QURAN SUMMARY: AL HIJR

NAME: الحجر, Al-Hijr.

Name taken from Verse 80 where there is a mention of  “Al-Hijr”.

٨٠  وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ أَصْحَابُ الْحِجْرِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

80  The people of the Rock also rejected the messengers.

But It does not mean that this name is the actual topic discussed in the whole Surah. It is just a reference and mark/symbol to distinguish this Surah from others as is with most other Surahs of Quran. While there are diversified topics discussed in these Surahs.

ENGLISH NAME: The City of Stone. The Rock. 

CHAPTER NUMBER: 15

SURAH HIJR TOTAL VERSES: 99

SURAH HIJR TOTAL WORDS: 657

TOTAL UNIQUE WORDS WITHOUT REPETITION: 432

TOTAL LETTERS: 2,882

REVELATION PERIOD:

Meccan, Approx. 619 – 621 AD. 

MAIN CHARACTERS:

God, Disbelievers, Human being, Jinn, Adam, Angels, Iblis/Devil, Ibrahim, Lut, Prophet Shoaib and Thamud. 

SURAH HIJR MAIN TOPICS:

Creation, Adam, Angel Prostration, Iblis/Devil Refusal, 7 seven Doors Of Hell, Angels came To Ibrahim with tidings of Issac and Punishment to Lut’s people, Lut’s people Destroyed, God has given Prophet Muhammad Seven Of The Often Repeated(Verses) Saba Minul Misani.

SURAH HIJR KEY VERSES:

١٤  وَلَوْ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَابًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَظَلُّوا فِيهِ يَعْرُجُونَ

14  And [even] if We opened to them a gate from the heaven and they continued therein to ascend,

١٥  لَقَالُوا إِنَّمَا سُكِّرَتْ أَبْصَارُنَا بَلْ نَحْنُ قَوْمٌ مَسْحُورُونَ

15  They would say, “Our eyes have only been dazzled. Rather, we are a people affected by magic.”

٣٩  قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لَأُزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

39  [Iblees] said, “My Lord, because You have put me in error, I will surely make [disobedience] attractive to them on earth, and I will mislead them all

٤٠  إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِينَ

40  Except, among them, Your chosen servants.”

٤١  قَالَ هَٰذَا صِرَاطٌ عَلَيَّ مُسْتَقِيمٌ

41  [Allah] said, “This is a path [of return] to Me [that is] straight.

٤٢  إِنَّ عِبَادِي لَيْسَ لَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَانٌ إِلَّا مَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ الْغَاوِينَ

42  Indeed, My servants – no authority will you have over them, except those who follow you of the deviators.

٨٧  وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَاكَ سَبْعًا مِنَ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْآنَ الْعَظِيمَ

87  And We have certainly given you, [O Muhammad], seven of the often repeated [verses] and the great Qur’an.

SUMMARY OF TOPICS

1-5(Last Day The Unbelievers Will Wish They Were Muslims, God Did Not Destroy any City but That for It Was a Known Decree, no Nation Will Precede its Term, nor Will They Remain Thereafter), 6-15(Disbelievers Say Why Do You Not Bring Us The Angels, God Replied We Do Not Send Down the Angels Except With Truth, Even if We Opened to Them a Gate From the Heaven They Will Not Believe), 16-19(God Made Great Stars and Burj/ Constellations in the Heaven, Protected It From Every Devil, God Made the Earth Spread It and Cast Therein Firmly Set Mountains), 26-27(Man Created From Clay, Jinn Created From Fire), 28-42(Creation of Adam, God Ordered Angels to Prostrate Adam, all Did, but Iblis/ Satan/Devil Refused, God Put Curse on Satan/Devil and Expelled Him, He Asked Reprieve Till Last Day and Said my Lord, Because You Have Put Me in Error, I Will Surely Make [Disobedience] Attractive to Man on Earth, and I Will Mislead Them all), 43-44 (7 Seven Doors of Hell), 51-60(Angels Came to Ibrahim, Ibrahim’s Fear, Tiding Of Isaac, Angels Say We Have Been Sent to the People Of Lut), 62-77( Messengers Came to the Family Of Lut, Told Lut To Set Out With his Family During a Portion of the Night and Not Turn Back, Lut Offered Girls and Daughters to his People To Rescue his Guests, Lut’s People Destroyed, God Said Indeed Those Cities Are Still on Straight Road as Sign for the Believers), 78(Dwellers Of Wood and Prophet Shoaib), 80(Dwellers Of Hijr, Thamud, They Used To Carve From the Mountains, Houses, Feeling Secure but God Seized Them), 87-99(and We Have Certainly Given You (Muhammad), Seven Of The Often Repeated. Saba Minul Misani, So Do Not Extend Your Eyes Toward That by Which We Have Given Enjoyment to [Certain] Categories of the Disbelievers, God Knows That Your Breast Is Constrained by What They Say, but Worship Your Lord Until There Comes to You the Certainty/or Death)

SURAH HIJR BRIEF COMMENTARY & BACK GROUND

This Surah has 99 verses divided into 6 Rukus/Sections. This Surah was revealed in Mecca in a later stage of Prophet Muhammad preaching in Mecca when persecution had become severe. Its revelation period is almost the same as that of Surah Ibrahim. Its name comes from verse 80 where there is mention of the word “Hijr.” The majority of scholars believe this refers to the people of Thamud and the rocky region mentioned is the stone cities where Thamud used to live in the northern part of Arab.

This Surah contains comfort and encouragement to the Holy Prophet and disbelievers have been admonished to accept the message and also warned of the consequences of rejecting this Divine revelation by narrating to them the stories of Adam and Devil, Previous Prophets and their people.

The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: The one who recites this Surah will be given good deeds equal to the number of the (Muhajrins)emigrants and the helpers(Ansars).