Makki and Madani Surahs

Quranic scholars classify Surahs and verses as Makki or Madani primarily according to the period in which they were revealed. The commonly used definition considers a revelation Makki if it was revealed before the Hijrah and Madani if it was revealed after the Hijrah, regardless of its physical location.

1 What does “Makki” generally mean in Quranic classification?
(a) Revealed before the Hijrah
(b) Revealed only inside the Ka’bah
(c) Revealed after the Prophet’s death
(d) None of these

2 What does “Madani” generally mean?
(a) Revealed only in Madinah
(b) Revealed after the Hijrah
(c) Revealed before prophethood
(d) None of these

3 The most widely used criterion for Makki and Madani classification is:
(a) Geographic location only
(b) Time relative to the Hijrah
(c) Length of the Surah
(d) None of these

4 A revelation received before the Hijrah is classified as:
(a) Madani
(b) Makki
(c) Abbasid
(d) None of these

5 A revelation received after the Hijrah is classified as:
(a) Makki
(b) Madani
(c) Umayyad
(d) None of these

6 The Hijrah refers to the migration from:
(a) Makkah to Madinah
(b) Madinah to Makkah
(c) Makkah to Ta’if
(d) None of these

7 The Hijrah occurred in:
(a) 610 CE
(b) 622 CE
(c) 632 CE
(d) None of these

8 Makki revelations generally focus strongly on:
(a) Tawhid, faith, resurrection, and morality
(b) Detailed inheritance law only
(c) State administration only
(d) None of these

9 Madani revelations generally include more:
(a) Detailed social, legal, and communal guidance
(b) Accounts of only ancient nations
(c) Poetry only
(d) None of these

10 Which theme is especially prominent in Makki revelation?
(a) Tawhid
(b) Inheritance calculations
(c) Marriage contracts
(d) None of these

11 Which subject became particularly prominent in Madani revelation?
(a) Community and legal matters
(b) Only the existence of Allah
(c) Only the Day of Judgment
(d) None of these

12 Makki Surahs often address:
(a) The fundamental beliefs of Islam
(b) Detailed taxation systems
(c) International treaties only
(d) None of these

13 Madani Surahs often address:
(a) Social and communal regulations
(b) Only the stories of previous prophets
(c) Only descriptions of Paradise
(d) None of these

14 Which Surah is generally classified as Makki?
(a) Al-Baqarah
(b) Aal-e-Imran
(c) Al-Ikhlas
(d) None of these

15 Which Surah is generally classified as Madani?
(a) Al-Baqarah
(b) Al-Fatihah
(c) Al-Kawthar
(d) None of these

16 Surah Al-Fatihah is generally considered:
(a) Makki
(b) Madani
(c) Neither
(d) None of these

17 Surah Al-Baqarah is:
(a) Makki
(b) Madani
(c) Pre-Islamic
(d) None of these

18 Surah Aal-e-Imran is generally classified as:
(a) Madani
(b) Makki
(c) Both equally
(d) None of these

19 Surah An-Nisa is generally classified as:
(a) Makki
(b) Madani
(c) Pre-Hijrah only
(d) None of these

20 Surah Al-Anfal is generally classified as:
(a) Makki
(b) Madani
(c) Neither
(d) None of these

21 Surah Al-Masad is generally considered:
(a) Makki
(b) Madani
(c) Post-Abbasid
(d) None of these

22 Surah Al-Hujurat is generally classified as:
(a) Makki
(b) Madani
(c) Pre-Islamic
(d) None of these

23 Surah Al-Ikhlas is generally classified as:
(a) Madani
(b) Makki
(c) Neither
(d) None of these

24 Which of the following is a common characteristic of Makki Surahs?
(a) Shorter, forceful passages emphasizing faith are common
(b) They contain only legal regulations
(c) They focus only on inheritance
(d) None of these

25 Which of the following is a common characteristic of Madani Surahs?
(a) Greater emphasis on communal and legal matters
(b) Complete absence of moral teachings
(c) Exclusive focus on poetry
(d) None of these

26 Makki revelations often remind people of:
(a) The Day of Judgment
(b) Administrative procedures
(c) Military salaries
(d) None of these

27 Madani revelations often provide guidance concerning:
(a) Family and social relations
(b) Only creation of the universe
(c) Only previous prophets
(d) None of these

28 Which concept is central to many Makki passages?
(a) Tawhid
(b) Inheritance shares
(c) Marriage contracts
(d) None of these

29 Which concept is strongly represented in many Madani passages?
(a) Community organization
(b) Only individual spirituality
(c) Only descriptions of nature
(d) None of these

30 The Makki-Madani distinction helps scholars understand:
(a) The historical context of revelation
(b) The authorship of the Quran
(c) The language of the Quran
(d) None of these

31 A Surah may be called Madani even if it was revealed:
(a) Outside Madinah after the Hijrah
(b) Before the Prophet’s birth
(c) Before revelation began
(d) None of these

32 The key distinction is:
(a) Before or after Hijrah
(b) East or west of Makkah
(c) Short or long Surah
(d) None of these

33 Which period came first?
(a) Madinan period
(b) Makkan period
(c) Abbasid period
(d) None of these

34 The Makkan period lasted approximately:
(a) 13 years
(b) 5 years
(c) 23 years
(d) None of these

35 The Madinan period lasted approximately:
(a) 10 years
(b) 15 years
(c) 20 years
(d) None of these

36 The complete period of Quranic revelation was approximately:
(a) 23 years
(b) 10 years
(c) 40 years
(d) None of these

37 Which group was a major audience of early Makki revelation?
(a) The polytheists of Makkah
(b) Only Byzantine rulers
(c) Only Persian kings
(d) None of these

38 Madani revelation addressed:
(a) The developing Muslim community and other groups in its environment
(b) Only the people of Makkah
(c) Only previous prophets
(d) None of these

39 Makki Surahs commonly emphasize:
(a) Faith and moral transformation
(b) Detailed administrative law only
(c) International diplomacy only
(d) None of these

40 Madani Surahs commonly emphasize:
(a) Social and legal responsibilities
(b) Only the existence of Allah
(c) Only the story of Adam (AS)
(d) None of these

41 Which Surah is generally recognized as Madani?
(a) Al-Ma’idah
(b) Al-Falaq
(c) An-Nas
(d) None of these

42 Which Surah is generally recognized as Makki?
(a) Al-Ma’idah
(b) An-Nisa
(c) Al-Falaq
(d) None of these

43 Which Surah is generally classified as Madani?
(a) At-Tawbah
(b) Al-Ikhlas
(c) Al-Kafirun
(d) None of these

44 Which Surah is generally classified as Makki?
(a) Al-Kafirun
(b) Al-Baqarah
(c) Al-Ma’idah
(d) None of these

45 Which topic is more characteristic of Madani legal revelation?
(a) Inheritance
(b) The existence of Allah
(c) Resurrection
(d) None of these

46 Which topic is especially characteristic of Makki preaching?
(a) Tawhid
(b) Detailed inheritance shares
(c) Community taxation
(d) None of these

47 Why is knowledge of Makki and Madani revelation useful?
(a) It helps understand the context and development of Quranic guidance
(b) It changes the Quranic text
(c) It replaces Hadith
(d) None of these

48 Makki and Madani classification concerns:
(a) The historical period of revelation
(b) Different versions of the Quran
(c) Different authors of the Quran
(d) None of these

49 Which statement is correct?
(a) Makki means before Hijrah and Madani means after Hijrah
(b) Makki means inside Makkah only and Madani means inside Madinah only
(c) Makki means shorter and Madani means longer in every case
(d) None of these

50 The study of Makki and Madani Surahs is a branch of:
(a) Ulum al-Quran
(b) Ilm al-Fara’id only
(c) Arabic poetry only
(d) None of these

Answer Key

1 (a) Revealed before the Hijrah
2 (b) Revealed after the Hijrah
3 (b) Time relative to the Hijrah
4 (b) Makki
5 (b) Madani
6 (a) Makkah to Madinah
7 (b) 622 CE
8 (a) Tawhid, faith, resurrection, and morality
9 (a) Detailed social, legal, and communal guidance
10 (a) Tawhid
11 (a) Community and legal matters
12 (a) The fundamental beliefs of Islam
13 (a) Social and communal regulations
14 (c) Al-Ikhlas
15 (a) Al-Baqarah
16 (a) Makki
17 (b) Madani
18 (a) Madani
19 (b) Madani
20 (b) Madani
21 (a) Makki
22 (b) Madani
23 (b) Makki
24 (a) Shorter, forceful passages emphasizing faith are common
25 (a) Greater emphasis on communal and legal matters
26 (a) The Day of Judgment
27 (a) Family and social relations
28 (a) Tawhid
29 (a) Community organization
30 (a) The historical context of revelation
31 (a) Outside Madinah after the Hijrah
32 (a) Before or after Hijrah
33 (b) Makkan period
34 (a) 13 years
35 (a) 10 years
36 (a) 23 years
37 (a) The polytheists of Makkah
38 (a) The developing Muslim community and other groups in its environment
39 (a) Faith and moral transformation
40 (a) Social and legal responsibilities
41 (a) Al-Ma’idah
42 (c) Al-Falaq
43 (a) At-Tawbah
44 (a) Al-Kafirun
45 (a) Inheritance
46 (a) Tawhid
47 (a) It helps understand the context and development of Quranic guidance
48 (a) The historical period of revelation
49 (a) Makki means before Hijrah and Madani means after Hijrah
50 (a) Ulum al-Quran