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Surah 42 · Makkah · 53 āyāt
Phase 04 · Ṭāʾif, al-Isrāʾ and the final Makkan years(c. 5–1 BH) — view in timelineAsh-ShūrāThe Consultation
الشورى
A Makkan surah from the Ḥā Mīm family that opens with the rare letters Ḥā Mīm ʿAyn Sīn Qāf, affirms the unity of revelation across all prophets, and sets out the believers' distinguishing quality: they conduct their affairs by mutual consultation (shūrā). It moves between the grandeur of Allah's creation, the trials of this life set against the far greater reward of the next, and a firm warning that whatever affliction befalls a person is by what his own hands have earned, before closing with a description of how Allah reveals to His messengers by inspiration, by veiled speech, or by sending an angel.
Why it was revealed
Quraysh's leaders continued to reject the message and disputed even after clear signs had been shown to them. The surah addresses believers who had endured harm for their faith, reassuring them that their patience and reliance upon Allah, rather than the numbers or wealth of their opponents, were the true measure of standing before Him.
Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 42:14; al-Ṭabarī on 42:1–2; Ibn Kathīr on 42:38; Ibn Kathīr on 42:43; Ibn Kathīr, introduction to Sūrat ash-Shūrā
Ibn ʿAbbās said regarding the letters that open several sūrahs, including Ḥā Mīm ʿAyn Sīn Qāf, that they are among the names and attributes by which Allah identifies Himself, and their precise meaning is among that which is known to Allah alone, though scholars have offered explanations of their possible significance.
Cited toIbn Kathīr, introduction to Sūrat ash-Shūrā; al-Ṭabarī on 42:1–2
In the Prophet's ﷺ life
Persecution of the early Makkan believers
Believers bore harm from their own tribesmen for accepting the message, and the surah addresses this directly by promising that whoever is patient and forgives, that is of the matters of great resolve.
Recalled in āyah 43
وَلَمَن صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمِنْ عَزْمِ ٱلْأُمُورِ
And whoever is patient and forgives – indeed, that is of the matters [requiring] great resolve.
Cited toIbn Kathīr on 42:43
- 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).
One revelation to every messenger
The surah opens with mysterious letters, then affirms that Allah reveals to this Prophet ﷺ as He revealed to those before him, and that He is the Exalted, the Wise. The heavens are almost rent asunder from above them in awe of Him, and the angels glorify their Lord and seek forgiveness for those on earth.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 42:5; Ibn Kathīr on 42:3
حمٓ
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Ḥā, Mīm.
عٓسٓقٓ
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ʿAyn, Sīn, Qāf.
كَذَٰلِكَ يُوحِىٓ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
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Thus has He revealed to you [O Muḥammad] and to those before you – Allāh, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
تَكَادُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِن فَوْقِهِنَّ ۚ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ
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The heavens almost break apart from above them, and the angels exalt [Allāh] with praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on earth.
From the tafsīr
The statement that Allah reveals to this Messenger ﷺ 'as' He revealed to those before him establishes the continuity of prophetic revelation, refuting the claim that Muḥammad ﷺ brought something wholly unprecedented.
Cited toIbn Kathīr on 42:3
The heavens nearly splitting from above out of reverence for Allah's majesty is mentioned to impress upon the reader the magnitude of the One who sends revelation, so that the message is received with due seriousness.
Cited toAl-Saʿdī on 42:5
Key takeaways
- Every true prophet brought the same essential message from the same source.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 42:5; Ibn Kathīr on 42:3
- The scale of creation's reverence for Allah dwarfs human arrogance.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 42:5; Ibn Kathīr on 42:3
- Angels seeking forgiveness for people on earth is a mercy extended even before repentance is asked.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 42:5; Ibn Kathīr on 42:3
Reflect
Does recognising the continuity of every prophet's message deepen your certainty in this one?
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Question 1 of 2
What does Ibn Kathīr say 42:3 establishes about revelation to the Prophet ﷺ?
Question 2 of 2
What do the angels do for people on earth according to 42:5?
Allah alone legislates religion
Whatever you differ in of a matter, its ruling is to Allah. He is the Creator of the heavens and earth who made pairs for you, nothing is like Him, and He has ordained for you the religion He enjoined upon Nūḥ, and what He has revealed to this Prophet ﷺ, and what He enjoined upon Ibrāhīm, Mūsā and ʿĪsā: to establish religion and not be divided in it.
Drawn fromAl-Ṭabarī on 42:11; Ibn Kathīr on 42:13
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِۦ شَىْءٌ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ
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There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلدِّينِ مَا وَصَّىٰ بِهِۦ نُوحًا وَٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِۦٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰٓ ۖ أَنْ أَقِيمُوا ٱلدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ
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He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Nūḥ, and that which We have revealed to you, and what We enjoined upon Ibrāhīm, Mūsā, and ʿĪsā – to establish the religion and not be divided therein.
From the tafsīr
The core of religion enjoined upon every messenger, from Nūḥ to Muḥammad ﷺ, was the same: worship of Allah alone and unity, not division, over it.
Cited toIbn Kathīr on 42:13
'Nothing is like unto Him' is among the clearest Qur'anic statements negating any resemblance between the Creator and creation, a foundation of correct belief regarding Allah's attributes.
Cited toAl-Ṭabarī on 42:11
Key takeaways
- Disputes are to be referred back to Allah's judgement, not personal opinion.
Drawn fromAl-Ṭabarī on 42:11; Ibn Kathīr on 42:13
- The essential religion of every prophet was tawḥīd and unity, not sectarian division.
Drawn fromAl-Ṭabarī on 42:11; Ibn Kathīr on 42:13
- Allah's incomparability to creation is a bedrock of sound belief.
Drawn fromAl-Ṭabarī on 42:11; Ibn Kathīr on 42:13
Reflect
When you disagree with others about religion, do you return the matter to revelation or to your own preference?
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Question 1 of 2
According to 42:13, what did Allah enjoin upon Nūḥ, Ibrāhīm, Mūsā, ʿĪsā, and Muḥammad ﷺ in common?
Question 2 of 2
What does 'nothing is like unto Him' in 42:11 establish?
Affliction by your own hands, provision by His decree
If Allah increased provision for His servants without measure, they would transgress on earth, so He sends down in measured amount as He wills. Whatever calamity befalls you is because of what your own hands have earned, and He pardons much. Whatever you have been given is but the enjoyment of worldly life, while what is with Allah is better and more lasting for those who believe and rely upon their Lord.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 42:36; Ibn Kathīr on 42:30
وَلَوْ بَسَطَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِۦ لَبَغَوْا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ
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And if Allāh had extended [excessive] provision for His servants, they would have committed transgression on earth.
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُنَزِّلُ ٱلْغَيْثَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُوا
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And it is He who sends down the rain after they had despaired of it.
وَمَآ أَصَـٰبَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ
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And whatever strikes you of disaster, it is for what your hands have earned.
فَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّن شَىْءٍ فَمَتَـٰعُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَمَا عِنْدَ ٱللَّهِ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ
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So whatever thing you have been given is but for enjoyment of worldly life. But what is with Allāh is better and more lasting.
From the tafsīr
The attribution of affliction to one's own deeds is a call to self-examination and repentance rather than blaming fate, though this does not negate that some trials are tests unrelated to specific sins, as with the prophets.
Cited toIbn Kathīr on 42:30
The contrast between the fleeting enjoyment of this world and what is lasting with Allah is meant to reorient the believer's priorities toward the eternal over the temporary.
Cited toAl-Saʿdī on 42:36
Key takeaways
- Unrestrained provision would corrupt people, so Allah measures it out wisely.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 42:36; Ibn Kathīr on 42:30
- Self-examination, not fatalism, is the proper response to affliction.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 42:36; Ibn Kathīr on 42:30
- What is with Allah is described as better and more lasting than any worldly gain.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 42:36; Ibn Kathīr on 42:30
Reflect
When calamity strikes, do you look inward for lessons, or only outward for someone to blame?
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Question 1 of 2
Why does Allah give provision in measured amounts rather than without limit, per 42:27?
Question 2 of 2
What contrast does 42:36 draw?
The qualities of the believers: consultation and forbearance
Those who avoid major sins and immoralities, and when angered they forgive; who respond to their Lord, establish prayer, and conduct their affairs by mutual consultation among themselves; who spend from what We have provided them; and who, when wronged, defend themselves justly — yet whoever is patient and forgives, that is of the matters requiring great resolve.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 42:43; Ibn Kathīr on 42:38
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَـٰٓئِرَ ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ وَإِذَا مَا غَضِبُوا هُمْ يَغْفِرُونَ
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And those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, and when they are angered, they forgive.
وَأَمْرُهُمْ شُورَىٰ بَيْنَهُمْ
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And their affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves.
وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَابَهُمُ ٱلْبَغْىُ هُمْ يَنتَصِرُونَ
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And those who, when they are wronged, they take retribution.
وَجَزَآءُ سَيِّئَةٍ سَيِّئَةٌ مِّثْلُهَا ۖ فَمَنْ عَفَا وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَجْرُهُۥ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ
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And the retribution for an evil act is an evil one like it, but whoever forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is [due] from Allāh.
وَلَمَن صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمِنْ عَزْمِ ٱلْأُمُورِ
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And whoever is patient and forgives – indeed, that is of the matters [requiring] great resolve.
From the tafsīr
Shūrā, mutual consultation, is named as a defining quality of the believing community, later exemplified by the Prophet ﷺ consulting his companions in matters of war and governance despite receiving revelation.
Cited toIbn Kathīr on 42:38
Justice in retaliation is permitted, but forgiveness and patience are elevated as the higher path, described as requiring genuine resolve (ʿazm al-umūr) because they oppose the ego's natural desire for retribution.
Cited toAl-Saʿdī on 42:43
Key takeaways
- Consultation is a Qur'anic value, not merely a cultural or political preference.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 42:43; Ibn Kathīr on 42:38
- Justice permits proportionate response, but forgiveness is the nobler choice.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 42:43; Ibn Kathīr on 42:38
- Restraining anger and forgiving is described as an act requiring real inner strength.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 42:43; Ibn Kathīr on 42:38
Reflect
In your own decisions, do you seek counsel from others, or rely only on your own judgement?
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Question 1 of 2
What quality of believers is highlighted in 42:38 regarding decision-making?
Question 2 of 2
What does al-Saʿdī say about forgiveness in 42:43?
How Allah speaks to His messengers
It is not for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger [angel] to reveal by His permission what He wills. Thus We have revealed to you an inspired Book by Our command, guiding to a straight path — the path of Allah, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth.
Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 42:52; Ibn Kathīr on 42:51
وَمَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُكَلِّمَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا وَحْيًا أَوْ مِن وَرَآءِ حِجَابٍ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ رَسُولًا
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It is not for any human being that Allāh should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a partition or by sending a messenger.
وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ رُوحًا مِّنْ أَمْرِنَا
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And thus We have revealed to you an inspired Book by Our command.
صِرَٰطِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ
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The path of Allāh, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth.
From the tafsīr
The three modes named are: direct inspiration into the heart, speech from behind a veil as with Mūsā at the burning bush, and sending an angel as with Jibrīl bringing revelation to Muḥammad ﷺ.
Cited toIbn Kathīr on 42:51
The description of the Qur'an as 'a spirit' (rūḥan) from Allah's command reflects that it gives life to hearts just as the soul gives life to the body.
Cited toAl-Qurṭubī on 42:52
Key takeaways
- Revelation to prophets took distinct, named forms, none of which involved unmediated vision of Allah in this life.
Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 42:52; Ibn Kathīr on 42:51
- The Qur'an is described as guidance to a straight path, belonging entirely to Allah's dominion.
Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 42:52; Ibn Kathīr on 42:51
- Comparing the Qur'an to a life-giving spirit reflects its role in reviving the heart.
Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 42:52; Ibn Kathīr on 42:51
Reflect
Do you approach the Qur'an as something that gives life to your heart, as this closing description suggests?
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What does calling the Qur'an 'a spirit' from Allah's command reflect, per al-Qurṭubī?
Question 2 of 2
What are the three modes of revelation named in 42:51?
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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.
و ح ي
āyāt 3, 51, 52to reveal, inspire
- يُوحِىٓHe reveals
- وَحْيًاrevelation
- أَوْحَيْنَآWe revealed
ش و ر
āyāt 38to consult, deliberate together
- شُورَىٰmutual consultation
- تَشَاوَرَto consult one another
غ ف ر
āyāt 5, 37, 40to forgive, pardon
- يَسْتَغْفِرُونَthey seek forgiveness
- يَغْفِرُونَthey forgive
- غَفُورthe Most Forgiving
ص ب ر
āyāt 43to be patient, persevere
- صَبَرَhe was patient
- صَبْرpatience
- صَابِرِينthe patient ones
ع ف و
āyāt 25, 40to pardon, erase a wrong
- يَعْفُواHe pardons
- عَفَاhe forgave
- عَفُوّthe Ever-Pardoning
ب غ ي
āyāt 27, 39to transgress, wrong another
- لَبَغَوْاthey would transgress
- ٱلْبَغْىُthe transgression
- بَاغِيone who transgresses
ك س ب
āyāt 30to earn, acquire
- كَسَبَتْit earned
- كَسْبearning
- مَكْسُوبthat which is earned
ب ق ي
āyāt 36to remain, last, endure
- أَبْقَىٰmore lasting
- بَاقِيremaining
- بَقَاءpermanence
ح ج ب
āyāt 51to veil, screen, partition
- حِجَابٍa veil, partition
- حَاجِبa screen, doorkeeper
ر و ح
āyāt 52spirit, life-giving essence
- رُوحًاa spirit
- رُوحthe Spirit (Jibrīl)
- رَاحَةrest, ease
Carry this with you
- Every prophet brought the same core message of tawḥīd and unity in religion, not division.
- Allah is incomparable to His creation, a foundation of correct belief.
- Provision is measured wisely by Allah's knowledge, not by human demand.
- Consultation (shūrā) is a defining trait of the believing community, not a modern import.
- Patience and forgiveness, though justice is permitted, are the matters of true resolve.
- Revelation came to prophets through named, specific means, culminating in the Qur'an as a life-giving guidance.
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.
Sources behind Sūrah Ash-Shūrā
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.
Tafsīr15
- Al-Qurṭubī on 42:14
- Al-Qurṭubī on 42:52
- Al-Saʿdī on 42:36
- Al-Saʿdī on 42:43
- Al-Saʿdī on 42:5
- al-Ṭabarī on 42:1–2
- Al-Ṭabarī on 42:11
- Ibn Kathīr on 42:13
- Ibn Kathīr on 42:27
- Ibn Kathīr on 42:3
- Ibn Kathīr on 42:30
- Ibn Kathīr on 42:38
- Ibn Kathīr on 42:43
- Ibn Kathīr on 42:51
- Ibn Kathīr, introduction to Sūrat ash-Shūrā
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Ash-Shūrā · The qualities of the believers: consultation and forbearance
What does al-Saʿdī say about forgiveness in 42:43?
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