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Surah 46 · Makkah · 35 āyāt

Phase 04 · Ṭāʾif, al-Isrāʾ and the final Makkan years(c. 5–1 BH) — view in timeline

Al-AḥqāfThe Sand Dunes

الأحقاف

A late Makkan surah named after the sand-dune homeland of ʿĀd, the people of Hūd. It opens by affirming that the heavens, earth and everything between them were created in truth and for a fixed term, then turns on the deniers' own arguments: their idols cannot even hear a prayer directed to them, let alone answer it. Between the polemics stand two intimate portraits — the believing child who prays for his aged parents at forty, and the ungrateful child who denies the resurrection to his parents' faces — before the surah closes with the story of a company of jinn who heard the Qurʾān and believed, and a final command to the Prophet ﷺ to bear patiently as the messengers of firm resolve bore before him.

Why it was revealed

The surah is closely tied to the aftermath of the Prophet's ﷺ journey to Ṭāʾif, where he was rejected and stoned, and to his return through the valley of Nakhlah, where a group of jinn passed by while he recited the Qurʾān in prayer and believed without his even seeing them. The surah's closing address to unseen listeners of the Qurʾān reflects this episode, and its call to patience answers the bitterness of Ṭāʾif directly.

Drawn fromṢaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4921; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4921 (occasion of the jinn's audition); Ibn Kathīr on 46:21–25; Ibn Kathīr on 46:29–32; Ibn Kathīr on 46:35; Ibn Kathīr, introduction to Sūrat al-Aḥqāf; Ibn Kathīr, tafsīr of 46:29–32 and introduction to Sūrat al-Aḥqāf

Ibn ʿAbbās reported: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out for Ṭāʾif seeking support and, finding none, turned back. When he reached Nakhlah he stood in prayer reciting the Qurʾān, and a group of jinn passed by and listened to him, then went back to their people saying, 'We have heard a wondrous recitation which guides to the right path, so we have believed in it.' Allah then revealed to His Prophet ﷺ, 'And [mention] when We directed to you a group of the jinn, listening to the Qurʾān...' (46:29).

Cited toṢaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4921 (occasion of the jinn's audition); Ibn Kathīr, tafsīr of 46:29–32 and introduction to Sūrat al-Aḥqāf

In the Prophet's ﷺ life

Lossc. 10 BH · Age About 50 · Ṭāʾif

Rejection at Ṭāʾif

The Prophet ﷺ travelled to Ṭāʾif seeking refuge and support after the intensifying persecution in Makkah; he was mocked, stoned and driven out by its chiefs and youths.

Recalled in āyah 35

فَٱصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُوْلُوا ٱلْعَزْمِ مِنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ

So be patient, as those of firm resolve among the messengers were patient.

Cited toIbn Kathīr, introduction to Sūrat al-Aḥqāf

  • Madd — 2 vowels
  • Madd — 2, 4 or 6 vowels
  • Madd — 6 vowels (lāzim)
  • Madd — 4 or 5 vowels (wājib)
  • Ghunnah — 2 vowels
  • Qalqalah
  • Ikhfāʾ
  • Ikhfāʾ shafawī
  • Idghām shafawī
  • Idghām with ghunnah
  • Idghām without ghunnah
  • Idghām mutajānisayn
  • Idghām mutaqāribayn
  • Iqlāb
  • Hamzat al-waṣl
  • Lām shamsiyyah
  • Silent letter

Tajwīd markup and colour convention: Quran.com API (v4) — text_uthmani_tajweed. Recitation audio: Quran.com / Quran Foundation Audio API (v4).

THEME 01Āyāt 1–6

Created in truth, for a fixed term

The heavens and earth and everything between them were created in truth (bil-ḥaqq) and for an appointed term, not in vain. The idols the disbelievers call upon cannot even hear their prayer, let alone answer it, and on the Day of Judgement they will be enemies to those who worshipped them and will deny they were ever worshipped.

Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 46:5; Ibn Kathīr on 46:3

1

حم

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Ḥā, Mīm.

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3

مَا خَلَقْنَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى

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We did not create the heavens and earth and what is between them except in truth and for a specified term.

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4

قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ

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Say, 'Have you considered whatever you invoke besides Allāh?'

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5

وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدْعُوا مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُۥ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ

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And who is more astray than one who invokes besides Allāh that which will not answer him until the Day of Resurrection?

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6

وَإِذَا حُشِرَ ٱلنَّاسُ كَانُوا لَهُمْ أَعْدَآءً وَكَانُوا بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَـٰفِرِينَ

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And when mankind is gathered, they will be enemies to them and will deny their worship.

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From the tafsīr

'Bil-ḥaqq' (in truth) negates the notion that creation is purposeless play; everything has a wise end appointed by Allah, and the fixed term (ajal musammā) points directly to the resurrection the deniers were rejecting.

Cited toIbn Kathīr on 46:3

The idols' total inability to hear a supplication — let alone respond to it — is presented as the plainest possible proof against directing worship to them, since even minimal capacity to respond is absent.

Cited toAl-Saʿdī on 46:5

Key takeaways

Reflect

What do you turn to for help that, on reflection, cannot even hear you?

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Question 1 of 2

What is the simplest proof al-Saʿdī draws from 46:5 against worshipping idols?

Question 2 of 2

What does 'bil-ḥaqq' (in truth) in 46:3 negate, according to Ibn Kathīr?

THEME 02Āyāt 15

The child's prayer at forty

A believing child, having reached maturity and forty years of age, prays: My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favour upon me and upon my parents, and to do righteous deeds pleasing to You, and make righteous for me my offspring; indeed, I have repented to You, and I am among the Muslims.

Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 46:15; Ibn Kathīr on 46:15

15

رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِىٓ أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَىَّ

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My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favour which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents.

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From the tafsīr

The mention of forty years is understood as the age of full maturity of intellect and strength, at which a person's gratitude to Allah and to parents becomes a settled, conscious commitment rather than youthful sentiment.

Cited toIbn Kathīr on 46:15

The duʿāʾ links three gratitudes in sequence — to Allah, in righteous deeds, and in righteous offspring — showing that personal righteousness is meant to extend outward to one's children.

Cited toAl-Qurṭubī on 46:15

Key takeaways

Reflect

If you prayed this duʿāʾ honestly today, which part would be hardest to mean sincerely?

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Question 1 of 1

What does the mention of 'forty years' in 46:15 signify, per Ibn Kathīr?

THEME 03Āyāt 17–18

The child who denies the resurrection to his parents' faces

In direct contrast stands the child who says to his believing parents, 'Do you promise me that I will be raised up when generations before me have already passed?' while they cry out to Allah for him and warn him, and he only replies, 'This is nothing but the tales of old.' Such people are counted among the losers whose word has come to pass in earlier communities.

Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 46:18; Ibn Kathīr on 46:17

17

وَٱلَّذِى قَالَ لِوَٰلِدَيْهِ أَفٍّ لَّكُمَآ أَتَعِدَانِنِىٓ أَنْ أُخْرَجَ

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And the one who says to his parents, 'Woe to you both, do you promise me that I will be raised up?'

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18

أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقَوْلُ فِىٓ أُمَمٍ قَدْ خَلَتْ

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Those are the ones upon whom the word has come to pass, among nations that have already passed away.

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From the tafsīr

The scene is placed immediately after the grateful child's duʿāʾ so that the contrast between gratitude and denial, occurring even within the same family, is made vivid rather than abstract.

Cited toIbn Kathīr on 46:17

That the parents' pleading avails nothing shows that guidance is not transmitted by kinship or emotional appeal alone; it depends on the individual's own response to truth.

Cited toAl-Saʿdī on 46:18

Key takeaways

Reflect

Is there truth you have dismissed too quickly as old news rather than examined honestly?

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Question 1 of 1

Why is the story of the ungrateful child placed immediately after the grateful child's prayer in 46:15?

THEME 04Āyāt 21–26

The people of the Sand Dunes: ʿĀd and Hūd

Hūd warned his people, the men of al-Aḥqāf, yet they said, 'Have you come to turn us away from our gods? Bring us what you threaten us with, if you are truthful.' When they saw a cloud approaching their valleys they rejoiced, thinking it rain, but it was the very punishment they had demanded — a wind carrying a painful torment, destroying everything it was commanded to destroy, leaving nothing visible but their dwellings.

Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 46:26; Ibn Kathīr on 46:24–25

21

وَٱذْكُرْ أَخَا عَادٍ إِذْ أَنذَرَ قَوْمَهُۥ بِٱلْأَحْقَافِ

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And mention the brother of ʿĀd, when he warned his people at the sand dunes [al-Aḥqāf].

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24

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ عَارِضًا مُّسْتَقْبِلَ أَوْدِيَتِهِمْ قَالُوا هَـٰذَا عَارِضٌ مُّمْطِرُنَا

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So when they saw it as a cloud approaching their valleys, they said, 'This is a cloud bringing us rain.'

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25

تُدَمِّرُ كُلَّ شَىْءٍۭ بِأَمْرِ رَبِّهَا

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Destroying everything by the command of its Lord.

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26

وَلَقَدْ مَكَّنَّـٰهُمْ فِيمَآ إِن مَّكَّنَّـٰكُمْ فِيهِ

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And We had certainly established them in like power to what We have established you.

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From the tafsīr

ʿĀd's mistaking the punishing cloud for rain is highlighted as the height of misplaced confidence: they read a sign of mercy backwards into their own destruction because they had refused every warning that preceded it.

Cited toIbn Kathīr on 46:24–25

The remark that Allah had established them more firmly than Quraysh in strength, hearing and sight, yet none of that availed them, is read as a direct warning transferable to any powerful people who deny the truth.

Cited toAl-Qurṭubī on 46:26

Key takeaways

Reflect

What strengths or resources do you rely on that could not, in themselves, save anyone?

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Question 1 of 2

What did ʿĀd mistake the punishing wind for, per 46:24?

Question 2 of 2

What point does al-Qurṭubī draw from 46:26 about ʿĀd's strength?

THEME 05Āyāt 29–32

The jinn who listened and believed

A company of jinn were directed to listen to the Qurʾān; when it ended they returned to their people as warners, saying they had heard a Book revealed after Mūsā confirming what came before it, guiding to the truth and a straight path, and calling their people to respond to Allah and believe in him, for it would forgive their sins and save them from a painful punishment.

Drawn fromṢaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4921; Ibn Kathīr on 46:31–32

29

وَإِذْ صَرَفْنَآ إِلَيْكَ نَفَرًا مِّنَ ٱلْجِنِّ يَسْتَمِعُونَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ

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And [mention] when We directed to you a group of the jinn, listening to the Qurʾān.

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30

قَالُوا يَـٰقَوْمَنَآ إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا كِتَـٰبًا أُنزِلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰ

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They said, 'O our people, indeed we have heard a Book revealed after Mūsā.'

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31

يَـٰقَوْمَنَآ أَجِيبُوا دَاعِىَ ٱللَّهِ وَءَامِنُوا بِهِۦ

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O our people, respond to the caller of Allāh and believe in him.

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32

وَمَن لَّا يُجِبْ دَاعِىَ ٱللَّهِ فَلَيْسَ بِمُعْجِزٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ

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And whoever does not respond to the caller of Allāh will not escape [His punishment] on earth.

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From the tafsīr

This audition occurred on the Prophet's ﷺ return from Ṭāʾif at the valley of Nakhlah; he did not see the jinn but was informed of their belief through this revelation.

Cited toṢaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4921

The jinn's own call to their people — respond to Allah's caller, believe in him — mirrors exactly the daʿwah addressed to mankind, showing the Qurʾān's address and its saving power extend to the unseen creation as well.

Cited toIbn Kathīr on 46:31–32

Key takeaways

Reflect

The jinn acted on guidance immediately and warned others. How quickly do you act on truth you recognise?

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Question 1 of 1

Where and when did the jinn's audition of the Qurʾān described in 46:29 occur?

THEME 06Āyāt 33–35

Patience like the messengers of firm resolve

Do they not see that Allah, who created the heavens and earth and did not tire in doing so, is able to give life to the dead? On the Day the deniers are shown the Fire, they will be asked, 'Is this not the truth?' and will affirm it, tasting the punishment for their disbelief. The Prophet ﷺ is then commanded to be patient as the messengers of firm resolve (ulū al-ʿazm) were patient, and not to seek to hasten the punishment for them.

Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 46:35; Ibn Kathīr on 46:33

33

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَلَمْ يَعْىَ بِخَلْقِهِنَّ بِقَـٰدِرٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ

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Do they not see that Allāh, who created the heavens and earth and did not tire in their creation, is able to give life to the dead?

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35

فَٱصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُوْلُوا ٱلْعَزْمِ مِنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ

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So be patient, as those of firm resolve among the messengers were patient.

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From the tafsīr

The argument moves from the greater to the lesser: the One who created the heavens and earth without any fatigue is certainly able to resurrect a single human being, which is a smaller matter by comparison.

Cited toIbn Kathīr on 46:33

Being commanded to emulate the patience of the ulū al-ʿazm among the messengers ties the Prophet's ﷺ trial at Makkah directly to the trials of Nūḥ, Ibrāhīm, Mūsā and ʿĪsā, situating his hardship within a long line of prophetic endurance.

Cited toAl-Saʿdī on 46:35

Key takeaways

Reflect

Where in your life are you tempted to demand immediate results instead of patient endurance?

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Check yourself

0 / 2 correct

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Question 1 of 2

Who are the 'ulū al-ʿazm' the Prophet ﷺ is told to emulate in patience in 46:35?

Question 2 of 2

What argument does 46:33 use to prove the resurrection is possible?

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VOCABULARY

Roots from this surah

Learn the three-letter root and you unlock every word built from it — across the whole Qur'an, not just this surah.

ح ق ق

āyāt 3, 18

truth, reality, to become due

  • بِٱلْحَقِّin truth
  • حَقَّit became due
  • ٱلْأَحْقَافِthe sand dunes

د ع و

āyāt 4, 5, 31, 32

to call, invoke, pray

  • تَدْعُونَyou invoke
  • دَاعِىَthe caller
  • دُعَآءsupplication

و ز ع

āyāt 15

to inspire, grant, restrain

  • أَوْزِعْنِىٓgrant/inspire me
  • وَازِعrestrainer

ش ك ر

āyāt 15

to be grateful, thank

  • أَشْكُرَI am grateful
  • شُكْرgratitude
  • شَاكِرgrateful one

ح ق ف

āyāt 21

sand dune, curved mound of sand

  • ٱلْأَحْقَافِthe sand dunes
  • حِقْفa sand dune

ج ن ن

āyāt 18, 29

to conceal, the jinn (hidden creation)

  • ٱلْجِنِّthe jinn
  • جَنَّةgarden/paradise
  • مَجْنُونpossessed/insane

س م ع

āyāt 26, 29, 30

to hear, listen

  • يَسْتَمِعُونَthey listen
  • سَمِعْنَاwe heard
  • سَمْعhearing

ج و ب

āyāt 5, 31, 32

to answer, respond

  • يَسْتَجِيبُhe responds
  • أَجِيبُواrespond!
  • إِجَابَةresponse

ع ز م

āyāt 35

firm resolve, determination

  • ٱلْعَزْمِfirm resolve
  • عَزَمَhe resolved
  • عَزِيمَةdetermination

د م ر

āyāt 25

to destroy utterly

  • تُدَمِّرُit destroys
  • تَدْمِيرdestruction

ص ب ر

āyāt 35

to be patient, persevere

  • فَٱصْبِرْso be patient
  • صَبَرَhe was patient
  • صَبْرpatience

م ك ن

āyāt 26

to establish, empower

  • مَكَّنَّـٰهُمْWe established them
  • تَمْكِينempowerment

Carry this with you

  • Creation has purpose and a fixed term; nothing in it is idle play, and resurrection is its culmination.
  • An object of worship that cannot hear a prayer is disqualified from worship by the plainest logic.
  • Gratitude and denial can appear within the same family; guidance is a personal response, not an inheritance.
  • Strength and resources, however great, cannot save a people who persist in denying clear truth.
  • The jinn's swift belief and daʿwah to their own people at Nakhlah models an immediate response to guidance.
  • Patience without demanding quick vindication is the standard set by the greatest of the messengers.

Where this surah connects

Cross-surah threads

Parts of the Qurʾān explain other parts. Each thread below opens the same subject as it is argued across every other surah you have studied, in revelation order.

The Hour and the accounting4 movementsThe signs you already walk on3 movementsThe four trials2 movementsProvision, wealth and the tongue that forgets1 movementPatience while the answer is delayed1 movement
All threads →

Sources behind Sūrah Al-Aḥqāf

Every line of context, tafsīr and takeaway on this page traces back to one of these references. Ḥadīth numbers open on sunnah.com and āyah references open on quran.com, so you can check the claim rather than take it on trust. The Arabic text itself is fetched live from a verified public corpus.

FINAL ASSESSMENT

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Al-Aḥqāf — full exam

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Al-Aḥqāf · The people of the Sand Dunes: ʿĀd and Hūd

What point does al-Qurṭubī draw from 46:26 about ʿĀd's strength?

Arabic (Uthmānī script) and the Ṣaḥīḥ International translation are fetched live from the Quran.com API (v4), sourced from the King Fahd Complex muṣḥaf — api.quran.com API docs · Translation: Ṣaḥīḥ International · Integrity & testing protocol