Verse: Difference between revisions

The literal meaning of "aya" is "sign" or "something clear and obvious". The word is also used in the Qur'an in its literal meaning in some places and refers to every creature as a sign of the existence and the attributes of [[Allah]], and to the [[miracle]]s of the [[prophet]]s as they are signs of truth of the mission of the prophets. In the application of the word in this meaning, the ayas (signs) of God are divided to [[Afaqi]] (signs in the horizons) and [[Anfusi]] (the signs in one's self).

The word "aya" is used 382 times in single and plural ("ayat", Arabic: "آیات") forms.<ref>'Abd al-Baqi, ''[[Al-Mu'jam al-mufahras']]', pp. 103-108.</ref> The main meaning is sign and symbol, and is used sometimes as "lesson" (10:92), "miracle" (2:12), "wonder" (23:50), and "reason" (30:20), which all return to the literal meaning.<ref>''[[Al-Mu'jam al-wasit]]'', Vol.1, p.25; ''[[Manahil al-'irfan fi 'ulum al-Qur'an]]'', Vol.1, p.338; ''[[Al-Burhan fi 'ulum al-Qur'an]]'', Vol.1, p.266</ref>

The most correct and the most prevalent opinion about the first verses, is that they are the first five verses of [[sura al-'Alaq]]; but about the last verses there is a disagreement.

One opinion is that the last verse revealed is the [[Ikmal verse]]: "Today I have perfected your [[religion]] for you, and I have completed My [[blessing]] upon you, and I have approved [[Islam]] as your religion", which revealed in the returning of the [[Prophet (s)]] from [[Hajjat al-Wida']] in [[Ghadir Khumm]]; because [[sura al-Ma'ida]], contains rulings which expresses the end of battles and the establishment of Islam; especially that in the end of the verse it informs of the end of the [[prophethood]], so according to this opinion the last verse of the Qur'an is from the last [[sura]].<ref>Ramyar, ''[[Tarikh Qur'an]]'', p.46</ref>

Regardless of [[al-Muqatta'at]] (separate letters) verses, the shortest verse in the number of words is the verse 64 of [[sura al-Rahman]] (Arabic: "مُدهامَّتان", transliteration: "mudhammatan")<ref>''[[Al-Tahrir wa al-tanwir]]'', Vol.1, p.77</ref> which means, "dark green". This verse contains only one word. and the shortest in the number of the letters is the first verses of [[suras al-Fajr]] (Arabic: "والفجر", transliteration: "wa al-fajr") meaning, "by the Dawn"; and the first verse of [[sura al-'Asr]] (Arabic: "والعصر", transliteration: "wa al-'asr", translation: "by the time") and some others (with six letters and two words).<ref>''[[Al-Itqan]]'', Vol.2, p.357</ref>

In the contrary, some think that although maybe the verses are ordered in the lifetime of the [[Prophet (s)]], but after him, taste and [[ijtihad]] of some of the [[companions]] has effected the existing order. According to [['Allama Tabataba'i]], the reports of the first collection of the [[Qur'an]] in the time of [[Abu Bakr]], confirms that the ijtihad of the companions had role in the order of the verses; and if we agree that all the verses are first ordered by the command of the Prophet (s), it doesn't mean that what the companions have collected is with the order the Prophet (s) had commanded. And the claimed [[ijma']] (consensus) that the existing order is the order of the lifetime of the Prophet (s) is only a "[[reported Ijma']]" which is not reliable.<ref>[[Al-Tabataba'i]], ''[[Al-Mizan]]'', Vol.12, pp.127-129</ref>