What Is the Last Verse Revealed in the Quran?
Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa
Question
What is the last verse revealed in the Quran?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.
The most likely opinion among scholars is that the last verse revealed from the Quran is the statement of Allah (Most High):
“Be mindful of the Day when you will (all) be returned to Allah, then every soul will be paid in full for what it has done, and none will be wronged.” [Quran, 2:281]
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) lived for nine nights after the revelation of this verse and then passed away on a Monday, with two nights remaining in the month of Rabi‘ al-Awwal. [Razi, Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim al-Razi]
This is supported by the narration of Ibn ‘Abbas, who said:
“The last thing to be revealed from the Quran was: ‘Be mindful of the Day when you will (all) be returned to Allah, then every soul will be paid in full for what it has done, and none will be wronged.’” [Quran, 2:281] [Nasa’i]
It is also supported by another narration from Ibn ‘Abbas where he said:
“The last verse revealed to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was the verse about usury.” [Bukhari]
This refers to the verse mentioned in the conclusion of the verses about usury, which is: “Be mindful of the Day when you will (all) be returned to Allah, then every soul will be paid in full for what it has done, and none will be wronged.” [Quran, 2:281]
There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding the last verse revealed in the Quran. Each scholar based their opinion on reports, none of which are definitively attributed to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) to confirm that it was indeed the final revelation. This has led to confusion and extensive disagreement.
Zurqani mentioned in his book, Manahil al-‘Irfan, nine other opinions about the last verse revealed from the Quran, apart from the one mentioned previously. He leaned towards the view that the last verse revealed in absolute terms is the verse from Surat al-Baqara: “Be mindful of the Day when you will (all) be returned to Allah, then every soul will be paid in full for what it has done, and none will be wronged.” [Quran, 2:281]
Zurqani stated:
“These are ten opinions you have known and understood their explanations. You have seen that the opinion that brings peace to the soul is that the last verse revealed absolutely is Allah’s statement in Surat al-Baqara: {Be mindful of the Day when you will (all) be returned to Allah, then every soul will be paid in full for what it has done, and none will be wronged.}. Other verses are considered to be the last revealed in a specific context or condition. However, Qadi Abu Bakr in al-Intisar presents a different view, saying:
‘None of these opinions are definitively attributed to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), and each opinion is based on a form of ijtihad (independent reasoning) and strong conjecture. It is possible that each scholar reported the last thing they heard from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) on the day he passed away or shortly before his illness. Others might have heard from him after that, even if the initial scholar did not hear it.’
He seems to suggest that these diverse opinions could be reconciled by considering that each reported the last thing they personally heard from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), which is a comforting method but does not shed light on what might have been the final revelation that Allah concluded His Noble Book with.” [Zurqani, Manahil al-‘Irfan; Abu Shahba, al-Madkhal li Dirasat al-Quran al-Karim; Sa‘id, Tarikh Nuzul al-Quran]
Verses Claimed to Be the Last Revealed from the Quran
- “Be mindful of the Day when you will (all) be returned to Allah, then every soul will be paid in full for what it has done, and none will be wronged.” [Quran, 2:281]
- “O believers! Fear Allah, and give up outstanding interest if you are (true) believers.” [Quran, 2:278]
- “O believers! When you contract a loan for a fixed period of time, commit it to writing… And Allah has (perfect) knowledge of all things.” [Quran, 2:282]
- “So their Lord responded to them: ‘I will never deny any of you—male or female—the reward of your deeds. Both are equal in reward’” [Quran, 3:195]
- “And whoever kills a believer intentionally, their reward will be Hell—where they will stay indefinitely. Allah will be displeased with them, condemn them, and will prepare for them a tremendous punishment.” [Quran, 4:93]
- They ask you (for a ruling, O Prophet). Say, ‘Allah gives you a ruling regarding those who die without children or parents.’” [Quran, 4:176]
- The last revelation is said to be Surat al-Ma’ida.
- The last revelation is said to be the end of Surat al-Tawba: “There certainly has come to you a messenger from among yourselves. He is concerned by your suffering,…” [Quran, 9:128]
- The last revelation is said to be the end of Surat al-Kahf: “So whoever hopes for the meeting with their Lord, let them do good deeds and associate none in the worship of their Lord.” [Quran, 18:110]
- The last revelation is said to be Surat al-Nasr: “When Allah’s (ultimate) help comes and the victory (over Mecca is achieved),…” [Quran, 110:1]
Conclusion
From the above, it is evident that the arrangement of the Quranic verses and chapters is not based on the order of revelation. The last revealed verse of the Quran is found in Surat al-Baqara, the second chapter after Surat al-Fatiha. Understanding the first and last revelations of the Quran highlights the meticulous care with which the Quran has been preserved, ensuring that the initial and final revelations are well-known and documented. [Zurqani, Manahil al-‘Irfan; ‘Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran]
May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.
And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa
Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.
He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.
He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.
Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.
