The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) did not know where Surahs were t…

Islam > Hadiths > The noble qur an and qur anic sciences > The Noble Qur'an and Qur'anic Sciences

Hadith narrated by Narrated by Abu Dāwūd

Authenticity grade : Authentic

Updated on 24 September 2026 at 12:34 AM

📖 1 min read

Hadith text: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon hi…

عَنِ ‌ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَليهِ وَسَلَّمَ لا يَعْرِفُ فَصْلَ السُّورةِ حَتَّى تَنْزِلَ عَليْهِ {بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ}.

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) did not know where Surahs were to be separated until "In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful" was revealed to him.

Explanation of the hadith: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon hi…

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) points out that the Qur’an's surahs would reveal to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) while he did not know where they should end and be separated, until "In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful" was revealed to him; thereupon, he knew that the previous surah came to an end and this was the beginning of a new surah.

Lessons: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon hi…

Categories : Revelation and Collection of the Qur'an · Collecting the Qur'an · Stops and Starts

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