Al-Ḥadīd الحديد

Holy Quran

Al-Ḥadīd (English: Iron, Arabic الحديد) is the 57th chapter of the Quran with 29 verses

The chapter takes its name from that word which appears in the 25th verse

This is an Al-Musabbihat surah because it begins with the glorification of Allah.

Short summary

• 1-6 God ( Allah ) is omniscient and most powerful.
• 7-11 Muslims exhorted to give alms and help the Prophet's mission
• 12-14 The wise and the foolish in the judgment-day
• 15-17 True believers admonished to submit humbly to God
• 18 God will reward the faithful but will punish the wicked
• 19-20 The present life a vain show
• 21 Men exhorted to seek the life to come
• 22-23 All things recorded in God's book of decrees
• 24 God hateth proud and covetous persons (therefore the defeat at Ohod)
• 25 Apostles sent to former nations
• 26-27 Noah, Abraham, the prophets, and Jesus, with the Gospel, sent
• 28-29 Christians exhorted to become Muslims [4]

Exegesis[edit]

In his tafsir (exegesis), Ma’ariful-Qur’an, Muhammad Shafi Deobandi wrote: “It is recorded in Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i that Sayyidna ‘Irbad Ibn Sariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to recite Al-Musabbihat before he went to sleep and said: ‘In them there is a verse that is more meritorious than a thousand verses’.

“The collective name of the series Al-Musabbihat refers to the following five Surahs: (1) Al-Hadid; (2) Al-Hashr; (3) As-Saff; (4) Al-Jumu’ah; and (5) At-Taghabun.

“Having cited this Hadith, Ibn Kathir says that the best verse referred to in Surah Al-Hadid is verse (3). (He is the First and the Last, and the Manifest and the Hidden, and He is All-knowing about everything . . . 57:3).

“Among the five Surahs, the first three namely Al-Hadid, Al-Hashr and As-Saff commence with the past perfect tense ‘sabbaha’ (purity has been proclaimed) whilst the last two, namely Al-Jumu’ah and At-Taghabun commence with the imperfect tense ‘yusabbihu’ (purity is proclaimed). This implies that the purity of Allah should be declared at all times, the past, the present and the future. [Mazhari]”[5]

In Kitab al-Kafi, Imam Musa al-Kadhim was asked for the interpretation of 57:11 Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He will multiply it for him and he will have a noble reward?, to which he replied "this was revealed about payment to the Imams. One dirham paid to the Imam is greater in weight than the mountain of Uhud and the reward is greater than two million dirhams paid for other charities." Another narration states it is the "good" towards the Imam during a government of mischief.[6]

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify God. He is Majestic and All-wise. (1) To Him belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the

earth. He gives life and causes things to die. He has power over all things. (2) He is the First, the Last, the Manifest, and the Unseen and He knows all

things. (3) It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then established His Dominion over the Throne. He knows whatever enters into the earth, what comes out of it, what descends from the sky, and what ascends to it. He is with you wherever you may be and He is Well Aware of what you do. (4) To Him belong the heavens and the earth and to Him all things return. (5) He causes night to enter into day and day into night. He knows best what all hearts contain. (6) Have faith in God and His Messenger and spend for His cause out of what is entrusted to you. Those who believe and spend for the cause of God will have a great reward. (7) If you are true indeed to this covenant, why do you not believe in God, when His Messenger invites you to believe in your Lord with whom you have made a solemn covenant? (8) It is He who sends illustrious revelations to His servant to take you out of darkness to light. God is Compassionate and All-merciful to you. (9)