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Surah 43 · Makkah · 89 āyāt
Phase 04 · Ṭāʾif, al-Isrāʾ and the final Makkan years(c. 5–1 BH) — view in timelineAz-ZukhrufThe Ornaments of Gold
الزخرف
A Makkan surah opening with Ḥā Mīm and an oath by the clear Book, confronting the disbelievers' argument that revelation should have come to a 'great man' from one of the two towns, and their assumption that worldly wealth (gold ornaments) marks divine favour. It recounts Ibrāhīm's disowning of his people's idols, Mūsā and Firʿawn, and ʿĪsā as a sign, before closing with a description of the Hour and the futility of wealth and status without faith.
Why it was revealed
Quraysh's leaders argued that if the Qur'an were true revelation, it would have been sent to a prominent, wealthy man from Makkah or Ṭāʾif, revealing their belief that worldly status determined worthiness of prophethood. The surah directly refutes this by asking whether they distribute the mercy of their Lord.
Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 43:51–53; Ibn Kathīr on 43:26–27; Ibn Kathīr on 43:31–32; Ibn Kathīr, introduction to Sūrat az-Zukhruf and on 43:31–32
Ibn ʿAbbās reported that the disbelievers said, 'Why was this Qur'an not sent down to a great man of the two cities [Makkah and Ṭāʾif]?', meaning al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah of Makkah or ʿUrwah ibn Masʿūd of Ṭāʾif, and Allah responded by asking whether they apportion the mercy of their Lord.
Cited toIbn Kathīr, introduction to Sūrat az-Zukhruf and on 43:31–32
In the Prophet's ﷺ life
Quraysh's demand for a wealthy prophet
The elite of Makkah objected that revelation should have gone to a man of wealth and standing rather than to Muḥammad ﷺ, exposing their equation of status with worth before Allah.
Recalled in āyah 31, 32
وَقَالُوا لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانُ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنَ ٱلْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ
And they said, 'Why was this Qur'an not sent down to a great man from [one of] the two cities?'
أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَتَ رَبِّكَ
Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord?
Cited toIbn Kathīr on 43:31–32
- 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).
The clear Book and the choice of language
Ḥā Mīm. By the clear Book, indeed We have made it an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand, and indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book with Us, exalted and full of wisdom.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 43:4; Ibn Kathīr on 43:3
حمٓ
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Ḥā, Mīm.
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَـٰهُ قُرْءَٰنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
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Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand.
وَإِنَّهُۥ فِىٓ أُمِّ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِىٌّ حَكِيمٌ
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And indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book with Us, exalted and full of wisdom.
From the tafsīr
The Qur'an was revealed in Arabic to the Arab audience first receiving it, not as a limitation on its universality but as the clearest means of initial comprehension and transmission.
Cited toIbn Kathīr on 43:3
'The Mother of the Book' refers to al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ, the Preserved Tablet, affirming that the Qur'an's origin is exalted and beyond any deficiency, prior to its revelation on earth.
Cited toAl-Saʿdī on 43:4
Key takeaways
- Revelation in a clear, understood language was a mercy to its first audience.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 43:4; Ibn Kathīr on 43:3
- The Qur'an's origin in the Preserved Tablet affirms its transcendent, unaltered status.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 43:4; Ibn Kathīr on 43:3
- Wisdom (ḥikmah) is named as an inherent quality of the Qur'an itself.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 43:4; Ibn Kathīr on 43:3
Reflect
Do you engage the Qur'an as a book meant to be understood, not merely recited?
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Question 1 of 2
What does 'the Mother of the Book' refer to in 43:4?
Question 2 of 2
Why was the Qur'an revealed in Arabic according to Ibn Kathīr on 43:3?
Gold ornaments are not the measure of truth
They said, 'Why was this Qur'an not sent down to a great man of the two cities?' Allah replies: do they distribute the mercy of your Lord? We have distributed among them their livelihood in this world, and if it were not that people would become one community [of disbelievers], We would have given houses of silver roofs and stairs of gold to those who disbelieve — yet all that is but the enjoyment of this worldly life, while the Hereafter with your Lord is for the righteous.
Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 43:33; Ibn Kathīr on 43:32
وَقَالُوا لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانُ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنَ ٱلْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ
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And they said, 'Why was this Qur'an not sent down to a great man from [one of] the two cities?'
أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَتَ رَبِّكَ
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Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord?
وَلَوْلَآ أَن يَكُونَ ٱلنَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً لَّجَعَلْنَا لِمَن يَكْفُرُ بِٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ لِبُيُوتِهِمْ سُقُفًا مِّن فِضَّةٍ
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And if it were not that the people would become one community [of disbelievers], We would have made for those who disbelieve in the Most Merciful, for their houses, ceilings of silver.
وَإِن كُلُّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۚ وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
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And that is not but the enjoyment of worldly life. And the Hereafter with your Lord is for the righteous.
From the tafsīr
The rhetorical question 'do they distribute the mercy of your Lord?' exposes the flawed premise that human beings determine who deserves prophethood based on wealth, when this is Allah's exclusive decision.
Cited toIbn Kathīr on 43:32
That Allah would have given disbelievers houses of gold and silver were it not for the risk of leading all people toward disbelief through greed shows that worldly abundance is not a sign of divine approval.
Cited toAl-Qurṭubī on 43:33
Key takeaways
- Prophethood and guidance are Allah's decision alone, not determined by wealth or status.
Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 43:33; Ibn Kathīr on 43:32
- Worldly abundance given to disbelievers can be a trial, not evidence of favour.
Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 43:33; Ibn Kathīr on 43:32
- The Hereafter, not gold, is described as reserved for the righteous.
Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 43:33; Ibn Kathīr on 43:32
Reflect
Do you ever mistake someone's wealth or status for a sign of their nearness to Allah?
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Question 1 of 2
What false premise does Allah's question in 43:32 expose?
Question 2 of 2
Why did Allah not give disbelievers houses of gold and silver according to 43:33, per al-Qurṭubī?
Ibrāhīm's disownment of idolatry
And [mention] when Ibrāhīm said to his father and his people, 'Indeed, I am disassociated from that which you worship, except He who created me, for indeed He will guide me.' And he made it a word remaining among his descendants, that they might return [to it].
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 43:28; Ibn Kathīr on 43:26–27
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّنِى بَرَآءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ
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And [mention] when Ibrāhīm said to his father and his people, 'Indeed, I am disassociated from that which you worship.'
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنِى فَإِنَّهُۥ سَيَهْدِينِ
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Except He who created me; and indeed, He will guide me.
وَجَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةًۢ بَاقِيَةً فِى عَقِبِهِۦ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
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And he made it a word remaining among his descendants that they might return [to it].
From the tafsīr
Ibrāhīm's declaration of barā'ah (disownment) from idolatry, coupled with affirming Allah as his Creator and Guide, became the template of tawḥīd passed down as 'the word' that remained among his righteous descendants.
Cited toIbn Kathīr on 43:26–27
'That they might return' shows that Ibrāhīm's declaration was intended as a permanent reminder calling later generations back to pure monotheism whenever they strayed.
Cited toAl-Saʿdī on 43:28
Key takeaways
- Disowning falsehood is a necessary companion to affirming truth, not optional.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 43:28; Ibn Kathīr on 43:26–27
- Ibrāhīm's stance against his own father shows truth takes precedence over lineage.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 43:28; Ibn Kathīr on 43:26–27
- A clear statement of tawḥīd was deliberately preserved as a legacy for later generations.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 43:28; Ibn Kathīr on 43:26–27
Reflect
What false loyalties might you need to disown for the sake of clear tawḥīd?
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Question 1 of 2
What does 'that they might return' in 43:28 indicate?
Question 2 of 2
What did Ibrāhīm declare to his father and people in 43:26?
Firʿawn's gold bracelets and Mūsā's truth
Firʿawn proclaimed to his people, 'Is this not better than me, a man who is despised and can hardly make himself clear? Why then have not bracelets of gold been placed upon him, or the angels come with him in conjunction?' Thus he bluffed his people and they obeyed him, for they were a people defiantly disobedient, so when they angered Us, We took retribution from them and drowned them all.
Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 43:52–53; Ibn Kathīr on 43:54–56
وَنَادَىٰ فِرْعَوْنُ فِى قَوْمِهِۦ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ أَلَيْسَ لِى مُلْكُ مِصْرَ
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And Firʿawn called out among his people; he said, 'O my people, does not the kingdom of Egypt belong to me?'
أَمْ أَنَا۠ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى هُوَ مَهِينٌ وَلَا يَكَادُ يُبِينُ
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Or am I not better than this one who is insignificant and hardly makes himself clear?
فَلَوْلَآ أُلْقِىَ عَلَيْهِ أَسْوِرَةٌ مِّن ذَهَبٍ أَوْ جَآءَ مَعَهُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ مُقْتَرِنِينَ
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Then why have not bracelets of gold been placed upon him, or come with him the angels in conjunction?
فَٱسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُۥ فَأَطَاعُوهُ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَـٰسِقِينَ
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So he bluffed his people, and they obeyed him. Indeed, they were a people defiantly disobedient.
فَلَمَّآ ءَاسَفُونَا ٱنتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَـٰهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
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And when they angered Us, We took retribution from them and drowned them all.
From the tafsīr
Firʿawn's mockery of Mūsā's lack of golden bracelets — a mark of nobility in ancient Egypt — parallels Quraysh's own logic that revelation should mark itself with material grandeur.
Cited toAl-Qurṭubī on 43:52–53
'He bluffed his people' shows how tyrants manipulate the masses through appeals to superficial status rather than truth, and their eventual drowning stands as the consequence of following such deception.
Cited toIbn Kathīr on 43:54–56
Key takeaways
- Tyrants often use symbols of wealth to discredit truth carried by the humble.
Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 43:52–53; Ibn Kathīr on 43:54–56
- Following a leader's status over evident truth is described as a form of foolishness that invites destruction.
Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 43:52–53; Ibn Kathīr on 43:54–56
- The same flawed logic recurs across history: Firʿawn against Mūsā, Quraysh against Muḥammad ﷺ.
Drawn fromAl-Qurṭubī on 43:52–53; Ibn Kathīr on 43:54–56
Reflect
Are you swayed more by someone's outward status or by the truth of what they say?
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Question 1 of 2
What happened to Firʿawn's people after they followed his deception, per 43:55?
Question 2 of 2
What did Firʿawn mock Mūsā for lacking, per 43:53?
Friends become enemies, except the righteous
Close friends, that Day, will be enemies to each other, except the righteous. [To the latter it will be said], 'O My servants, no fear will there be concerning you this Day, nor will you grieve, [you] who believed in Our verses and were Muslims. Enter Paradise, you and your kinds, delighted.'
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 43:70; Ibn Kathīr on 43:67
ٱلْأَخِلَّآءُ يَوْمَئِذٍۭ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ
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Close friends, that Day, will be enemies to each other, except the righteous.
يَـٰعِبَادِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ وَلَآ أَنتُمْ تَحْزَنُونَ
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[To them it will be said], 'O My servants, no fear will there be concerning you this Day, nor will you grieve.'
ٱدْخُلُوا ٱلْجَنَّةَ أَنتُمْ وَأَزْوَٰجُكُمْ تُحْبَرُونَ
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Enter Paradise, you and your kinds, delighted.
يُطَافُ عَلَيْهِم بِصِحَافٍ مِّن ذَهَبٍ وَأَكْوَابٍ
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There will be circulated among them plates and vessels of gold.
From the tafsīr
Worldly friendships built on other than righteousness will turn to mutual blame and enmity on the Day of Judgement, while friendships rooted in faith will endure into the Hereafter.
Cited toIbn Kathīr on 43:67
The address 'O My servants' as a direct honour to the believers reflects Allah's closeness and mercy to those who held to belief and submission in this life.
Cited toAl-Saʿdī on 43:70
Key takeaways
- The basis of a friendship determines whether it survives into the Hereafter.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 43:70; Ibn Kathīr on 43:67
- Righteous companionship is one of the few things that carries over past death.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 43:70; Ibn Kathīr on 43:67
- Direct address from Allah as 'My servants' is described as among the highest honours for believers.
Drawn fromAl-Saʿdī on 43:70; Ibn Kathīr on 43:67
Reflect
Are your closest friendships built on a foundation that will last into the Hereafter?
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What does the address 'O My servants' in 43:70 reflect, per al-Saʿdī?
Question 2 of 2
What happens to close friendships on the Day of Judgement, per 43:67?
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Roots from this surah
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ب ر أ
āyāt 26to be free of, disassociate
- بَرَآءٌdisassociated
- بَرِىءinnocent, free of
ب ق ي
āyāt 28to remain, endure
- بَاقِيَةًremaining
- بَاقِيlasting
ق س م
āyāt 32to divide, distribute
- يَقْسِمُونَthey distribute
- قِسْمَةa division
ف ض ض
āyāt 33silver, to scatter
- فِضَّةٍsilver
و ق ي
āyāt 35to protect, guard, be conscious of Allah
- لِلْمُتَّقِينَfor the righteous
- تَقْوَىٰGod-consciousness
ق ر ن
āyāt 36to accompany, pair, join
- قَرِينٌa companion
- مُقْتَرِنِينَin conjunction
م ل ك
āyāt 51to possess, rule, kingdom
- مُلْكُkingdom
- مَلِكking
خ ف ف
āyāt 54to lighten, make light of
- فَٱسْتَخَفَّhe made light of, bluffed
- خَفِيفlight
ن ق م
āyāt 55to take retribution, avenge
- ٱنتَقَمْنَاWe took retribution
- نِقْمَةvengeance
خ ل ل
āyāt 67friendship, closeness
- ٱلْأَخِلَّآءُclose friends
- خَلِيلclose friend
Carry this with you
- The Qur'an was revealed in clear Arabic, its origin exalted in the Preserved Tablet.
- Prophethood and guidance are Allah's decision, never determined by wealth or status.
- Ibrāhīm's disownment of idolatry, even from his own father, models the priority of truth over lineage.
- Firʿawn's mockery of Mūsā's lack of gold mirrors Quraysh's own flawed logic about worldly grandeur.
- Friendships built on other than righteousness turn to enmity on the Day of Judgement.
- Worldly abundance, even gold and silver, is described as mere temporary enjoyment compared with the Hereafter.
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 Az-Zukhruf
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Tafsīr13
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Az-Zukhruf · Ibrāhīm's disownment of idolatry
What does 'that they might return' in 43:28 indicate?
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