The merit of Surah Al-Hijr is that it belongs to the Mathani, given to the Prophet ﷺ in place of the Gospel, according to the hadith of Wathilah ibn al-Asqa’. In it Allah promises to preserve the Qur’an from any alteration, threatens those who mock it, strengthens the Prophet ﷺ and commands him to proclaim his call and glorify his Lord until his appointed end.
It belongs to the Mathani given to the Prophet ﷺ in place of the Gospel, according to the hadith of Wathilah ibn al-Asqa’: “I was given in place of the Torah the seven long ones, in place of the Psalms the Mi’in, in place of the Gospel the Mathani, and I was favoured with the Mufassal.”
The surah declares that Allah has taken upon Himself to preserve His Book from any alteration: its texts remain as Allah revealed them, a proof against every distorter and false interpreter, and a proof of the divine origin of this preserved Book.
The surah tells the Prophet ﷺ not to care for the enjoyments Allah has given some people as a trial, for they are fleeting, and reminds him that the Mathani and the Great Qur’an he received are the lasting truth.
Arabic text, translation, reference and authenticity grade of each hadith.
جاز رسول الله ﷺ، ورجلاً يقرأ سورة الحجر وسورة الكهف، فسكت. فقال رسول الله ﷺ: هذا المجلس الذي أمرت أن أصبر نفسي معهم
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by while a man was reciting Surah Al-Hijr and Surah Al-Kahf, and then he fell silent. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “This is the gathering with whom I was commanded to keep myself patient.”
Main purpose: To threaten those who mock the Qur’an and promise its preservation, in support and reassurance of the Prophet ﷺ.
Al-Hijr is a Meccan surah by consensus, the 15th in the order of the Qur’an, revealed after Yusuf; it has ninety-nine verses and no other name. It is named after Al-Hijr, a word found only in this surah: the people of Al-Hijr were the people of Salih, who carved their homes out of the mountains; their remains still stand between Khaybar and Tabuk, and the Prophet ﷺ passed by them on his way to the expedition of Tabuk.
The full Arabic text: introduction, virtues, themes, and a study of the chain and authenticity of each hadith.
