al-Anfāl and Barāʾa were among the Seven Long Ones, and it explicitly states concerning Ibn ʿAbbās that he did not regard them as being among them.

These surahs were only named the Seven Long Ones because of their length compared to all the other surahs of the Qurʾān.

As for "the Hundreds": they are those surahs of the Qurʾān whose verse count is one hundred verses, or slightly more, or slightly less.

As for "the Mathānī": they are those that come second to the Hundreds and follow them, so that the Hundreds are primary to them, and the Mathānī are secondary to them. And it has been said: the Mathānī were named mathānī because Allah—may His remembrance be glorified—repeated in them the parables, reports, and lessons; and this is the opinion of Ibn ʿAbbās.

132- Abū Kurayb narrated that to us, he said: Ibn Yamān narrated to us, from Sufyān, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUthmān, from Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, from Ibn ʿAbbās.

And it was narrated from Saʿīd ibn Jubayr that he used to say: "They were only named mathānī because the obligatory duties and prescribed punishments were repeated in them."

133- Muḥammad ibn Bashshār narrated that to us, he said: Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar narrated to us, he said: Shuʿba narrated to us, from Abū Bishr, from Saʿīd ibn Jubayr.

A group too numerous to count said: The entire Qurʾān is mathānī.

Another group said: Rather, the Mathānī is Fātiḥat al-Kitāb (the Opening of the Book), because its recitation is repeated in every prayer.

And we will mention the names of those who said that, their rationale, and the correct view regarding what they differed on concerning that, when we reach the interpretation of the statement of the Exalted: ﴿And We have certainly given you seven of the often-repeated verses﴾ [Sūrat al-Ḥijr: 87], if Allah so wills.

And poetry of the poets has come in agreement with what was reported from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of God be upon him, regarding the names of the surahs of the Qurʾān that were mentioned. Thus some of them said: