Overview - Surah 43: az-Zukhruf (Ornaments)
The Surah tells us that the revelation is a mercy from Allah. Allah chooses whosoever He wills to give His revelation. The worldly goods and riches do not necessarily mean that a person is best in the sight of Allah. The real value comes from following the truth and righteousness.
Sections:
- This revelation is given to people in Arabic so that they may understand. The revelation is a mercy from Allah.
- Shirk and blind following of ancestors are major problems of non-believers.
- Allah chooses the Prophets and Messengers according to His wisdom. The worldly riches do not mean much in the sight of Allah.
- Those who forget Allah come under the influence of the Satan.
- Pharaoh's response to Prophet Moses. Allah's punishment came against Pharaoh and his people.
- Jesus' Message was also changed by some of his people.
- The Believers will succeed in the Hereafter.
The Surah takes its name from the Ayat, وَزُخْرُفًا ۚ وَإِن كُلُّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمَّا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۚ وَالْآخِرَةُ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ "And gold ornament. But all that is not but the enjoyment of worldly life. And the Hereafter with your Lord is for the righteous." (43:35)
The following Surahs all have the letters, Ha-Meem as their opening Ayaat and interestingly what is common to all of them is their mentioning of the Prophet Musa. These Surahs are;
Surah 40: al-Ghafir
Surah 41: Fussilat
Surah 42: Shurah
Surah 43: Zukhruf
Surah 44: Dukhan
Surah 45: Jathiyah
Surah 46: al-Ahqaaf
There are 89 Ayat in this Surah.
Overview
| Total Ayat | 89 |
| Total Words * | 830 |
| Root Words * | 235 |
| Unique Root Words * | 1 |
| Makki / Madani | Makki |
| Chronological Order* | 63rd (according to Ibn Abbas) |
| Year of Revelation* | 9th year of Prophethood |
| Events during/before this Surah*
Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 3, Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 2, Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 1, 2nd Migration to Abyssinia, Physical beating and torture of some Muslims - 1st Migration of Muslims to Abyssinia, Public Invitation to Islam - Persecution of Muslims; antagonism - ridicule - derision - accusation - abuse and false propaganda., Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam , Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam , Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam
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| Events during/after still to occur*
Death of Abu Talib - Death of Khadijah - Stoning at Ta'if - al-Isra wal Mi'raj - Night Journey,1st Pledge of Aqabah,2nd Pledge of Aqabah,,Migration from Makkah to Madinah - Building of Masjid Nabi in Madinah - Treaty with Jews of Madinah - Marriage of Prophet to Aishah,Change of Qiblah from Jerusalem to Makkah - Battle of Badr,Battle of Uhud,,Battle of Ahzab - Expedition of Banu Quraydhah,Treaty of Hudaiybiyah - Letters to Kings and Rulers,,Conquest of Makkah - Battle of Hunain,Hajj led by Abu Bakr - Expedition of Tabuk,Farewell Hajj by Prophet - Death of Prophet - End of Divine Revelation
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| Names of Prophets Mentioned
Ibrahim, Musa, Isa
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| Surah Index
Abraham, God (beyond definition) , God (false daughters of) , God (has no son) , Angels, Angels (false claim that they are female) , Beasts, Children (of Israel) , Earth, Gold, Golden armlets, Hell, Iblis, Jesus (divergent views about) , Jesus (is the means to know Judgement Day (alternate translation)) , Judgement (Day) , Marriage (recline with spouses in Paradise) , Mary, Moses, Pharaoh, Pharaoh (punishment of) , Qur’an, Qur’an (revealed in Arabic) , Record of personal deeds, Religion, Religion (falsely guided by ancestral concept of) , Religious (sects) , Resurrection (of humans) , Resurrection (of soul) , Revelation, Ships, Silver, Weather (rain)
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Theme 1: Dangers from the trials of this world its beautification.
Theme 2: In this Surah a forceful and severe criticism has been made of the Quraysh and the common Arabs creeds and superstitions of ignorance in which they persisted, and their stubbornness has been exposed in a firm and effective way, so that every member of the society, who was reasonable in some degree, should be made to consider the evils in which the community was involved and its tyrannical treatment of the person who was trying to redeem it.
The discourse starts in a way as if to say: “You, by means of your mischief’s, want that the revelation of this Book should be stopped, but God has never withheld the appointment of His Prophets and the revelation of His Books because of the mischief of the people, but has destroyed the wicked people, who obstructed the way of His guidance. The same He will do again.” A little further in v. 41-43 and 79-80 the same thing has been reiterated. Though the people who were plotting against his life are meant, the Prophet has been addressed to the effect: “whether you remain alive or not, We will certainly punish the wicked,” and the people themselves have been plainly warned to the effect: “If you have decided to take an action against Our Prophet, We too will take a decisive action.”
Then, it has been asked, what is the reality of the religion that the people are following so devotedly and what are the arguments on whose strength they are resisting Muhammad.
They themselves admit that the Creator of the earth and heavens and of themselves and their deities is only God. They also know and admit that the blessings they are benefiting from, have been bestowed by God; yet they insist on making others associates of God in His Sovereignty. They regard the servants as the children of God, and that too daughters, whom they regard as disgraceful for themselves.
They believe that the angels are goddesses; they have carved their images as females; they adorn them with female dresses and ornaments, and call them daughters of God: they worship them and invoke them for the fulfilment of their needs. How did they know that the angels were female?
When they are rebuked for these superstitions, they present the pretence of destiny and say: “Had God disapproved of these our practices, we could not have worshipped these images, whereas the means of finding out whether God had approved of something or not, are His Books and not those things which are happening in the world according to His Will. For under His Will not only idol worship but crimes like theft and adultery, robbery, murder, etc. also are being committed. Can this argument be used to justify as right and proper this commission of every crime and evil in the world?
When it is asked: Have you any other authority, apart from this wrong argument, for this polytheism of yours? They reply, “The same has been the practice since the time of our forefathers.” In other words, this in their opinion is a strong enough argument for a creed’s being right and true, whereas the Prophet Abrahim, descent from whom is the only basis of their pride and distinction, had rejected the religion of his elders and left his home, and he had discarded every such blind imitation of his forefathers, which did not have the support of any rational argument. Then, if these people had to follow their elders only, for this also they selected their most ignorant elders and abandoned their most illustrious elders like the Prophets Abraham and Ishmael.
When they are asked: “Has ever a Prophet or a Book sent down by God also given this teaching that others beside God too are worthy of worship? They present this practice of the Christians as an argument that they took Jesus son of Mary as son of God and worshipped him; whereas the question was not whether the community of a Prophet had committed polytheism (shirk) or not, but whether a Prophet had himself taught polytheism. Jesus son of Mary had never said that he was son of God and that the people should worship him. His own was the same teaching which every other Prophet had given: “My Lord as well as your Lord is God: so worship Him alone.”
They were disinclined to believe in the Prophethood of the Prophet because he was neither a rich man nor a person of high worldly position and rank. They said “Had God willed to appoint a prophet among us, He would have appointed one of the great men of our two cities (Makkah and Ta’if). On that very basis, Pharaoh also had looked down upon the Prophet Moses and said: “If God, the King of the heavens, had to send a messenger to me, the king of the earth, He would have sent him with bracelets of gold and a company of angels in attendance. Wherefrom has this beggar appeared? I am superior to him, for the kingdom of Egypt belongs to me, and the canals of the River Nile are flowing under my control. What is the status of this man as against me? He has neither wealth nor authority.”
Thus, after criticizing each practice of ignorance of the disbelievers and rejecting it with rational arguments, it has been pointed out: “Neither has God any offspring, nor are there separate gods of the earth and heavens, nor is there any intercessor who may be able to protect from His punishment those who adopt deviation knowingly. God is far above this that He should have children. He alone is the God of the whole Universe: all others are His servants and not associates in His attributes and powers, and only such men can intercede with Him, who are themselves followers of the Truth and they also can intercede only for those who may have adopted obedience of the Truth in the world.”
- The polytheists admit the Creator of everything is only God alone.
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ خَلَقَهُنَّ الْعَزِيزُ الْعَلِيمُ "And if you should ask them, "Who has created the heavens and the earth?" they would surely say, "They were created by the Exalted in Might, the Knowing." (43:9)
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّـهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ "And if you asked them who created them, they would surely say, "Allah." So how are they deluded?" (43:87)
Manuscripts / Inscriptions
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1st Century Hijrah
1st Century Hijrah
- The Surah before, this Surah and the Surah after all begin the حم [the disjointed letters, Ha Mim] as their first Ayat.
- The previous Surah ends with Ayat discussing the nature of Revelation (42:51). This Surah begins with Ayat about the nature of Revelation also (43:4).
Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) = 1* | ||
| # | Root Word | Frequency in Surah | Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | ق و ل | 21 | 1722 |
| 2. | ٱلَّذِى | 17 | 1464 |
| 3. | ب ي ن | 14 | 523 |
| 4. | ق و م | 13 | 660 |
| 5. | ر ب ب | 13 | 980 |
| 6. | ج ع ل | 12 | 346 |
| 7. | ك و ن | 11 | 1390 |
| 8. | إِلَّا | 10 | 663 |
| 9. | ر س ل | 9 | 513 |
| 10. | ع ب د | 9 | 275 |
| Root Word | Frequency in Surah |
Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|
| ق و ل | 21 | 1722 |
| ٱلَّذِى | 17 | 1464 |
| ب ي ن | 14 | 523 |
| ق و م | 13 | 660 |
| ر ب ب | 13 | 980 |
| ج ع ل | 12 | 346 |
| ك و ن | 11 | 1390 |
| إِلَّا | 10 | 663 |
| ر س ل | 9 | 513 |
| ع ب د | 9 | 275 |
Its period of revelation also could not be determined from any authentic tradition, but the internal evidence of the subject matter shows that this Surah too was sent down in the same period in which Surah 43: az-Zukhruf (Ornaments) and a few other earlier Surahs had been revealed. However, this Surah was sent down somewhat later. Its historical background is this: When the disbelievers of Makkah became more and more antagonistic in their attitude and conduct, the Prophet prayed: O God, help me with a famine like the famine of Joseph. He thought that when the people would be afflicted with a calamity, they would remember God, their hearts would soften and they would accept the admonition. God granted his prayer, and the whole land was overtaken by such a terrible famine that the people were sorely distressed. At last, some of the Quraysh chiefs among whom Abdullah bin Masud has particularly mentioned the name of Abu Sufyan came to the Prophet and requested him to pray to God to deliver his people from the calamity. On this occasion God sent down this Surah.
- Al-Qur'an is a transcript from the Mother-Book which is in Allah's keeping.
- Supplication before riding a conveyance.
- Creed of the mushrikin that angels are female divinities is false.
- An example of the Prophet Ibrahim who recognized the Oneness of Allah and rejected the shirk using merely his common sense and observing His signs from nature.
- If it were not that all mankind will become one race of unbelievers, Allah would have given the unbelievers houses which were made with sterling silver.
- He who turns away from the remembrance of Allah, Allah appoints a Shaitan to be his intimate friend.
- Hold fast to The Qur'an if you want to be rightly guided.
- The Prophet Isa (Jesus) was no more than a mortal whom Allah favored and made an example for the children of Israel.
- O Prophet tell the Christians: "If Allah had a son, I would have been the first one to worship him."
Tafsir Zone
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Sayyid Qutb Overview (Verses 9 - 14) The Almighty Creator Amazingly, although the Arabs recognised that God was the Creator of the heavens and the earth, they did not follow this through to its logical conclusion, declaring His oneness and address all worship to Him. On the contrary, they attributed partners to Him, assigning to these some of the cattle He has created. They also alleged that the angels were God's daughters whom they worshipped in the form of idols. The Qur'an reports their acknowledgement of God's creation, puts before them the logic of human nature which they discard, and outlines the behaviour they should adopt in response to His blessings, particularly ships and cattle. It then describes what they claim about the angels: Yet if you ask them, 'Who created the heavens and the earth?' they are sure to answer, The Almighty, the All-Knowing created them.' It is He who has smoothed out the earth for you and has traced on it paths for you so that you can find your way. And He it is who sends down water from the sky in due measure. With it We raise dead land to lift; and thus you will be raised from the dead And He it is who created all living things in pairs, and provided for you the ships and animals on which you ride, so that when you are seated on their backs you remember your Lord's blessings and say: 'Limitless in His glory is He who has made all this subservient to our use. We could not have done it by ourselves. To our Lord we shall most certainly return. (Verses 9-14) The Arabs had a faith, which we can imagine as consisting of remnants of the original pure faith of Abraham, that had lost its original shining colours, intermingled with legends. What remained was something that human nature could not deny, namely that the universe has a Creator who is God: the universe could not have existed without a Creator and the Creator could only be God. Yet, the Arabs did not take this natural truth to its logical conclusion; they simply stopped at the bare fact: "Yet if you ask them, 'Who created the heavens and the earth?' they are sure to answer, 'The Almighty, the All-Knowing created them.'" (Verse 9) It is obvious that they did not verbalise God's two attributes: the Almighty and the All-Knowing. They acknowledged that it was God who created the universe, but they did not know God according to His attributes detailed in the Islamic faith. These are positive attributes that produce a clear effect on people's lives and the life of the universe. They admitted that God created them and the universe, but they also alleged that He had partners because they did not know God's attributes that would have made the very concept of partnership with Him appear absurd. The Qur'an tells them now that the Creator they acknowledge is the One who is Almighty and who knows all. The surah takes them another step forward in outlining God's attributes and the favours He has given them: "It is He who has smoothed out the earth for you and has traced on it paths for you so that you can find your way." (Verse 10) Smoothing out the earth is a fact understood, in one way or another, by everyone. The people who were the first to be addressed by the Qur'an would have seen the earth smooth under their feet when they walked, ready for plants to grow. It is smoothed out generally for life to grow. However, we realise this today in a more profound way, taking into account what we have learnt about the nature of the earth and its history. Future generations will understand this fact in an even greater way; human knowledge will continue to expand and discover new facts that have so far remained unknown. Today, we understand that smoothing out the earth so as to enable the human race to survive on it and find ways and paths to ensure life progresses is a complex multi-faceted process. In fact, this planet has gone through a number of different stages that have allowed its surface to change from a hard rocky one to plant-supporting soil. Water has been formed from oxygen and hydrogen. Its rotation speed has slowed down to ensure that it has moderate temperatures throughout its day and so as to allow objects to remain stable on its surface. Moreover, a proper measure of gravity has been placed on it to ensure that its atmosphere remains sufficiently stable to support life. Without such an atmosphere life cannot be sustained, as is the case on other planets with a gravity too weak to ensure stability. Moreover, the earth's gravity has been made equal to movement and this equilibrium has protected objects and living things from being blown away, while at the same time allowing man and other living things to move on the surface of the earth. Had gravity increased above this sustainable level, all objects and living creatures would have been stuck to the earth and their movements would have become very hard or even impossible. Furthermore, air pressure would have increased so as to bind them firmly to the earth or crush them against it, just as we sometimes crush flies and mosquitoes with a strike that does not bring our hands into contact with them but rather increases the air pressure around them. By contrast, should air pressure decrease, our veins and breasts may burst. The smoothing of the earth to make it life supporting also refers to the fact that the Almighty, All-Knowing Creator has brought about numerous balances which together facilitate human life on earth. Had any of these been disturbed, life would have become very difficult, even impossible. We have already mentioned some of these. We may, however, refer to the fact that the great amount of water that covers much of the earth's surface purges its atmosphere of much of the poisonous gases that result from the infinite number of interactions that take place all the time. Thus, its atmosphere remains life supporting. Plants also ensure that a proper balance is maintained between the oxygen living creatures breathe in and the oxygen breathed out during the process of assimilation plants perform. Unless this balance is maintained, all living things would have suffocated in a very short period of time. Indeed the significance of the Qur'anic statement, 'It is He who has smoothed out the earth for you and has traced on it paths for you,' grows wider every day. Every new addition to its significance testifies to both God's might and knowledge. We see God's able hand wherever we look and however far our imagination roams. It tells man that his life is not the result of blind coincidence nor has he been abandoned. Indeed, God's hand defines man's every step before, during and after his life on earth. "So that you can find your way." (Verse 10) Reflection on what the universe contains and its natural laws inevitably leads the human mind to recognition of its Creator who established such accurate and perfectly harmonious systems. Blessings of Every Type The surah then looks a step further at the process of life and the emergence of living creatures: "And He it is who sends down water from the sky in due measure. With it We raise dead land to life; and thus you will be raised from the dead." (Verse 11) Water comes down from the skies, as every person sees and knows, but most people are not moved by this remarkable phenomenon because of over familiarity. Muhammad, God's messenger, (peace be upon him), however, held a different attitude. He looked at the drops of rain with love and welcoming delight, knowing that they came from God; in other words, his heart recognised God's handiwork in these drops. Every heart that is aware of its bond with God and the laws of nature He has set in operation should adopt this attitude. Every raindrop is the result of these laws of nature which operate under God's eye and control. That rain originates from the vapour that rises from the earth and cools down in the atmosphere in no way diminishes the implication of these facts. Who has brought the earth into being, placed water on it, subjected it to heat, made water naturally evaporate and vapour rise and condense? Who has given the universe its other characteristics which give the condensing vapour an electrical charge so that when clouds gather, their electric charges cause rain to fall? Besides, what is electricity? What are these other characteristics that produce the combined effect of rain falling down? As we learn more about nature, however, our knowledge casts a heavy weight over our understanding. We no longer appreciate the messages given by universal phenomena; we no longer allow these messages to refine our feelings and responses. "And He it is who sends down water from the sky in due measure." (Verse 11) It is given in the right quantity, neither too much so as to flood large areas of land, nor too little to leave the land barren. Man has come to recognise the importance of maintaining this fine balance for the continuity of life. "With it We raise dead land to life." Life on earth flourishes where water is plentiful. It is from water that every living thing originates. "And thus you will be raised from the dead." (Verse 11) The One who originated life in the first place will bring it back again. It is He who started life in a land that was dead, and He will raise all back to life on the Day of Resurrection. Nothing is difficult for Him. We learn from this surah that the Arab unbelievers used to assign a portion of their cattle to God and another portion to other beings. God, however, created cattle as one of the favours He bestows on man: people ride cattle as they ride on ships and they should appreciate His blessings and give thanks: "And He it is who created all living things in pairs, and provided for you the ships and animals on which you ride, so that when you are seated on their backs you remember your Lord's blessings and say: 'Limitless in His glory is He who has made all this subservient to our use. We could not have done it by ourselves. To our Lord we shall most certainly return." (Verses 12-14) Making things in pairs is a rule of life, as indicated in this verse. All living things are created in pairs; even the first living cell carries masculine and feminine characteristics. In fact, this rule perhaps applies to the universe in its entirety, if we consider its basic unit to be the atom which consists of a negative electron and a positive proton, as all research in physics has so far indicated. Be that as it may, this duality is apparent throughout life. It is God who has created all pairs, human and non-human. Moreover, it is He who has "provided for you the ships and animals on which you ride." (Verse 12) This is to remind man that God has placed him in charge of the earth, putting at his disposal its considerable and varied power and potential. It also invites man to show gratitude for God's choice and blessings, reminds him of the One who grants blessings every time such a blessing is enjoyed. Such expressions of gratitude for God's blessings is sure to keep our hearts alive to their bond with God at every turn in life: "So that when you are seated on their backs you remember your Lord's blessings and say: 'Limitless in His glory is He who has made all this subservient to our use. We could not have done it by ourselves." (Verse 13) We certainly cannot match His blessings. All that we can do is to be truly grateful and give due thanks for all that He has favoured us with. We should realise that we will eventually return to God after our term in charge of the earth comes to its end. He will then requite us for what we have done in life when we enjoyed His favours and what He placed at our service: "To our Lord we shall most certainly return." (Verse 14) Such are the refined manners people should adopt towards God who has granted us countless favours and blessings. Yet we tend to forget Him even when we are enjoying His favours. Hence, this gentle reminder. These Islamic manners closely relate to the cultivation of the human conscience and people's education. This is not a mere ritual or empty phrase we say when mounting cattle or riding on ships and other means of transport. It is a deliberate action that aims to alert our feelings so that we are fully aware of the bond between God and His creatures. Furthermore, His blessings are granted to us freely; we cannot repay God in any way for any of His countless blessings. Hence, we should always remain in awe of Him, thinking of the day when we will meet Him and submit our account of what we did in life. Thus we should always remain conscious of God, aware that He is watching over us. |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
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- Surah 43. Az-Zukhruf - Saad al Ghamidi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8RO8Qws8TE&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN&index=43
- Surah 43. Az-Zukhruf Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkv5t-7ORhI&index=43&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM
- Surah 43. Az-Zukhruf Muhammad Al Luhaydan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXO6pEwMEZg&index=43&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe
- Idris Akbar Surah Az-Zukhruf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMsc9lQblv8
- Surah 43. Az-Zukhruf muhammad Minshawi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgFAUJ2etbY&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG&index=43
