What Is the Last Verse Revealed in the Quran?

The scholars differed as to which was the last verse of the Quran to be revealed, and there are several views, as each of the scholars spoke of the conclusion to which his Ijtihad (reaching rulings on the basis of individual opinion based on Shar’i evidence) led. There is nothing that has been soundly narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) concerning this matter that could be definitive.

Most of the scholars are of the view that the last verse to be revealed was the verse in Surah Al-Baqarah in which Allah, may He be Exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

{And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah. Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned, and they will not be treated unjustly} [Al-Baqarah 2:281]

Jalal Ad-Din As-Suyuti (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

There is a difference of scholarly opinion as to which verse was the last to be revealed.

·        Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated that Al-Bara’ ibn `Azib said: The last verses to be revealed were:

{They request from you a [legal] ruling. Say, “Allah gives you a ruling concerning one having neither descendants nor ascendants [as heirs]”} [An-Nisa’ 4:176] and the end of Surah At-Tawbah.

·        Al-Bukhari narrated that Ibn `Abbas said: The last verse to be revealed was the verse of Riba. Al-Bayhaqi narrated something similar from `Umar.

What is meant is the verse in which Allah, may He be Exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

{O you who have believed, fear Allah and give up what remains [due to you] of interest …} [Al-Baqarah 2:278]

·        An-Nasa’i narrated via `Ikrimah that Ibn `Abbas said: The last verse of the Quran to be revealed is (interpretation of the meaning):

{And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah… } [Al-Baqarah 2:281]

·        Ibn Abu Hatim narrated that Sa‘id ibn Jubayr said: The last verse of the entire Quran to be revealed was (interpretation of the meaning):

{And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah… } [Al-Baqarah 2:281]

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lived for nine more days after this verse was revealed, then he died on the night before Monday, the second day of Rabi‘ Al-Awwal.

Ibn Jarir narrated a similar report from Ibn Jurayaj.

·        And he narrated via `Atiyyah that Abu Sa`id said: The last verse to be revealed was (interpretation of the meaning):

{And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah… } [Al-Baqarah 2:281]

·        Abu ‘Ubayd narrated in Al-Fada’il that Ibn Shihab said: The last verse of the Quran be revealed was the verse of Riba [Al-Baqarah 2:278] and the verse of debt [Al-Baqarah 2:282].

·        In Al-Mustadrak it is narrated that Ubay ibn Ka`b said: The last verse to be revealed was (interpretation of the meaning): {There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves} [At-Tawbah 9:128] until the end of the Surah.

·        Ibn Mardawayh also narrated that Ubay said: The last verses of the Quran to be revealed were these two verses (interpretation of the meaning): {There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves…} [At-Tawbah 9:128-129]. Abu Ash-Shaykh narrated in his Tafsir via ‘Ali ibn Zayd, from Yusuf Al-Makki, that Ibn `Abbas said: The last verse to be revealed was (interpretation of the meaning): {There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves} [At-Tawbah 9:128].” (Al-Itqan fi `Ulum Al-Quran (1/101-103) See also: Tafsir Ibn Katheer (2/168)

Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

The soundest view regarding the last verse of the Quran to be revealed is that it was the verse (interpretation of the meaning):

{And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah… } [Al-Baqarah 2:281]” Fath Al-Bari (8/317)

Abu Bakr Al-Baqillani (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“The Companions and those who came after them differed concerning which verse of the Quran was the last to be revealed… Then he mentioned the different views, then he said:

There is no report which can be attributed to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) concerning that. Rather it is narrated from the one who said it. It is possible that it is a kind of Ijtihad on the basis of what is most likely to be the case and what circumstantial evidence indicates. Learning about that is not something essential, and it is not something concerning which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said something that he explained and made known to people, or made it obligatory to know about it and made it something by means of which proof could be established.

It may be that what was stated by each of those whose view we have mentioned above was based on the last thing that he heard from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and someone else heard something that was revealed after that, and the first one did not hear [what was revealed later] because he was not present, and the revelation [of more verses] came down after that.

Then he discussed the reasons why there are different views regarding this issue. (See: Al-Intisar li’l-Quran, 1/243-247)

 And Allah knows best.