A surah is one of the main sections of the Quran made up of ayahs. There are 114 surahs in the Quran. Surahs are not merely long pieces of text; each is a coherent section with its own thematic structure, mode of address, and historical context.
Quran Glossary
Surah: The name given to each of the sections of the Quran that carry their own internal unity, formed by multiple ayahs coming together. The Quran consists of 114 surahs; the shortest are Al-Kawthar, Al-Asr, and An-Nasr with 3 verses each, the longest is Al-Baqarah with 286 verses.
See all terms in the glossary →What is a surah?
A surah is the name given to each of the sections of the Quran that carry their own internal unity, formed by multiple ayahs coming together. The Quran consists of 114 surahs; the shortest are Al-Kawthar, Al-Asr, and An-Nasr, each with 3 verses, while the longest is Al-Baqarah with 286 verses.
Source: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, entry "Sûre" (in Turkish)
The meaning of the word "surah"
There are explanations that associate the word "surah" with meanings of elevated rank, an enclosed section, or a structure. As a technical term, it refers to sections of the Quran whose beginning and end were determined through the tradition of revelation. It begins with Al-Fatihah and ends with An-Nas.
How did surah names come about?
Many surahs are named after a distinctive person, event, object, or word that appears within them: Al-Baqarah ("The Cow"), Yusuf, Maryam, Al-Kahf, and so on. Some surahs have more than one name. Names do not always summarize the surah's entire content; they serve as a distinguishing title.
Mushaf order and the order of revelation
Today's mushaf order runs from Al-Fatihah to An-Nas. The order in which the revelations descended is different. It is widely accepted that the first revealed verses are the opening of Surah Al-Alaq; even so, Al-Alaq is the 96th surah in the mushaf. The order of revelation is used for historical study, while the mushaf order is used for recitation and completeness.
Meccan and Medinan surahs
The common measure is the migration (hijrah): revelations sent down before the migration are counted as Meccan, and those after as Medinan. In Meccan surahs, God's oneness and the afterlife tend to be more prominent; in Medinan surahs, social matters and law tend to be more prominent. This is not a division of subject matter without exception.
Reading a surah within its context
Rather than reading only a single well-known verse of a surah, the introduction, section transitions, and conclusion should be examined together. The thematic summary, verse text, translation, tafsir, and audio recording on a surah page complement one another. Long surahs can be read section by section.
A strategy for reading a surah
A short surah can be read in a single sitting, while a long surah can be divided into thematic sections. The thematic summary at the start of the surah can be read first, followed by the verses and translation, then selected tafsir notes. Progressing by ayah number while listening makes it easier to return to the same place later. A surah's single "virtue" sentence should not be substituted for its entire message.
The spelling of surah names
Surah Names can appear with different spellings in Turkish: Nâs/Nas, Yâsîn/Yasin, or Âl-i İmrân/Ali İmran, for example. These spelling variants refer to the same surahs. Showing the original Arabic name alongside a common Latin-script spelling helps readers recognize that different transliterations can point to the same surah.
Practical Plan
You can visit our 114 Surahs page to see, search, and listen to all 114 surahs together with their meanings, verse counts, and Meccan/Medinan information.
You'll find the core answer to what is a surah in the sections above. To see all 114 surahs, visit our Surahs page; for the concept of an ayah, see What Is an Ayah?; and to see the difference between an ayah and a surah, see What Is the Difference Between an Ayah and a Surah?. If you share this information, keep relevant differences of scholarly opinion visible rather than presenting one view as universally agreed.
Note: This content is for general information; different schools of thought and scholars may hold differing views. Consult a scholar you trust for personal religious decisions.
Sources
- TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, entry "Sûre" (in Turkish)
- Turkey's Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), Kur’an Yolu mukaddimesi (in Turkish)
- Sources on the order of the mushaf and Quranic recitation