What is the longest surah in the Quran?

Surah al-Baqarah at a glance

• Position: chapter 2, right after al-Fatiha.
• Length: 286 verses, running from the first juz into the start of the third.
• Revealed in: Madinah, mostly in the early years after the migration.
• Name: from the story of the cow that the Children of Israel were told to sacrifice (2:67–73).

Next in length come Surah Al Imran (200 verses) and Surah an-Nisa (176 verses). If you count by verses rather than words, Surah ash-Shu'ara (227 verses) is second, because its verses are short.

What it talks about

Al-Baqarah is almost a guide to the whole faith. It opens by describing the Quran itself:

After that it covers the story of Adam, lessons from the Children of Israel, the change of the qibla to the Kaaba, fasting in Ramadan (2:183–187), Hajj, marriage and divorce, charity, the ban on riba (interest), and how to write down a loan. It also holds Ayat al-Kursi (2:255), the most famous verse in the Quran. See What is Ayat al-Kursi and when do I recite it?

Special virtues

The Prophet ﷺ said, "Do not make your houses into graves. Satan flees from the house in which Surah al-Baqarah is recited" (Sahih Muslim 780). That's why many families play or read it at home. See Can I play the Quran in my house for protection?

He also said that whoever recites the last two verses of al-Baqarah at night, they will be enough for him (Sahih al-Bukhari 5009). These two verses (2:285–286) are short and easy to learn, and they end with a beautiful dua for forgiveness.

Reading it as a beginner

Its length can feel daunting, but you don't have to read it in one sitting. Many people read a page or two a day with a translation, or listen to a full recitation, which takes about two hours. Others start with the last two verses and Ayat al-Kursi and come back to the rest later.