Surah Az-Zukhruf is one of the Hawamim that the Prophet ﷺ recommended to a man who asked him to teach him to recite (authentic hadith), and Ibn Mas’ud said: “The Hawamim are the brocade of the Qur’an” (authentic chain). It is one of the Mathani given to the Prophet ﷺ (or the Mi’in in another view) and warns against being seduced by the ornaments of this world.
It is one of the Mathani given to the Prophet ﷺ in place of the Gospel; according to another view, one of the Mi’in given in place of the Psalms. Both categories appear in the hadith of Wathilah ibn al-Asqa’.
To a man who asked him to teach him to recite, the Prophet ﷺ indicated three surahs opening with “Alif-Lam-Ra”, then those opening with “Ha-Mim”, then the Musabbihat, before teaching him Az-Zalzalah. This shows the high rank of these surahs; Az-Zukhruf is one of the seven Hawamim.
Authentic (sahih)Ahmad, Abu Dawud (1399) and Ibn Hibban (773)
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud said: “The Hawamim are the brocade of the Qur’an”, and Az-Zukhruf is one of them.
Authentic (sahih)Ibn Abi Shaybah (10332), Al-Hakim and Abu Ubayd
The surah opens by praising the Qur’an: it is sent down by the Lord of the worlds and challenges people to produce its like, for it is the sign of the Messenger’s ﷺ truthfulness.
Arabic text, translation, reference and authenticity grade of each hadith.
أعطيت مكان التوراة السبع الطوال، ومكان الزبور المئين، ومكان الإنجيل المثاني، وفضلت بالمفصل
“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.”
أتى رجل رسول الله ﷺ فقال: أقرئني يا رسول الله، قال له: اقرأ ثلاثًا من ذات «الراء». فقال الرجل: كبرت سني واشتد قلبي وغلظ لساني، قال: فاقرأ من ذات «حم». فقال مثل مقالته الأولى فقال: اقرأ ثلاثًا من المسبحات. فقال مثل مقالته، فقال الرجل: ولكن أقرئني يا رسول الله سورة جامعة، فأقرأه إذا زلزلت الأرض حتى فرغ منها، قال الرجل: والذي بعثك بالحق لا أزيد عليها أبدًا. ثم أدبر الرجل فقال رسول الله ﷺ: أفلح الرويجل، أفلح الرويجل…
A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: “Teach me to recite, O Messenger of Allah.” He said: “Recite three of the surahs beginning with ‘Alif-Lam-Ra’.” The man said: “I have grown old, my heart has hardened and my tongue has become heavy.” He said: “Then recite from those beginning with ‘Ha-Mim’.” The man repeated his reply, and he said: “Recite three of the Musabbihat.” He repeated it again and said: “Rather teach me a comprehensive surah.” So he taught him “When the earth is shaken” to its end. The man said: “By the One who sent you with the truth, I will never add to it.” When he turned away, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The little man has succeeded! The little man has succeeded!”…
الحواميم ديباج القرآن
“The Hawamim are the brocade of the Qur’an.”
إن لكل شيء لبابًا ولباب القرآن الحواميم
“Everything has a quintessence, and the quintessence of the Qur’an is the Hawamim.”
الحواميم سبع، وأبواب جهنم سبع: جهنم، والحطمة، ولظى، وسعير، وسقر، والهاوية، والجحيم. قال: يجيء كل حم منها يوم القيامة… تقف على باب من هذه الأبواب فتقول: اللهم لا يدخل هذا الباب من كان يؤمن بي ويقرأني
Attributed to the Prophet ﷺ: “The Hawamim are seven and the gates of Hell are seven… Each Ha-Mim will come on the Day of Resurrection, stand at one of these gates and say: O Allah, let not the one who believed in me and recited me enter through this gate.”
Main purpose: To warn against being seduced by the ornaments of worldly life, lest they lead to associating partners with Allah.
Az-Zukhruf (“the Ornaments of Gold”) is an entirely Meccan surah, the 43rd in the order of the Qur’an; it has eighty-nine verses and was revealed after Ash-Shura. It is one of the seven Hawamim, which follow a single line: speaking about the Qur’an and the disbelievers’ attitude to it at the time of revelation. It debates with the idolaters of Mecca, refutes their positions, exposes the folly of pagan myths and affirms true values.
Tafsir of Surah Az-Zukhruf Listen to Az-Zukhruf by other reciters
The full Arabic text: introduction, virtues, themes, and a study of the chain and authenticity of each hadith.
