Surah 15:1
This sūra refers to “those who have cut the Qur’ān (into) parts” (v. 91). The sūra itself – and many others like it – gives the impression of being a collection of “parts” covering numerous topics: destruction of townships, accusations against the messenger, Allah’s treatment of the mockers, a creation passage, a story of Iblīs, punishment and reward, stories of Abraham and Lot, and a closing section that leaves multiple mysteries for commentators. One English translation that has attempted to map out this apparently fragmentary nature of the sūra in a visual way is that of Arthur Arberry, The Koran Interpreted. Other scholars have argued not only for the coherent nature of such sūras but also for clusters of sūras belonging together. One recent argument makes Sūra 15 the final sūra of a series of six that reveal a shift in the thinking of the messenger (Sūras 10–15). The scholar suggests that these sūras are telling the messenger to give up hope of people’s conversion and to instead expect a new way that Allah will bring about his will.
- from The Quran with Christian Commentary: A Guide to Understanding the Scripture of Islam