The Quran
The Quran (القرآن, “the recitation”) is the sacred text of Islam, held by Muslims to be the word of Allah revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through the angel Gabriel, over a period of about 23 years. It is structured into 114 surahs (chapters), themselves made up of verses (ayat) — 6,236 in total.
How is the Quran structured?
Beyond surahs and verses, the Quran is also divided into 30 juz’ (equal parts, convenient for a reading spread across a month — notably during Ramadan) and 60 hizb (halves of a juz’). The order of the surahs follows neither the chronology of revelation nor a thematic classification — the detail is in our article on how many surahs the Quran has.
Translation and tafsir: what's the difference?
A translation renders the general meaning of a text in another language; it never replaces the original Arabic text, whose precise scope (rhythm, layered meaning, sound) doesn't fully carry over. Tafsir goes further: scholarly commentary that explains the context of revelation, the meaning of terms, and the teachings of a verse. Islamobile provides the Arabic text, an English translation, transliteration, and the Al-Mukhtasar tafsir for every verse — see our sources.
A few notable surahs
Al-Fatiha (the Opening) opens the Quran and punctuates every prayer — text, translation and tafsir verse by verse on its own page. Al-Baqara is its longest surah. Ayat al-Kursi, a single verse from that same surah, is described as the greatest verse in the Quran — we cover it in a dedicated article.
How do I start reading it?
The most common method is to read one juz’ a day: in thirty days, the complete reading — the khatma — is finished. Others prefer a thematic reading, surah by surah. There's no required order: consistency matters most.
Islamobile brings together all 114 surahs in Arabic, translation, transliteration and downloadable audio recitation, with tafsir for every verse and a memorisation planner. Free on iPhone.
Download on theApp StoreFrequently asked questions
How many surahs and verses does the Quran have?
114 surahs and 6,236 verses — the detail, surah by surah, is in our full list of the 114 surahs.
What's the difference between a translation and the Quran itself?
A translation renders the general meaning in another language, but doesn't replace the original Arabic text — which is why it's often called an "approximate meaning" rather than a translation strictly speaking.
Which translation and tafsir does Islamobile use?
The Al-Mukhtasar tafsir for the commentary on each verse, and each surah's introduction draws on the Tafhim al-Qur'an — see our About page for the full source details.
Can the Quran be read and listened to offline?
Yes: the text is available offline right after installation, and audio recitations need to be downloaded first, then remain available without a connection. Download Islamobile