Overview - Surah 15: al-Hijr (The Valley of Stone)
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:
- Qur'an is the Books of Allah. He revealed it and He will guard it.
- Allah knows everything in the universe. He is the Creator of all.
- 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.
- Allah is very forgiving, but His punishment is also severe.
- Prophet Lot and Prophet Shu'aib's people.
- 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 Ayat | 99 |
| Total Words * | 655 |
| Root Words * | 210 |
| Unique Root Words * | 3 |
| Makki / Madani | Makki |
| 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
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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
Lut, Ibrahim
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| 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)
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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.
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
764 H 1363 CE
764 H 1363 CE
1037-1194 CE
1037-1194 CE
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) = 3* | ||
| # | Root Word | Frequency in Surah | Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | ق و ل | 25 | 1722 |
| 2. | ك و ن | 16 | 1390 |
| 3. | إِلَّا | 13 | 663 |
| 4. | ع ل م | 12 | 854 |
| 5. | ر ب ب | 9 | 980 |
| 6. | أ ت ي | 7 | 549 |
| 7. | ر س ل | 7 | 513 |
| 8. | ب ش ر | 7 | 123 |
| 9. | ن ز ل | 6 | 293 |
| 10. | خ ل ق | 6 | 261 |
| 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 |
“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]
- 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.
Tafsir Zone
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Overview (Verses 21 - 22) A Clear Plan for All Creation In fact, the provisions given to every community are determined by God, according to His will. He grants them as He pleases, at the time He chooses, and in accordance with the laws He has set in operation: “There is not a thing but with Us are its storehouses; and We send it down only in accordance with a defined measure.” (Verse 21) No creature owns, or has power over, anything. The resources of everything are with God in His supreme realm. He grants it to His creation, in their respective worlds, according to a defined measure. Nothing is given or provided arbitrarily. We have here a precise statement, “There is not a thing but with Us are its storehouses; and We send it down only in accordance with a defined measure.” (Verse 21) Its import becomes apparent as man’s knowledge increases and becomes more advanced. The more he knows about the universe and how it is made and operates, the better he understands the Qur’ānic statement. The meaning of the term, ‘storehouses’, becomes clearer after man has discovered the nature of the elements which form the material world, and their composition. Man knows that the basic ‘storehouses’ of water, for example, are the oxygen and hydrogen atoms. The storehouses of provisions we have in the form of green plants and vegetation include the nitrogen which is present in the air, carbon and the oxygen that form carbon dioxide, and the rays of the sun. Examples like these are numerous, giving a clear picture of the import of the expression, “God’s storehouses”, of which man has come to know much, but this much remains only a little of what there is. Of the things that God sends in accordance with defined measure are winds and water: “We send forth winds heavily loaded, then We send down water from the skies for you to drink. You are not the ones who store it up.” (Verse 22) The Arabic term, lawāqiĥ, which signifies heavily loaded has been interpreted by some according to the scientific meaning of ‘fertilizing’, referring to the fact that the winds carry the pollen from some plants or trees to fertilize the female ones. But this does not seem to fit with the text here. We have to remember that the Qur’ān is very meticulous in drawing its own connotations. What is referred to here is rather the fact that winds carry moisture, just like a she-camel becomes heavy with milk. God then sends down water from that moisture carried by the winds, and He allows man to drink it for his own survival. Yet man cannot retain it all: “You are not the ones who store it up.” (Verse 22) It has not come from the storehouses of human beings, but from God’s treasures. It has been poured according to a well-defined measure. The winds move, carry the moisture and pour the water in accordance with the laws of nature. But who has determined all this in the first place? It is all determined by the Creator who has set the original law of the universe which gives rise to all aspects and operates all phenomena: “There is not a thing but with Us are its storehouses; and We send it down only in accordance with a defined measure.” (Verse 21) We note here how every move is referred to God, even the drinking of water: “Then We send down water from the skies for you to drink.” (Verse 22) The expression, asqaynākumūh, given in translation as, “for you to drink”, is given in the Arabic original as, “We send down water from the skies and We make you drink it”. What is meant here is that we have fashioned you in a way which makes you in need of water, and we made the water suitable for your needs. All this is made according to a measure. It is all set in operation by God’s will. This mode of expression is chosen in order to provide an element of complete harmony in the whole scene, so that everything is referred to God, even the movement of one’s hand to take water to drink. The whole atmosphere is one that attributes everything in the universe to God’s will that directly determines every event and movement. His law that controls the movement of stars and planets is the same as His law that controls people’s actions. The first passage of the sūrah referred to God’s law concerning those who reject God’s message, and this second passage refers to His law that governs the heavens and the earth, the wind, water and drinking. All this is subject to God’s will which is linked to the great truth that is behind the creation of the heavens, the earth, human beings and all other creatures. |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
Mawdudi
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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Overview (Verses 21 - 22) A Clear Plan for All Creation In fact, the provisions given to every community are determined by God, according to His will. He grants them as He pleases, at the time He chooses, and in accordance with the laws He has set in operation: “There is not a thing but with Us are its storehouses; and We send it down only in accordance with a defined measure.” (Verse 21) No creature owns, or has power over, anything. The resources of everything are with God in His supreme realm. He grants it to His creation, in their respective worlds, according to a defined measure. Nothing is given or provided arbitrarily. We have here a precise statement, “There is not a thing but with Us are its storehouses; and We send it down only in accordance with a defined measure.” (Verse 21) Its import becomes apparent as man’s knowledge increases and becomes more advanced. The more he knows about the universe and how it is made and operates, the better he understands the Qur’ānic statement. The meaning of the term, ‘storehouses’, becomes clearer after man has discovered the nature of the elements which form the material world, and their composition. Man knows that the basic ‘storehouses’ of water, for example, are the oxygen and hydrogen atoms. The storehouses of provisions we have in the form of green plants and vegetation include the nitrogen which is present in the air, carbon and the oxygen that form carbon dioxide, and the rays of the sun. Examples like these are numerous, giving a clear picture of the import of the expression, “God’s storehouses”, of which man has come to know much, but this much remains only a little of what there is. Of the things that God sends in accordance with defined measure are winds and water: “We send forth winds heavily loaded, then We send down water from the skies for you to drink. You are not the ones who store it up.” (Verse 22) The Arabic term, lawāqiĥ, which signifies heavily loaded has been interpreted by some according to the scientific meaning of ‘fertilizing’, referring to the fact that the winds carry the pollen from some plants or trees to fertilize the female ones. But this does not seem to fit with the text here. We have to remember that the Qur’ān is very meticulous in drawing its own connotations. What is referred to here is rather the fact that winds carry moisture, just like a she-camel becomes heavy with milk. God then sends down water from that moisture carried by the winds, and He allows man to drink it for his own survival. Yet man cannot retain it all: “You are not the ones who store it up.” (Verse 22) It has not come from the storehouses of human beings, but from God’s treasures. It has been poured according to a well-defined measure. The winds move, carry the moisture and pour the water in accordance with the laws of nature. But who has determined all this in the first place? It is all determined by the Creator who has set the original law of the universe which gives rise to all aspects and operates all phenomena: “There is not a thing but with Us are its storehouses; and We send it down only in accordance with a defined measure.” (Verse 21) We note here how every move is referred to God, even the drinking of water: “Then We send down water from the skies for you to drink.” (Verse 22) The expression, asqaynākumūh, given in translation as, “for you to drink”, is given in the Arabic original as, “We send down water from the skies and We make you drink it”. What is meant here is that we have fashioned you in a way which makes you in need of water, and we made the water suitable for your needs. All this is made according to a measure. It is all set in operation by God’s will. This mode of expression is chosen in order to provide an element of complete harmony in the whole scene, so that everything is referred to God, even the movement of one’s hand to take water to drink. The whole atmosphere is one that attributes everything in the universe to God’s will that directly determines every event and movement. His law that controls the movement of stars and planets is the same as His law that controls people’s actions. The first passage of the sūrah referred to God’s law concerning those who reject God’s message, and this second passage refers to His law that governs the heavens and the earth, the wind, water and drinking. All this is subject to God’s will which is linked to the great truth that is behind the creation of the heavens, the earth, human beings and all other creatures. |
- Surah 15. Al-Hijr - Saad al Ghamidi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvlchpsEhWw&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN&index=15
- Surah 15. Al-Hijr Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MstV_Kbp9_4&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM&index=15
- Surah 15. Al-Hijr Muhammad Al Luhaydan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHnL6SvX4d4&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe&index=15
- Idris Akbar Surah Hijr https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQ6kdndUmpw
- Surah 15. Al-Hijr muhammad Minshawi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGOHF57JukM&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG&index=15
