Makki And Madani Surahs

Getting to know the difference between Makki and Madani surahs is a crucial part when beginning to understand the structure, and sequence of the Quran as a whole.

Knowing whether a surah is Makki or Madani can shape the themes, who they’re meant for, and when they came about. This helps us see the order and religious growth in Islamic lessons over time. 

Today, we’ll clear up what Makki and Madani surahs are and how they differ. By reviewing the differences between Makki and Madani surahs, you’ll get to understand how these categories influence what the surahs say and instruct.

It’s a great place to start because many things can be known about a surah by just stating it’s Makki or Madani! Let’s find out about that below:

What Are makki and Madani Surahs?

The Quran contains 114 Surahs in total (one hundred and fourteen). 86 surahs are Makki and 28 surahs are madani.

The surahs of the Quran are categorized into two types: Makki and Madani. In this article, we’ll explore the characteristics, differences, and lists of Makki and Madani surahs.

The name “Quran” means recitation. The verses within each surah are referred to as Ayats. Some are Makki surah and some are Madani surah in Quran. There is some disagreement about the exact number of Makki and Madani Surahs.

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Makki Versus Madani Surahs Explained

Makki and Madani surahs mark two different chapters in Prophet Muhammad’s life and the Quran’s delivery. The time in Mekkah saw Prophet Muhammad’s unveiling of the Makki surahs with the growth of Islam in its infancy and tough resistance from the locals of the Quraysh clan.

The key points of faith, like believing in a single Allah, the afterlife, and the role of Prophets, are the main focus of these surahs.

On the flip side, after the Prophet Muhammad moved to Madina, he presented the Madani surahs during a phase when Muslims were settling down and growing. Here, the focus shifts to more detailed matters like how to manage community living, laws, and handling leadership challenges.

To learn more about the differences between the two types of surahs, check out this comprehensive pdf  titled: Makki and Madani Verses

How are the surahs sorted?

To sort a surah as from Makki or Madani, the main rule is to look at when Prophet Muhammad received it, before or after his immigration from Makki to Madani (Hijra).

Therefore, the keyword here is “hijrah”.

Simply, surahs that came before the big move are Makki ones. Those that came after are Madani ones.

This sorting isn’t just about where it happened. It’s also about what the surahs talk about, who listens, and the setting of the messages. Even if some verses came while in Makki, like during Makki’s capture, we call them Madani if they came after the Hijra. Sorting surahs this way helps us get the Quran’s messages based on when and where the Muslim people were at that time.

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Makki Surahs and Their characteristics

Allah’s Unity

The primary idea in the surahs from Makki is about Allah’s unity known as Tawhid. These sections stress the importance of believing in just Allah convincing people to pray to and depend on the real Allah while saying no to many gods and praying to statues. 

“And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, ‘There is no deity except Me, so worship Me.” ( Al-Anbiya 21:25) 

 Surahs such as Surah Maryam make it clear that giving Allah children is wrong underlining His total control and the main view that He deserves our prayers and trust. 

“It is not befitting for Allah to take a son; exalted is He! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is. ” ( Surah Maryam 19:35)

The Hereafter

Makki surahs tell a clear story about life after death and the Judgment Day pointing out how important our actions are for the afterlife. As in Surah Al-Kahf:

“Indeed, they who have believed and done righteous deeds – they will have the Gardens of Paradise as a lodging.” (18:10)

Teaches Patience

When early Muslims in Mecca ran into a lot of tough times, the Makki surahs kept telling them to hang in there and not give up. Take the narrative of Maryam in Surah Maryam, as an example, exemplifies unwavering religion and patience amidst trials, serving as an inspirational discern for believers. These lessons about hanging tough are all mixed up with messages telling people to keep a strong faith and be solid on the inside.

What about the themes of Makki and Madani surahs? check out this enriching blogpost about recurrent themes in both types of surahs.

Madani Surahs and Their characteristics

Laws and Rules

The surahs from Madani stand out for their long lists of laws that talk about almost everything, from getting married and splitting up to inheritance and transactions. These surahs like al-Ma’idah, have many verses that give straight-up advice on things like laws, people’s problems, and what the community should do.

Valuable Lessons with Morals

They also focus on how Muslims should act with others. They give many rules for making relationships strong and building a fair community. They tell us about leading people using money right, and treating everyone equally. This was important for the Muslims growing together in Madinah.

Conflict and Hypocrisy

A distinct characteristic of the Madani surahs is their attention to the internal challenges confronted by the Muslim community, especially the problem of hypocrisy. These surahs introduce the idea of munafiqoon (hypocrites), who pose a complicated hassle as they’re the enemy from within. The Surahs offer ways to deal with such issues, emphasizing the want for vigilance and integrity within the community. This theme was essential, especially back then, for retaining communal concord and religious fidelity in Madani.

Surah Al-Munafiqun:

“When the hypocrites come to you, O Muhammad, they say, ‘We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah.’ And Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars.” (63:1)

Spotting Differences between Makki & Madani Surahs

Size and Delivery

Makki surahs come short with a sharp manner of writing.

 They use strong words that grab attention.

The surahs talk to people about faith and the issue of worshiping idols in Makki. They are like poems full of comparisons and images, which the people of Mecca, who loved good poetry, enjoyed.

 On the other side, Madani surahs are long and give more details. They talk about laws and advice needed by the Muslim people growing up in Madani.

Tone and Audience

Makki surahs in the Quran sound strong and confident because they were revealed at a time of opposition. They talk to nonbelievers, trying to avert them from polytheism, and believe in the one, all-knowing Allah.

The chapters from Madani though, sound more welcoming and teach since they were made in a friendlier place with people of different religions. They speak to a wider group, including Muslims, and teach about making a good community, laws, and how to act right.

Makki and Madani Surahs list

Makki and Madani Surahs are classifications of Quranic chapters based on where they were revealed—Mecca or Medina

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