The suras of the Mushaf are one family, a composite of 114 suras; and these suras define and identify each other, and endorse each other. They all tell the same story, with no single item of contradiction, or any foreign material to corrupt this harmony: The Qur’an will naturally reject any such foreign thing: should any sura be withdrawn from this whole, it will leave a gap that nothing else, not even any of the other suras, can replace: no man-made artifact can replace this divine structure or the least part of it. Each sura has its own designation and name, and the other suras endorse that designation. Further, each two consist twins, that complement each other. Moreover, any verses, in any given sura, are naturally interconnected, on a particular principle. And any single verse even, anywhere in the Qur’an, has its counterpart somewhere else in the Mushaf.
Take the Table of Contents of the Glorious Mushaf, and you find 85 suras, scattered over the whole volume, that do not start with the isolated letters. These are called ‘the Great Qur’an’: it is a ‘divided in parts’ Qur’an, about which the Lord says:
“We sent down the Qur’an in Truth, and in Truth has it descended: and We sent you but to give Glad Tidings and to warn sinners. It is a Qur’an which we have divided into parts, in order that you might recite it to men at intervals. We have revealed it by stages. say: ‘Whether you believe in it or not, it is true that those who were given knowledge beforehand, when it is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration, and they say: “Glory to our Lord! Truly has the promise of our Lord been fulfilled.”’” (17:105-108)
This ‘divided in part’ Qur’an starts with Sura No. 1, and ends with Sura No. 114. And you can locate between these two Suras seven ‘mathani, Oft-repeated suras’, next to each other, within the group of 85 suras without isolated letters. These are, from the last to the first:
– Nun. By the Pen and by the Record which men write, No. 68;
– Qaf. By the Glorious Qur’an, No. 50;
– Ha-mim. By the Book that makes things clear, No. 43;
– Ha-mim, ‘ayn-sin-qaf, No. 42; and we notice that the same isolated letters repeat the start the suras beginning with ha-mim;
– Saad: by the Qur’an, full of admonition, No. 38;
– Ya-Sin. By the Qur’an, full of Wisdom;
– This is indeed a Qur’an most honorable, in a Book well-guarded (56:76-77).
Please notice that, next to Sura 1, which does not start with isolated letters, we have a Sura beginning with Alif-lam-mim, and there are six such suras starting with Alif-lam-mim, two of which being Suras 2 and 3.
Then we have Suras 29, 30, 31, and 32.
Interspersed among the above suras starting with Alif-lam-mim, we find seven alternatives of isolated letters:
Alif-lam-mim-saad,
Alif-lam-ra,
Alif-lam-mim-ra,
Kaf-ha-ya-‘ayn-sad,
Ta-Ha,
Ta-sin-mim, and
Ta-sin
You may notice that the number of suras starting with Alif-lam-ra are five in number: these are ‘the Book that makes things clear’, something that was discussed above; and they are suras: 10, 11, 12, 14, and 15. We may notice further that the above suras flank one sura starting with Alif-lam-mim-ra, and they, in addition to that enclosed Sura, are ‘a Qur’an most honorable, in a Book well-guarded’.
We have Kaf-ha-ya-‘ain-sad, bearing number 19.
Then there is Ta-Ha, bearing number 20. Next, we have two suras starting with Ta-sin-mim, being numbers 26, and 28.
The above suras flank Sura Ta-Sin, No. 27, and it is the Sura containing ‘the Book most honorable’: “It is from Solomon, and it is as follows: ‘In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful: You be not arrogant against me, but come to me in submission.’” (27:30-31)
All the above suras, starting with isolated letters, are interspersed within the suras of the Qur’an ‘mufarraq, divided in parts’, totaling 85.
Reciting the Muhhaf, being pure and holy Books, we find:
The story of the creation of the heavens and earth in six days is repeated six times in the Mushaf, which tells us that the Glorious Mushaf is the Qur’an, but in seven different forms. This is supported by a Tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, when he said:
“I was given the Qur’an in seven different forms.”
And this is further supported by the words of the Almighty, when He says in Sura 31, Verse 27:
“And if all the trees on earth were pens and the oceans were ink, with seven oceans behind it to add to its supply, yet the Words of Allah would not be exhausted in the writing: for Allah is Exalted in power, full of Wisdom.”
So, this story of the creation of the heaven and earth is repeated six times, and these are in:
Sura 7,
Sura 10,
Sura 11,
Sura 32,
Sura 50,
Sura 25,
Sura 57.
Then, in addition to the rather brief narration of this event of creation, it is given in more detail in Sura 41.
We find in the Mushaf fourteen Suras which have both a prostration location and isolated letters; they are:
The Heights, No. 7, starting with Alif-lam-mim-saad;
The Thunder, No. 13, starting with Alif-lam-mim-ra;
Maryam, No. 19, starting with Kaf-ha-ya-‘ayn-saad;
The Ants, No. 27, starting with Ta-sin;
Adoration, No. 32, starting with Alif-lam-mim;
Saad, No. 38, starting with Saad;
Fussilat, No. 41, starting with Ha-mim.
There are seven more suras, having prostration locations, but without isolated letters at the beginning; they are:
The Bee, No. 16;
The Israelites, No. 17;
The Criterion, No. 25;
The Star, No. 53;
The Rending Asunder, No. 84;
Read, No. 96;
besides Sura the Pilgrimage, No. 22, which has two prostration locations.
Let us notice further that the word ‘yusabbihu, declares the Praises and Glory [of Allah]’:
1. “Whatever is in the heavens and on earth declares the Praises and Glory of Allah – the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Exalted in Might, the Wise,” (62:1).
2. “Whatever is in the heavens and on earth declares the Praises and Glory of Allah: to Him belongs Dominion, and to Him belongs Praise: and He has power over all things;” (64:1).
3. “Nay, thunder repeats His praises, and so do the angels, with awe;” (13:13).
4. “The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein, declare His glory: there is not a thing but celebrates His praise; and yet you do not understand how they declare His glory!” (17:44).
5. “For the celebration [in His houses] of His name: in them is He glorified in the mornings and in the evenings, by men;” (24:36).
6. And once again in Sura 24, Verse 41: “Don’t you see that it is Allah Whose praises all things in the heavens and the earth do celebrate, and the birds of the air with wings outspread? Each one knows its own mode of prayer and praise. And Allah knows well all that they do.”
7. “Whatever is in the heavens and on earth, declares His Praises and Glory: and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise;” (59:24).
We should also mention that the story of Lot is mentioned seven times; and that is in the Suras:
The Ants, No. 27,
The Heights, No. 7,
The Saffat, No. 37,
The Poets, No. 26,
The Spider, No. 29,
Hud, No. 11,
The Prophets, No. 21.
It may be noticed that verses are treated in seven ways, as the Mushaf itself asserts; they may be, in Qur’anic terminology:
- Uhkimat, i.e. of fundamental and established meaning;
- Fussilat, i.e. explained in detail;
- Buyinat, i.e. made self-evident;
- Tashabahat, i.e. are allegorical;
- Nusikhat, i.e. are abrogated;
- Unsiyat, i.e. caused to be forgotten;
- Surrifat, i.e. revealed in diversified terms;
As for the peoples to whom the verses were addressed they are described in nine different ways:
People who ‘ya‘qilun, who have wisdom’;
People who ‘yafqahun, i.e. understand;
People who ‘ya‘lamun, i.e. have knowledge’;
People who ‘yatafakkarun, i.e. who give thought’;
People who ‘yadhdhakkarun, i.e. who celebrate the praise of Allah;
People who ‘yasma‘un, i.e. who listen’;
People who ‘yu’minun, i.e. who believe’;
People who ‘yattaqun, i.e. who are righteous’;
People who ‘yuqinun, i.e. are of assured faith’;
And the reason why the verses were sent down to people can vary in seven forms:
To understand;
To return [to Allah];
To have admonition;
To have wisdom;
To have guidance;
To give thanks;
To give thought;
To be righteous;
To have assured certainty;
We find in the Mushaf, about Abraham: ‘Abraham said to his father’ and ‘to his people’, seven times: in:
Sura 6, Verse 74;
Sura 19, Verse 42;
Sura 21, Verse 52;
Sura 26, Verse 70;
Sura 29, Verse 16;
Sura 37, Verse 85;
Sura 43, Verse 26.
The Mushaf has the story of Adam and Iblis, Satan, in seven different places:
Sura No. 2,
Sura No. 7,
Sura No. 20,
Sura No. 15,
Sura No. 38,
Sura No. 17,
Sura No. 18.
The story is narrated seven times in seven different forms.
The expression ‘istawa ‘ala l‘arsh, i.e. is firmly established on the throne’ occurs seven times, in seven different suras, which are:
Sura No. 7,
Sura No. 10,
Sura No. 13,
Sura No. 20,
Sura No. 32,
Sura No. 25,
Sura No. 57.
Seven types of people are affirmed in the Mushaf not to be guided by Allah to the truth; and these are:
The unjust, wrong-doers: as in ‘Allah does not guide a people unjust’, which occurs in: 46:10, 2:258, 3:86, 5:51, 6:144, 9:19, 28:50, 61:7, 62:5.
The people who reject faith: in 2:264, 5:67, 9:37, 16:107.
The rebellious transgressors: in 5:108, 9:24, 9:80, 61:5, 63:6.
Allah will never guide the snare of the false ones: in 12:52.
Allah does not guide any such as He leaves to stray, in 16:37.
Allah does not guide such as are false and ungrateful, in 39: 3.
Allah does not guide one who transgresses and lies, in 40:28.
We encounter in the Mushaf the expression ‘I am to you a sincere and trustworthy advisor’ six times, uttered by six different messengers; and then, it is uttered a seventh time by Hud, in 7:68.
Noah said, as in 26:101: ‘I am to you a sincere and trustworthy advisor’;
Hud said, as in 26:127: ‘I am to you a sincere and trustworthy advisor’;
Saleh said, as in 26:145: ‘I am to you a sincere and trustworthy advisor’;
Lot said, as in 26:164: ‘I am to you a sincere and trustworthy advisor’;
Shuaib said, as in 26:180: ‘I am to you a sincere and trustworthy advisor’;
And Musa said, as in 44:19: ‘I am to you a sincere and trustworthy advisor’.
The expression ‘to Allah do all the questions go back for decision’ occurs seven times in the Mushaf; – we find it in:
Sura 2:210,
Sura 3: 109,
Sura 8: 44,
Sura 22:76,
Sura 35:4,
Sura 57:5,
Sura 42:53.
The notion that when Allah wills something, He only says: ‘Be’, and it is – seven times, though in different forms:
“When he decrees a matter, He says to it: ‘Be’, and it is,” in 2:117;
“When he decrees a matter, He says to it: ‘Be’, and it is,” in 3:47;
“When he decrees a matter, He says to it: ‘Be’, and it is,” in 19:35;
“When he decrees a matter, He says to it: ‘Be’, and it is,” in 40:68;
“Verily, when He intends a thing, His Command is, ‘Be’ and it is,” in 36:82;
“For to anything which We have willed, We but say the word, ‘Be,’ and it is,” in 16:40;
“The day He says, ‘Be,’ Behold, it is; in 6:73;
The clause ‘Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds,’ occurs seven times in the Qur’an:
“Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds,” in 1:2.
“Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds,” in 6:45.
“Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds,” in 10:10.
“Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds,” in 35:182.
“Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds,” in 39::75.
“Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds,” in 40:65.
“Then praise be to Allah, Lord of the heavens and the earth, Lord and Cherisher of all the worlds,” in 45:36.
The expression: ‘yda’una, i.e. call on’ – or ‘yaj’aluna, i.e. adopt’ – besides Allah another god’ occurs eight times in the Qur’an, in seven suras:
“Those who adopt, with Allah, another god: but soon will they come to know,” 15:96.
“Take not with Allah another object of worship; or you will sit in disgrace and destitution,” 17:22.
“Take not with Allah another object of worship; lest you should be thrown into Hell, blameworthy and rejected,” 17:39.
“Who set up another god beside Allah: throw him into severe penalty,” 50:26.
“And do not make another an object of worship with Allah: I am from Him a Warner to you, clear and open,” 51:51.
“And do not call, besides Allah, on another god. There is no god but He,” 28:88.
“So do not call on any god with Allah, or you will be among those under the penalty,” 26:213.
“Those who do not invoke, with Allah, any other god, not slay such life as Allah has made sacred,” 25:68.
The expression ‘sent down from Allah,’ occurs in the Mushaf in seven different variants:
1. “A Message sent down from the Lord of the Worlds,” 69:43.
“A Revelation from the Lord of the Worlds,” 56:80.
“Verily this is a Revelation from the Lord of the Worlds,” 26:192.
“This is the revelation of the Book in which there is no doubt – from the Lord of the Worlds,” 32:2.
2. “It is a Revelation sent down by Him, the Exalted in Might, Most Merciful,” 36:5.
3. “The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Exalted in Power, full of Wisdom,” 39:1.
“The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Exalted in Power, full of Wisdom,” 45:2.
“The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Exalted in Power, full of Wisdom,” 46:2.
4. “A revelation from Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful,” 41:2.
5. “It is sent down by One full of Wisdom, Worthy of all praise,” 41:42.
6. “The revelation of the Book is from Allah, Exalted in Power, full of Knowledge,” 40:2.
7. “A revelation from Him Who created the earth and heavens on high,” 20:4.
One encounters in the Mushaf the notion that, “believers who have done good deeds will have their abode in Paradise, to dwell therein forever,” in seven suras, as follows:
1. “their eternal home: therein shall they have companions pure and holy,” 4:57.
“to dwell therein for ever. Allah’s promise is the truth, and whose word can be truer than Allah’s,” 4:122.
2. “their eternal home: Allah well-pleased with them, and they with Allah,” 5:119.
3. “They will dwell therein for ever: Verily in Allah’s presence is a reward, the greatest of all,” 9:22.
“to dwell therein for ever: that is the supreme Felicity,” 9:100.
4. “Wherein they shall remain for ever,” 18:3.
5. “to dwell therein for ever: that will be the Supreme Achievement,” 64:9.
6. “to dwell therein for ever: Allah has indeed granted for them a most excellent provision,” 65:11.
7. “they will dwell therein for ever; Allah well-pleased with them, and they with him,” 98:8.
We find in the Mushaf mention of the Law ‘of the Jews’ eighteen times in seven suras:
1. In Sura 3, we find it six times – in the Verses: 3, 48, 50, 65, 93, and 93.
2. In Sura 5, we find it in the Verses: 43, 44, 46, 66, 66, 68, and 110.
3. In Sura 7, in Verse 157.
4. In Sura 9, Verse 111.
5. In Sura 48, Verse 29.
6. In Sura 61, Verse 6.
7. In Sura 62, Verse 5.
The expression: “He subjected the sun and the moon,” seven times; namely, in:
Sura the Thunder, No. 13,
Sura Abraham, No. 14,
Sura the Bee, No. 16,
Sura the Spider, No. 29,
Sura the Wise, No. 31,
Sura the Originator of Creation, No. 35, and
Sura the Crowds, No. 39.
The clause: “in Allah should the Faithful ever put their trust,” occurs seven times in the Mushaf; that is, in:
Sura 2, Verse 122,
Sura 2, Verse 160,
Sura 5, Verse 11,
Sura 9, Verse 129,
Sura 14, Verse 11,
Sura 58, Verse 10, and
Sura 64, Verse 13.
The word ‘tabarak, i.e. blessed be Allah,’ occurs in seven suras; that is:
1. ‘Blessed be Allah,’ in Sura 7, Verse 54,
2. ‘So blessed by Allah,’ in Sura 23, Verse 14,
3. ‘Blessed is He,’ in Sura 25, Verse 1,
‘Blessed is He,’ in Sura 25, Verse 10,
‘Blessed is He,’ in Sura 25, Verse 61.
4. ‘So Glory to Allah,’ in Sura 40, Verse 64.
5. ‘And blessed is He,’ in Sura 43, Verse 85.
6. ‘Blessed be He,’ in Sura 67, Verse 1.
7. ‘Blessed be the Name of your Lord, full of Majesty, Bounty and Honor,’ in Sura 55, Verse 78.
The expression ‘sabbih bihamdi rabbika, i.e. celebrate the praises of your Lord,’ occurs seven times in seven suras; that is:
“But celebrate the praises of your Lord, and be of those who prostrate themselves in adoration,” in Sura 15, Verse 98.
“and celebrate the praises of your Lord, before the rising of the sun, and before its setting,” in Sura 20, Verse 130.
“And put your trust in Him Who lives and dies not; and celebrate His praise,” in Sura 25, Verse 58.
“and ask forgiveness for your fault, and celebrate the Praises of your Lord in the evening and in the morning,” in Sura 40, Verse 55.
“and celebrate the praises of your Lord, before the rising of the sun and before its setting,” in Sura 50, Verse 39.
“and celebrate the praises of your Lord the while you stand forth,” in Sura 52, Verse 48.
“Celebrate the Praises of your Lord, and pray for His Forgiveness: for He is Oft-Returning in Grace and Mercy,” in Sura 110, Verse 3.
The negative verb ‘la tukallafu, i.e. ‘no burden shall be laid greater than one can bear’ (with the various persons), occurs seven times, in seven suras; as follows:
“No soul shall have a burden laid on it greater than it can bear,” in Sura 2, Verse 233.
“On no soul Allah places a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns,” in Sura 2, Verse 286.
“no burden do We place on any soul, but that which it can bear – whenever you speak, speak justly even if a near relative is concerned,” in Sura 6, Verse 152.
“no burden do We place on any soul, but that which it can bear – they will be Companions of the Garden, therein to dwell for ever,” in Sura 7, Verse 42.
“On no soul do We place a burden greater than it can bear: before Us is a record which clearly shows the truth,” in Sura 23, Verse 62.
“you are held responsible only for yourself,” in Sura 4, Verse 84.
“Allah puts no burden on any person beyond what He has given him,” Sura 65, Verse 7.
The word ‘suhuf, i.e. books or scrolls’ occurs seven times in seven suras; that is:
‘the Scrolls’ in Sura 81, Verse 10;
‘scriptures, kept pure and holy,’ in Sura 98, Verse 2;
‘scrolls of revelations, spread out,’ in Sura 74, Verse 52;
‘It is in Books held greatly in honor,’ in Sura 80, Verse 13;
‘the former Books of revelation,’ in Sura 20, Verse 133;
‘the books of Moses,’ in Sura 53, Verse 36; and
‘the Books of Abraham and Moses,’ in Sura 87, Verse 19.
Those ‘who Allah does not love,’ are in the Mushaf seven categories:
1. ‘for Allah does not love transgressors,’ in 2:190, 5:87, and 7:55;
2. ‘Allah does not love those who reject Faith,’ in 3:32, and in 30:45;
3. ‘and Allah does not love those that do wrong,’ in 3:57, 3:140, and in 42:40;
4. ‘Allah does not love the wasters,’ in 6:141, and in 7:31;
5. ‘Allah does not love those who do mischief,’ in 5:64, and in 28:77,
6. ‘Allah does not love any vainglorious boaster,’ in 57:23; ‘Allah does not love any arrogant boaster,’ 31:18; ‘Allah does not the arrogant, the vainglorious,’ 4:36; and ‘verily He does not love the arrogant,’ in 16:23.
7. ‘Allah does not love the treacherous,’ in 8:58;
‘Allah does not love any that is a traitor to faith, or shows ingratitude,’ in 22, 38;
‘Allah does not love one given to perfidy and crime,’ in 4, 107;
‘for He does not love ungrateful and wicked creatures,’ in 2:276.
On the other hand, the Mushaf mentions seven types of people who are beloved of Allah
1. Allah loves the ‘muhsinin, i.e. good-doers, who are kind,’
In 5:13, and 5:93; in 3:134; and in 2:195.
2. Allah loves the ‘muqsitin, i.e. those who judge in equity, those who are just’
In 60:8; in 49:9; and in 5:42.
3. Allah loves ‘al-muttaqin, i.e., who act right, the righteous’
In 3:76; 9:4, and in 9:42.
4. ‘Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean,’
In 2:222; and in 9:108.
5. Allah loves those who are firm and steadfast,
In 3:146.
6. Allah loves those who place their trust in Him;
In 3:159.
7. Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure; in 61:4.