Quran glossary

Key terms for reading and understanding the Quran.

Ayah
A verse of the Quran. The Quran contains 6,236 ayahs across 114 surahs.
Surah
A chapter of the Quran. There are 114 surahs, ranging from a few verses to nearly 300.
Tafsir
Scholarly explanation and interpretation of the meaning of Quranic verses.
Tilawat
Reciting the Quran aloud following the rules of tajwid.
Juz
One of the 30 roughly equal parts the Quran is divided into, often read one per day.
Quran
The holy book of Islam: the words of Allah revealed to Prophet Muhammad over 23 years.