al-Baqarah, then Surah al-Nisa, then Surah Al Imran (1)—which is contrary to the familiar order. They said: the Prophet’s action, peace and blessings be upon him, is evidence of permissibility.

As for those who held it to be disliked, they said: the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, arranged the master copy of the Quran—the one upon which they were nearly unanimous—during the caliphate of the Commander of the Believers, Uthman ibn Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, according to this order (2). Therefore, one should not depart from their consensus, or from that which is tantamount to their consensus, for they are our righteous predecessors and exemplars. It is also part of the sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliph Uthman ibn Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, and we have been commanded to follow it. Moreover, it may confuse ordinary people and diminish the sanctity of Allah’s words, exalted is He, when they see people advancing some parts of it and delaying others.

However, regarding it as disliked is a middle position. It may be said that the Companions did not unanimously agree upon this order, for some of their codices differed from it, such as the codex of Ibn Masud, may Allah be pleased with him. As for the Prophet’s recitation, peace and blessings be upon him, of Surah al-Nisa before Surah Al Imran in the hadith of Hudhayfah, perhaps this occurred before the final review, for Gabriel used to review the Quran with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, every Ramadan (3). Thus, what the Companions agreed upon—or nearly agreed upon—is what was ultimately established, especially since the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to pair al-Baqarah with Al Imran (4), which indicates