A Critical Assessment of the Opinions of the Two Branches of Faith on the First Chapter Revealed in Medina after the Prophet's Migration

The present study seeks to examine the revelation of the first Surah (chapter) after the holy Prophet's migration to Medina with a view to the sources of the two major branches of faith. After discussing certain criteria about the Quranic chapter being either Makki (Sura revealed in Mecca) or Madani (Sura revealed in Medina) with reliance on the reseach works by both the major sects as well as evaluating the evidence and documents presented concerning the first Surah revealed in Medina, the writer endeavors to find out whether those documents and pieces of evidence match with the presented criteria. According to some of those criteria and narrations, Chapter Al-Baqarah and according to some others Chapter al-Mutaffifin is the first Surah after the Prophet's hegira (migration). Keeping this in view, the writer critically examines the viewpoints concerning the first Madani chapter of the Quran. Finally, according to a hadith-based approach, Chapter al-Mutaffifin is the first Madani verse whereas according to majority of Quran researchers from both the branches of faith and based on a meticulous assessment of their views, Chapter al-Baqara is the first Madani Surah .