Surah Al-Zukhruf

The Ornaments

Introduction

Name of Chapter and Reason for its Name

This chapter is called Surah Al-Zukhruf and its name has been taken from its 35th verse where the word Zukhruf comes in the meaning of gold, ornaments, and life necessities such as carpets and goods of this worldly life, which will not be of use in the hereafter, as mentioned in verse 35, “…and ornaments of gold; yet all that would be nothing but the wares of the life of this world, and the Hereafter is for the God conscious near your Lord.”

Chapter Number

Surah Al-Zukhruf is the 43rd chapter of the Holy Quran, and it was revealed after Surah Al-Shura.

Number of Verses

Surah Al-Zukhruf has 89 verses.

Place of Revelation

This chapter was revealed in Mecca.

Content

Important Concepts in this Chapter

Verses 1-14

The revelation of the Quran, and other Divine books upon past generations; the deviants and the end of their works; Divine traditions and blessings. These verses are a promise and glad tidings for Prophet Muhammad, and a threat to the lavish and deviant people.

Verses 15-30

The polytheists’ excuses and their beliefs; their knowing of the angels as female; and Prophet Ibrahim’s advice to his uncle.

In verse 19 which says: ‘They have made the angels - who are servants of the All-Beneficent - females. Were they witness to their creation? Their testimony will be written down and they shall be questioned’ - three types of disbelievers from the polytheists are shown. First, the conception of children for the One Allah. Second, the conception of the angels being male or female and associating them as female. Third, belittling the ‘servants of the All-Beneficent’ with these inappropriate conceptions.

In verses 26-28 ‘I repudiate what you worship, excepting Him who originated me; indeed He will guide me. He made it a lasting word among his posterity so that they may come back [to the right path]’ these verses talk about Prophet Ibrahim’s words to his people regarding the worship of the One Allah and His lack of partners, and this belief of ‘La ilaha illa Allah’ also remained in Ibrahim’s offspring.

Verses 30-45

Discussion about the worldly ornaments; the unsafety of the hereafter for the disbelievers; and questioning of the people regarding the Quran’s blessings.

In verses 33 and 34, ‘and [silver] doors for their houses and [silver] couches on which they recline, and ornaments of gold’ - ‘Zukhruf’ here means gold or ornaments in general. In verse 35, ‘yet all that would be nothing but the wares of the life of this world, and the Hereafter is for the God conscious near your Lord’ it means that all of the blessings that are not of the wares of this life and are eternal are for the God conscious ones and will remain forever.

Verses 45-65

The story of Prophet Musa and the magicians; Prophet Isa and the split in his nation; and the advices of these two Prophets to their people. The intended meaning of these verses is explanation and wisdom. In verse 63, ‘When Isa brought those manifest proofs he said, ‘I have certainly brought you wisdom,’’ it shows miracles as clear, manifest proofs with wisdom, and those are Divine teachings, beliefs and scholarly morals. The Messianic wisdom has reached us through the form of the Bible.

Verses 66-82

A description of the Day of Judgement; an explanation of the arenas of Paradise and Hell; and the uselessness of the polytheists’ gods.

Verses 82-89

The glorification of the One Allah; the unmitigated rulership upon the people of the world; and the power of intercession of the intercessors is up to their discretion. The intended meaning of ‘the Lord of the Throne’ in verse 82, ‘Clear is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the Throne, of whatever they allege [concerning Him]!’ with regard to how the word ‘Throne’ refers back to ‘the heavens and the earth’ and the intended meaning of this is that all of the tangible world is under the plan of Allah. The gods of the disbelievers do not have the capacity for intercession, and the right of intercession is for those people who are monotheists, and have brought forth faith with sincerity and certainty. Intercession is only possible with the permission of Allah and is only for those truth-seekers. Discussions on this Chapter

According to the Sunni Traditions

Verse 12: “And who created all the kinds and made for you the ships and the cattle such as you ride.”

وَٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلۡأَزۡوَٰجَ كُلَّهَا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡفُلۡكِ وَٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ مَا تَرۡكَبُونَ ١٢ أخبرنا أسامة بن زید، أخبرنی محمد بن حمزة أنه سمع أباه یقول: سمعت رسول اللّه صلی اللّه علیه و سلم یقول: «علی ظهر کل بعیر شیطان فإذا رکبتموها فسموا اللّه عز و جل ثم لا تقصروا عن حاجاتکم»

Usama ibn Zayd narrated from Muhammad ibn Hamzah that he heard his father say the following which he heard from the Prophet of Allah: “Upon the back of every camel is a Satan and when you ride it, designate Allah, the Almighty, thereafter you do not fall short of your needs.”

Verses 13 and 14: “That you may sit on their backs, then remember the blessing of your Lord when you are settled on them, and say, ‘Immaculate is He who has disposed this for us, and we [by ourselves] were no match for it. Indeed we shall return to our Lord.”

لِتَسۡتَوُۥاْ عَلَىٰ ظُهُورِهِۦ ثُمَّ تَذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَةَ رَبِّكُمۡ إِذَا ٱسۡتَوَيۡتُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ وَتَقُولُواْ سُبۡحَٰنَ ٱلَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُۥ مُقۡرِنِينَ ١٣ وَإِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ ١٤ حدثنا شریک بن عبد اللّه عن أبی إسحاق، عن علی بن ربیعة قال: رأیت علیا رضی اللّه عنه أتی بدابة، فلما وضع رجله فی الرکاب قال: باسم اللّه، فلما استوی علیها قال: الحمد للّه سُبْحانَ الَّذِی سَخَّرَ لَنا هذا وَ ما کنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِینَ وَ إِنَّا إِلی رَبِّنا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ ثم حمد اللّه تعالی ثلاثا و کبر ثلاثا، ثم قال: سبحانک لا إله إلا أنت قد ظلمت نفسی فاغفر لی ثم ضحک، فقلت له: مم ضحکت یا أمیر المؤمنین؟ فقال رضی اللّه عنه: رأیت رسول اللّه صلی اللّه علیه و سلم فعل مثلما فعلت ثم ضحک، فقلت: مم ضحکت یا رسول اللّه؟ فقال صلی اللّه علیه و سلم: «یعجب الرب تبارک و تعالی من عبده إذا قال رب اغفر لی، و یقول علم عبدی أنه لا یغفر الذنوب غیری»

It has been narrated from Sharik ibn Abdullah, from Abu Ishaaq, from Ali ibn Rabiah who says that he saw Ali bring a riding animal, then afterwards his man placed the stirrup. He said, “In the name of Allah.” Thereafter he sat up straight on it and said, “Praise is for Allah, how perfect is He, the One who has placed this at our service, and we ourselves would not have been capable of this, and to our Lord is our final destiny.” Thereafter he praised Allah three times and said Allahu Akbar three times. Then he continued: “Praise be to You, there is no Lord but you. I have surely oppressed myself, so forgive me.” After this he smiled and so I said to him: “From what are you laughing, O Amir al-Momineen?” He replied: “I saw the Prophet of Allah do the same as that which I have done and thereafter he smiled. So I asked him - ‘Why are you smiling, O Prophet of Allah?’ He answered: ‘The Lord is delighted from His servant when one says: ‘Lord forgive me’ and He says, ‘My servant knows that no one else forgives his sins except for Me.’”

Verse 57: “When the Son of Mariam was cited as an example, behold, your people raise an outcry.”

وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَ مَثَلًا إِذَا قَوۡمُكَ مِنۡهُ يَصِدُّونَ ٥٧ عن ابن عباس رضی اللّه عنهما، قال: قال رسول اللّه صلی اللّه علیه و سلم: «یا معشر قریش إنه لیس أحد یعبد من دون اللّه فیه خیر» فقالوا له: أ لست تزعم أن عیسی کان نبیا و عبدا من عباد اللّه صالحا فقد کان یعبد من دون اللّه؟ فأنزل اللّه عز و جل: وَ لَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابْنُ مَرْیمَ مَثَلًا إِذا قَوْمُک مِنْهُ یصِدُّونَ و قال مجاهد فی قوله تعالی: وَ لَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابْنُ مَرْیمَ مَثَلًا إِذا قَوْمُک مِنْهُ یصِدُّونَ قالت قریش إنما یرید محمد أن نعبده کما عبد قوم عیسی علیه السلام

It has been narrated from Ibn Abbas, who quotes the Prophet of Allah as having said: “O community of the Quraysh, surely there is no good in a thing worshipped other than Allah.” They asked him, “Do you not claim that Isa is a Prophet and a righteous worshipper from the worshippers of Allah, but he worshipped other than Allah?” Then Allah, the Almighty revealed, ‘When the Son of Mariam was cited as an example, behold, your people raise an outcry.’ Mujaahid said regarding the words of Allah, ‘When the Son of Mariam was cited as an example, behold, your people raise an outcry.’ The Quraysh said, “We only want to worship Muhammad just like the people of Isa worshipped him.”

Verse 58: “They say, ‘Are our gods better or he?’ They cite him to you only for the sake of contention. Indeed, they are a contentious lot.”

وَقَالُوٓاْ ءَأَٰلِهَتُنَا خَيۡرٌ أَمۡ هُوَۚ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جَدَلَۢاۚ بَلۡ هُمۡ قَوۡمٌ خَصِمُونَ ٥٨ عن أبی غالب عن أبی أمامة رضی اللّه عنه قال: قال رسول اللّه صلی اللّه علیه و سلم: «ما ضل قوم بعد هدی کانوا علیه إلا أورثوا الجدل»

It has been narrated from Abu Ghaalib, from Abu Amaamah, who quotes the Prophet of Allah as having said: “No people go astray after having been guided, but they resort to (futile) argument.”

عن أبی أمامة رضی اللّه عنه قال: إن رسول اللّه صلی اللّه علیه و سلم خرج علی الناس و هم یتنازعون فی القرآن، فغضب غضبا شدیداً حتی کأنما صب علی وجهه الخل، ثم قال صلی اللّه علیه و سلم: «لا تضربوا کتاب اللّه بعضه ببعض فإنه ما ضل قوم قط إلا أوتوا الجدل»

Abu Amaamah says that the Prophet of Allah came to the people and they contended with each other about the Quran, and he became angry - a severe anger such that it was as though vinegar flowed from his face. Thereafter he said, “Do not cite the Book of Allah some to the others, for surely no people go astray except that they resort to argument.”

Verse 68: “[They will be told,] ‘O My servants! Today you will have no fear, nor will you grieve…”

يَٰعِبَادِ لَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ وَلَآ أَنتُمۡ تَحۡزَنُونَ ٦٨ عن الأعمش عن أبی صالح عن أبی هریرة رضی اللّه عنه قال: قال رسول اللّه صلی اللّه علیه و سلم: «لو أن رجلین تحابا فی اللّه أحدهما بالمشرق و الآخر بالمغرب لجمع اللّه تعالی بینهما یوم القیامة یقول هذا الذی أحببته فی»

It has been narrated from al-Amash, from Abu Salih, from Abu Hurayrah who quotes the Prophet of Allah as having said, “If two men love one another for Allah, and one of them is in the East and the other is in the West, surely Allah will join them together on the Day of Judgement and will say, ‘This is that which you loved.’”

Verse 71: “They will be served around with golden dishes and goblets, and therein will be whatever the souls desire and eyes delight in and ‘you will remain in it [forever].’”

يُطَافُ عَلَيۡهِم بِصِحَافٖ مِّن ذَهَبٖ وَأَكۡوَابٖۖ وَفِيهَا مَا تَشۡتَهِيهِ ٱلۡأَنفُسُ وَتَلَذُّ ٱلۡأَعۡيُنُۖ وَأَنتُمۡ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ ٧١ عن أبی هریرة رضی اللّه عنه أن أبا أمامة رضی اللّه عنه حدث أن رسول اللّه صلی اللّه علیه و سلم حدثهم و ذکر الجنة فقال: «و الذی نفس محمد بیده، لیأخذن أحدکم اللقمة فیجعلها فی فیه، ثم یخطر علی باله طعام آخر فیتحول الطعام الذی فی فیه علی الذی اشتهی»

Abu Hurayrah narrates from Abu Amaamah who said that the Prophet of Allah narrated for them and told them about Paradise, and then he said: “And someone who has Muhammad’s life in His hands, then one of you must take for him a morsel and put it in his mouth. Thereafter his family is brought food at last. Then the food is transformed for someone in his mouth to something that he craves.”

Verse 72: “And that is the paradise you have been given to inherit for what you used to do.”

وَتِلۡكَ ٱلۡجَنَّةُ ٱلَّتِيٓ أُورِثۡتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ ٧٢ عن الأعمش عن أبی صالح عن أبی هریرة رضی اللّه عنه قال: قال رسول اللّه صلی اللّه علیه و سلم: «کل أهل النار یری منزله من الجنة، فیکون له حسرة فیقول لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هَدانِی لَکنْتُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِینَ (الزمر: ۵۷) و کل أهل الجنة یری منزله من النار فیقول وَ ما کنَّا لِنَهْتَدِی لَوْ لا أَنْ هَدانَا اللَّهُ (الأعراف: ۴۳)فیکون له شکرا. قال: و قال رسول اللّه صلی اللّه علیه و سلم ما من أحد إلا و له منزل فی الجنة و منزل فی النار، فالکافر یرث المؤمن منزله من النار. و المؤمن یرث الکافر منزله من الجنة

Al-Amash narrates from Abu Salih, from Abu Hurayrah who quotes the Prophet of Allah as having said: “All of the people of Hell will see their place in Paradise, and for them will be grief. Then he will say: ‘Had Allah guided me I would have surely been among the Allah conscious!’ (Surah al-Zumar, verse 57). All of the people of Paradise will see their place in Hell and they will say: ‘We would never have been guided had Allah not guided us.’ (Surah al-Araaf, verse 43). And they will be thankful to Him.” Then the Prophet of Allah continued: “There is not a single person except that for him there is a place in Paradise and a place in Hell. Then the disbeliever will inherit the place of the believer in Hell, and the believer will inherit the place of the disbeliever in Paradise.”

According to the Shia Traditions

Verse 33: “Were it not [for the danger] that mankind would be one community, We would have made for those who defy the All-Beneficent, silver roofs for their houses and [silver] stairways by which they ascend.”

وَلَوۡلَآ أَن يَكُونَ ٱلنَّاسُ أُمَّةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ لَّجَعَلۡنَا لِمَن يَكۡفُرُ بِٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ لِبُيُوتِهِمۡ سُقُفٗا مِّن فِضَّةٖ وَمَعَارِجَ عَلَيۡهَا يَظۡهَرُونَ ٣٣ و فی الکافی، عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ غَالِبٍ عَنْ أَبِیهِ عَنْ سَعِیدِ بْنِ الْمُسَیبِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ عَلِی بْنَ الْحُسَینِ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ لَوْ لا أَنْ یکونَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً واحِدَةً قَالَ عَنَی بِذَلِک أُمَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ ص أَنْ یکونُوا عَلَی دِینٍ وَاحِدٍ- کفَّاراً کلَّهُمْ لَجَعَلْنا لِمَنْ یکفُرُ بِالرَّحْمنِ لِبُیوتِهِمْ سُقُفاً مِنْ فِضَّةٍ وَ لَوْ فَعَلَ اللَّهُ ذَلِک بِأُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص لَحَزِنَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَ غَمَّهُمْ ذَلِک وَ لَمْ ینَاکحُوهُمْ وَ لَمْ یوَارِثُوهُمْ

It has been narrated in Al-Kafi from Ibn Mahbub, from Abdullah ibn Ghalib, from his father, from Saeed ibn al-Musayb who said, “I asked Husayn ibn Ali regarding the words of Allah in which He says, ‘Were it not [for the danger] that mankind would be one community’ and he replied: ‘The intended meaning of ‘community’ is the nation of Muhammad and if all of the disbelievers had not been of one course then ‘We would have made for those who defy the All-Beneficent, silver roofs for their houses and [silver] stairways by which they ascend.’’”

Verse 45: “Ask those of Our apostles We have sent before you: ‘Did We set up any gods to be worshipped besides the All-Beneficent?’”

وَاسْأَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رُسُلِنَا أَجَعَلْنَا مِنْ دُونِ الرَّحْمَنِ آلِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ٤٥ عن علی بن ابی طالب فی حدیث طویل یقول فیه: وَ أَمَّا قَوْلُهُ وَ سْئَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنا مِنْ قَبْلِک مِنْ رُسُلِنا فَهَذَا مِنْ بَرَاهِینِ نَبِینَا الَّتِی آتَاهُ إِیاهَا وَ أَوْجَبَ بِهِ الْحُجَّةَ عَلَی سَائِرِ خَلْقِهِ لِأَنَّهُ لَمَّا خَتَمَ بِهِ الْأَنْبِیاءَ وَ جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ رَسُولًا إِلَی جَمِیعِ الْأُمَمِ وَ سَائِرِ الْمِلَلِ خَصَّهُ اللَّهُ بِالارْتِقَاءِ إِلَی السَّمَاءِ عِنْدَ الْمِعْرَاجِ- وَ جَمَعَ لَهُ یوْمَئِذٍ الْأَنْبِیاءَ فَعَلِمَ مِنْهُمْ مَا أُرْسِلُوا بِهِ وَ حُمِّلُوهُ مِنْ عَزَائِمِ اللَّهِ وَ آیاتِهِ وَ بَرَاهِینِهِ

In has been narrated from Ali ibn Abi Talib in a long narration that he said: “And [regarding] the verse ‘Ask those of Our apostles We have sent before you’ it is one of the proofs of the Prophethood of the Prophet of Allah, and as a result of that Allah completed His proof upon the rest of creation, in such a way that after He completed Prophethood through the Holy Prophet and ordained him as a Prophet for all of the communities and the remainder of nations, He gave him this privilege that He ascended him to the sky, and on that day He gathered all of the Prophets, and everyone became aware of the Prophethood of the Prophet of Allah, and they presented to him as a present something from the greatness of Allah, the verses and the proofs…”

Verse 84: “It is He who is Allah in the sky, and Allah on the earth, and He is the All-Wise, the All-Knowing.”

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ إِلَٰهٞ وَفِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِلَٰهٞۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٨٤ فی الکافی، بإسناده عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَکمِ قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو شَاکرٍ الدَّیصَانِی- إِنَّ فِی الْقُرْآنِ آیةً هِی قَوْلُنَا قُلْتُ مَا هِی فَقَالَ- وَ هُوَ الَّذِی فِی السَّماءِ إِلهٌ وَ فِی الْأَرْضِ إِلهٌ فَلَمْ أَدْرِ بِمَا أُجِیبُهُ فَحَجَجْتُ فَخَبَّرْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَال‌هَذَا کلَامُ زِنْدِیقٍ خَبِیثٍ إِذَا رَجَعْتَ إِلَیهِ فَقُلْ لَهُ مَا اسْمُک بِالْکوفَةِ فَإِنَّهُ یقُولُ فُلَانٌ فَقُلْ لَهُ مَا اسْمُک بِالْبَصْرَةِ فَإِنَّهُ یقُولُ فُلَانٌ فَقُلْ کذَلِک اللَّهُ رَبُّنَا فِی السَّماءِ إِلهٌ وَ فِی الْأَرْضِ إِلهٌ وَ فِی الْبِحَارِ إِلَهٌ وَ فِی الْقِفَارِ إِلَهٌ وَ فِی کلِّ مَکانٍ إِلَهٌ قَالَ فَقَدِمْتُ فَأَتَیتُ أَبَا شَاکرٍ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ فَقَالَ هَذِهِ نُقِلَتْ مِنَ الْحِجَازِ

It has been narrated in Al-Kafi from Hisham ibn al-Hakam who said that Abu Shakir al-Daysani said, “In the Quran there is a verse that has sealed our platform and policy.” I asked: “Which verse is that?” He replied, “The verse ‘It is He who is Allah in the sky, and Allah on the earth.’” I was unable to reply to him, so I went on the Pilgrimage and told Abu Abdillah about this. He said, “These words are impure atheistic words. When you return, ask him, what is his name in Kufah? He will be compelled to say that my name is such-and-such. Then ask him, what is your name in Basrah? He will say once again, my name is that as it is known in Kufah. Then tell him, Allah is this way also. He is Allah in the sky, and also on the earth, and also in the seas, and also in the deserts, and in all of the places.”

Verse 87: “If you ask them, ‘Who created them?’ they will surely say, ‘Allah.’ Then where do they stray?”

وَلَئِن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّنۡ خَلَقَهُمۡ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤۡفَكُونَ ٨٧ فی الکافی، بإسناده عَنْ أَبِی هَاشِم الْجَعْفَرِی قَالَ:- سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَر الثَّانِی مَا مَعْنَی الْوَاحِد فَقَالَ إِجْمَاعُ الْأَلْسُنِ عَلَیهِ بِالْوَحْدَانِیةِ کقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَی وَ لَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَیقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ

It has been narrated in Al-Kafi from Abu Hisham al-Jafari who said, “I asked the second Abu Jafar, ‘What is the meaning of ‘one’?’ He replied: ‘The consensus and agreement of languages is due to His Oneness as the Quran says: ‘If you ask them, ‘Who created them?’ they will surely say, ‘Allah.’’ That is, even if you ask the polytheists about who created them, they will say, ‘Allah.’”