Surah 43: Az-Zukhruf (The Ornaments of Gold)
A surah on divine wisdom, prophetic rejection, and final judgment.
Surah 43, titled Az-Zukhruf (The Ornaments of Gold), opens with the disjoined letters 'Ha, Meem' (Surah 43:1) and declares that the Qur'an is 'in the Mother of the Book with Us, exalted and full of wisdom' (Surah 43:4). The surah addresses the rejection of prophets, noting that 'there would not come to them a prophet except that they used to ridicule him' (Surah 43:7), and presents arguments against polytheism, such as the question of God having daughters while humans have sons (Surah 43:16). It also recounts the story of Moses sent to Pharaoh (Surah 43:46) and mentions Jesus as a sign of the Hour (Surah 43:61).
- opening letters
- Ha, Meem (Surah 43:1)
- Qur'an's status
- exalted and full of wisdom in the Mother of the Book (Surah 43:4)
- prophets ridiculed
- every prophet was ridiculed (Surah 43:7)
- Moses sent to
- Pharaoh and his establishment (Surah 43:46)
- Jesus' role
- a sign for knowledge of the Hour (Surah 43:61)
- final destination
- Paradise for the righteous (Surah 43:70)
Lore & Background
The surah emphasizes that the Qur'an originates from a divine source, the 'Mother of the Book' (Surah 43:4), and that prophets have historically been met with ridicule (Surah 43:7). It critiques those who follow ancestral religion without question (Surah 43:22) and those who dispute God's signs (Surah 43:58). The narrative of Moses is presented as an example: he was sent to Pharaoh and his establishment (Surah 43:46), but Pharaoh dismissed him as 'insignificant' (Surah 43:52), leading to retribution by drowning (Surah 43:55).
Reader's Guide
The surah portrays a consistent pattern of divine guidance met with human rejection. It opens by affirming the Qur'an's exalted origin (Surah 43:4) and then describes how every prophet was ridiculed (Surah 43:7). The polytheists are shown as arguing that their fathers' religion is sufficient (Surah 43:22) and that the Qur'an should have been sent to a 'great man' (Surah 43:31). The surah counters by asserting God's sovereignty over creation (Surah 43:10, 43:13) and condemning the attribution of daughters to God (Surah 43:16, 43:19). The story of Moses illustrates the consequences of denial: Pharaoh's arrogance (Surah 43:52) led to divine retribution (Surah 43:55). Jesus is introduced as a sign of the Hour (Surah 43:61), and the surah concludes with a warning that close friends will become enemies on Judgment Day except for the righteous (Surah 43:67), who will enter Paradise (Surah 43:70).
Did You Know?
- The surah opens with the Arabic letters 'Ha, Meem' (Surah 43:1), which are among the 'disjointed letters' found at the start of some Qur'anic chapters.
- It states that the Qur'an is 'in the Mother of the Book' (Surah 43:4), a term often interpreted as the preserved tablet or source of scripture.
- The surah mentions that Jesus will be a sign for knowledge of the Hour (Surah 43:61), linking him to eschatological events.
- It describes the earth as a 'bed' with roads for guidance (Surah 43:10), emphasizing God's provision for humanity.
More in Surahs 41–60
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