Who named the chapters of the Quran?
The naming of the chapters (Surahs) of the Qur'an has a historical context tied to the practices of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companions. According to a narration from Uthman ibn Affan, he explained that the Messenger of Allah would receive revelations at various times and would instruct his scribes on where to place the verses. When asked about why he joined Surah Al-Anfal, a Meccan chapter, with Surah At-Tawbah, a Medinan chapter, he noted that both chapters dealt with similar subject matter. Uthman stated, The Messenger of Allah used to receive revelation at varying times, and when something was revealed, he would call someone who was writing for him and say, 'Place these verses in the chapter that mentions such and such'
Sunan al-Tirmidhi 47:138.
This indicates that the Prophet ﷺ had a significant role in the arrangement of the verses within the chapters, but the naming of the chapters as they are known today was likely established by the companions, particularly during the compilation of the Qur'an under Uthman’s caliphate. Uthman’s actions of compiling the Qur'an into a standardized form also involved sending copies to various provinces to ensure uniformity among the Muslim community, highlighting the collaborative effort of the early Muslim community in preserving the Qur'an.
Sources
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Sunan al-Tirmidhi 47:138
Sunan al-Tirmidhi · Book 47, Hadith 138 · Narrated by Ibn Abbas
I asked Uthman ibn Affan, 'Why did you join Surah Al-Anfal, which is among the Meccan chapters, with Surah At-Tawbah, which is among the Medinan chapters, and you did not write the line "In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate" between them, and placed them in the seven long manuscripts?' He said, 'The Messenger of Allah used to receive revelation at varying times, and when something was revealed, he would call someone who was writing for him and say, "Place these verses in the chapter that mentions such and such." Al-Anfal was among the earliest revealed in Medina, and At-Tawbah was among the last in the Qur'an, but their subject matter was similar, so I thought they belonged together. The Messenger of Allah passed away without making it clear that they should be separated, so I joined them and did not write the basmala between them, placing them in the seven long manuscripts.'
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