This page presents a series of tables presenting the traditional Islamic chronological order of the surahs.
The source I used presented the information in three slightly contradictory tables, as those had been taken from various sources as well. I reconstructed the information below from the information apparently taken from the unnamed work of Abu al-Qasim `Umar ibn Muhammad ibn `Abd al-Kafi. Interestingly, Noldeke (in his Geschichte des Qorans) utilized the same as the basis for his own chronological order of the surahs.
The only differences in order between the traditional order and the order given by Noldeke are the following:
a.) surah 110 is last in the traditional order, but Noldeke places it between 59 and 24;
b.) the order of 64, 61, 62 in the traditional order becomes in Noldeke 62, 64, 61
Source: History of the Quran by Allamah Abu Abd Allah al-Zanjani (from Al-Tawheed vol. 4, no. 3; vol. 5, nos. 1, 2, and 3). A series of 4 pdf files obtained from www.playandlearn.org.
Chronological Order of the Meccan Surahs: The following table presents the Meccan Surahs in chronological order. Please note that the somewhat unorthodox transliteration is due to font limitations for web pages. I think it will still make sense. The columns for the first two tables are: Surah number in the Quran, transliteration of Quranic title, translation of title, and a column of notes describing any exception to that chronological placement, etc.
| 96 | al-`Alaq | The Clot | |
| 68 | al-Qalam | The Pen | except 17-33, 48-50, from Medinah |
| 73 | al-Muzammil | The Mantled One | except for 73.10-11, 20, from Medinah |
| 74 | al-Muddaththir | The Clothed One | |
| 1 | al-Fātiĥah | The Opening | |
| 111 | al-Lahab | The Flame | |
| 81 | at-Takwīr | The Cessation | |
| 87 | al-A`lā | The Most High | |
| 92 | al-Layl | The Night | |
| 89 | al-Fajr | The Dawn | |
| 93 | aď-Ďuĥā | The Early Hours | |
| 94 | al-Inshirāĥ | The Expansion | |
| 103 | al-`Aşr | Time | |
| 100 | al-`Ādiyāt | The Assaulters | |
| 108 | al-Kauthar | Abundance | |
| 102 | at-Takāthur | Worldly Gain | |
| 107 | al-Mā`ūn | The Daily Necessaries | only 1-3; rest from Medinah |
| 109 | al-Kāfirūn | The Unbelievers | |
| 105 | al-Fīl | The Elephant | |
| 113 | al-Falaq | The Daybreak | |
| 114 | an-Nās | The Men | |
| 112 | al-Ikhlāş | The Unity | |
| 53 | an-Najm | The Star | except 32, from Medinah |
| 80 | `Abasa | He Frowned | |
| 97 | al-qadr | The Majesty | |
| 91 | ash-Shams | The Sun | |
| 85 | al-Burūj | The Constellations | |
| 95 | at-Tin | The Fig | |
| 106 | al-Quraysh | The Quraish | |
| 101 | al-Qāri`ah | The Terrible Calamity | |
| 75 | al-Qiyāmah | The Resurrection | |
| 104 | al-Humazah | The Slanderer | |
| 77 | al-Mursalāt | The Emissaries | except 48, from Medinah |
| 50 | Qāf | Qaf | except 38, from Medinah |
| 90 | al-Balad | The City | |
| 86 | aţ-Ţāriq | The Night-Comer | |
| 54 | al-Qamar | The Moon | except 44, 45, 46, from Medinah |
| 38 | Şād | Sad | |
| 7 | al-A`rāf | The Elevated Places | except 163-170, from Medinah |
| 72 | al-Jinn | The Jinn | |
| 36 | Yā Sīn | Ya Sin | except 45, from Medinah |
| 25 | al-Furqān | The Criterion | except 68, 69, 70, from Medinah |
| 35 | al-Fāţir | The Creator | |
| 19 | Maryam | Mary | except 58, 71, from Medinah |
| 20 | Ţā Hā | Ta Ha | except 130, 131, from Medinah |
| 56 | al-Wāqi`ah | That Which is Coming | except 81, 82, from Medinah |
| 26 | ash-Shu`arā’ | The Poets | except 197 and 224-end, from Medinah |
| 27 | an-Naml | The Ant | |
| 28 | al-Qaşaş | The Narrative | except 52-55 from Medinah and 85 from Juhfah at the time of the Hijrah |
| 17 | Banī Isrā’īl (or al-Isrā’) | The Israelites (or The Night Journey) | except 26, 32, 33, 57, 73-80, from Medinah |
| 10 | Yūnus | Jonah | except 40, 94, 95, 96, from Medinah |
| 11 | Hūd | Hud | except 12, 17, 114, from Medinah |
| 12 | Yūsuf | Joseph | except 1, 2, 3, 7, from Medinah |
| 15 | al-Ĥijr | The Rock | except 87, from Medinah |
| 6 | al-An`ām | The Cattle | except 20, 23, 91, 93, 114, 151, 152, 153, from Medinah |
| 37 | aş-Şāffāt | The Rangers | |
| 31 | Luqmān | Lukman | except 27-29, from Medinah |
| 34 | Saba’ | Sheba | |
| 39 | az-Zumar | The Companies | |
| 40 | al-Mu’min | The Forgiving One | except 56, 57, from Medinah |
| 41 | Ĥā Mim Sajdah | Revelations Well Expounded | |
| 42 | ash-Shūrā | The Counsel | except 23, 24, 25, 27, from Medinah |
| 43 | az-Zukhruf | The Embellishment | except 54, from Medinah |
| 44 | ad-Dukhān | The Evident Smoke | |
| 45 | al-Jāthiyah | The Kneeling | except 14, from Medinah |
| 46 | al-Aĥqāf | The Sandhills | except 10, 15, 35, from Medinah |
| 51 | adh-Dhāriyāt | The Scatterers | |
| 88 | al-Ghāshiyah | The Overwhelming Calamity | |
| 18 | al-Kahf | The Cave | except 28, 83-101, from Medinah |
| 16 | an-Naĥl | The Bee | except last three verses 126-128, from Medinah |
| 71 | Nūĥ | Noah | |
| 14 | Ibrāhīm | Abraham | except 28, 29, from Medinah |
| 21 | al-Anbiyā’ | The Prophets | |
| 23 | al-Mu’minūn | The Believers | |
| 32 | as-Sajdah | The Adoration | except 16-20, from Medinah |
| 52 | aţ-Ţūr | The Mountain | |
| 67 | al-Mulk | The Kingdom | |
| 69 | al-Ĥāqqah | The Inevitable | |
| 70 | al-Ma`ārij | The Ladders | |
| 78 | an-Naba’ | The Tidings | |
| 79 | an-Nāzi`āt | Those Who Pull Out | |
| 82 | al-Infiţār | The Cleaving Asunder | |
| 84 | al-Inshiqāq | The Rending | |
| 30 | ar-Rūm | The Romans | except 17, from Medinah |
| 29 | al-`Ankabūt | The Spider | except 1-11, from Medinah |
| 83 | at-Taţfīf | The Defrauders | last from Mecca |
Chronological Order of the Surahs from Medinah:
| 2 | al-Baqarah | The Cow | except 281 from Mina at the time of the Last Hajj |
| 8 | al-Anfāl | The Spoils Of War | except 30-36 from Mecca |
| 3 | āl-Imrān | The Family Of Imran | |
| 33 | al-Aĥzāb | The Allies | |
| 60 | al-Mumtaĥanah | She Who is Tested | |
| 4 | an-Nisā’ | Women | |
| 99 | al-Zilzāl | The Shaking | |
| 57 | al-Ĥadid | The Iron | |
| 47 | Muĥammad | Muhammad | except 13, from during the Hijrah |
| 13 | ar-Ra`d | The Thunder | |
| 55 | ar-Raĥmān | The Merciful | |
| 76 | ad-Dahr | The Man | |
| 65 | aţ-Ţalāq | The Divorce | |
| 98 | al-Bayyinah | The Proof | |
| 59 | al-Ĥashr | The Exile | |
| 24 | an-Nūr | The Light | |
| 22 | al-Ĥajj | The Pilgrimage | except 52-55, from between Mecca and Medinah |
| 63 | al-Munāfiqūn | The Hypocrites | |
| 58 | al-Mujādilah | She Who Pleaded | |
| 49 | al-Ĥujurāt | The Chambers | |
| 66 | at-Taĥrīm | The Prohibition | |
| 64 | at-Taghābun | The Cheating | |
| 61 | aş-Şaff | The Ranks | |
| 62 | al-Jumu`ah | The Day of Congregation | |
| 48 | al-Fatĥ | The Victory | while returning from Hudaybiyyah |
| 5 | al-Mā’idah | The Food | except 3, from Arafat on Last Hajj |
| 9 | at-Taubah | Repentance | except last two verses from Mecca |
| 110 | an-Naşr | The Help | last one, from Mina on Last Hajj |
Quranic Order of the Surahs
(Note the additional first column which includes both the city and number of order for each surah, following the order in which they are given in the above tables. The other colomns are the same.)
| Mecca_05 | 1 | al-Fātiĥah | The Opening | |
| Medinah_01 | 2 | al-Baqarah | The Cow | except 281 from Mina at the time of the Last Hajj |
| Medinah_03 | 3 | āl-Imrān | The Family Of Imran | |
| Medinah_06 | 4 | an-Nisā’ | Women | |
| Medinah_26 | 5 | al-Mā’idah | The Food | except 3, from Arafat on Last Hajj |
| Mecca_55 | 6 | al-An`ām | The Cattle | except 20, 23, 91, 93, 114, 151, 152, 153, from Medinah |
| Mecca_39 | 7 | al-A`rāf | The Elevated Places | except 163-170, from Medinah |
| Medinah_02 | 8 | al-Anfāl | The Spoils Of War | except 30-36 from Mecca |
| Medinah_27 | 9 | at-Taubah | Repentance | except last two verses from Mecca |
| Mecca_51 | 10 | Yūnus | Jonah | except 40, 94, 95, 96, from Medinah |
| Mecca_52 | 11 | Hūd | Hud | except 12, 17, 114, from Medinah |
| Mecca_53 | 12 | Yūsuf | Joseph | except 1, 2, 3, 7, from Medinah |
| Medinah_10 | 13 | ar-Ra`d | The Thunder | |
| Mecca_72 | 14 | Ibrāhīm | Abraham | except 28, 29, from Medinah |
| Mecca_54 | 15 | al-Ĥijr | The Rock | except 87, from Medinah |
| Mecca_70 | 16 | an-Naĥl | The Bee | except last three verses 127-129, from Medinah |
| Mecca_50 | 17 | Banī Isrā’īl (or al-Isrā’) | The Israelites (or The Night Journey) | except 26, 32, 33, 57, 73-80, from Medinah |
| Mecca_69 | 18 | al-Kahf | The Cave | except 28, 83-101, from Medinah |
| Mecca_44 | 19 | Maryam | Mary | except 58, 71, from Medinah |
| Mecca_45 | 20 | Ţā Hā | Ta Ha | except 130, 131, from Medinah |
| Mecca_73 | 21 | al-Anbiyā’ | The Prophets | |
| Medinah_17 | 22 | al-Ĥajj | The Pilgrimage | except 52-55, from between Mecca and Medinah |
| Mecca_74 | 23 | al-Mu’minūn | The Believers | |
| Medinah_16 | 24 | an-Nūr | The Light | |
| Mecca_42 | 25 | al-Furqān | The Criterion | except 68, 69, 70, from Medinah |
| Mecca_47 | 26 | ash-Shu`arā’ | The Poets | except 197 and 224-end, from Medinah |
| Mecca_48 | 27 | an-Naml | The Ant | |
| Mecca_49 | 28 | al-Qaşaş | The Narrative | except 52-55 from Medinah and 85 from Juhfah at the time of the Hijrah |
| Mecca_85 | 29 | al-`Ankabūt | The Spider | except 1-11, from Medinah |
| Mecca_84 | 30 | ar-Rūm | The Romans | except 17, from Medinah |
| Mecca_57 | 31 | Luqmān | Lukman | except 27-29, from Medinah |
| Mecca_75 | 32 | as-Sajdah | The Adoration | except 16-20, from Medinah |
| Medinah_04 | 33 | al-Aĥzāb | The Allies | |
| Mecca_58 | 34 | Saba’ | Sheba | |
| Mecca_43 | 35 | al-Fāţir | The Creator | |
| Mecca_41 | 36 | Yā Sīn | Ya Sin | except 45, from Medinah |
| Mecca_56 | 37 | aş-Şāffāt | The Rangers | |
| Mecca_38 | 38 | Şād | Sad | |
| Mecca_59 | 39 | az-Zumar | The Companies | |
| Mecca_60 | 40 | al-Mu’min | The Forgiving One | except 56, 57, from Medinah |
| Mecca_61 | 41 | Ĥā Mim Sajdah | Revelations Well Expounded | |
| Mecca_62 | 42 | ash-Shūrā | The Counsel | except 23, 24, 25, 27, from Medinah |
| Mecca_63 | 43 | az-Zukhruf | The Embellishment | except 54, from Medinah |
| Mecca_64 | 44 | ad-Dukhān | The Evident Smoke | |
| Mecca_65 | 45 | al-Jāthiyah | The Kneeling | except 14, from Medinah |
| Mecca_66 | 46 | al-Aĥqāf | The Sandhills | except 10, 15, 35, from Medinah |
| Medinah_09 | 47 | Muĥammad | Muhammad | except 13, from during the Hijrah |
| Medinah_25 | 48 | al-Fatĥ | The Victory | while returning from Hudaybiyyah |
| Medinah_20 | 49 | al-Ĥujurāt | The Chambers | |
| Mecca_34 | 50 | Qāf | Qaf | except 38, from Medinah |
| Mecca_67 | 51 | adh-Dhāriyāt | The Scatterers | |
| Mecca_76 | 52 | aţ-Ţūr | The Mountain | |
| Mecca_23 | 53 | an-Najm | The Star | except 32, from Medinah |
| Mecca_37 | 54 | al-Qamar | The Moon | except 44, 45, 46, from Medinah |
| Medinah_11 | 55 | ar-Raĥmān | The Merciful | |
| Mecca_46 | 56 | al-Wāqi`ah | That Which is Coming | except 81, 82, from Medinah |
| Medinah_08 | 57 | al-Ĥadid | The Iron | |
| Medinah_19 | 58 | al-Mujādilah | She Who Pleaded | |
| Medinah_15 | 59 | al-Ĥashr | The Exile | |
| Medinah_05 | 60 | al-Mumtaĥanah | She Who is Tested | |
| Medinah_23 | 61 | aş-Şaff | The Ranks | |
| Medinah_24 | 62 | al-Jumu`ah | The Day of Congregation | |
| Medinah_18 | 63 | al-Munāfiqūn | The Hypocrites | |
| Medinah_22 | 64 | at-Taghābun | The Cheating | |
| Medinah_13 | 65 | aţ-Ţalāq | The Divorce | |
| Medinah_21 | 66 | at-Taĥrīm | The Prohibition | |
| Mecca_77 | 67 | al-Mulk | The Kingdom | |
| Mecca_02 | 68 | al-Qalam | The Pen | except 17-33, 48-50, from Medinah |
| Mecca_78 | 69 | al-Ĥāqqah | The Inevitable | |
| Mecca_79 | 70 | al-Ma`ārij | The Ladders | |
| Mecca_71 | 71 | Nūĥ | Noah | |
| Mecca_40 | 72 | al-Jinn | The Jinn | |
| Mecca_03 | 73 | al-Muzammil | The Mantled One | except for 73.10-11, 20, from Medinah |
| Mecca_04 | 74 | al-Muddaththir | The Clothed One | |
| Mecca_31 | 75 | al-Qiyāmah | The Resurrection | |
| Medinah_12 | 76 | ad-Dahr | The Man | |
| Mecca_33 | 77 | al-Mursalāt | The Emissaries | except 48, from Medinah |
| Mecca_80 | 78 | an-Naba’ | The Tidings | |
| Mecca_81 | 79 | an-Nāzi`āt | Those Who Pull Out | |
| Mecca_24 | 80 | `Abasa | He Frowned | |
| Mecca_07 | 81 | at-Takwīr | The Cessation | |
| Mecca_82 | 82 | al-Infiţār | The Cleaving Asunder | |
| Mecca_86 | 83 | at-Taţfīf | The Defrauders | last from Mecca |
| Mecca_83 | 84 | al-Inshiqāq | The Rending | |
| Mecca_27 | 85 | al-Burūj | The Constellations | |
| Mecca_36 | 86 | aţ-Ţāriq | The Night-Comer | |
| Mecca_08 | 87 | al-A`lā | The Most High | |
| Mecca_68 | 88 | al-Ghāshiyah | The Overwhelming Calamity | |
| Mecca_10 | 89 | al-Fajr | The Dawn | |
| Mecca_35 | 90 | al-Balad | The City | |
| Mecca_26 | 91 | ash-Shams | The Sun | |
| Mecca_09 | 92 | al-Layl | The Night | |
| Mecca_11 | 93 | aď-Ďuĥā | The Early Hours | |
| Mecca_12 | 94 | al-Inshirāĥ | The Expansion | |
| Mecca_28 | 95 | at-Tin | The Fig | |
| Mecca_01 | 96 | al-`Alaq | The Clot | |
| Mecca_25 | 97 | al-qadr | The Majesty | |
| Medinah_14 | 98 | al-Bayyinah | The Proof | |
| Medinah_07 | 99 | al-Zilzāl | The Shaking | |
| Mecca_14 | 100 | al-`Ādiyāt | The Assaulters | |
| Mecca_30 | 101 | al-Qāri`ah | The Terrible Calamity | |
| Mecca_16 | 102 | at-Takāthur | Worldly Gain | |
| Mecca_13 | 103 | al-`Aşr | Time | |
| Mecca_32 | 104 | al-Humazah | The Slanderer | |
| Mecca_19 | 105 | al-Fīl | The Elephant | |
| Mecca_29 | 106 | al-Quraysh | The Quraish | |
| Mecca_17 | 107 | al-Mā`ūn | The Daily Necessaries | only 1-3; rest from Medinah |
| Mecca_15 | 108 | al-Kauthar | Abundance | |
| Mecca_18 | 109 | al-Kāfirūn | The Unbelievers | |
| Medinah_28 | 110 | an-Naşr | The Help | last one, from Mina on Last Hajj |
| Mecca_06 | 111 | al-Lahab | The Flame | |
| Mecca_22 | 112 | al-Ikhlāş | The Unity | |
| Mecca_20 | 113 | al-Falaq | The Daybreak | |
| Mecca_21 | 114 | an-Nās | The Men |