Nepedia
Back to Discover
Fluent Reader
📖

Āyah

philosophy religion Maturity 11-13 religion Next article →

This article covers sensitive topics: religion. Parents can manage visibility in Parental Controls.

An ayah is a verse in the Quran.

Āyah
Āyah

The Quran is a holy book used by Muslims. It is divided into chapters called surahs. Each surah is made of many ayahs. These verses can be long or short. Some chapters have only 3 verses. Other chapters have as many as 286 verses.

Ahmet Karahisari 001
Ahmet Karahisari 001

Within a long chapter, verses may form special groups. These groups are called thematic sequences or passages.

The word ayah has a very interesting meaning. In a linguistic sense, it means a sign, proof, or miracle. Because of this, the word can describe things outside of the book. It can refer to cosmic phenomena. This includes things like the stars or the universe. It can also mean the way plants grow. Some people see the rain as an ayah. The change between day and night is also a sign.

Birmingham Quran manuscript full
Birmingham Quran manuscript full

The Quran even uses the word to describe miracles.

There are two main types of verses in the Quran. The first type is called muhkam. These verses are clear and easy to understand. They are seen as the foundation of the book. The second type is called mutashabih. These are known as allegorical verses. They can be harder to understand. Some people look for their hidden meanings. However, the Quran says that only God knows these hidden meanings. This helps people understand how to study the text.

It is important to know the right numbers for the Quran. Some people claim there are 6,666 verses. This claim is not correct. The actual total number of verses is 6,236. This count does not include the Bismillah. If you include the Bismillah, the total is 6,348. There are 114 chapters in the Quran. There are only 112 unnumbered Bismillahs. This is because Surah At-Tawbah does not have one at the start. Another Bismillah appears in the middle of Surah An-Naml.

Different people look at the ayahs in different orders. The first ayah in a chronological order is from Surah Al-Alaq. It begins with the words, "Read in the name of your Lord." The first ayah in a traditional order is different. It comes from Surah Al-Fatiha. That verse says, "In the name of God, the Compassionate Merciful One." After the opening surah, the next ayahs are "alif-lam-mim." These verses belong to Surah Al-Baqara. They describe the book as a guidance for those who fear God.

404 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (3)
File:Āyah.jpg
Āyah.jpg
File:Ahmet Karahisari 001.jpg
Ahmet Karahisari 001.jpg
File:Birmingham Quran manuscript full.jpg
Birmingham Quran manuscript full.jpg
More to explore

✨ What else?

Related topics you might enjoy

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.