Friday - 11 verses - Hegirian
|
104
|
104
|
106
|
63: المنافقون
|
The hypocrites - 11 verses - Hegirian
|
108
|
93
|
95
|
64: التغابن
|
The mutual fraud - 18 verses - Hegirian
|
99
|
101
|
103
|
65: الطلاق
|
The repudiation - 12 verses - Hegirian
|
107
|
109
|
111
|
66: التحريم
|
The prohibition - 12 verses - Hegirian
|
77
|
63
|
65
|
67: الملك
|
The kingdom - 30 verses - Makkan
|
2
|
18
|
51
|
68: القلم
|
The pen - 52 verses - Makkan
[except: 17-33, 48-50]
|
78
|
24
|
24
|
69: الحاقة
|
The verifier - 52 verses - Makkan
|
79
|
42
|
33
|
70: المعارج
|
The stairways - 44 verses - Makkan
|
71
|
51
|
53
|
71: نوح
|
Noah - 28 verses - Makkan
|
40
|
62
|
64
|
72: الجن
|
The djinns - 28 verses - Makkan
|
3
|
23
|
34
|
73: المزمل
|
The enwrapped - 20 verses - Makkan
[except: 10-11, 20]
|
4
|
2
|
2, 36
|
74: المدثر
|
The shrouded - 56 verses - Makkan
|
31
|
36
|
27
|
75: القيامة
|
The resurrection - 40 verses - Makkan
|
98
|
52
|
34 bis
|
76: الإنسان
|
The human - 31 verses - Hegirian
|
33
|
32
|
25
|
77: المرسلات
|
The emissaries - 50 verses - Makkan
[except: 48]
|
80
|
33
|
26
|
78: النبأ
|
The news - 40 verses - Makkan
|
81
|
31
|
20
|
79: النازعات
|
The stripping - 46 verses - Makkan
|
24
|
17
|
17
|
80: عبس
|
He frowned - 42 verses - Makkan
|
7
|
27
|
18
|
81: التكوير
|
The rolling up - 29 verses - Makkan
|
82
|
26
|
15
|
82: الانفطار
|
The splitting - 19 verses - Makkan
|
86
|
37
|
35
|
83: المطففين
|
The defrauders - 36 verses - Makkan
|
83
|
29
|
19
|
84: الانشقاق
|
The fissuration - 25 verses - Makkan
|
27
|
22
|
43
|
85: البروج
|
The constellations - 22 verses - Makkan
|
36
|
15
|
9
|
86: الطارق
|
The night-star - 17 verses - Makkan
|
8
|
19
|
16
|
87: الأعلى
|
The most high - 19 verses - Makkan
|
68
|
34
|
21
|
88: الغاشية
|
The enveloper - 26 verses - Makkan
|
10
|
35
|
42
|
89: الفجر
|
The dawn - 30 verses - Makkan
|
35
|
11
|
40
|
90: البلد
|
The earth - 20 verses - Makkan
|
26
|
16
|
7
|
91: الشمس
|
The sun - 15 verses - Makkan
|
9
|
10
|
14
|
92: الليل
|
The night - 21 verses - Makkan
|
11
|
13
|
4
|
93: الضحى
|
The forenoon - 11 verses - Makkan
|
12
|
12
|
5
|
94: الشرح
|
The expansion - 8 verses - Makkan
|
28
|
20
|
10
|
95: التين
|
The fig - 8 verses - Makkan
|
1
|
1
|
1, 32
|
96: العلق
|
The adherences - 19 verses - Makkan
|
25
|
14
|
29
|
97: القدر
|
The predetermination - 5 verses - Makkan
|
100
|
92
|
94
|
98: البينة
|
The proof - 8 verses - Hegirian
|
93
|
25
|
11
|
99: الزلزلة
|
The shaking - 8 verses - Hegirian
|
14
|
30
|
13
|
100: العاديات
|
The coursers - 11 verses - Makkan
|
30
|
24
|
12
|
101: القارعة
|
The cataclysm - 11 verses - Makkan
|
16
|
8
|
31
|
102: التكاثر
|
The multiplication - 8 verses - Makkan
|
13
|
21
|
6
|
103: العصر
|
The epoch - 3 verses - Makkan
|
32
|
6
|
39
|
104: الهمزة
|
The slanderer - 9 verses - Makkan
|
19
|
9
|
41
|
105: الفيل
|
The elephant - 5 verses - Makkan
|
29
|
4
|
3
|
106: قريش
|
Quraysh - 4 verses - Makkan
|
17
|
3
|
8
|
107: الماعون
|
The refuge - 7 verses - Makkan
[except: 4-7]
|
15
|
5
|
38
|
108: الكوثر
|
The abundance - 3 verses - Makkan
|
18
|
45
|
45
|
109: الكافرون
|
The disbelievers - 6 verses - Makkan
|
114
|
111
|
113
|
110: النصر
|
The succor - 3 verses - Hegirian
|
6
|
3
|
37
|
111: المسد
|
The fibers - 5 verses - Makkan
|
22
|
44
|
44
|
112: الإخلاص
|
The purity - 4 verses - Makkan
|
20
|
46
|
47
|
113: الفلق
|
The fissure - 5 verses - Makkan
|
21
|
47
|
48
|
114: الناس
|
The humans - 6 verses - Makkan
|
According to the Azhar, 86 chapters were revealed in Makka before the Hegira, and 28 after the Hegira. However, thirty-five chapters of the Makkan period contain verses from the Hegirian (Medinan) period. We are not concerned with the order of the verses within the chapters, nonetheless we indicate the Makkan verses by the letter M in black, and the Hegirian verses by the letter H in bold. The letters are followed by the chronological and ordinary numbers of the chapter and by the number of the verse. Hence, M-5/1:4 means that it is a Makkan chapter, the 5th according to the chronological order, the 1st according to the usual order, the 4th verse according to the edition of the Azhar. The numbering of the verses in our edition, based on the edition of the Azhar, differs from the one of the editions of the Koran in North Africa and the one proposed by Flügel in 1834, often used by the orientalists. The difference with the later is sometimes up to six verses. Montet and Kasimirski use the numbering of Flügel in their translation, whereas Blachère, Hamidullah (except for the edition of Saudi Arabia) and Mandel (in Italian) juxtapose the two numberings. We avoided this solution in order not to clutter the text.
However, we can point out here that some classic authors, in line with the edition of the Azhar, consider as Makkan all the verses revealed in Makka after the hegira. Such is the case for the verses 87/2:281, 88/8:30-36, 112/5:3 and 113/9:128-129. In our edition, we have taken as criteria not the place of revelation of the verses, but their period. Thus, the Makkan verses are those revealed before the hegira, and the Hegirian (Medinan) verses are those revealed after the hegira.
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