Also 7 surat, 9 surah, soura. [a. Arab. sūrah. Cf. F. sura, surate. (The earliest examples represent the word with the def. art. prefixed, assūrah.)] A chapter or larger section of the Koran.
[1615. W. Bedwell, Moham. Impost., II. § 45. Teach me … out of the law of our Prophet, out of euery Assora of the same, some certaine perfections. Ibid., O iij. This booke is deuided into sundry sections or Chapters, which they call Assurats, or Azoara’s.
1630. J. Taylor (Water P.), Wks., II. 89/2. In the third booke of thy Alcaron and in the seuen and thirty Asaria.]
1661. Boyle, Style Script. (1675), 160. Mahomet himself was so proud of it [sc. the Alkoran], that … he defy’s its opposers to equal one surat or section of it.
1850. W. Irving, Mahomet, xxxv. (1853), 176. To promulgate before the multitude of pilgrims … an important sura, or chapter of the Koran, just received from heaven.
1886. Conder, Syria Stone-Lore, ix. (1896), 337. The earlier Suras are chiefly concerned with the warnings as to the coming day of judgment, and with descriptions of the end of the world.
