the surahs beginning with “Alif Lām Rā.” On this basis, the first third would consist of portions of one surah each, and the second of two surahs each. The former arrangement, however, comes closer to placing approximately the first third within the first ten portions, since exceeding a third by one surah is closer than exceeding it by two. It would also give ten portions consisting of one surah each, which more closely resembles the Companions’ practice.

Yūsuf and al-Raʿd form one portion; likewise Ibrāhīm and al-Hijr; al-Nahl and Subhān; al-Kahf and Maryam; Tā Hā and al-Anbiyā’; al-Hajj and al-Mu’minūn; al-Nūr and al-Furqān; and the surahs beginning with “Tā Sīn”—al-Shuʿarā’, al-Naml and al-Qasas. The surahs beginning with “Alif Lām Mīm”—al-ʿAnkabūt, al-Rūm, Luqmān and al-Sajdah—form one portion. Al-Ahzāb, Saba’ and Fātir form one portion; Yā Sīn, al-Sāffāt and Sād form one portion; al-Zumar, Ghāfir and Hā Mīm al-Sajdah form one portion; and the remaining five surahs of the Hā Mīm group form one portion.

The first third more closely reflects the similarity between the openings of the surahs, while the second more closely matches the length of a portion determined by letter-count, and this is preferable. Then “al-Qitāl,” “al-Fath,” “al-Hujurāt,” “Qāf” and “al-Dhāriyāt” form one portion, followed by the four familiar portions.

This is a suitable division into portions, resembling that of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, while remaining close to the division based on letter-count. Eleven surahs are allotted a portion apiece, since al-Baqarah counts as two surahs. This gives eleven surahs, the allocation for eleven nights. And Allah knows best.