How ayaat end: what each closing phrase signals

The names of Allah and short phrases that close ayaat, such as “Ghafūr Raḥīm” and “ʿAlīm Ḥakīm”: when each appears, how often, and where in Makkan and Madani surahs.

Ayaat of the Qur’an often end with two names of Allah or a short phrase. These endings are not random: each one tells you what the ayah was about. After repentance comes “Ghafūr Raḥīm”, after a ruling “ʿAlīm Ḥakīm”, after a warning “Shadīd al-ʿIqāb”. Once you recognise them, long surahs like al-Baqarah become much easier to follow. See highlighted examples and the full list for each ending.

📖 Al-Baqarah: a walk through its ayah endings ›