Surat Al-Ahqaf concludes the series of seven Surahs that begin with Ha-Mim, all of which focus on the Quran. The Surah opens with

حمٓ (١) تَنزِيلُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡحَكِيمِ (٢)

Ha, Meem. (1) The revelation of the Book (Quran) is from Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. (46:1-22)

The central theme of this Surah is that the Quran is a divine message for both mankind and the Jinn, and those who receive this message bear the responsibility of conveying it to others. Additionally, the Surah emphasizes the rights and concerns of parents.

Allah records how the Jinn responded when they first heard the Quran from the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):

وَإِذۡ صَرَفۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ نَفَرً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ يَسۡتَمِعُونَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ فَلَمَّا حَضَرُوهُ قَالُوٓاْ أَنصِتُواْ‌ۖ فَلَمَّا قُضِىَ وَلَّوۡاْ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِم مُّنذِرِينَ (٢٩)

“And (remember) when We sent towards you a group of the jinn, listening to the Quran, when they stood in its presence, they said: “Listen in silence!” And when it was finished, they returned to their people, as Warners. (46:29)

 We should take lessons from the example of the Jinn. When they heard the Quran being recited, they listened attentively, and as soon as the recitation was over, they rushed to their people, declaring:

قَالُواْ يَـٰقَوۡمَنَآ إِنَّا سَمِعۡنَا ڪِتَـٰبًا أُنزِلَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مُوسَىٰ مُصَدِّقً۬ا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ يَہۡدِىٓ إِلَى ٱلۡحَقِّ وَإِلَىٰ طَرِيقٍ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ۬ (٣٠) يَـٰقَوۡمَنَآ أَجِيبُواْ دَاعِىَ ٱللَّهِ وَءَامِنُواْ بِهِۦ يَغۡفِرۡ لَڪُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمۡ وَيُجِرۡكُم مِّنۡ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ۬ (٣١) وَمَن لَّا يُجِبۡ دَاعِىَ ٱللَّهِ فَلَيۡسَ بِمُعۡجِزٍ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَيۡسَ لَهُ ۥ مِن دُونِهِۦۤ أَوۡلِيَآءُ‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ (٣٢)

“They said: “O our people! Surely, we have heard a Book (Quran) sent down after Musa (Moses), confirming what came before it, it guides to the truth and to a Straight Path. (30) O our people! Respond (with obedience) to Allah’s caller and believe in him. He (Allah) will forgive you of your sins and will save you from a painful torment. (31) And whoever does not respond to Allah’s caller will not escape on earth, and they will have no protectors besides Allah. They are in clear error. (46:30-32)

 The statements of the Jinn highlight two key points:

1. When they said, “forgive you of your sins” (يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ مِنْ ذُنُوبِكُمْ), the use of the preposition “of” (مِنْ) indicates their understanding that not all sins are automatically forgiven. They understood that while Allah forgives sins involving violations of His commands (such as rituals), sins against others require expiation.
2. They understood that no one can escape from Allah, and nothing happens unless He permits it. They also recognized that there is no protector other than Allah. Even the most intelligent human being can become powerless due to something as small as a clot in the brain.

The Surah also presents two contrasting situations regarding the relationship between parents and children. The first situation involves righteous children who recognize their parents’ rights. Allah promises rewards for both the parents and their children:

وَوَصَّيۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ بِوَٲلِدَيۡهِ إِحۡسَـٰنًا‌ۖ حَمَلَتۡهُ أُمُّهُ ۥ كُرۡهً۬ا وَوَضَعَتۡهُ كُرۡهً۬ا‌ۖ وَحَمۡلُهُ ۥ وَفِصَـٰلُهُ ۥ ثَلَـٰثُونَ شَہۡرًا‌ۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ ۥ وَبَلَغَ أَرۡبَعِينَ سَنَةً۬ قَالَ رَبِّ أَوۡزِعۡنِىٓ أَنۡ أَشۡكُرَ نِعۡمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٲلِدَىَّ وَأَنۡ أَعۡمَلَ صَـٰلِحً۬ا تَرۡضَٮٰهُ وَأَصۡلِحۡ لِى فِى ذُرِّيَّتِىٓ‌ۖ إِنِّى تُبۡتُ إِلَيۡكَ وَإِنِّى مِنَ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ (١٥(

“And We have enjoined upon man is goodness towards his parents. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. When he reached forty years, he said, ‘My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and that I to do righteous deeds that please You, and make my offspring righteous. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am truly of the Muslims.” (46:15)

The number forty seems to hold significant meaning, whether it refers to 40 days, 40 months, or 40 years, as is discussed in the appendix. In the verses mentioned, the age of 40 years is highlighted as a time when a person should have reached the peak of spiritual and mental maturity, enabling them to fully recognize their responsibilities toward their parents, responsibilities they will uphold for the rest of their life.  At this stage, the best supplication one can offer is the following:

قَالَ رَبِّ أَوۡزِعۡنِىٓ أَنۡ أَشۡكُرَ نِعۡمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٲلِدَىَّ وَأَنۡ أَعۡمَلَ صَـٰلِحً۬ا تَرۡضَٮٰهُ وَأَصۡلِحۡ لِى فِى ذُرِّيَّتِىٓ‌ۖ إِنِّى تُبۡتُ إِلَيۡكَ وَإِنِّى مِنَ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ

‘My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and that I to do righteous deeds that please You, and make my offspring righteous. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims”.

 Following this supplication, Allah declares His acceptance of such a person, as He says:

أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ ٱلَّذِينَ نَتَقَبَّلُ عَنۡہُمۡ أَحۡسَنَ مَا عَمِلُواْ وَنَتَجَاوَزُ عَن سَيِّـَٔاتِہِمۡ فِىٓ أَصۡحَـٰبِ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ‌ۖ وَعۡدَ ٱلصِّدۡقِ ٱلَّذِى كَانُواْ يُوعَدُونَ (١٦)

“Those are the ones from whom We will accept the best of what they did and overlook their misdeeds, [being] among the companions of Paradise. That is the promise of truth which they had been promised.” (46:16)

Regarding the rights of parents, a man asked Prophet Mohammad (PBUH): “O Messenger of Allah, is there anything left from the goodness I owe my parents after their death?”  (يا رسول الله هل بقي عليّ شيء مِن برِّ والديّ بعد موتهما ؟)

The Prophet (PBUH) replied, “Yes, four things:

نعم ، أربعة أشياء ، أن تدعُوَ لهما كل يوم خمس مرات ، رب اغفر لي ولوالديّ ، رب ارحمهما كما ربَّياني صغيرًا وأن تصل صديقهما ، وأن تنفذ عهدهما ، وأن تصل الرَّحِمَ التي لم يكن لها صلة إلا بهما ، فهذا الذي بقي عليك مِن برِّهما بعد موتهما

• Pray for them five times every day, saying: My Lord, forgive me and my parents. My Lord, have mercy on them as they raised me when I was young.”
• Maintain ties with their friends.
• Fulfill their promises.
• Keep good relations with the family members who were only connected through them.

This is what remains of your duty to honor them after their death. (Ahmad, Abu Dawood & Ibn Majah)

The second situation presents the most difficult challenge righteous parents can face: having a deviant child who refuses to accept Allah’s message. This is undoubtedly a heartbreaking and devastating trial for the parents. Allah describes this situation and reveals the fate of such a child:

وَٱلَّذِى قَالَ لِوَٲلِدَيۡهِ أُفٍّ۬ لَّكُمَآ أَتَعِدَانِنِىٓ أَنۡ أُخۡرَجَ وَقَدۡ خَلَتِ ٱلۡقُرُونُ مِن قَبۡلِى وَهُمَا يَسۡتَغِيثَانِ ٱللَّهَ وَيۡلَكَ ءَامِنۡ إِنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ۬ فَيَقُولُ مَا هَـٰذَآ إِلَّآ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ (١٧) أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ ٱلَّذِينَ حَقَّ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡقَوۡلُ فِىٓ أُمَمٍ۬ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِن قَبۡلِهِم مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَٱلۡإِنسِ‌ۖ إِنَّہُمۡ ڪَانُواْ خَـٰسِرِينَ (١٨)

“But he who says to his parents, ‘Fie upon you both! Do you promise me that I shall be raised up (again) when generations before me have passed away?’ While they (the parents) call on Allah for help and say, ‘Woe to you! Believe! Verily, the promise of Allah is true.’ But he says, ‘This is nothing but tales of the ancients.’ (17) Such are the ones upon whom the decree has come into effect, [joining] nations of jinn and humans who passed away before them. Indeed, they were losers.” (46:17-18)

The Surah then recounts the story of the tribe of ‘Ad, who lived in an area called Al-Ahqaf (الأَحْقَافِ), believed to be a region of rolling sand dunes in southern Arabia. The people of ‘Ad received revelation through their Prophet Hud, but due to their arrogance and denial, Allah destroyed them with a powerful windstorm. Allah describes the dialogue between Prophet Hud and his people. Hud conveyed to them the universal message of all prophets: worship none but Allah or face severe punishment. However, the people’s arrogance led them to continue their rejection of this clear message:

وَٱذۡكُرۡ أَخَا عَادٍ إِذۡ أَنذَرَ قَوۡمَهُ ۥ بِٱلۡأَحۡقَافِ وَقَدۡ خَلَتِ ٱلنُّذُرُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ يَدَيۡهِ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِهِۦۤ أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ عَذَابَ يَوۡمٍ عَظِيمٍ۬ (٢١) قَالُوٓاْ أَجِئۡتَنَا لِتَأۡفِكَنَا عَنۡ ءَالِهَتِنَا فَأۡتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ (٢٢) قَالَ إِنَّمَا ٱلۡعِلۡمُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَأُبَلِّغُكُم مَّآ أُرۡسِلۡتُ بِهِۦ وَلَـٰكِنِّىٓ أَرَٮٰكُمۡ قَوۡمً۬ا تَجۡهَلُونَ (٢٣)

“And remember the brother of ‘Ad (Hud), when he warned his people in Al-Ahqaf. Surely, warners had passed before and after him, saying: ‘Worship none but Allah. Truly, I fear for you the punishment of a mighty day.’ (21) They said: ‘Have you come to turn us away from our gods? Then bring us what you threaten us with if you are truthful!’ (22) He said: ‘The knowledge (of the time) is only with Allah. I convey to you that with which I have been sent, but I see that you are people behaving ignorantly.” (46:21-23)

 The punishment of the people of ‘Ad began with a severe drought as a prewarning so that they would turn to Allah in repentance. When they saw a storm approaching, they thought it would bring rain, but it was the promised punishment:

فَلَمَّا رَأَوۡهُ عَارِضً۬ا مُّسۡتَقۡبِلَ أَوۡدِيَتِہِمۡ قَالُواْ هَـٰذَا عَارِضٌ۬ مُّمۡطِرُنَا‌ۚ بَلۡ هُوَ مَا ٱسۡتَعۡجَلۡتُم بِهِۦ‌ۖ رِيحٌ۬ فِيہَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ۬ (٢٤) تُدَمِّرُ كُلَّ شَىۡءِۭ بِأَمۡرِ رَبِّہَا فَأَصۡبَحُواْ لَا يُرَىٰٓ إِلَّا مَسَـٰكِنُہُمۡ‌ۚ كَذَٲلِكَ نَجۡزِى ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ (٢٥)

Then, when they saw it as a dense cloud coming towards their valleys, they said: “This is a cloud bringing us rain!” Nay, but it is that (torment) which you were asking to be hastened — a wind wherein is a painful torment! (24) Destroying everything by the Command of its Lord! So, they became such that nothing could be seen except their dwellings. Thus, do We recompense the guilty people. (46:24-25)

The verses affirm that all the disbelievers from the tribe of ʿĀd were destroyed, leaving behind only their dwellings as a reminder for those who reflect. Despite being an advanced civilization known for its grand structures, including massive columns, as mentioned in Surah Al-Fajr, their city, Iram, is still a mystery.

أَلَمۡ تَرَ كَيۡفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ (٦) إِرَمَ ذَاتِ ٱلۡعِمَادِ (٧) ٱلَّتِى لَمۡ يُخۡلَقۡ مِثۡلُهَا فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ (٨)

Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with Ȃd (6) (the people˺ of) Iram, famed for its great columns. (7) The like of which nothing was created in any land; (Al-Fajr 89:6-8)

Some archologists suggest that the people of ʿĀd may have lived in Egypt and were responsible for building the pyramids. Others speculate that the pyramids might have been designed for purposes related to static electricity, possibly serving as factories intended to prolong life, as hinted at in Surah Al-Shu‘ara:

وَتَتَّخِذُونَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَخۡلُدُونَ (١٢٩)

“And make for yourselves factories, so that you may live forever. (Al-Shuara 26:129)

 Note: Ancient Egypt is distinguished with its huge columns and the many pyramids. There are at least 118 pyramids in Egypt.

 

Appendix: The Relevance of Number forty (40)

In addition to mention that at age of 40 years, one should have achieved the highest level of spiritual and mental maturity to fully recognize his reasonability towards his parents that he will maintain to the end of his life.  The number forty appears to have some significance since it was referenced in several situations.

 

1. Prophet Musa (Moses) spent 40 days on Mount Sinai where he received the 10 commandments

وَإِذْ وَاعَدْنَا مُوسَى أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ اتَّخَذْتُمُ الْعِجْلَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَأَنْتُمْ ظَالِمُونَ )البقرة(

 And when We did appoint for Moses forty nights, and then you chose the calf, when he had gone from you, and were wrong doers. (Al-Baqara 2:51)

وَوَاعَدْنَا مُوسَى ثَلَاثِينَ لَيْلَةً وَأَتْمَمْنَاهَا بِعَشْرٍ فَتَمَّ مِيقَاتُ رَبِّهِ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً )الأعراف(

And when We did appoint for Moses thirty nights, and added to them ten, and he completed the whole time appointed by his Lord of forty nights; s. (Al-Araf 7:142)

 

2. Allah forbade the deviant from Bani Israel from entering the Holy Land for 40 years.

 قَالَ فَإِنَّهَا مُحَرَّمَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً يَتِيهُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلَا تَأْسَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ )المائدة(

He (Allah) said, “This (land) is prohibited to them for forty years. They shall be wandering around the earth. So, do not grieve for the sinning people.” (Al-Maeda 5:26)

 

3. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was forty years old when he first received the revelation. (نزول الوحي على النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بعد الأربعين)

 

4. The righteous Islamic Khalifa rule was only for 40 years, Muawiya (معاوية بن ابي سفيان) became the Khalifa in year 41 H

 

5. Ibn Abbas (ابن عباس) reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

ما من رجل مسلم يموت فيقوم على جنازته أربعون رجلا لا يشركون بالله شيئا ، إلا شفعهم الله فيه )رواه  أحمد   ومسلم وأبو داود   ) .

“No Muslim man dies, and forty men who do not associate anything with Allah stand for his funeral, except that Allah grants them intercession for him”. (Muslim)

 

6. It is the expected that by the age of 40, the person becomes righteous. It was reported that Ibn Abbas (ابن عباس) said:

أنه من بلغ الأربعين ولم يبلغ خيره شره فليتجهز إلى النار

“If a person reaches the age of forty and his good does not outweigh his bad, then let him prepare for the Fire.”  (This is not hadith)

 

7. Negative forty is the unique temperature at which the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales correspond; that is, −40 °F = −40 °C. It is referred to as either “minus forty” or “forty below”.

 

8. Al-Dajjal (the false Messiah) (الدجّال‎) roams around the Earth for forty days. The Prophet (PBUH) said: Forty days, one like a year, one like a month, one like a week, and rest of his days like yours.  The companions asked: will one day’s prayer suffice us in this day which will be like a year? He (PBUH) replied: No, you must make an estimate of its extent. [ Sunan Abi Dawud]

 

9. Prophet Isa (Jesus) will descend to earth at the white minaret to the east of Damascus and will catch the Dajjal at the gate of Ludd and kill him and then rules the world for 40 years during which complete peace and prosperity will be spread worldwide. [ Sunan Abi Dawud]

 

10. Puerperium (Post Partum) (the period immediately after childbirth when the womb is returning to its normal size) lasts for 40 days (النفاس اربعين يوم) after which the woman is considered pure to pray even if blood continues.

 

11. The ancient Egyptians bury their dead after 40 days. They took 40 days to complete the mummification. (تحنيط الفراعنة كان مدتة اربعين يوم).

 

12. ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (A.S.) narrated, ” The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “Verily, each of you is gathered in his mother’s womb for forty days as a drop of fluid (Nutfah), and as a clinging object (‘Alaqah) for a similar (period) and thereafter as a chewed lump (Mudghah) for a similar (period). The angel is then sent to him and breathes into him the spirit.”

 

13. Abu Hurairah reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “Between the two Blowing of the Trumpet there will be forty.’ The people asked, “O Abu Hurairah! Do you mean forty days?” He said, “I don’t know.” They said, “Do you mean forty years?” He said, “I don’t know.” They said, “Do you mean forty months?” He said, ” I don’t know”.

 

14. The Nisab when Zakat becomes applicable is forty animals which are more than twelve months old. There is no Zakat if the number is less than forty.

 

15. The zakat on wealth is 1 in 40, and we can apply a similar concept to the zakat of time. A day has 24 hours (1,440 minutes), and 1/40 of that equals 36 minutes. With 17 obligatory rak’ahs in the daily prayers, each taking approximately 2 minutes, the total prayer time amounts to about 36 minutes per day, fulfilling the zakat of your time.

 

16. It is reported in Muslim that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and asks him about something, their prayer will not be accepted for forty nights.” (مَنْ أَتَى عَرَّافًا فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ شَىْءٍ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلاَةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً)