Quran Juz and Para Explained: The 30 Parts of the Quran
What a juz (para) is, why the Quran is divided into 30 parts, what Juz Amma and the first para contain, and how hizb, rub and ruku divisions work.
Last updated: 2026-10-03
A juz (plural ajza’) is one of thirty parts of roughly equal length into which the Quran is divided. In South Asia the same part is called a para or sipara. The division is for reading and memorising; it is not part of the revealed text, and it doesn’t follow surah boundaries.
Why 30 parts?
Thirty parts let a reader complete the Quran in a month by reading one juz a day — the most common plan during Ramadan, when many mosques also recite one juz each night in the tarawih prayers. In the 15-line Madinah mushaf almost every juz is 20 pages, which makes daily targets easy to follow.
Smaller divisions
- Hizb: each juz is split into two hizb, giving 60 in total.
- Rub’ al-hizb: each hizb is split into quarters, marked in the margin of many copies.
- Ruku: in South Asian copies, the margin also marks ruku — short thematic paragraphs that were traditionally used as units in prayer.
- Manzil: seven larger sections for completing the Quran in a week.
The first juz (Para 1)
The first juz begins with Surah Al-Fatihah (1) and continues into the opening of Surah Al-Baqarah (2). Para 1 in South Asia is often called “Alif Lam Mim” after the first words of Al-Baqarah. Al-Baqarah alone spans the first juz, all of the second and the beginning of the third.
Juz Amma (Para 30)
The 30th juz begins with Surah An-Naba (78) and runs to the end of the Quran. It is named Juz Amma after the first word of An-Naba. It contains 37 surahs, most of them short, and is usually the first part children memorise. Juz 29, often called Tabarak, begins with Surah Al-Mulk (67).
Do all copies divide the juz in the same place?
Almost. The thirty divisions are the same everywhere in principle, but some boundaries fall a verse earlier or later in South Asian copies than in the Madinah mushaf, because the parts were marked by later scholars for convenience. If your juz seems to start one verse off compared with an app or a friend’s copy, this is usually why.
Planning a reading by juz
- One juz a day: the whole Quran in 30 days.
- Half a juz (one hizb) a day: about two months.
- Two pages a day: about ten months — a steady pace for beginners.
See khatm al-Quran for planning a full reading, and how long the Quran is for pages and reading time.
Frequently asked questions
- How many juz are in the Quran?
- 30. Each juz is roughly a thirtieth of the Quran, so reading one a day completes it in a month.
- What is the difference between juz and para?
- None in meaning. Juz is the Arabic word; para (or sipara) is the word used in South Asia.
- What is Juz Amma?
- The 30th juz, from Surah An-Naba (78) to An-Nas (114). It is named after the first word of An-Naba and contains most of the short surahs.
This article explains common understanding and history for general readers; it is not a religious ruling. For questions of practice, consult a qualified scholar. See the disclaimer.
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