Al-Ḥijr
( ar, الحِجْرْ, lit=The
Stoneland) is the
15th Quranic chapter
A ''surah'' (; ar, سورة, sūrah, , ), is the equivalent of "chapter" in the Qur'an. There are 114 ''surahs'' in the Quran, each divided into '' ayats'' (verses). The chapters or ''surahs'' are of unequal length; the shortest surah (''Al-Ka ...
(''sūrah''). It has 99 verses (
āyāt).
Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation (''
asbāb al-nuzūl
Occasions or circumstances of revelation ( ''al-nuzūl'', ) names the historical context in which Quranic verses were revealed from the perspective of traditional Islam. Though of some use in reconstructing the Qur'an's historicity, ''asbāb'' is ...
''), it is an earlier
Meccan surah
The Meccan surat are, according to the timing and contextual background of supposed revelation (''asbāb al-nuzūl''), the chronologically earlier chapters ('' suwar'', singular ''sūrah'') of the Qur'an. The traditional chronological order attrib ...
, believed to have been received by the Islamic prophet
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mo ...
shortly after chapter 12, ''
Yusuf
Yusuf ( ar, يوسف ') is a male name of Arabic origin meaning "God increases" (in piety, power and influence).From the Hebrew יהוה להוסיף ''YHWH Lhosif'' meaning "YHWH will increase/add". It is the Arabic equivalent of the Hebrew name ...
'', during his last year in Mecca. Like other surahs of this period, it praises
God
In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...
. Parts of Q15:4-74 are preserved in the
Ṣan‘ā’1 lower text.
Summary
:1-3
Unbelievers will one day wish themselves Muslims
:4-5 Every nation has its day of grace
:6 Muhammad charged with
demoniacal possession by the disbelievers (the
Quraish
The Quraysh ( ar, قُرَيْشٌ) were a grouping of Arab clans that historically inhabited and controlled the city of Mecca and its Kaaba. The Islamic prophet Muhammad was born into the Hashim clan of the tribe. Despite this, many of the Qu ...
)
:7 The unbelievers say a true prophet would have come with a company of angels
:8 Angels are not sent to gratify curiosity, but to minister judgment
:9 God the author and preserver of the Quran
:10-11 The former prophets were laughed to scorn
:12-15 The scoffing
Quraish
The Quraysh ( ar, قُرَيْشٌ) were a grouping of Arab clans that historically inhabited and controlled the city of Mecca and its Kaaba. The Islamic prophet Muhammad was born into the Hashim clan of the tribe. Despite this, many of the Qu ...
judicially blinded
:16-20 God declares his glory in the heaven and the earth
:21-22 He is active in every part of Nature
:23-25 He is the God of life, death, and judgment
:26-29 God says
Men created of clay—the Jinn of fire
:29-33 Iblís among the angels refuses to worship Adam
:34-38 He is cursed and respited until the judgment
:39-40 Satan declares to God his purpose to seduce men
:41-42 The elect are safe from Satan’s power
:43-44 The seven gates of hell will receive Satan’s followers
:45-50 Paradise joys in store for true believers
:51-77 The story of Abraham and Lot
:78-79 The unbelieving Midianites are destroyed
:80-81 The scoffing inhabitants of Al Hajr reject their prophets though accompanied with miracles
:82-84 Rock-hewn houses fail to save them
:85-86 The heaven and earth created in righteousness
: 87 Command to repeat the seven verses (
Al-Fatiha)
:88-90 Muhammad not to envy the prosperity of infidels
:91-93 The enemies of God will surely be punished
:94-96 Muhammad commanded to preach boldly
:97-99 He is exhorted to praise and serve God until death
Name
This Surah takes its name from 80th ayat which refers to
Mada'in Saleh
Hegra ( grc, Ἕγρα), known to Muslims as Al-Hijr (), also known as Mada’in Salih ( ar, مَدَائِن صَالِح, madāʼin Ṣāliḥ, lit=Cities of Salih), is an archaeological site located in the area of Al-'Ula within Medina Provin ...
, a pre-Islamic archaeological site, occasionally called Al-Hijr, or Hegra.
Time of Revelation
The revelation of this surah occurred at a similar time to that of Surah Ibrahim. Its also repeats the admonitions. Muhammad had been spreading the message for a long time. His kin had become increasingly stiff-necked and obstinate in their hostility, hatred and mocking. Muhammad had started to feel tired in his attempts against disbelief and restrictions of his people. Allah reassured him again.
Central Theme
This surah contains brief mentions of
Tawhid
Tawhid ( ar, , ', meaning "unification of God in Islam (Allāh)"; also romanized as ''Tawheed'', ''Tawhid'', ''Tauheed'' or ''Tevhid'') is the indivisible oneness concept of monotheism in Islam. Tawhid is the religion's central and single m ...
, and provides an admonition to the disbelievers. The primary subjects of the surah are:
# cautioning the individuals who dismissed the message and
# providing solace and support to Muhammad,
The Quran never limits itself to mere rebuke; reproach and reprimand. It depends on its statute. The surah contains brief contentions for Tawhid and admonition in the tale of Adam and Satan.
[Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik (translator), Al-Qur'an, the Guidance for Mankind - English with Arabic Text (Hardcover) ]
Exegesis
15:9 Preservation of the Quran
Ibn Kathir says, "God, may He be exalted, stated that He is the One Who revealed the
Dhikr
''Dhikr'' ( ar, ذِكْر}, , also spelled ''Zikr'', ''Thikr'', ''Zekr'', or ''Zikar'', literally meaning "remembrance, reminder" or "mention") is a form of Islamic meditation in which phrases or prayers are repeatedly chanted in order to remem ...
to him, which is the Qur'an, and He is protecting it from being changed or altered".
Notes
References
* Abdullah, A. (2011). Role of context and objectives of the Surah in shaping the episodes of the Qurʼanic narrative: the narrative of Lot as an example. American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, 28(4), 31–64.
* Boullata, I. J. (2000). Literary structures of religious meaning in the Qurʼān. London: Curzon Pr.
* Haggar, D. A.Repetition: A key to qur'anic style, structure and meaning. (Order No. AAI3447474, Dissertation Abstracts International, A: The Humanities and Social Sciences, 1661.
* Neuwirth, A. (2000). Referentiality and textuality in Sūrat al-Hijr: Some observations on the Qur'anic "canonical process" and the emergence of a community. (pp. 143–172). Curzon.
* Ohlander, E. S. (2010). Qur'anic studies. (pp. 81–93). De Gruyter.
External links
Quran 15Clear Quran translation
Mustafa Khattab is a Canadian–Egyptian Muslim scholar, author, youth mentor, public speaker, imam, and university chaplain. He holds a professional ijâzah in the Ḥafṣ style of recitation. He is known for his translation of the Quran in ...
Q15:87 50+ translations, islamawakened.com
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