Day 142 · Surah Al-Hijr Verses 1-31

Al-Hijr 1–31

Allah Himself guarantees the protection of the Qur'an, consoles the Prophet that the mockery of his people was also experienced by earlier messengers, then displays signs of His power up to the story of the creation of Adam and Iblis's disobedience.

• The surah opens with disconnected letters whose meaning was not explained by the Messenger or the Companions, so the majority of scholars refer its meaning to Allah.
• The disbelievers will later regret not becoming Muslim because in the world they were only occupied with eating, pleasure, and deceived by fantasies, while the destruction of every nation is written at its appointed time.
• They accuse the Messenger of insanity and demand that angels be brought to them, while Allah affirms that He is the One who revealed the Qur'an and is protecting it until the end of time.
• The signs of Allah's greatness mentioned include clusters of stars, the spread earth, firm mountains, vegetation and animals as provision, wind that pairs clouds and vegetation, and the descent of rain.
• Adam was created from dry clay from black mud while jinns from very hot fire; all prostrate to Adam except Iblis due to arrogance and haughtiness.

Verse 1 of Surah Al-Hijr is preceded by three Arabic letters, namely alif, lam, and ra. In the Qur'an there are 29 surahs that begin with such combinations of letters. No one knows their meaning except Allah. The Messenger never explained it. Similarly, the Companions of the Messenger to whom the Qur'an was first revealed never explained what it meant. Therefore, the majority of scholars do not dare to interpret them. They only say: Allah knows its meaning.

Verses 1-15 explain several matters:

The verses of the Qur'an are very clear in their content and meaning.

1. The disbelievers will later in the Hereafter (in Hell) wish that they had been Muslim on earth. This regret is because while alive in the world they only thought about eating, pleasure, and were deceived by vain fantasies.
2. Every nation that Allah destroyed is already recorded in the Book of Allah. No one can change it.
3. The disbelievers accused the Messenger of being insane and asked him to bring angels to them as proof of his truthfulness. But angels are only sent by Allah with duties He has determined.
4. Allah is the One who revealed the Qur'an and He protects it from various distortions by human hands and extinction until the end of time.
5. Allah informs the Messenger while consoling him that the mistreatment by the polytheists of Makkah is the same as that suffered by messengers before him. They mocked them. Therefore, all the laws that apply to earlier nations also apply to the polytheists of Makkah. Among them, Allah hardened their hearts. As a result, no matter how many verses of Allah they see, they still cannot understand them.

Verses 16-31 explain several signs of Allah's greatness in the universe and in mankind itself, so that they understand well that Allah exists, is Almighty, All-Knowing, etc. Therefore, the truth of the messengers and His books, especially the Messenger, the Qur'an, and Islam, should not be doubted, let alone rejected and opposed. Its truth can be proven as the truth of His verses spread throughout the universe, such as clusters of beautiful stars, the spread earth, firm mountains, vegetation and animals as a source of provision for mankind. All this is stored in Allah's knowledge and only He holds its authority.

Similarly, Allah sends wind for the process of pairing clouds and vegetation. The process of rain falling, the creation of mankind, earlier nations, and the last nation are also verses of Allah's power and greatness. All mankind will be gathered by Allah in the field of Mahsyar. Allah created Adam from dry clay taken from black mud. The jinns He created from very hot fire.

Allah tells the Prophet Muhammad when He says to the angels that He intends to create Adam from dry clay taken from black mud. After Adam is perfectly created, Allah commands the angels and jinns to prostrate to him. All of them prostrate to Adam except Iblis, because of his arrogance and haughtiness.

Source: Mushaf Tadabbur, Fathuddin Ja'far

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