The Quran contains 114 surahs, beginning with Al-Fatihah and ending with An-Nas. The two expandable reference tables list every chapter in its standard Quran order, with the Arabic name, a plain pronunciation aid and an English meaning. A title helps identify a surah; it is not a complete summary of its contents.
01How to use the complete surah list
Open the first reference table for surahs 1–57 and the second for 58–114. The numbers follow the order of a standard mushaf, the written Quran. They identify a chapter consistently even when two editions spell its romanised name differently.
For example, Al-Fatihah is chapter 1, Al-Baqarah is chapter 2 and An-Nas is chapter 114. A reference such as 2:255 means chapter 2, verse 255; it does not mean the 255th chapter. Start by locating the number, then check the Arabic title. Keep chapter order separate from discussions of revelation chronology.
02What do the Arabic titles mean?
Some names are familiar nouns: الْقَلَم is “the pen,” الشَّمْس is “the sun” and الْقَمَر is “the moon.” These provide useful vocabulary, but the surah can discuss much more than the object named in its title.
Other titles are names of people or peoples. Yunus corresponds to Jonah, Maryam to Mary and Quraysh names a tribe. Those are identifications, not ordinary vocabulary definitions. Several titles have multiple established English renderings; the tables use concise meanings rather than claiming that one English wording captures every nuance of the Arabic.
03Why do al, an, ash and ar appear?
The Arabic definite article is written ال. Before a moon letter its l is heard, as in al-qamar. Before a sun letter that l assimilates to the following consonant: الشَّمْس is read ash-shams. The spelling still contains the article.
Our reading aids show this sound change with forms such as an-noor, ar-rahmaan and at-teen. They use spaces instead of hyphens in the tables for easy scanning. Compare the Arabic and spoken form together. The sun and moon letters guide explains the pattern, while our noun guide explains what the article does.
04Ta Ha, Ya Sin, Sad and Qaf
Surahs 20, 36, 38 and 50 are commonly identified by opening letters: Ta Ha, Ya Sin, Sad and Qaf. The list labels them as letters rather than assigning an invented English sentence to them. Their interpretation is discussed in tafsir; a beginner’s title table should not settle that discussion with an unsupported gloss.
Read the letter names, not an English word created from their roman spelling. Qaf is qaaf; Sad is saad. The plain aids cannot reproduce every Arabic consonant. Our long vowels guide helps explain why an aa sound needs more time than a short a.
05Translation choices and alternative names
A name may appear under another established title in an index or commentary. Chapter 17 is commonly Al-Isra and is also known as Bani Israil; chapter 40 is Ghafir and is also called Al-Mumin. The chapter number keeps the reference clear when a title varies.
English meanings also require care. Al-Asr can be rendered “Time” or “The Declining Day”; Al-Qadr involves meanings such as decree and power. Al-Alaq refers to clinging substance, commonly rendered “clots.” Such short glosses introduce the title rather than replacing the verse’s translation or explanation. Consult the actual chapter when interpreting its message.
06Learn the names in manageable groups
Choose five consecutive rows. Read each Arabic title, identify its number, and recall whether it names an object, a person, an event or opening letters. Cover the English column and test your memory. On the next day, review the group before adding another five.
For pronunciation, listen to the title spoken by a competent Arabic reader and compare the consonants with the written name. The aa, ee and oo aids mark long vowels but leave some sound distinctions unmarked, including ayn. Final grammatical endings are generally omitted. Use our short vowels guide alongside the tables instead of relying on English spelling alone.
What to remember
- The reference tables list all 114 surahs in standard Quran order, from Al-Fatihah to An-Nas.
- Chapter titles may be nouns, names, phrases or opening letters; their English glosses are not complete chapter summaries.
- Use the chapter number, Arabic spelling and reliable spoken pronunciation together.
Your reference shelf
Open a guide whenever you need it.
Complete surah list: chapters 1–57Arabic names, plain pronunciation aids and English meanings in standard Quran order.
| No. | Arabic name | Plain pronunciation aid | English meaning or identification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | الْفَاتِحَة | al faatihah | The Opening |
| 2 | الْبَقَرَة | al baqarah | The Cow |
| 3 | آل عِمْرَان | aal imraan | The Family of Imran |
| 4 | النِّسَاء | an nisaa | The Women |
| 5 | الْمَائِدَة | al maaidah | The Table Spread |
| 6 | الْأَنْعَام | al anaam | The Livestock |
| 7 | الْأَعْرَاف | al araaf | The Heights |
| 8 | الْأَنْفَال | al anfaal | The Spoils of War |
| 9 | التَّوْبَة | at tawbah | Repentance |
| 10 | يُونُس | yoonus | Jonah (a prophet's name) |
| 11 | هُود | hood | Hud (a prophet's name) |
| 12 | يُوسُف | yoosuf | Joseph (a prophet's name) |
| 13 | الرَّعْد | ar raad | Thunder |
| 14 | إِبْرَاهِيم | ibraaheem | Abraham (a prophet's name) |
| 15 | الْحِجْر | al hijr | Al-Hijr (a rocky region) |
| 16 | النَّحْل | an nahl | The Bees |
| 17 | الْإِسْرَاء | al israa | The Night Journey |
| 18 | الْكَهْف | al kahf | The Cave |
| 19 | مَرْيَم | maryam | Mary (a person's name) |
| 20 | طه | taa haa | Ta Ha (opening letters) |
| 21 | الْأَنْبِيَاء | al anbiyaa | The Prophets |
| 22 | الْحَجّ | al hajj | The Pilgrimage |
| 23 | الْمُؤْمِنُون | al muminoon | The Believers |
| 24 | النُّور | an noor | Light |
| 25 | الْفُرْقَان | al furqaan | The Criterion |
| 26 | الشُّعَرَاء | ash shuaraa | The Poets |
| 27 | النَّمْل | an naml | The Ants |
| 28 | الْقَصَص | al qasas | The Narratives |
| 29 | الْعَنْكَبُوت | al ankaboot | The Spider |
| 30 | الرُّوم | ar room | The Romans (Byzantines) |
| 31 | لُقْمَان | luqmaan | Luqman (a person's name) |
| 32 | السَّجْدَة | as sajdah | Prostration |
| 33 | الْأَحْزَاب | al ahzaab | The Confederates |
| 34 | سَبَأ | saba | Sheba (a people's name) |
| 35 | فَاطِر | faatir | Originator |
| 36 | يس | yaa seen | Ya Sin (opening letters) |
| 37 | الصَّافَّات | as saaffaat | Those Arrayed in Ranks |
| 38 | ص | saad | Sad (an opening letter) |
| 39 | الزُّمَر | az zumar | The Groups |
| 40 | غَافِر | ghaafir | Forgiver |
| 41 | فُصِّلَت | fussilat | Made Clear in Detail |
| 42 | الشُّورَىٰ | ash shooraa | Consultation |
| 43 | الزُّخْرُف | az zukhruf | Gold Adornment |
| 44 | الدُّخَان | ad dukhaan | Smoke |
| 45 | الْجَاثِيَة | al jaathiyah | The Kneeling |
| 46 | الْأَحْقَاف | al ahqaaf | The Sand Dunes |
| 47 | مُحَمَّد | muhammad | Muhammad (a prophet's name) |
| 48 | الْفَتْح | al fath | Victory; Opening |
| 49 | الْحُجُرَات | al hujuraat | The Chambers |
| 50 | ق | qaaf | Qaf (an opening letter) |
| 51 | الذَّارِيَات | adh dhaariyaat | Those That Scatter (winds) |
| 52 | الطُّور | at toor | The Mount |
| 53 | النَّجْم | an najm | The Star |
| 54 | الْقَمَر | al qamar | The Moon |
| 55 | الرَّحْمَٰن | ar rahmaan | The Most Merciful |
| 56 | الْوَاقِعَة | al waaqiah | The Event (the inevitable event) |
| 57 | الْحَدِيد | al hadeed | Iron |
Complete surah list: chapters 58–114The remaining 57 chapters, including the short surahs near the end of the Quran.
| No. | Arabic name | Plain pronunciation aid | English meaning or identification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 58 | الْمُجَادِلَة | al mujaadilah | The Pleading Woman |
| 59 | الْحَشْر | al hashr | The Gathering |
| 60 | الْمُمْتَحَنَة | al mumtahanah | The Woman Examined |
| 61 | الصَّفّ | as saff | The Ranks |
| 62 | الْجُمُعَة | al jumuah | Friday; Congregation |
| 63 | الْمُنَافِقُون | al munaafiqoon | The Hypocrites |
| 64 | التَّغَابُن | at taghaabun | Mutual Loss and Gain |
| 65 | الطَّلَاق | at talaaq | Divorce |
| 66 | التَّحْرِيم | at tahreem | Prohibition |
| 67 | الْمُلْك | al mulk | Sovereignty |
| 68 | الْقَلَم | al qalam | The Pen |
| 69 | الْحَاقَّة | al haaqqah | The Inevitable Reality |
| 70 | الْمَعَارِج | al maarij | The Ways of Ascent |
| 71 | نُوح | nooh | Noah (a prophet's name) |
| 72 | الْجِنّ | al jinn | The Jinn |
| 73 | الْمُزَّمِّل | al muzzammil | The Wrapped One |
| 74 | الْمُدَّثِّر | al muddaththir | The Cloaked One |
| 75 | الْقِيَامَة | al qiyaamah | Resurrection |
| 76 | الْإِنْسَان | al insaan | The Human Being |
| 77 | الْمُرْسَلَات | al mursalaat | Those Sent Forth |
| 78 | النَّبَأ | an naba | The News |
| 79 | النَّازِعَات | an naaziaat | Those That Pull Out |
| 80 | عَبَسَ | abasa | He Frowned |
| 81 | التَّكْوِير | at takweer | The Folding Up |
| 82 | الِانْفِطَار | al infitaar | The Splitting Open |
| 83 | الْمُطَفِّفِين | al mutaffifeen | Those Who Give Short Measure |
| 84 | الِانْشِقَاق | al inshiqaaq | The Splitting Apart |
| 85 | الْبُرُوج | al burooj | The Constellations |
| 86 | الطَّارِق | at taariq | The Night Visitor |
| 87 | الْأَعْلَىٰ | al alaa | The Most High |
| 88 | الْغَاشِيَة | al ghaashiyah | The Overwhelming Event |
| 89 | الْفَجْر | al fajr | Dawn |
| 90 | الْبَلَد | al balad | The City |
| 91 | الشَّمْس | ash shams | The Sun |
| 92 | اللَّيْل | al layl | The Night |
| 93 | الضُّحَىٰ | ad duhaa | The Morning Brightness |
| 94 | الشَّرْح | ash sharh | The Opening Up; Relief |
| 95 | التِّين | at teen | The Fig |
| 96 | الْعَلَق | al alaq | Clinging Substance; Clots |
| 97 | الْقَدْر | al qadr | Decree; Power |
| 98 | الْبَيِّنَة | al bayyinah | The Clear Proof |
| 99 | الزَّلْزَلَة | az zalzalah | The Earthquake |
| 100 | الْعَادِيَات | al aadiyaat | The Chargers |
| 101 | الْقَارِعَة | al qaariah | The Striking Calamity |
| 102 | التَّكَاثُر | at takaathur | Rivalry in Increase |
| 103 | الْعَصْر | al asr | Time; The Declining Day |
| 104 | الْهُمَزَة | al humazah | The Slanderer |
| 105 | الْفِيل | al feel | The Elephant |
| 106 | قُرَيْش | quraysh | Quraysh (a tribe's name) |
| 107 | الْمَاعُون | al maaoon | Small Acts of Assistance |
| 108 | الْكَوْثَر | al kawthar | Abundant Good |
| 109 | الْكَافِرُون | al kaafiroon | The Disbelievers |
| 110 | النَّصْر | an nasr | Help; Victory |
| 111 | الْمَسَد | al masad | Palm Fibre |
| 112 | الْإِخْلَاص | al ikhlaas | Sincerity |
| 113 | الْفَلَق | al falaq | Daybreak |
| 114 | النَّاس | an naas | Humankind |
Sources & further learning
References for the language explanations and learning guidance.
