How were the surahs of the Qur'an named?

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Question:
May Allah bless you. This questioner asks: How were the surahs of the Qur'an named, and what is the reason some surahs are known by more than one name?

Answer:
A surah is named after what is mentioned in it. Just as Surat al-Baqarah was named for the story of the Children of Israel mentioned in it, when Allah commanded them to slaughter the cow, and just as Surat Ali 'Imran was named for the story of the family of 'Imran mentioned in it: Maryam, her son 'Isa (peace be upon him), and Maryam's mother as well

⁽³³⁾ Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of 'Imran over the worlds - ⁽³⁴⁾ Descendants, some of them from others.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَىٰ آدَمَ وَنُوحًا وَآلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلَ عِمْرَانَ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ ذُرِّيَّةً بَعْضُهَا مِن بَعْضٍ

[Ali 'Imran 3:33-34]

. Then it mentioned the story of the family of 'Imran, so the surah was named accordingly.
The chapter of al-Nisa' was named so because Allah mentioned in it the rulings concerning women

And give the women [upon marriage] their [bridal] gifts graciously. But if they give up willingly to you anything of it, then take it in satisfaction and ease.

وَآتُوا النِّسَاءَ صَدُقَاتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً فَإِن طِبْنَ لَكُمْ عَن شَيْءٍ مِّنْهُ نَفْسًا فَكُلُوهُ هَنِيئًا مَّرِيئًا

[An-Nisa 4:4]

. Allah mentioned many of the rulings concerning women in it, so it was named the Greater Chapter of al-Nisa'. The Lesser Chapter of al-Nisa' is the saying of Allah the Exalted:

O Prophet, when you [Muslims] divorce women, divorce them

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَطَلِّقُوهُنَّ

[At-Talaq 65:1]

"for their prescribed periods, and count the period," and so on. Every chapter is named after the stories or other matters mentioned in it. For example, the chapter of al-'Ankabut (The Spider) is named so because Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, mentioned the spider's house in it: "Indeed, the example of those who take other than Allah as allies is like the example of a spider who takes a house. And the weakest of houses is the house of the spider, if they only knew"

those who take allies other than Allah is like that of the spider who takes a home. And indeed, the weakest of homes

الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ كَمَثَلِ الْعَنكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ

[Al-'Ankabut 29:41]

is the home of the spider, if they only knew.

لَبَيْتُ الْعَنكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ

[Al-'Ankabut 29:41]

. The chapter of al-Naml (The Ants) is named so because Allah mentioned the story of the ant with Sulayman. When they

when they came upon the valley of the ants, an ant said, "O ants, enter your dwellings

أَتَوْا عَلَىٰ وَادِ النَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّمْلُ ادْخُلُوا مَسَاكِنَكُمْ

[An-Naml 27:18]

came upon the valley of the ants, an ant said... Allah named the chapter, so this chapter was named the Chapter of al-Naml because Allah mentioned in it the story of the ants with Sulayman, or the story of the ant with Sulayman (peace and blessings be upon him). The chapter of al-Nahl (The Bees) is named so because Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, mentioned in it His wondrous verse regarding the creation of bees and the honey that comes from them, which contains healing for people, among other things. This is the reason for the naming of the chapters. Now, some of them are named by divine designation, where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) named them so, and some were named by the Companions. Yes. This matter refers to the sciences of the Qur'an. Now. Yes. May Allah bless you, Honorable Shaykh.

Source قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، كيف سُميَّت سور القرآن الكريم؟ الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com

The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.

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