How the Quran Is Organised: Surah, Ayah, Juz and Hizb Explained

If you are new to the Quran, words like surah, ayah, juz and hizb can be confusing. They are simply different ways of dividing the same book — some come from the revelation itself, others were added later to help people read and memorise.

This guide explains how the Quran is organised, with the key numbers, in simple words.

The key numbers

Surah (chapter)

The Quran has 114 surahs. Each has a name, such as Al-Fatiha (The Opening) or Al-Baqarah (The Cow). The name often comes from a word or story inside the surah.

• The longest surah: Al-Baqarah, with 286 verses.
• The shortest surahs: Al-Kawthar, Al-‘Asr and An-Nasr, with 3 verses each. Al-Kawthar is the shortest in words.
• Every surah begins with Bismillah except Surah At-Tawbah (chapter 9).

The surahs are not in the order they were revealed. The first verses revealed were the beginning of Surah Al-‘Alaq (96:1–5), but it is chapter 96. The order of the Mushaf was taught by the Prophet ﷺ.

Makki and Madani surahs

At the top of each surah, the Mushaf says whether it is Makki (revealed before the Hijrah to Madinah) or Madani (revealed after it). By the most common count, 86 surahs are Makki and 28 are Madani.

• Makki surahs are often shorter and focus on faith, the Hereafter and the stories of the prophets.
• Madani surahs are often longer and include more guidance on worship, family and society.

Ayah (verse)

Each surah is made of ayat (verses). The end of each verse is marked with a small circle and its number. The word ayah also means "sign".

• The longest verse is Al-Baqarah 2:282, about debts (2:282).
• Verse counts can differ slightly between scholarly traditions, because of where a verse is considered to end. The words of the Quran are the same.

Juz (part)

The Quran is divided into 30 equal parts, each called a juz (plural ajza'). In Urdu and Persian it is called a para or sipara. This division helps people read the whole Quran in a month — one juz a day, for example in Ramadan.

Some juz are known by their first word:

• Juz 30 — Juz ‘Amma: the short surahs from An-Naba to An-Nas. Most people start memorising here.
• Juz 29 — Juz Tabarak: starts with Surah Al-Mulk.

Hizb and quarters

Each juz has 2 hizb, and each hizb has 4 quarters (rub‘). In the Madinah Mushaf, the start of each quarter is marked with the sign ۞. These smaller parts are useful for daily reading and memorisation plans.

Other divisions you may see

• Manzil: 7 parts, for reading the whole Quran in a week. Common in South Asian Mushafs.
• Ruku‘: shorter sections marked with ع in South Asian Mushafs, often used to decide how much to recite in prayer.
• Sajdah marks (۩): verses after which many Muslims prostrate.

Read our guide to the symbols in the Quran to learn what each mark means.

How to use this when you study

• To plan your reading, count in pages or juz. One juz a day finishes the Quran in a month.
• To memorise, start with Juz ‘Amma and work backwards, surah by surah.
• To find a verse, use the surah number and verse number. For example, 2:255 means Surah 2 (Al-Baqarah), verse 255 — Ayat al-Kursi.

If you are just starting, see our guides on choosing a Mushaf for beginners and finishing the Quran in Ramadan. For a structured start with a teacher, see learn the Quran for beginners.