
The chapter's position in the Quran, which is not determined by the revelation order, is as the 56th chapter, right after Ar-Rahman which discusses partly related topic.ĥ6:22 And (there will be) Houri with wide lovely eyes. The traditional Egyptian chronology puts the chapter as the 41st chapter by the order of revelation (after Al-Tur), while the Nöldeke Chronology (by the orientalist Theodor Nöldeke) puts it as the 46th. Some of such commentators maintain that verses 39–40 are the verses that was from the Medinan period, while some say 81–82, and others say 83. Some commentators, although not in the majority, argue that part of it was revealed during the Medinan period.

The chapter also distinguishes the three classes of people in the afterlife, "the foremost", "the companions of the right" and "the companions of the left": the first two groups will enter paradise while the companions of the left will go to hell. Picking up from the preceding chapter, Ar-Rahman, which discusses the rewards of Paradise ( jannah), this chapter also mentions them and then contrasts them with the punishment of hell. The afterlife ( akhirah) is the main topic discussed in the chapter.
