Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur'an vol. 16 Surah al-Zukhruf, Chapter 43, Verses 1 - 39 (The Gold Adornments) Section (juz’ 25) Number of Verses: 89 General Overview of the Chapter بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Except for Verse 45, the rest of the Verses of the Chapter were revealed in Mecca.
The title of the Chapter derives from Verse 35 in which the word zukhruf (“gold, silver; adornments”) is attested. Main issues discussed in the Chapter include: the Holy Qur’an and prophethood; opponents’ reaction against prophets; arguments substantiating Divine Unity, struggles against polytheism; partial narration of the legends of prophets; and a depiction of the Hereafter.
A point worthy of note is that seven consecutive Qur’anic Chapters, namely Ghafir, Fussilat, Shura, Zukhruf, Dukhan, Jathiya, and Ahqaf termed as Hawamim or Suwar Al Ha Mim, open with the detached letters HM.
Merits of the Recitation of the Chapter Many sources on Qur’anic exegesis (tafsir) and tradition (hadith) include Islamic traditions concerning many a merit for the recitation of the Chapter in question, an instance of which is a Prophetic tradition saying: “One who recites Surah al-Zukhruf is among those who are thus addressed on the Day of Resurrection: ‘O My servants, you are to entertain neither fear nor grief on this day as you shall be admitted to Paradise [^1] provided that you act upon religious instructions.’” Surah al-Zukhruf - Verses 1 - 4 بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
حم وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاهُ قُرْآناً عَرَبِيّاً لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ 1. HM 2. By the illuminating Book [the Qur’an]. 3. Indeed We have made it a Qur’an in the Arabic [tongue] that you may be able to understand [It]. 4. And indeed It is in the Mother of the Book [the preserved tablet, lawh mahfus] with Us indeed exalted, full of wisdom, and firm on Its basis.
The characteristics of the Holy Qur’an as a Divinely Revealed Book include: manifest and illuminating (mubin); springing from Divine Omniscience (fi Umm al-Kitab); of immaterial origin (ladayna); Its form and content are exalted (‘aliy); Its contents are full of wisdom and firm on Its basis (hakim). The word qur’an (“book”) derives from the root q-r-’ (“recite, read”).