SURAH 43 — Az-Zukhruf — الزخرف — “The Ornaments (of Gold)”

• Revelation Order: 63
• Event Anchor: Late Meccan critique of materialism and inherited religion (c. 618–622 CE)

Explanation:
Az-Zukhruf rebukes those who glorified wealth, lineage, and inherited customs over divine guidance—characteristic traits of Mecca’s elite. The surah counters arguments that a messenger must be wealthy or powerful, and it dismantles claims based on ancestral tradition. Its polemical tone reflects the late Meccan stage when Quraysh leaders clung to privilege and resisted Islam because it threatened their social and economic foundations. By exposing the emptiness of gold and ornamentation, the surah responds to the cultural arrogance defining Meccan resistance before the Hijra.

Verse	Verse #	Meccan v Medinan	General Index
Ha, Meem.	1	Meccan	4326
By the clear Book,	2	Meccan	4327
Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur’an that you might understand.	3	Meccan	4328
And indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book with Us, exalted and full of wisdom.	4	Meccan	4329
Then should We turn the message away, disregarding you, because you are a transgressing people?	5	Meccan	4330
And how many a prophet We sent among the former peoples,	6	Meccan	4331
But there would not come to them a prophet except that they used to ridicule him.	7	Meccan	4332
And We destroyed greater than them in [striking] power, and the example of the former peoples has preceded.	8	Meccan	4333
And if you should ask them, “Who has created the heavens and the earth?” they would surely say, “They were created by the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.”	9	Meccan	4334
[The one] who has made for you the earth a bed and made for you upon it roads that you might be guided	10	Meccan	4335
And who sends down rain from the sky in measured amounts, and We revive thereby a dead land – thus will you be brought forth –	11	Meccan	4336
And who created the species, all of them, and has made for you of ships and animals those which you mount.	12	Meccan	4337
That you may settle yourselves upon their backs and then remember the favor of your Lord when you have settled upon them and say. “Exalted is He who has subjected this to us, and we could not have [otherwise] subdued it.	13	Meccan	4338
And indeed we, to our Lord, will [surely] return.”	14	Meccan	4339
But they have attributed to Him from His servants a portion. Indeed, man is clearly ungrateful.	15	Meccan	4340
Or has He taken, out of what He has created, daughters and chosen you for [having] sons?	16	Meccan	4341
And when one of them is given good tidings of that which he attributes to the Most Merciful in comparison, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief.	17	Meccan	4342
So is one brought up in ornaments while being during conflict unevident [attributed to Allah]?	18	Meccan	4343
And they have made the angels, who are servants of the Most Merciful, females. Did they witness their creation? Their testimony will be recorded, and they will be questioned.	19	Meccan	4344
And they said, “If the Most Merciful had willed, we would not have worshipped them.” They have of that no knowledge. They are not but falsifying.	20	Meccan	4345
Or have We given them a book before the Qur’an to which they are adhering?	21	Meccan	4346
Rather, they say, “Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are in their footsteps [rightly] guided.”	22	Meccan	4347
And similarly, We did not send before you any warner into a city except that its affluent said, “Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are, in their footsteps, following.”	23	Meccan	4348
[Each warner] said, “Even if I brought you better guidance than that [religion] upon which you found your fathers?” They said, “Indeed we, in that with which you were sent, are disbelievers.”	24	Meccan	4349
So we took retribution from them; then see how was the end of the deniers.	25	Meccan	4350
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham said to his father and his people, “Indeed, I am disassociated from that which you worship	26	Meccan	4351
Except for He who created me; and indeed, He will guide me.”	27	Meccan	4352
And he made it a word remaining among his descendants that they might return [to it].	28	Meccan	4353
However, I gave enjoyment to these [people of Makkah] and their fathers until there came to them the truth and a clear Messenger.	29	Meccan	4354
But when the truth came to them, they said, “This is magic, and indeed we are, concerning it, disbelievers.”	30	Meccan	4355
And they said, “Why was this Qur’an not sent down upon a great man from [one of] the two cities?”	31	Meccan	4356
Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world and have raised some of them above others in degrees [of rank] that they may make use of one another for service. But the mercy of your Lord is better than whatever they accumulate.	32	Meccan	4357
And if it were not that the people would become one community [of disbelievers], We would have made for those who disbelieve in the Most Merciful – for their houses – ceilings and stairways of silver upon which to mount	33	Meccan	4358
And for their houses – doors and couches [of silver] upon which to recline	34	Meccan	4359
And gold ornament. But all that is not but the enjoyment of worldly life. And the Hereafter with your Lord is for the righteous.	35	Meccan	4360
And whoever is blinded from remembrance of the Most Merciful – We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion.	36	Meccan	4361
And indeed, the devils avert them from the way [of guidance] while they think that they are [rightly] guided	37	Meccan	4362
Until, when he comes to Us [at Judgement], he says [to his companion], “Oh, I wish there was between me and you the distance between the east and west – how wretched a companion.”	38	Meccan	4363
And never will it benefit you that Day, when you have wronged, that you are [all] sharing in the punishment.	39	Meccan	4364
Then will you make the deaf hear, [O Muhammad], or guide the blind or he who is in clear error?	40	Meccan	4365
And whether [or not] We take you away [in death], indeed, We will take retribution upon them.	41	Meccan	4366
Or whether [or not] We show you that which We have promised them, indeed, We are Perfect in Ability.	42	Meccan	4367
So adhere to that which is revealed to you. Indeed, you are on a straight path.	43	Meccan	4368
And indeed, it is a remembrance for you and your people, and you [all] are going to be questioned.	44	Meccan	4369
And ask those We sent before you of Our messengers; have We made besides the Most Merciful deities to be worshipped?	45	Meccan	4370
And certainly did We send Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his establishment, and he said, “Indeed, I am the messenger of the Lord of the worlds.”	46	Meccan	4371
But when he brought them Our signs, at once they laughed at them.	47	Meccan	4372
And We showed them not a sign except that it was greater than its sister, and We seized them with affliction that perhaps they might return [to faith].	48	Meccan	4373
And they said [to Moses], “O magician, invoke for us your Lord by what He has promised you. Indeed, we will be guided.”	49	Meccan	4374
But when We removed from them the affliction, at once they broke their word.	50	Meccan	4375
And Pharaoh called out among his people; he said, “O my people, does not the kingdom of Egypt belong to me, and these rivers flowing beneath me; then do you not see?	51	Meccan	4376
Or am I [not] better than this one who is insignificant and hardly makes himself clear?	52	Meccan	4377
Then why have there not been placed upon him bracelets of gold or come with him the angels in conjunction?”	53	Meccan	4378
So he bluffed his people, and they obeyed him. Indeed, they were [themselves] a people defiantly disobedient [of Allah].	54	Meccan	4379
And when they angered Us, We took retribution from them and drowned them all.	55	Meccan	4380
And We made them a precedent and an example for the later peoples.	56	Meccan	4381
And when the son of Mary was presented as an example, immediately your people laughed aloud.	57	Meccan	4382
And they said, “Are your gods better, or is he?” They did not present the comparison except for [mere] argument. But, [in fact], they are a people prone to dispute.	58	Meccan	4383
Jesus was not but a servant upon whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel.	59	Meccan	4384
And if We willed, We could have made [instead] of you angels succeeding [one another] on the earth.	60	Meccan	4385
And indeed, Jesus will be [a sign for] knowledge of the Hour, so be not in doubt of it, and follow Me. This is a straight path.	61	Meccan	4386
And never let Satan avert you. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.	62	Meccan	4387
And when Jesus brought clear proofs, he said, “I have come to you with wisdom and to make clear to you some of that over which you differ, so fear Allah and obey me.	63	Meccan	4388
Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is a straight path.”	64	Meccan	4389
But the denominations from among them differed [and separated], so woe to those who have wronged from the punishment of a painful Day.	65	Meccan	4390
Are they waiting except for the Hour to come upon them suddenly while they perceive not?	66	Meccan	4391
Close friends, that Day, will be enemies to each other, except for the righteous	67	Meccan	4392
[To whom Allah will say], “O My servants, no fear will there be concerning you this Day, nor will you grieve,	68	Meccan	4393
[You] who believed in Our verses and were Muslims.	69	Meccan	4394
Enter Paradise, you and your kinds, delighted.”	70	Meccan	4395
Circulated among them will be plates and vessels of gold. And therein is whatever the souls desire and [what] delights the eyes, and you will abide therein eternally.	71	Meccan	4396
And that is Paradise which you are made to inherit for what you used to do.	72	Meccan	4397
For you therein is much fruit from which you will eat.	73	Meccan	4398
Indeed, the criminals will be in the punishment of Hell, abiding eternally.	74	Meccan	4399
It will not be allowed to subside for them, and they, therein, are in despair.	75	Meccan	4400
And We did not wrong them, but it was they who were the wrongdoers.	76	Meccan	4401
And they will call, “O Malik, let your Lord put an end to us!” He will say, “Indeed, you will remain.”	77	Meccan	4402
We had certainly brought you the truth, but most of you, to the truth, were averse.	78	Meccan	4403
Or have they devised [some] affair? But indeed, We are devising [a plan].	79	Meccan	4404
Or do they think that We hear not their secrets and their private conversations? Yes, [We do], and Our messengers are with them recording.	80	Meccan	4405
Say, [O Muhammad], “If the Most Merciful had a son, then I would be the first of [his] worshippers.”	81	Meccan	4406
Exalted is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Lord of the Throne, above what they describe.	82	Meccan	4407
So leave them to converse vainly and amuse themselves until they meet their Day which they are promised.	83	Meccan	4408
And it is Allah who is [the only] deity in the heaven, and on the earth [the only] deity. And He is the Wise, the Knowing.	84	Meccan	4409
And blessed is He to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them and with whom is knowledge of the Hour and to whom you will be returned.	85	Meccan	4410
And those they invoke besides Him do not possess [power of] intercession; but only those who testify to the truth [can benefit], and they know.	86	Meccan	4411
And if you asked them who created them, they would surely say, “Allah.” So how are they deluded?	87	Meccan	4412
And [Allah acknowledges] his saying, “O my Lord, indeed these are a people who do not believe.”	88	Meccan	4413
So turn aside from them and say, “Peace.” But they are going to know.	89	Meccan	4414