is undoubtedly prohibited, for it takes Allah’s words out of the form in which He spoke them. It also invalidates the prayer.

Reversing the order of verses is likewise prohibited according to the stronger view, because the arrangement of the verses is fixed by revelation; that is, it must be based on what has come in the Sacred Law. Thus, one sometimes finds verses placed among other verses with no apparent connection to them, or placed before verses that were revealed earlier, which indicates that the matter is fixed by revelation. An example is Allah’s statement:

“Those of you who die and leave wives behind: they shall wait by themselves for four months and ten days.” [al-Baqarah: 234]

And His statement:

“Those of you who die and leave wives behind: a bequest is to be made for their wives, providing for them for one year without evicting them.” The verse. [al-Baqarah: 240]

The first comes earlier in the order of recitation, while the second was revealed earlier. Had the arrangement not been fixed by revelation, it would have followed the order of revelation.

An example of the first type is Allah’s statement:

“Maintain with care the prayers, especially the middle prayer, and stand before Allah in devout obedience. But if you fear danger, then pray on foot or while riding. When you are safe, remember Allah as He taught you what you did not know.” [al-Baqarah]

These two verses occur amid the verses concerning women observing their waiting period, and this is evidence that the arrangement of the verses is fixed by revelation.

As for reversing the order of surahs, it is disliked; it has also been said that it is permissible.

Those who hold it to be permissible cite the hadith of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman in Sahih Muslim, which states that the Prophet ﷺ stood in prayer at night and recited Surah