Al-Abhath 67 (2019) 1-29 © koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2019 | doi:10.1163/18115586-67010001 Al-Abhath A Revised Inner-Qurʾanic Chronology Based on Mean Verse Lengths and the Medina I Counting System Raymond K. Farrin Professor, Department of Arabic and Foreign Languages, College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait rfarrin@auk.edu.kw Abstract This article uses mean verse length data to propose a relative timeline for the Qurʾan, proceeding from the work of Nicolai Sinai and others. The timeline is based on the general observation that the verses become longer over the course of revelation. The study uses the Medina I verse count, which research has indicated is more likely to be an original or stem system than the Kufan one printed in the Qurʾans of today. From the data, three periods emerge: Early Meccan, Later Meccan, and Medinan. Besides contributing to a specific timeline for receiving the suras, the data supports the formation of a Qurʾanic nucleus at an early stage in Mecca. Keywords Qurʾanic chronology – mean verse length – Medina I – Nicolai Sinai مستخلص ال ل ط ّ س متام استخ فحث الب ه مي وغن لاي سك ن عم مراسه ال ه تنطل ّ س اأن اأس علولا الج د هّ ح ُ اآن، وي القول لن ّ  نسب ّ ول زمن جي لتح ّ  اآنت الق ي آ لا ا ل ّ و أ لا ا ّ ناد الم التع علراسه ال هعتم. وت ح الول ة نّ م ل م تطمّ اإن ّ  اآنت الق ي آ لا ا ول لنً ثلاث اح مئ النتظهُ اول. وت المت ّ  فاد الكلتع لب السّ ت اأنراس ال ح ّ ي رج ال  فمتهه مس علً علاوة- راس ال ّ ي. وت ّ ن ة، والمّ أخ المت ّ ّ ة، والمك المبك ّ ّ اآن: المك الق ة. مبك حل م ف ّ  اآن اة ق ن ن ّ  ة تك فك- ت ي آ لاول ا لن ّ ول زمن جي تح Downloaded from Brill.com03/31/2020 01:11:18PM by gudrun_kraemer@gmx.de via BRILL and Brill Demo Account