**What is an āyah?**
An āyah is *one of the statements of varying length that make up the chapters of the Qur'an, like a verse.*
> **How is the word "āyah" written in Arabic?**
> The word "āyah" is written in Arabic as *"آية".*
>
> **What is a chapter of the Qur'an called?**
> A chapter of the Qur'an is called *a surah.*
>
> **What does "āyah" mean in a purely linguistic context?**
> In a purely linguistic context, "āyah" means *"evidence, sign, or miracle."*
> > **Can the word "āyah" refer to things other than Qur'anic verses given its meaning?**
> > *Yes*, the word "āyah" can refer to things other than Qur'anic verses given its meaning.
> [!example] Examples of the word "āyah" referring to things other than Qur'anic verses
> * Āyat taklīfiyyah - Religious obligations.
> * Āyat takwīniyyah - Cosmic phenomena.
> [!quote] Al-Jathiya 45:6 of the Qur'an where the word "āyah" is used with a different connotation
> تِلْكَ آيَاتُ ٱللَّٰهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِٱلْحَقِّۖ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍۭ بَعْدَ ٱللَّٰهِ وَآيَاتِهِۦ يُؤْمِنُونَ
> "These are the āyahs of Allah that We recite for you in truth. So what discourse will they believe after God and His āyahs?"
# Overview of the meaning
...