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سُورَةُ الرَّحۡمَٰن · 55:2
MedinanRevelation order ٩٧Juzʾ ٢٧Page ٥٣١

عَلَّمَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ

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Taught the Qur'an,

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Introduction

This is āyah 2 of Sūrat Ar-Rahmaan (The Beneficent), the 97th sūrah in the traditional order of revelation. It was revealed in the Medinan period and sits within Juzʾ 27. Medinan verses often address community life, law, and the building of society.

This introduction is a starting point — the community and Bilal will enrich it over time.

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Revelation & occasion

Asbāb al-Nuzūl
Period
Medinan
Order revealed
97 of 114
Surah
Ar-Rahmaan (55)
Occasion of revelation · Al-Wahidi

The All-Merciful-He taught the Qur'an. No one's hand will reach the knocker on the Qur'an's gate simply and easily, unless with the suc- cess-giving and facilitating of the All-Merciful. If anyone could reach this good fortune without the help of the All-Merciful, that would be MuṣṬafā, the Seal of the Prophets. But there is no one among the creatures with the majesty and rank that he had. Concerning him the Real says, “The All-Merciful-He taught the Qur'an,” that is, He taught MuḤammad the Qur'an. As much as teachers strive in teaching, masters instruct, and memorizers keep classes going, all of these are secondary causes, and the teacher in reality is God. Whenever someone comes to be taught, He is the teacher. Whenever someone lights up, He is the light-giver. Whenever someone burns, He is the burner. Whenever something is made, He is the maker. He taught Adam the knowledge of the names: And He taught Adam the names, all of them [2:31]. He taught David chain-mail making: And We taught him the artisanry of garments for you [21:80]. He taught Jesus the science of medicine: And He will teach him the book and the wisdom [3:48]. He taught Khiẓr the science of recognition: We taught him knowledge from Us [18:65]. He taught MuṣṬafā the secrets of the divinity: He taught thee what thou didst not know [4:113]. He taught the folk of the world explication:

Commentary

Tafsir

4 works

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Introduction to Surat Ar-Rahman Imam Ahmad recorded that Zirr said that a man said [to Ibn Mas'ud]: "How is this recited: "Ma'in Ghayri Yasin or Asin?" He asked him, "Are you that proficient in reciting the whole Qur'an?" He replied, "I recite the Mufassal section in one Rak'ah." So he said, "Woe to you! Do you recite the Qur'an in haste, as if it is poetry? I know that the Prophet ﷺ used to recite two Surahs from the beginning of the Mufassal section (in one Rak'ah)." And Ibn Mas'ud considered Surat Ar-Rahman to be the beginning of the Mufassal section. Abu 'Isa At-Tirmidhi recorded that Jabir said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to his Companions and recited Surat Ar-Rahman from beginning to end for them, but they did not say anything. The Prophet ﷺ said, لَقَدْ قَرَأْتُهَا عَلَى الْجِنِّ لَيْلَةَ الْجِنِّ فَكَانُوا أَحْسَنَ مَرْدُودًا مِنْكُمْ، كُنْتُ كُلَّمَا أَتَيْتُ عَلَىٰ ق…
Provenance

Chains of transmission

Oral — isnād

  1. ~610–632 CERevelation & memorisation

    Received by the Prophet ﷺ and preserved by the ḥuffāẓ (memorisers) among the Companions.

  2. 1st century AHMutawātir transmissionawaiting curation

    Carried by mass-transmission through the generations of qurrāʾ.

  3. TodayLiving chainsawaiting curation

    Continuous ijāzah chains link reciters today back to the Prophet ﷺ.

Verified isnād chains for this āyah will be added by curators.

Written — the manuscript record

  1. ~650 CEʿUthmānic codicesawaiting curation

    The standardised muṣḥaf sent to the great cities (e.g. the Topkapı and Samarqand codices).

  2. 8th–10th c.Early Ḥijāzī & Kūfic foliosawaiting curation

    Surviving leaves in Birmingham, Sanaa, Paris (BnF) and beyond.

  3. Modern printModern printawaiting curation

    The 1924 Cairo edition → today: the standard printed muṣḥaf used worldwide.

A curated chain of manuscript images for this exact āyah — roughly one per century — is coming. Help us source and verify them.

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And now — what do you think?

The text, its history and the classical commentary are laid out above. Share your own understanding, ask a question, or reason with others.

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Provenance

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