46: The Sandhills (Al-Ahqaf)
Revealed at Makkah
The title of this chapter is taken from the tracts of sand mentioned in v. 21 which contributed to the destruction of the tribe of Ād. Chapters 40 to 46 form one group; see the introductory note to chapter 40. This chapter deals first with the truth of revelation and the witness of truth. Then, referring to the fate of Ād, it contains a warning for those who reject the truth.
Section 1 (Verses 46:1–46:10): Truth of Revelation
46:2
تَنۡزِیۡلُ الۡکِتٰبِ مِنَ اللّٰہِ الۡعَزِیۡزِ الۡحَکِیۡمِ ﴿۲﴾
The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise.
46:3
مَا خَلَقۡنَا السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضَ وَ مَا بَیۡنَہُمَاۤ اِلَّا بِالۡحَقِّ وَ اَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّی ؕ وَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا عَمَّاۤ اُنۡذِرُوۡا مُعۡرِضُوۡنَ ﴿۳﴾
We did not create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them but with truth and for an appointed term. And those who disbelieve turn away from the warning they are given.
The Universe had a beginning and it will also have an end.
46:4
قُلۡ اَرَءَیۡتُمۡ مَّا تَدۡعُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ اَرُوۡنِیۡ مَاذَا خَلَقُوۡا مِنَ الۡاَرۡضِ اَمۡ لَہُمۡ شِرۡکٌ فِی السَّمٰوٰتِ ؕ اِیۡتُوۡنِیۡ بِکِتٰبٍ مِّنۡ قَبۡلِ ہٰذَاۤ اَوۡ اَثٰرَۃٍ مِّنۡ عِلۡمٍ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ صٰدِقِیۡنَ ﴿۴﴾
Say: Have you considered what you invoke besides Allah? Show me what they have created of the earth, or have they a share in the heavens? Bring me a Book before this or any relics of knowledge, if you are truthful.
46:5
وَ مَنۡ اَضَلُّ مِمَّنۡ یَّدۡعُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ مَنۡ لَّا یَسۡتَجِیۡبُ لَہٗۤ اِلٰی یَوۡمِ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ وَ ہُمۡ عَنۡ دُعَآئِہِمۡ غٰفِلُوۡنَ ﴿۵﴾
And who is in greater error than he who invokes besides Allah such (gods) as do not answer him till the day of Resurrection, and they are heedless of their call?
46:6
وَ اِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ کَانُوۡا لَہُمۡ اَعۡدَآءً وَّ کَانُوۡا بِعِبَادَتِہِمۡ کٰفِرِیۡنَ ﴿۶﴾
And when mankind is gathered together, they will be their enemies, and will deny their worshipping (them).
46:7
وَ اِذَا تُتۡلٰی عَلَیۡہِمۡ اٰیٰتُنَا بَیِّنٰتٍ قَالَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا لِلۡحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَہُمۡ ۙ ہٰذَا سِحۡرٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ ؕ﴿۷﴾
And when Our clear messages are recited to them, those who disbelieve say of the Truth when it comes to them: This is clear enchantment.
46:8
اَمۡ یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ افۡتَرٰىہُ ؕ قُلۡ اِنِ افۡتَرَیۡتُہٗ فَلَا تَمۡلِکُوۡنَ لِیۡ مِنَ اللّٰہِ شَیۡئًا ؕ ہُوَ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَا تُفِیۡضُوۡنَ فِیۡہِ ؕ کَفٰی بِہٖ شَہِیۡدًۢا بَیۡنِیۡ وَ بَیۡنَکُمۡ ؕ وَ ہُوَ الۡغَفُوۡرُ الرَّحِیۡمُ ﴿۸﴾
Or they say: He has forged it. Say: If I have forged it, you control nothing for me from Allah. He knows best what you utter concerning it. He is enough as a witness between me and you. And He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
From Allah here means from the punishment of Allah. If the Quran was a lie which the Prophet had forged, none could avert the punishment which must come upon a forger.
46:9
قُلۡ مَا کُنۡتُ بِدۡعًا مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ وَ مَاۤ اَدۡرِیۡ مَا یُفۡعَلُ بِیۡ وَ لَا بِکُمۡ ؕ اِنۡ اَتَّبِعُ اِلَّا مَا یُوۡحٰۤی اِلَیَّ وَ مَاۤ اَنَا اِلَّا نَذِیۡرٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ ﴿۹﴾
Say: I am not the first of the messengers, and I do not know what will be done with me or with you. I follow only what is revealed to me, and I am but a plain warner.
Prophets had appeared before the Holy Prophet Muhammad in every country and nation throughout the whole world, and God’s sending messengers for the reformation of people was the universal experience of humanity.
46:10
قُلۡ اَرَءَیۡتُمۡ اِنۡ کَانَ مِنۡ عِنۡدِ اللّٰہِ وَ کَفَرۡتُمۡ بِہٖ وَ شَہِدَ شَاہِدٌ مِّنۡۢ بَنِیۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِیۡلَ عَلٰی مِثۡلِہٖ فَاٰمَنَ وَ اسۡتَکۡبَرۡتُمۡ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ لَا یَہۡدِی الۡقَوۡمَ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ ﴿٪۱۰﴾
Say: Have you considered if it is from Allah, and you disbelieve in it, and a witness from among the Children of Israel has borne witness of one like him, so he believed, while you are big with pride? Surely Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
The witness from among the Children of Israel, who bore witness of one like him, is Moses: “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, … And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him” (Deut. 18:18–19). It is to the concluding statement in the above quotation that attention is called in the words, Have you considered if it is from Allah, and you disbelieve in it.
Section 2 (Verses 46:11–46:20): Witness of Truth
46:11
وَ قَالَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا لِلَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَوۡ کَانَ خَیۡرًا مَّا سَبَقُوۡنَاۤ اِلَیۡہِ ؕ وَ اِذۡ لَمۡ یَہۡتَدُوۡا بِہٖ فَسَیَقُوۡلُوۡنَ ہٰذَاۤ اِفۡکٌ قَدِیۡمٌ ﴿۱۱﴾
And those who disbelieve say of those who believe: If it had been a good, they would not have attained it before us. And as they are not guided by it, they say: It is an old lie.
46:12
وَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِہٖ کِتٰبُ مُوۡسٰۤی اِمَامًا وَّ رَحۡمَۃً ؕ وَ ہٰذَا کِتٰبٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّسَانًا عَرَبِیًّا لِّیُنۡذِرَ الَّذِیۡنَ ظَلَمُوۡا ٭ۖ وَ بُشۡرٰی لِلۡمُحۡسِنِیۡنَ ﴿ۚ۱۲﴾
And before it was the Book of Moses, a guide and a mercy. And this is a Book verifying (it) in the Arabic language, that it may warn those who do wrong, and as good news for the doers of good.
The words refer to the subject-matter of v. 10, which speaks of Moses’ prophecy. The Quran is here declared as fulfilling that prophecy, and the reference to its being in the Arabic language signifies the coming of the Prophet from among the Ishmaelites, who spoke that language, and who were the brethren of the Israelites, this fact being clearly mentioned in the prophecy of Deut. 18:18.
46:13
اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ قَالُوۡا رَبُّنَا اللّٰہُ ثُمَّ اسۡتَقَامُوۡا فَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَیۡہِمۡ وَ لَا ہُمۡ یَحۡزَنُوۡنَ ﴿ۚ۱۳﴾
Surely those who say, Our Lord is Allah, then continue on the right way, on them is no fear, nor shall they grieve.
46:14
اُولٰٓئِکَ اَصۡحٰبُ الۡجَنَّۃِ خٰلِدِیۡنَ فِیۡہَا ۚ جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا کَانُوۡا یَعۡمَلُوۡنَ ﴿۱۴﴾
These are the owners of the Garden, abiding in it — a reward for what they did.
46:15
وَ وَصَّیۡنَا الۡاِنۡسَانَ بِوَالِدَیۡہِ اِحۡسٰنًا ؕ حَمَلَتۡہُ اُمُّہٗ کُرۡہًا وَّ وَضَعَتۡہُ کُرۡہًا ؕ وَ حَمۡلُہٗ وَ فِصٰلُہٗ ثَلٰثُوۡنَ شَہۡرًا ؕ حَتّٰۤی اِذَا بَلَغَ اَشُدَّہٗ وَ بَلَغَ اَرۡبَعِیۡنَ سَنَۃً ۙ قَالَ رَبِّ اَوۡزِعۡنِیۡۤ اَنۡ اَشۡکُرَ نِعۡمَتَکَ الَّتِیۡۤ اَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَیَّ وَ عَلٰی وَالِدَیَّ وَ اَنۡ اَعۡمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرۡضٰہُ وَ اَصۡلِحۡ لِیۡ فِیۡ ذُرِّیَّتِیۡ ۚؕ اِنِّیۡ تُبۡتُ اِلَیۡکَ وَ اِنِّیۡ مِنَ الۡمُسۡلِمِیۡنَ ﴿۱۵﴾
And We have enjoined on man the doing of good to his parents. His mother bears him with trouble and she gives birth to him in pain. And the bearing of him and the weaning of him is thirty months. Till, when he attains his maturity and reaches forty years, he says: My Lord, grant me that I may give thanks for Your favour, which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do good which pleases You; and be good to me in respect of my offspring. Truly I turn to You, and truly I am among those who submit.
It would appear from this that the spiritual maturity of man usually takes place at the age of forty. Evidence of this is also found in the fact that the Holy Prophet Muhammad received the Divine message for the regeneration of mankind at the age of forty.
46:16
اُولٰٓئِکَ الَّذِیۡنَ نَتَقَبَّلُ عَنۡہُمۡ اَحۡسَنَ مَا عَمِلُوۡا وَ نَتَجَاوَزُ عَنۡ سَیِّاٰتِہِمۡ فِیۡۤ اَصۡحٰبِ الۡجَنَّۃِ ؕ وَعۡدَ الصِّدۡقِ الَّذِیۡ کَانُوۡا یُوۡعَدُوۡنَ ﴿۱۶﴾
These are they from whom We accept the best of what they do and overlook their evil deeds — among the owners of the Garden. A promise of truth, which they were promised.
46:17
وَ الَّذِیۡ قَالَ لِوَالِدَیۡہِ اُفٍّ لَّکُمَاۤ اَتَعِدٰنِنِیۡۤ اَنۡ اُخۡرَجَ وَ قَدۡ خَلَتِ الۡقُرُوۡنُ مِنۡ قَبۡلِیۡ ۚ وَ ہُمَا یَسۡتَغِیۡثٰنِ اللّٰہَ وَیۡلَکَ اٰمِنۡ ٭ۖ اِنَّ وَعۡدَ اللّٰہِ حَقٌّ ۚۖ فَیَقُوۡلُ مَا ہٰذَاۤ اِلَّاۤ اَسَاطِیۡرُ الۡاَوَّلِیۡنَ ﴿۱۷﴾
And he who says to his parents: Enough of you! Do you threaten me that I shall be brought forth, when generations have passed away before me? And they both call for Allah’s aid: Woe to you! Believe; surely the promise of Allah is true. But he says: This is nothing but stories of the ancients.
46:18
اُولٰٓئِکَ الَّذِیۡنَ حَقَّ عَلَیۡہِمُ الۡقَوۡلُ فِیۡۤ اُمَمٍ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِنۡ قَبۡلِہِمۡ مِّنَ الۡجِنِّ وَ الۡاِنۡسِ ؕ اِنَّہُمۡ کَانُوۡا خٰسِرِیۡنَ ﴿۱۸﴾
These are they against whom the word proves true, among nations of jinn and people that have passed away before them. Surely they are losers.
46:19
وَ لِکُلٍّ دَرَجٰتٌ مِّمَّا عَمِلُوۡا ۚ وَ لِیُوَفِّیَہُمۡ اَعۡمَالَہُمۡ وَ ہُمۡ لَا یُظۡلَمُوۡنَ ﴿۱۹﴾
And for all are degrees according to what they do, and that He may pay them for their deeds and they will not be wronged.
46:20
وَ یَوۡمَ یُعۡرَضُ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا عَلَی النَّارِ ؕ اَذۡہَبۡتُمۡ طَیِّبٰتِکُمۡ فِیۡ حَیَاتِکُمُ الدُّنۡیَا وَ اسۡتَمۡتَعۡتُمۡ بِہَا ۚ فَالۡیَوۡمَ تُجۡزَوۡنَ عَذَابَ الۡہُوۡنِ بِمَا کُنۡتُمۡ تَسۡتَکۡبِرُوۡنَ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ بِغَیۡرِ الۡحَقِّ وَ بِمَا کُنۡتُمۡ تَفۡسُقُوۡنَ ﴿٪۲۰﴾
And on the day when those who disbelieve are brought before the Fire: You did away with your good things in your life of the world and you enjoyed them; so this day you are rewarded with the punishment of humiliation because you were unjustly proud in the land and because you transgressed.
Section 3 (Verses 46:21–46:26): The Fate of Ad
46:21
وَ اذۡکُرۡ اَخَا عَادٍ ؕ اِذۡ اَنۡذَرَ قَوۡمَہٗ بِالۡاَحۡقَافِ وَ قَدۡ خَلَتِ النُّذُرُ مِنۡۢ بَیۡنِ یَدَیۡہِ وَ مِنۡ خَلۡفِہٖۤ اَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوۡۤا اِلَّا اللّٰہَ ؕ اِنِّیۡۤ اَخَافُ عَلَیۡکُمۡ عَذَابَ یَوۡمٍ عَظِیۡمٍ ﴿۲۱﴾
And mention the brother of Ād; when he warned his people in the sandy plains — and warners indeed came before him and after him — saying: Serve none but Allah. Surely I fear for you the punishment of a grievous day.
The brother of a people signifies their prophet, Hūd being the prophet sent to Ād. The “sandy plains” where these people lived (al-aḥqāf) are located in the region of Hadramaut in Arabia.
46:22
قَالُوۡۤا اَجِئۡتَنَا لِتَاۡفِکَنَا عَنۡ اٰلِہَتِنَا ۚ فَاۡتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَاۤ اِنۡ کُنۡتَ مِنَ الصّٰدِقِیۡنَ ﴿۲۲﴾
They said: Have you come to us to turn us away from our gods? Then bring us that (punishment) with which you threaten us, if you are truthful.
46:23
قَالَ اِنَّمَا الۡعِلۡمُ عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ ۫ۖ وَ اُبَلِّغُکُمۡ مَّاۤ اُرۡسِلۡتُ بِہٖ وَ لٰکِنِّیۡۤ اَرٰىکُمۡ قَوۡمًا تَجۡہَلُوۡنَ ﴿۲۳﴾
He said: The knowledge is only with Allah, and I deliver to you that with which I am sent, but I see you are an ignorant people.
46:24
فَلَمَّا رَاَوۡہُ عَارِضًا مُّسۡتَقۡبِلَ اَوۡدِیَتِہِمۡ ۙ قَالُوۡا ہٰذَا عَارِضٌ مُّمۡطِرُنَا ؕ بَلۡ ہُوَ مَا اسۡتَعۡجَلۡتُمۡ بِہٖ ؕ رِیۡحٌ فِیۡہَا عَذَابٌ اَلِیۡمٌ ﴿ۙ۲۴﴾
So when they saw it — a cloud advancing towards their valleys, they said: This is a cloud bringing us rain. No, it is what you sought to hasten, a wind in which is painful punishment,
46:25
تُدَمِّرُ کُلَّ شَیۡءٍۭ بِاَمۡرِ رَبِّہَا فَاَصۡبَحُوۡا لَا یُرٰۤی اِلَّا مَسٰکِنُہُمۡ ؕ کَذٰلِکَ نَجۡزِی الۡقَوۡمَ الۡمُجۡرِمِیۡنَ ﴿۲۵﴾
destroying everything by the command of its Lord. So at dawn nothing could be seen except their dwellings. Thus do We reward the guilty people.
46:26
وَ لَقَدۡ مَکَّنّٰہُمۡ فِیۡمَاۤ اِنۡ مَّکَّنّٰکُمۡ فِیۡہِ وَ جَعَلۡنَا لَہُمۡ سَمۡعًا وَّ اَبۡصَارًا وَّ اَفۡـِٕدَۃً ۫ۖ فَمَاۤ اَغۡنٰی عَنۡہُمۡ سَمۡعُہُمۡ وَ لَاۤ اَبۡصَارُہُمۡ وَ لَاۤ اَفۡـِٕدَتُہُمۡ مِّنۡ شَیۡءٍ اِذۡ کَانُوۡا یَجۡحَدُوۡنَ ۙ بِاٰیٰتِ اللّٰہِ وَ حَاقَ بِہِمۡ مَّا کَانُوۡا بِہٖ یَسۡتَہۡزِءُوۡنَ ﴿٪۲۶﴾
And certainly We had given them power in matters in which We have not empowered you, and We had given them ears and eyes and hearts, but neither their ears, nor their eyes, nor their hearts availed them in the least, since they denied the messages of Allah, and what they mocked at beset them.
Section 4 (Verses 46:27–46:35): A Warning
46:27
وَ لَقَدۡ اَہۡلَکۡنَا مَا حَوۡلَکُمۡ مِّنَ الۡقُرٰی وَ صَرَّفۡنَا الۡاٰیٰتِ لَعَلَّہُمۡ یَرۡجِعُوۡنَ ﴿۲۷﴾
And certainly We destroyed the towns round about you, and We repeat the messages that they may turn (to the guidance).
The cities of Ād, Thamūd and Sheba lay on the borders of Arabia; thus the people living in the metropolis are told how those living around them were destroyed previously, and they should take a lesson from their fate.
46:28
فَلَوۡ لَا نَصَرَہُمُ الَّذِیۡنَ اتَّخَذُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ قُرۡبَانًا اٰلِـہَۃً ؕ بَلۡ ضَلُّوۡا عَنۡہُمۡ ۚ وَ ذٰلِکَ اِفۡکُہُمۡ وَ مَا کَانُوۡا یَفۡتَرُوۡنَ ﴿۲۸﴾
Then why did those whom they took for gods besides Allah to draw (them) near (to Him) not help them? No, they failed them. And this was their lie and what they forged.
46:29
وَ اِذۡ صَرَفۡنَاۤ اِلَیۡکَ نَفَرًا مِّنَ الۡجِنِّ یَسۡتَمِعُوۡنَ الۡقُرۡاٰنَ ۚ فَلَمَّا حَضَرُوۡہُ قَالُوۡۤا اَنۡصِتُوۡا ۚ فَلَمَّا قُضِیَ وَلَّوۡا اِلٰی قَوۡمِہِمۡ مُّنۡذِرِیۡنَ ﴿۲۹﴾
And when We turned towards you a group of the jinn, who listened to the Quran; so when they were in its presence, they said: Be silent. Then when it was finished, they turned back to their people warning (them).
The jinn spoken of here seem to be the leaders of certain Jewish tribes, because they are spoken of in the next verse as believers in Moses. In fact, they are of the same class as those mentioned in 72:1.
46:30
قَالُوۡا یٰقَوۡمَنَاۤ اِنَّا سَمِعۡنَا کِتٰبًا اُنۡزِلَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مُوۡسٰی مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَیۡنَ یَدَیۡہِ یَہۡدِیۡۤ اِلَی الۡحَقِّ وَ اِلٰی طَرِیۡقٍ مُّسۡتَقِیۡمٍ ﴿۳۰﴾
They said: Our people, we have heard a Book revealed after Moses, verifying what is (already) before it, guiding to the truth and to a right path.
46:31
یٰقَوۡمَنَاۤ اَجِیۡبُوۡا دَاعِیَ اللّٰہِ وَ اٰمِنُوۡا بِہٖ یَغۡفِرۡ لَکُمۡ مِّنۡ ذُنُوۡبِکُمۡ وَ یُجِرۡکُمۡ مِّنۡ عَذَابٍ اَلِیۡمٍ ﴿۳۱﴾
Our people, accept the Inviter to Allah and believe in Him. He will forgive you some of your sins and protect you from a painful punishment.
46:32
وَ مَنۡ لَّا یُجِبۡ دَاعِیَ اللّٰہِ فَلَیۡسَ بِمُعۡجِزٍ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ وَ لَیۡسَ لَہٗ مِنۡ دُوۡنِہٖۤ اَوۡلِیَآءُ ؕ اُولٰٓئِکَ فِیۡ ضَلٰلٍ مُّبِیۡنٍ ﴿۳۲﴾
And whoever does not accept the Inviter to Allah, he cannot escape in the earth, nor has he protectors besides Him. These are in clear error.
46:33
اَوَ لَمۡ یَرَوۡا اَنَّ اللّٰہَ الَّذِیۡ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضَ وَ لَمۡ یَعۡیَ بِخَلۡقِہِنَّ بِقٰدِرٍ عَلٰۤی اَنۡ یُّحۡیَِۧ الۡمَوۡتٰی ؕ بَلٰۤی اِنَّہٗ عَلٰی کُلِّ شَیۡءٍ قَدِیۡرٌ ﴿۳۳﴾
Do they not see that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth and was not tired by their creation, is Able to give life to the dead? Indeed, He is surely Powerful over all things.
46:34
وَ یَوۡمَ یُعۡرَضُ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا عَلَی النَّارِ ؕ اَلَیۡسَ ہٰذَا بِالۡحَقِّ ؕ قَالُوۡا بَلٰی وَ رَبِّنَا ؕ قَالَ فَذُوۡقُوا الۡعَذَابَ بِمَا کُنۡتُمۡ تَکۡفُرُوۡنَ ﴿۳۴﴾
And on the day when those who disbelieve are brought before the Fire: Is it not true? They will say: Indeed, by our Lord! He will say: Then taste the punishment, because you disbelieved.
46:35
فَاصۡبِرۡ کَمَا صَبَرَ اُولُوا الۡعَزۡمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ وَ لَا تَسۡتَعۡجِلۡ لَّہُمۡ ؕ کَاَنَّہُمۡ یَوۡمَ یَرَوۡنَ مَا یُوۡعَدُوۡنَ ۙ لَمۡ یَلۡبَثُوۡۤا اِلَّا سَاعَۃً مِّنۡ نَّہَارٍ ؕ بَلٰغٌ ۚ فَہَلۡ یُہۡلَکُ اِلَّا الۡقَوۡمُ الۡفٰسِقُوۡنَ ﴿٪۳۵﴾
So have patience (O Prophet), as men of resolution, the messengers, had patience, and do not seek to hasten on for them (their doom). On the day when they see what they are promised, (it will be) as if they had remained only an hour of the day. (Your duty is) to deliver. Shall then any be destroyed except the transgressing people?