Answering Questions Through The Holy Qur'an: Does Surah/Chapter 2 have 286 Verses (hafs) or 285 Verses (warsh)?

Does Surah/Chapter 2 have 286 Verses (hafs) or 285 Verses (warsh)?

2:143 And thus We made you a community of the middle way (wasatan) so that you will be witnesses over mankind, and the Messenger will be a witness over you. And We didn’t make the direction of prayer which you were used to except that We make evident (he) who follows the Messenger from (he) who turns back on his heels. And indeed, it was certainly a great (test) except for those whom Allah guided. And Allah will not let go waste your faith. Indeed, Allah is Full of Kindness towards mankind, the Most Merciful.

(Surah / Chapter two has 286 Verses (hafs). This is supported by Verse 2:143, which says “wasatan (middle way)”. The root of “wasatan” is “Waw-Siin-Tay”, and it means “middle, midst, most remote from the extremes, equidistant, intermediate, occupy the middle position, etc”. So, in accordance with the meaning of “wasatan”, Verse 2:143 occupies the middle position in Chapter 2, or is the most remote Verse from the extremes, because 143 + 143 = 286 Verses, or 286/2 = 143. On the other hand, the same Verse, in warsh, is 2:142, and it is not in the middle, nor the number of Verses is an even number (285), so the numbers do not match (285/2 = 142,5))(Allah knows best)

2:286 Allah does not charge a soul except its capacity. It will have what it has earned, and against it what it has earned. "Our Lord, do not take us to task if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no strength (of it). And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our Protector, so help us against the disbelieving people."

(In addition, there are calculations proving that the Qur’an is preserved (no Verse was added or subtracted after the Qur’an), and the numbers match using Hafs’ number of Verses, but do not match using warsh. So, it also confirms that Chapter 2 has 286 Verses. See calculations in the links below: “Even and odd numbers in the Qur’an” and “Golden ratio in the Qur’an?”)(Allah knows best)

See also: Even and odd numbers in the Qur’an

https://aqtthq.blogspot.com.es/2017/12/even-and-odd-numbers-in-quran.html

See also: Does the Qur’an support the warsh recitation? (hafs vs. warsh)

http://aqtthq.blogspot.com.es/2016/08/does-quran-support-warsh-recitation.html

See also: Does the Qur’an support the Sana’a manuscript?

http://aqtthq.blogspot.com.es/2017/02/does-quran-support-sanaa-manuscript.html

See also: Has the Qur'an been preserved? Are there different versions of the Qur’an?

http://aqtthq.blogspot.com.es/2016/05/has-quran-been-preserved.html

See also: The Qur’an and Mathematics (Index)

http://aqtthq.blogspot.com.es/2017/02/the-new-revelation-confirms-old-or.html