Surah Ghafir is the first of the seven “Ha-Mim” surahs. When a man asked him to teach him to recite, the Prophet ﷺ recommended three of the surahs beginning with Ha-Mim, a sign of their high rank, and Ibn Mas’ud said: “The Ha-Mim surahs are the brocade of the Qur’an.” However, the reports that they are “the kernel of the Qur’an” or that they will stand at the seven gates of Hell have weak chains.
It is the first of the seven surahs that begin with “Ha-Mim”, known as the Ha-Mim surahs: Ghafir, Fussilat, Ash-Shuraa, Az-Zukhruf, Ad-Dukhan, Al-Jathiyah and Al-Ahqaf.
A man asked the Prophet ﷺ to teach him to recite; he recommended three of the surahs beginning with Alif-Lam-Ra and then, when the man pleaded his age, three of those beginning with Ha-Mim, which shows the high rank of these surahs.
Authentic (sahih)Abu Dawud (1399), An-Nasa’i (As-Sunan al-Kubra, 8027) and Ibn Hibban (773)
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud said, with an authentic chain: “The Ha-Mim surahs are the brocade of the Qur’an.”
Authentic (sahih)Ibn Abi Shaybah (10332), Abd ar-Razzaq (6031) and Al-Hakim
Arabic text, translation, reference and authenticity grade of each hadith.
أقرئني يا رسول الله، قال له: اقرأ ثلاثًا من ذات: «الراء». فقال الرجل: كبرت سني واشتد قلبي وغلظ لساني، قال: فاقرأ من ذات «حم» …
A man 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…”
الحواميم ديباج القرآن
The Ha-Mim surahs are the brocade of the Qur’an.
إن لكل شيء لبابًا ولباب القرآن الحواميم
Everything has a kernel, and the kernel of the Qur’an is the Ha-Mim surahs.
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: اللّهم لا يدخل هذا الباب من كان يؤمن بي ويقرأني
The Ha-Mim surahs are seven, and the gates of Hell are seven: Jahannam, Al-Hutamah, Laza, Sa’ir, Saqar, Al-Hawiyah and Al-Jahim. Each Ha-Mim will come on the Day of Resurrection… and stand at one of these gates, saying: “O Allah, let not one who believed in me and recited me enter through this gate.”
Main purpose: To describe those who dispute about Allah’s signs, and to answer them.
Ghafir is the 40th surah in the order of the Qur’an and the 59th Meccan surah in the order of revelation, sent down after Az-Zumar; it is entirely Meccan. It is also called “Al-Mu’min” (the Believer), as it tells the story of the believer from Pharaoh’s family, and “At-Tawl” (Bounty), after the words “Dhi at-tawl” near its beginning.
The full Arabic text: introduction, virtues, themes, and a study of the chain and authenticity of each hadith.
