Overview - Surah 15: al-Hijr (The Valley of Stone)

Surah Introduction

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The main theme of the Surah is divine guidance, and people's response.  Allah's warns those who deny this message and as a reminder of these warnings, we have here the stories of Prophet Lot's people, Thamud and other groups.

Sections:

  1. Qur'an is the Books of Allah. He revealed it and He will guard it.
  2. Allah knows everything in the universe.  He is the Creator of all.
  3. The creation of human being is from a very humble stuff, but Allah honored him and asked angels to bow down to Adam.  Satan's response.
  4. Allah is very forgiving, but His punishment is also severe.
  5. Prophet Lot and Prophet Shu'aib's people.
  6. The People of Hijr and what happened to them.  Qur'an and Surah al-Fatihah are special gifts of Allah.  Allah will take care of those who ridicule  His message

It is named ‘Hijr’ after the valley located between Madinah and Sham [Greater Syria], where the people of Salih, Thamud lived.

There are 99 Ayat in this Surah.

Overview

Total Ayat99
Total Words *655
Root Words *210
Unique Root Words *3
Makki / MadaniMakki
Chronological Order* 54th (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
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
Names of Prophets Mentioned
Lut, Ibrahim
Surah Index
Abraham, Angels, Angels (not sent to satisfy whims) , Astronomy (constellations) , Communications (overhearing the Host on high) , Death (those communities who have no revelation will not be destroyed) , Earth, Friends (avoid active disbelievers) , Future (learning of it through divination forbidden) , Hell, Humankind (creation of) , Humankind (creation of) (from clay), Humankind (creation of) (from dark transmuted slime), Iblis, Jinn, Jinn (created of fire) , Judgement (Day) , Lot, Madyan, Materialism (envy forbidden) , Mountains, Prayer (prostration) , Qur’an, Resurrection (of soul) , Revelation, Thamud, Thamud (rock dwellings) , Weather (rain) , Weather (wind) , Weather (wind) (to pollinate)

Central Theme

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Theme 1: Allah protects and preserves His Deen [religion]

Though the main topics of the Surah are :

a.         warning to those who rejected his Message, opposed it tooth and nail and ridiculed him.

b.         comfort and encouragement to the Prophet

It does not mean that this Surah does not contain admonition and instructions. As a matter of fact the Qur’an never confines itself to mere warning; rebuke and censure but resorts to precept in every suitable place. Accordingly this Surah contains brief arguments for Monotheism (Tawhid) on the one hand and admonition in the story of Adam and Satan on the other.

Connection of the name of the Surah and its Ayaat

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Connection between the beginning and the ending of the Surah

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At the beginning and end of the surah there are profound statements about the Qur’an – 15:9 “Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian.” And in 15:87 “And We have certainly given you, [O Muhammad], seven of the often repeated [verses] and the great Qur'an.”

Manuscripts / Inscriptions

Connection of the Surah to the Surah before/after it

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The Virtues of the Surah

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Special Features of the Surah

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Important key and unique words of the Surah

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Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) = 3*

Unique Root Words to this Surah only


3 unique root words that do not appear in any other Surah *

Top 10 Most Frequent Root Words used in this Surah

Root Word Frequency
in Surah		 Frequency
in Qur'an
ق و ل 25 1722
ك و ن 16 1390
إِلَّا 13 663
ع ل م 12 854
ر ب ب 9 980
أ ت ي 7 549
ر س ل 7 513
ب ش ر 7 123
ن ز ل 6 293
خ ل ق 6 261

Period of Revelation

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“This surah was revealed in Makkah, after the revelation of Surah 12, Joseph. The time was a very critical one, falling as it did between the ‘year of sorrow’ when the Prophet lost his wife Khadijah and his uncle Abu Talib and the year when the Prophet migrated to Madinah. The surah thus reflects the needs and requirements of this difficult period.” [Ref: Qutb, Fi Dhilal]

“It is clear from its topics and style that the period of its revelation is similar to that of Surah 14: Ibraheem (Abraham) as two things are quite prominent in its background. Firstly, it appears from the repeated warnings in this Surah that despite the fact that the Prophet had been propagating the Message for many years his people in general had not shown any inclination towards its acceptance, nay they had become more and more obdurate and stubborn in their antagonism, enmity and ridicule with the passage of time. Secondly by that time the Prophet had begun to feel a little tired of making strenuous efforts to eradicate disbelief and opposition of his people. That is why God has consoled and comforted him over and over again by way of encouragement..” [Ref: Mawdudi]

Background Reasons for Revelation

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Relevant Hadith

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Lessons/Guidance/Major-Issues/Reflections

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  • The Qur'an is a Divine Book.
  • Allah protects His Book (15:9), the heavans (15:17), provisions, (15:21), water on earth (15:22), Adam and his children (15:39-40), Ibrahim and his nephew by saving them from the plots of their people, the Prophet Shuayb and finally the Prophet Muhammad (15:95) [verification of Ayat numbers required]
  • On the Day of Judgement, the disbelievers will wish that they had become Muslims.
  • Allah Himself has taken the responsibility of preserving and safeguarding Al-Qur'an.
  • Admonition through the story of Adam's creation, prostration of the angels before him, and refusal of Shaitan to prostrate.
  • The Prophet Ibrahim was given the good news of having a son by the same two angels who were assigned to destroy the nation of Lut.
  • Al-Fatiha is also named, "seven verses worthy of oft-recitation."
  • Divine order to proclaim the commandments of Allah publicly and turn away from the mushrikin.

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Miscellaneous Issues

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External Links

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