Surah Al-Baqarah — "The Cow" (chapter 2) — is the longest surah in the Quran. It contains the greatest verse (Ayat al-Kursi), the longest verse, the verses of fasting, and the two verses many Muslims recite every night. This guide gives you an overview of its main themes and its virtues from authentic hadith.
The surah at a glance
Surah number | 2 |
Verses | 286 — the longest surah |
Pages | About 48 pages in the Madinah Mushaf (pages 2–49) |
Juz | Most of juz 1, all of juz 2, and the start of juz 3 |
Revealed | In Madinah |
Name | From the story of the cow in verses 67–73 |
Its main themes
Verses | Theme |
|---|---|
Three kinds of people: believers, disbelievers and hypocrites | |
A call to worship Allah; the creation of Adam | |
Lessons from the history of the Children of Israel | |
Ibrahim and Isma‘il building the Ka‘bah | |
The change of the qiblah to the Ka‘bah | |
Patience, prayer, righteousness and fair dealings | |
The fasting of Ramadan | |
Hajj, family life and community rules | |
Stories of faith, including Ayat al-Kursi (2:255) | |
Charity, the ban on usury, and writing down debts — the longest verse (2:282) | |
The closing verses of faith and du‘a |
Its virtues
- Shaytan flees from the house. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Do not make your houses into graves. Shaytan flees from the house in which Surah Al-Baqarah is recited" (reported by Muslim).
- A blessing, and protection. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Recite Surah Al-Baqarah, for taking it is a blessing, leaving it is a regret, and the magicians cannot confront it" (reported by Muslim). He also called Al-Baqarah and Al ‘Imran "the two bright ones" that will come on the Day of Judgement to argue for those who recited them.
- The greatest verse is inside it. Ayat al-Kursi, 2:255. See Ayat al-Kursi: meaning and virtues.
- Its last two verses suffice at night. See the last two verses of Al-Baqarah.
How to read it at home
Plan | Daily pages | Time to finish |
|---|---|---|
Light | 2 pages | About 24 days |
Weekly | 7 pages | 1 week |
Ramadan | 1 juz a day | About 2.5 days |
Many families read Al-Baqarah aloud at home over a few days, taking turns — a lovely way to bring its blessing into the house.
Reciting it correctly
Al-Baqarah covers almost every tajweed rule. If you are working through it, our tajweed guide and the free printable tajweed chart are good companions. To read it with a teacher who checks every page, see our Quran classes for adults.
FAQ
How many verses are in Surah Al-Baqarah?
286 verses. It is the longest surah in the Quran.
Why is it called "The Cow"?
After the story in verses 67–73, in which the Children of Israel were commanded to sacrifice a cow.
What are the virtues of reading Surah Al-Baqarah at home?
The Prophet ﷺ said that Shaytan flees from the house where it is recited (reported by Muslim).
How long does it take to read Surah Al-Baqarah?
It is about 48 pages. At 7 pages a day, you can finish it in a week.
Sources
- Surah Al-Baqarah 2 — Quran.com
- Sahih Muslim 780 — Shaytan flees from the house — Sunnah.com
- Sahih Muslim 804 — taking it is a blessing — Sunnah.com
- Al-Baqarah — Wikipedia