Surah Al-Ahqaf – Khaled Abu Shady

Al-Ahqaf (The Wind-curved Sandhills) is the 46th surah of the Quran and opens the 26th juz. It is a Meccan surah of 35 verses, the 66th in the traditional order of revelation, after Al-Jathiya, and the last of the seven Ha-Mim surahs. It takes its name from verse 21, which recalls how the prophet Hud, "the brother of 'Ad", warned his people among the sand dunes of al-Ahqaf in southern Arabia.

Themes

• The Quran as revelation from God, against the charge that it is magic or an invention (46:7–8); the Prophet ﷺ is told to say that he is no novelty among the messengers and follows only what is revealed to him (46:9).
• A witness from the Children of Israel who recognised its truth (46:10). According to Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, in a report in al-Bukhari, this verse concerns Abdullah ibn Salam, and some scholars count it among the surah's few Medinan verses.
• The reward of those who say "Our Lord is God" and then remain steadfast (46:13).
• Kindness to parents (46:15): the mother's hardship, a pregnancy and weaning of thirty months, which commentators read with 2:233 to set the shortest pregnancy at six months, and the prayer of the believer who reaches forty.
• 'Ad, who saw a cloud heading for their valleys and took it for rain, when it was a wind bearing punishment (46:24). Aisha reported, in al-Bukhari and Muslim, that the Prophet grew anxious whenever he saw clouds or wind, recalling this people.
• A company of jinn who listened to the Quran in silence and returned to warn their people (46:29–32), an episode also told in Al-Jinn.
• The closing command to be patient as the messengers of firm resolve were patient (46:35).

Related surahs

Al-Ahqaf closes the Hawamim, which begin with Ghafir, and follows Al-Jathiya. The story of 'Ad is told at greater length in Hud.