Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

you said "The number (87) denotes the position of this Surah according to its number in the sequence of Revelation; ie. this was the 87 th Surah of the Quran to be revealed." this means the full sura - Surah Al-Baqara Surah 2 was revealed without the other suras mixing in. I hope you understand what i mean to say. Means it could be that part of sura 2 was revealed then other part of other sura revealed and then again part of sura 2 revealed, because sura 2 is such a long sura.

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Answer:

Surah baqarah revealed at one time

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Dear and beloved brother in Islam, it is the belief of the scholars of the Quran that more often than not, the absolute majority (but not all) of the 114 Surahs of the Glorious Quran were revealed a Surah at a time.

From amongst some of the longer Surahs (Baqarah, Ale-Imraan, Nisaa, Maidah, etc.), and some amongst the earliest Surahs to be revealed (96 Al-Alaq, 73 Al-Muzammil, etc.) some parts were revealed earlier, and other parts were revealed much later….and under the Command of Allah Subhanah, the Messenger of Allah (saws) would define the exact location of where the Revelations were to be placed in which exact Surah.

There is absolutely no such condition that a new Surah would not be revealed until a prior Surah has been completely revealed; but whenever Allah Subhanah Willed, He would reveal a full new Surah, or a part of a Surah, or a part of a preceding Surah, etc. And under the direct guidance and Command of Allah Subhanah, the Messenger of Allah (saws) would immediately after a revelation, inform and command the scribes the exact location where the revelation should be placed.

For example, the absolute great majority of the verses of Surah Al-Baqarah were revealed during the first two years after the Hijrah of the Prophet (saws) in Madinah. Then some smaller parts were revealed a few years earlier or later and have been placed in Surah Baqarah under the Command of Allah Subhanah. The verses of Surah Baqarah (275 onwards) where ‘riba’ has been declared haraam for instance were revealed during the absolute last period of the Prophet’s Life (9-10 years after Hijrah) but have been placed here in Surah Baqarah. Also the last verses 284-286 were actually revealed in Makkah before migration, but have been included in Surah Baqarah under the Command of Allah Subhanah.

Your Question: this means the full sura - Surah Al-Baqara Surah 2 was revealed without the other suras mixing in.

Allah Subhanah revealed the Glorious Quran as and when He Alone Willed and Decreed. It is not at all necessary, nor did it happen that while parts of Surah Baqarah were being revealed, no other new Surahs or verses of other old Surahs were being revealed. It is very possible that parts of Surah Al-Baqarah were revealed, and other full new Surahs or verses of other old Surahs were also being revealed in stages during the very same period.

But for each and every revelation which was revealed, under the direct Command of Allah Subhanah, the Messenger of Allah (saws) would guide the scribes the exact location and the exact Surahs where they were to be placed in compilation.

Your Question: Means it could be that part of sura 2 was revealed then other part of other sura revealed and then again part of sura 2 revealed, because sura 2 is such a long sura

Especially with the longer Surahs like Surah al-Baqarah, that is exactly what happened….a part of it was revealed, then other new Surahs or parts of other Surahs were revealed, then again a part of Surah Baqarah was revealed, etc.

The scholars in Islam are of the opinion that the vast majority of the verses which comprise Surah al-Baqarah were revealed during the first two years after the Prophet’s (saws) migration in Madinah, and few verses which were revealed earlier in Makkah and some verses which were revealed much later at the end of the Prophet’s (saws) life were also placed in this Surah under the direct Command of Allah Subhanah. Neither the Prophet (saws), nor Hadrat Jibrael (a.s.), nor the companions of the Prophet (saws), nor the scribes who documented the Quran, nor anyone in creation had a right to change or alter the exact position of where each verse was to be placed in the Glorious Quran…..the positioning of each verse and each Surah was done under the Direct Command of the Lord of the Worlds which was made known to Prophet Mohamed (saws) through Hadrat Jibrael (a.s.).

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan