SURAH 15 — Al-Ḥijr — الحجر — “The Rocky Tract / Al-Ḥijr”

• Revelation Order: 54
• Event Anchor: Late Meccan warning through historical destruction narratives (c. 617–620 CE)

Explanation:
Surah Al-Ḥijr invokes the fate of past nations—especially Thamūd, who dwelled in “al-Ḥijr”—as a stark warning to Meccans resisting revelation. It affirms the preservation of the Qur’an and consoles the Prophet against mockery. Its emphasis on divine protection and the certainty of judgment corresponds to the late Meccan phase, when the opposition was entrenched and revelation focused on both warning and reassurance. The surah’s combination of cosmic imagery, historical precedent, and prophetic encouragement situates it near the end of the Meccan period before the Hijra.

Verse	Verse #	Meccan v Medinan	General Index
Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the Book and a clear Qur’an.	1	Meccan	1803
Perhaps those who disbelieve will wish that they had been Muslims.	2	Meccan	1804
Let them eat and enjoy themselves and be diverted by [false] hope, for they are going to know.	3	Meccan	1805
And We did not destroy any city but that for it was a known decree.	4	Meccan	1806
No nation will precede its term, nor will they remain thereafter.	5	Meccan	1807
And they say, “O you upon whom the message has been sent down, indeed you are mad.	6	Meccan	1808
Why do you not bring us the angels, if you should be among the truthful?”	7	Meccan	1809
We do not send down the angels except with truth; and the disbelievers would not then be reprieved.	8	Meccan	1810
Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur’an and indeed, We will be its guardian.	9	Meccan	1811
And We had certainly sent [messengers] before you, [O Muhammad], among the sects of the former peoples.	10	Meccan	1812
And no messenger would come to them except that they ridiculed him.	11	Meccan	1813
Thus do We insert denial into the hearts of the criminals.	12	Meccan	1814
They will not believe in it, while there has already occurred the precedent of the former peoples.	13	Meccan	1815
And [even] if We opened to them a gate from the heaven and they continued therein to ascend,	14	Meccan	1816
They would say, “Our eyes have only been dazzled. Rather, we are a people affected by magic.”	15	Meccan	1817
And We have placed within the heaven great stars and have beautified it for the observers.	16	Meccan	1818
And We have protected it from every devil expelled [from the mercy of Allah]	17	Meccan	1819
Except one who steals a hearing and is pursued by a clear burning flame.	18	Meccan	1820
And the earth – We have spread it and cast therein firmly set mountains and caused to grow therein [something] of every well-balanced thing.	19	Meccan	1821
And We have made for you therein means of living and [for] those for whom you are not providers.	20	Meccan	1822
And there is not a thing but that with Us are its depositories, and We do not send it down except according to a known measure.	21	Meccan	1823
And We have sent the fertilizing winds and sent down water from the sky and given you drink from it. And you are not its retainers.	22	Meccan	1824
And indeed, it is We who give life and cause death, and We are the Inheritor.	23	Meccan	1825
And We have already known the preceding [generations] among you, and We have already known the later [ones to come].	24	Meccan	1826
And indeed, your Lord will gather them; indeed, He is Wise and Knowing.	25	Meccan	1827
And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud.	26	Meccan	1828
And the jinn We created before from scorching fire.	27	Meccan	1829
And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, “I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud.	28	Meccan	1830
And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration.”	29	Meccan	1831
So the angels prostrated – all of them entirely,	30	Meccan	1832
Except Iblees, he refused to be with those who prostrated.	31	Meccan	1833
[Allah] said, O Iblees, what is [the matter] with you that you are not with those who prostrate?”	32	Meccan	1834
He said, “Never would I prostrate to a human whom You created out of clay from an altered black mud.”	33	Meccan	1835
[Allah] said, “Then get out of it, for indeed, you are expelled.	34	Meccan	1836
And indeed, upon you is the curse until the Day of Recompense.”	35	Meccan	1837
He said, “My Lord, then reprieve me until the Day they are resurrected.”	36	Meccan	1838
[Allah] said, “So indeed, you are of those reprieved	37	Meccan	1839
Until the Day of the time well-known.”	38	Meccan	1840
[Iblees] said, “My Lord, because You have put me in error, I will surely make [disobedience] attractive to them on earth, and I will mislead them all	39	Meccan	1841
Except, among them, Your chosen servants.”	40	Meccan	1842
[Allah] said, “This is a path [of return] to Me [that is] straight.	41	Meccan	1843
Indeed, My servants – no authority will you have over them, except those who follow you of the deviators.	42	Meccan	1844
And indeed, Hell is the promised place for them all.	43	Meccan	1845
It has seven gates; for every gate is of them a portion designated.”	44	Meccan	1846
Indeed, the righteous will be within gardens and springs.	45	Meccan	1847
[Having been told], “Enter it in peace, safe [and secure].”	46	Meccan	1848
And We will remove whatever is in their breasts of resentment, [so they will be] brothers, on thrones facing each other.	47	Meccan	1849
No fatigue will touch them therein, nor from it will they [ever] be removed.	48	Meccan	1850
[O Muhammad], inform My servants that it is I who am the Forgiving, the Merciful.	49	Meccan	1851
And that it is My punishment which is the painful punishment.	50	Meccan	1852
And inform them about the guests of Abraham,	51	Meccan	1853
When they entered upon him and said, “Peace.” [Abraham] said, “Indeed, we are fearful of you.”	52	Meccan	1854
[The angels] said, “Fear not. Indeed, we give you good tidings of a learned boy.”	53	Meccan	1855
He said, “Have you given me good tidings although old age has come upon me? Then of what [wonder] do you inform?”	54	Meccan	1856
They said, “We have given you good tidings in truth, so do not be of the despairing.”	55	Meccan	1857
He said, “And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except for those astray?”	56	Meccan	1858
[Abraham] said, “Then what is your business [here], O messengers?”	57	Meccan	1859
They said, “Indeed, we have been sent to a people of criminals,	58	Meccan	1860
Except the family of Lot; indeed, we will save them all	59	Meccan	1861
Except his wife.” Allah decreed that she is of those who remain behind.	60	Meccan	1862
And when the messengers came to the family of Lot,	61	Meccan	1863
He said, “Indeed, you are people unknown.”	62	Meccan	1864
They said, “But we have come to you with that about which they were disputing,	63	Meccan	1865
And we have come to you with truth, and indeed, we are truthful.	64	Meccan	1866
So set out with your family during a portion of the night and follow behind them and let not anyone among you look back and continue on to where you are commanded.”	65	Meccan	1867
And We conveyed to him [the decree] of that matter: that those [sinners] would be eliminated by early morning.	66	Meccan	1868
And the people of the city came rejoicing.	67	Meccan	1869
[Lot] said, “Indeed, these are my guests, so do not shame me.	68	Meccan	1870
And fear Allah and do not disgrace me.”	69	Meccan	1871
They said, “Have we not forbidden you from [protecting] people?”	70	Meccan	1872
[Lot] said, “These are my daughters – if you would be doers [of lawful marriage].”	71	Meccan	1873
By your life, [O Muhammad], indeed they were, in their intoxication, wandering blindly.	72	Meccan	1874
So the shriek seized them at sunrise.	73	Meccan	1875
And We made the highest part [of the city] its lowest and rained upon them stones of hard clay.	74	Meccan	1876
Indeed in that are signs for those who discern.	75	Meccan	1877
And indeed, those cities are [situated] on an established road.	76	Meccan	1878
Indeed in that is a sign for the believers.	77	Meccan	1879
And the companions of the thicket were [also] wrongdoers.	78	Meccan	1880
So We took retribution from them, and indeed, both [cities] are on a clear highway.	79	Meccan	1881
And certainly did the companions of Thamud deny the messengers.	80	Meccan	1882
And We gave them Our signs, but from them they were turning away.	81	Meccan	1883
And they used to carve from the mountains, houses, feeling secure.	82	Meccan	1884
But the shriek seized them at early morning.	83	Meccan	1885
So nothing availed them [from] what they used to earn.	84	Meccan	1886
And We have not created the heavens and earth and that between them except in truth. And indeed, the Hour is coming; so forgive with gracious forgiveness.	85	Meccan	1887
Indeed, your Lord – He is the Knowing Creator.	86	Meccan	1888
And We have certainly given you, [O Muhammad], seven of the often repeated [verses] and the great Qur’an.	87	Meccan	1889
Do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [certain] categories of the disbelievers, and do not grieve over them. And lower your wing to the believers	88	Meccan	1890
And say, “Indeed, I am the clear warner” –	89	Meccan	1891
Just as We had revealed [scriptures] to the separators	90	Meccan	1892
Who have made the Qur’an into portions.	91	Meccan	1893
So by your Lord, We will surely question them all	92	Meccan	1894
About what they used to do.	93	Meccan	1895
Then declare what you are commanded and turn away from the polytheists.	94	Meccan	1896
Indeed, We are sufficient for you against the mockers	95	Meccan	1897
Who make [equal] with Allah another deity. But they are going to know.	96	Meccan	1898
And We already know that your breast is constrained by what they say.	97	Meccan	1899
So exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord and be of those who prostrate [to Him].	98	Meccan	1900
And worship your Lord until there comes to you the certainty (death).	99	Meccan	1901