How did God organize the order of the verses for the ‘Opening’ of Al-Quran?

Answer: The ‘Opening’ of Al-Quran has clearly two parts with the first half  being the verses 1-4 and the second half consisting of verses 5-7.

Since the first verse (In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful) which is the integral part of this ‘Opening’ chapter, is also generally recited prior to reciting other chapters throughout Al-Quran in order to be kept away from evil and receive God’s help, a possible explanation on the significance of ordering verses 2-4 and verses 5-7 and linking these two parts, has been provided below:

Verses 2-4
2. All praise and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of existence.
3. The most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
4. The owner of the Day of Recompense.

According to the verse 2, all praise and thanks should be directed to the Lord of the ‘Universe’. Thus, this verse points out all of the attributes of God ‘known’ and ‘unknown’ to us, for which He deserves all praise and thanks from His creatures. God gave us a hint about His attributes and excellences in the following verse:

Verse 109 of Chapter 18:

Say: “If the ocean were ink (wherewith to write out) the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words of my Lord, even if we added another ocean like it, for its aid.”
Verse 27 of Chapter 31:
And if all the trees on earth were pens and the ocean (were ink), with seven oceans behind it to add to its (supply), yet would not the words of Allah be exhausted (in the writing): for Allah is Exalted in Power, full of Wisdom.

Human beings have been given the limited capability to explore all of those attributes and consequently, the attributes of God ‘known’ to us could be a tiny part compared to those still unknown to us. God has actually with the help of human discoveries and inventions enabled us to reach our current level of knowledge on the ’known’ attributes.

Even before the creation of human beings, the significance of verse 2 was justified as mentioned in the following verse:

Verse 30 of Chapter 2:

Just recall the time when your Lord said to the angels, "I am going to appoint a vicegerent on the Earth." They humbly enquired, "Are you going to appoint such a one as will cause disorder and shed blood on the Earth? We are already engaged in hymning Your praise, and hallowing Your name". Allah replied, "I know what you do not know.

In the ‘Day of Judgement’, the significance of verse 2 will also be justified, as revealed in the following verses:

Verse 1 of Chapter 34:

Praise be to Allah, to Whom belong all things in the heavens and on earth: to Him be Praise in the Hereafter: and He is Full of Wisdom, acquainted with all things. 

Verse 75 of Chapter 39:
And you will see the angels circling around the Throne, glorifying their Lord with His praises; and the people shall be judged with full justice, and it will be proclaimed: "Praise is for Allah; Lord of the worlds!"

Verses 42-43 of Chapter 7:
But as to those who have believed in Our Revelations and done good deeds,- and in this way We lay not on anyone a burden beyond one's capacity-they are worthy of Paradise, wherein they will abide for ever. And We will remove whatever ill-feeling would have been in their hearts against one another; canals will be flowing underneath theta and they will say, "Praise be to Allah, Who has guided us to this Way: by ourselves we would not have been able to find the Way, if Allah had not guided us. The Messengers sent by our Lord had really come, with the Truth. " At that time a voice will be heard saying, "This is the Paradise, of which you have been made heirs; it has been given to you for the good works you did.

Verses 9-10 of Chapter 10:
Surely (as for) those who believe and do good, their Lord will guide them by their faith; there shall flOw from beneath them rivers in gardens of bliss. Their cry in it shall be: Glory to Thee, O Allah! and their greeting in it shall be: Peace; and the last of their cry shall be: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

In the subsequent verses (verses 3-4), a portion of those ‘known’ and ‘unknown’ attributes of God seems to have become more specified based on their direct impacts on human beings  in the ‘current world’ and the ‘next world’ (‘Day of Judgement’).

Verse 12 of Chapter 6
Ask them, "To Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth?" Say, "To Allah, Who has prescribed mercy and generosity for Himself: (that is why He does not catch hold of you immediately at your first disobedience). He will, however, certainly muster all of you on the Day of Resurrection. There is no doubt about this; yet those who have made themselves liable to ruin, do not believe in this."

Verses 49-50 of Chapter 15

Declare to My servants that I am truly the Forgiving, the Most Merciful. And that My torment is indeed the most painful torment.

Verse 5

You (alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help.

This verse seems to link the above verses (verses 1-4) to the subsequent verses (verses 6-7) because the first part of verse 5, ‘You (alone) we worship’ seemingly indicates verses 1-4 whereas the second part, ‘You (alone) we ask for help’ hints the verses 6-7.

Moreover, ‘Worship to God’ and ‘asking God for help’ are integral parts for each other, as described in the following verses:

Verse 45 of Chapter 2:
Seek help with the Salat and fortitude: no doubt, Salat is a hard task but not for those obedient servants, who realize that ultimately they shall meet their Lord and shall return to Him.

Verse 153 of Chapter 2:

O Believers, seek help with fortitude and Salat, for Allah is with those who show fortitude.

Thus, the opening chapter of Al-Quran is indeed the perfect prayer for His servants to Him.

Verses 6-7

6. Guide us to the straight path.

7. The way of those whom You have granted Your grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray.

Al-Quran clearly shows the straight pathway for human beings and those who follow it will ultimately be successful and enter the paradise to stay at forever and those who ignore it will suffer in the long run and enter the fire to live in for an indefinite period of time. God indeed helps to bring into the right (straight) pathway those people who sincerely believe in Him, the angels, the holy books and the Day of Judgement. On the other hand, He seals the hearts of those who do not believe in those and become misguided by the evil ones.

Verses 1-5 of Chapter 2:
Alif. Lam. Mim. This is the Book of Allah: there is no doubt about it. It is guidance to Godfearing people, who believe in the unseen, establish the Salats and expend (in Our way) out of what We have bestowed on them; who believe in the Book We have sent down to you (i.e. the Qur'an) and in the Books sent down before you, and firmly believe in the Hereafter. Such people are on the right way from their Lord and such are truly successful.

Verse 56 of Chapter 28:

Surely (O Prophet) you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He pleases, and He knows best the followers of the right way.

Verse 22 of Chapter 58:

You will never find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who have opposed Allah and His Messenger, even though they be their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their kinsfolk. They are those in whose hearts Allah has inscribed faith and has strengthened them with a spirit from Himself. He will admit them to such Gardens underneath which rivers will be flowing, to dwell there in for ever. Allah is well pleased with them and they with Allah. They are of Allah's party. Know it well that those of Allah's party alone are truly successful!
 

Verses 6-7 of Chapter 2:
As to those who reject Faith, it is the same to them whether thou warn them or do not warn them; they will not believe. Allah hath set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, and on their eyes is a veil; great is the penalty they (incur).

Verse 57 of Chapter 2:
Allah is the Protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light. Of those who reject faith the patrons are the evil ones: from light they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness. They will be companions of the fire, to dwell therein (for ever).

Verses 87-88 of Chapter 2:

And We gave Moses the Book and sent after him a train of Messengers in succession. Then We sent Jesus, son of Mary, with clear Signs and supported him with the Holy Spirit. Then how is it that whenever a Messenger came to you wish that which did not suit your lusts, you grew rebellious against him, and repudiated some and slew others. They say, "Our hearts are secure." Nay, the fact is that Allah has cursed them for their disbelief; so they are little disposed to believe.

Verses 87-88 of Chapter 10:

Then after him (Noah) We sent (many) messengers to their peoples: they brought them Clear Signs, but they would not believe what they had already rejected beforehand. Thus do We seal the hearts of the transgressors.



God’s grace or favor as mentioned in verse 7 is only concerned in relation to the awards in the Day of Judgement? Best on the following verses, it seems to include God’s favors both in this word and the next word.

Verses 201-202 of Chapter 2:

Then there are others who say, "Our Lord, give us what is good in this world and also what is good in the Hereafter and save us from the torment of Fire." Such people shall have their due share (in both the worlds) according to what they earn. And Allah is swift at settling accounts.


Verses 63-64 of Chapter 10:
Those who believed, and have Taqwa (fear for Allah). For them is good news, in the life of the present world, and in the Hereafter. No change can there be in the Words of Allah. This is indeed the supreme success.