Sūrah 2 · Medinan

How Sūrah Al-Baqara was revealed.

Where and when it came down, what it teaches, and the hadith about it — all on one calm page.

Where revealed Medinan

Revealed in the Madīnan period, after the migration to Madīnah.

Order of revelation #87

Its place in the traditional order in which the sūrahs were revealed.

Length 286 ayahs

40 reading sections in the Muṣḥaf.

The revelation story

How and when it came down.

This surah establishes the truth and completeness of Islam by exposing false claims, recounting the failures of the past nations, cultivating the moral and spiritual refinement of the soul, and restoring the purity of Abraham’s original religion. It then builds and regulates the new Muslim society through a comprehensive legal and ethical framework governing worship, family life, finance, justice, and public order.

Themes and purpose:

This surah establishes the truth and completeness of Islam by exposing false claims, recounting the failures of the past nations, cultivating the moral and spiritual refinement of the soul, and restoring the purity of Abraham’s original religion. It then builds and regulates the new Muslim society through a comprehensive legal and ethical framework governing worship, family life, finance, justice, and public order.

Context of Revelation:

Era: Madinan by unanimous agreement.

Time: It was the first surah revealed in Madīnah, with its revelation beginning in the 1st year AH and extending over most of the Madinan period.

Context (Prolonged Revelation): Its revelation was spread over the greater part of a decade. While it began with early laws like fasting, it includes ayahs on Hajj (6-8 AH). It is even said to contain the very last ayah of the Quran to be revealed [281]. Its unfolding revelation served the process of founding and purifying the new community, shaping it into a virtuous society free from the influences of hypocrisy, idolatry, and the moral failures of earlier nations.

Name and Ayah Count:

Name: The surah’s established name is "Sūrat al-Baqarah" (The Cow).

Reason for Name: It takes its name from the unique story of the cow that Allah commanded the Children of Israel to sacrifice, a narrative unique to this surah.

Honorific Titles: It is reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) described it as "Sanām al-Qur’ān" (The Summit of the Quran). It has also been called “Fusṭāṭ al-Qurʾān,” the great central tent of the Quran: this is because it gathers an unparalleled range of Quranic themes, foundations and branches of religion, creed and law, worship and ethics, worldly guidance and preparation for the afterlife. It has also been paired with Āl ʿImrān, with the Prophet (ﷺ) calling them "al-Zahrāwān" (The Two Radiant Ones), reflecting the light they bestow upon those who recite them.

Ayah Count: 285 (Madīnah/Makkah/Shām), 286 (Kūfah), or 287 (Baṣrah).

Surah Overview:

  • The Opening Challenge (implicit via Alif-Lām-Mīm and explicit). [1, 23]
  • Classification of Humanity (Believers, Disbelievers, Hypocrites). [2-20]
  • Creation of Man (Adam) and Satan's enmity. [30-39]
  • The History of the Israelites and their breaking of God’s covenant, causing a collapse in their moral authority. [40-123]
  • The mutual disputes of the Jews and Christians, and the collective hostility of all three groups (Jews, Christians, and polytheists) towards Islam. [105-121]
  • The Primacy of Abraham, builder of the Kaʿbah, and establishing Islam’s rightful inheritance of Abraham’s faith. [124-141]
  • The Changing of the Qiblah as sign of restored Abrahamic Continuity. [142-150]
  • Defining True Righteousness. [177]
  • The Principle of Abrogation in the service of Divine Wisdom. [106]
  • Signs in creation and refutation of shirk and fabricated prohibitions. [164-173]
  • Comprehensive Legislation for the emerging Muslim community, establishing the framework for worship, family life, financial ethics, justice, contracts, warfare, charity, inheritance, social responsibility, and public order. [177-283]
  • Reminders, parables, analogies, and moral-spiritual insights, together with affirmations of faith including the exaltation of God’s attributes in Āyat al-Kursī all interwoven throughout the surah to renew the alertness of the reader and the listener. [18-19, 74, 153, 189, 217, 243, 255]
  • Concluding supplication. [284-286]

Sūrah background — via the Quran Foundation Content API. Shown as supplied by the provider. We do not edit, summarise or generate it.

Hadith about this sūrah

What the hadith say.

These 81 narrations in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī are connected to specific āyāt of this sūrah — a linkage reviewed by the Quran Foundation. Open any one to read it in full, in Arabic and English.

  1. Relates to āyah58
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4479

    حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ قِيلَ لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ ‏﴿‏ادْخُلُوا الْبَابَ سُجَّدًا وَقُولُوا حِطَّةٌ‏﴾‏ فَدَخَلُوا يَزْحَفُونَ عَلَى أَسْتَاهِهِمْ، فَبَدَّلُوا وَقَالُوا حِطَّةٌ، حَبَّةٌ فِي شَعَرَةٍ ‏"‏‏.‏

    Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "It was said to the children of Israel, 'Enter the gate (of the town), prostrate (in humility) and say: Hittatun (i.e. repentance) i.e. O Allah! Forgive our sins.' But they entered by dragging themselves on their buttocks, so they did something different (from what they had been ordered to do) and said, 'Hittatun,' but added, "A grain in a hair."

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    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4641

    حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ قِيلَ لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ ‏﴿‏ادْخُلُوا الْبَابَ سُجَّدًا وَقُولُوا حِطَّةٌ نَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطَايَاكُمْ‏﴾‏ فَبَدَّلُوا فَدَخَلُوا يَزْحَفُونَ عَلَى أَسْتَاهِهِمْ وَقَالُوا حَبَّةٌ فِي شَعَرَةٍ ‏"‏‏.‏

    Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "It was said to the children of Israel, 'Enter the gate in prostration and say Hitatun. (7.161) We shall forgive you, your faults.' But they changed (Allah's Order) and entered, dragging themselves on their buttocks and said, 'Habatun (a grain) in a Sha'ratin (hair).

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  2. Relates to āyah97
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4480

    حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُنِيرٍ، سَمِعَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ بَكْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ سَمِعَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ، بِقُدُومِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ فِي أَرْضٍ يَخْتَرِفُ، فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ إِنِّي سَائِلُكَ عَنْ ثَلاَثٍ لاَ يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلاَّ نَبِيٌّ فَمَا أَوَّلُ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ وَمَا أَوَّلُ طَعَامِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَمَا يَنْزِعُ الْوَلَدُ إِلَى أَبِيهِ أَوْ إِلَى أُمِّهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَخْبَرَنِي بِهِنَّ جِبْرِيلُ آنِفًا ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ جِبْرِيلُ قَالَ ‏"‏ نَعَمْ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ ذَاكَ عَدُوُّ الْيَهُودِ مِنَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ‏.‏ فَقَرَأَ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ ‏﴿‏مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِجِبْرِيلَ فَإِنَّهُ نَزَّلَهُ عَلَى قَلْبِكَ‏﴾‏ أَمَّا أَوَّلُ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ فَنَارٌ تَحْشُرُ النَّاسَ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ إِلَى الْمَغْرِبِ، وَأَمَّا أَوَّلُ طَعَامِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَزِيَادَةُ كَبِدِ حُوتٍ، وَإِذَا سَبَقَ مَاءُ الرَّجُلِ مَاءَ الْمَرْأَةِ نَزَعَ الْوَلَدَ، وَإِذَا سَبَقَ مَاءُ الْمَرْأَةِ نَزَعَتْ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ‏.‏ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الْيَهُودَ قَوْمٌ بُهُتٌ، وَإِنَّهُمْ إِنْ يَعْلَمُوا بِإِسْلاَمِي قَبْلَ أَنْ تَسْأَلَهُمْ يَبْهَتُونِي‏.‏ فَجَاءَتِ الْيَهُودُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَىُّ رَجُلٍ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فِيكُمْ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالُوا خَيْرُنَا وَابْنُ خَيْرِنَا، وَسَيِّدُنَا وَابْنُ سَيِّدِنَا‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَسْلَمَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالُوا أَعَاذَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ‏.‏ فَخَرَجَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ‏.‏ فَقَالُوا شَرُّنَا وَابْنُ شَرِّنَا‏.‏ وَانْتَقَصُوهُ‏.‏ قَالَ فَهَذَا الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَخَافُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ‏.‏

    Narrated Anas: `Abdullah bin Salam heard the news of the arrival of Allah's Messenger (at Medina) while he was on a farm collecting its fruits. So he came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "I will ask you about three things which nobody knows unless he be a prophet. Firstly, what is the first portent of the Hour? What is the first meal of the people of Paradise? And what makes a baby look like its father or mother?'. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Just now Gabriel has informed me about that." `Abdullah said, "Gabriel?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Yes." `Abdullah said, "He, among the angels is the enemy of the Jews." On that the Prophet (ﷺ) recited this Holy Verse:-- "Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel (let him die in his fury!) for he has brought it (i.e. Qur'an) down to your heart by Allah's permission." (2.97) Then he added, "As for the first portent of the Hour, it will be a fire that will collect the people from the East to West. And as for the first meal of the people of Paradise, it will be the caudite (i.e. extra) lobe of the fish liver. And if a man's discharge proceeded that of the woman, then the child resembles the father, and if the woman's discharge proceeded that of the man, then the child resembles the mother." On hearing that, `Abdullah said, "I testify that None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and that you are the Messenger of Allah, O, Allah's Messenger; the Jews are liars, and if they should come to know that I have embraced Islam, they would accuse me of being a liar." In the meantime some Jews came (to the Prophet) and he asked them, "What is `Abdullah's status amongst you?" They replied, "He is the best amongst us, and he is our chief and the son of our chief." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "What would you think if `Abdullah bin Salam embraced Islam?" They replied, "May Allah protect him from this!" Then `Abdullah came out and said, "I testify that None has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." The Jews then said, "Abdullah is the worst of us and the son of the worst of us," and disparaged him. On that `Abdullah said, "O Allah's Messenger! This is what I was afraid of!"

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  3. Relates to āyah106
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5005

    حَدَّثَنَا صَدَقَةُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ، أَخْبَرَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ أَبِي ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ عُمَرُ أُبَىٌّ أَقْرَؤُنَا وَإِنَّا لَنَدَعُ مِنْ لَحَنِ أُبَىٍّ، وَأُبَىٌّ يَقُولُ أَخَذْتُهُ مِنْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلاَ أَتْرُكُهُ لِشَىْءٍ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى [quran sura="2" aya_start="106" aya_end="106"]‏{‏مَا نَنْسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نَنْسَأْهَا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْهَا أَوْ مِثْلِهَا‏}‏

    Narrated Ibn Abbas: Umar said, Ubayy was the best of us in the recitation (of the Qur'an) yet we leave some of what he recites. Ubayy says, "I have taken it from the mouth of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and I will not leave it for anything." But Allah said "None of Our Revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten but We substitute something better or similar." (Quran 2:106)

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The link between each āyah and these narrations is the Quran Foundation's reviewed reference map. The wording is reproduced verbatim from a public-domain edition of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and is not edited, summarised or generated; every narration also opens at Sunnah.com so it can be checked against another copy.