Sūrah Al-Anbiyaʼ الأنبياء, ’al-’anbiyā’; "The Prophets" is the 21st Sūrah (chapter) of the Al-Qurʾān with 112 āyāt / verses. The Sūrah is said to have been revealed in Makkah, around 2–3 years before Hijrah. The name of this Surah has not been taken from any verse but it has been called Al-Anbiyaa because it contains a continuous account of many Anbiyaa (Prophets). Its principal subject matter is prophets of the past, who also preached the same faith as Muhammad. Thus, the Sūrah is a powerful reminder of Tawḥīd (Oneness of Allah), the reality of the Hereafter, and the continuity of prophethood.
We have already published an overview and detailed Tafsir / Exegesis of the Sūrah which can be accessed from the links given below:
Herein under we only share the salient of the Sūrah as a refresher and for general information. At the end of this overview, we have shared links to some of the selected verses from the Sūrah, which in fact is the main purpose of this publication.
Brief Overview
- Makkan Period: Revealed when the Prophet ﷺ faced intense opposition in Makkah.
- Purpose: To show that the Prophet ﷺ’s message is not new, but part of a long chain of guidance sent through earlier prophets.
- Style: Short, impactful verses with historical examples, moral warnings, and comforting assurances.
Prophets Mentioned in Surah al-Anbiyāʾ
In verses 48-91, instances have been cited from the important events of the life stories of the Prophets to show that all the Prophets, who were sent by God, were human beings and had all the characteristics of a man except those which were exclusive to Prophethood. They had no share in Godhead and they had to implore Allah to fulfill each and every necessity of theirs.
A number of prophets are mentioned in this Sūrah:
- Prophet Nuh (Noah) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Lut (Lot) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Mūsā (Moses) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Hārūn (Aaron) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Ibrāhīm (Abraham) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Lūṭ (Lot) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Isḥāq (Isaac) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Yaʿqūb (Jacob) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Nūḥ (Noah) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Dāwūd (David) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Sulaymān (Solomon) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Ayyūb (Job) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Ismāʿīl (Ishmael) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Idrīs (Enoch) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Dhū al-Kifl عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Yūnus (Jonah) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet Zakariyyā (Zechariah) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
- Prophet ʿĪsā ibn Maryam (Jesus son of Mary) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
Main Theme
- All prophets delivered the same message: worship Allah alone, live righteously, prepare for the Day of Judgment.
- The surah rebukes disbelief and arrogance, showing that those who reject guidance face destruction, while those who remain patient are saved.
Structure & Flow
This Surah discusses the conflict between the Holy Prophet and the chiefs of Makkah, which was rampant at the time of its Revelation and answers those objections and doubts which were being put forward concerning his Prophethood and the Doctrines of Tauhid and the Hereafter. The chiefs of Makkah have also been rebuked for their machinations against the Holy Prophet and warned of the evil consequences of their wicked activities. They have been admonished to give up their indifference and heedlessness that they were showing about the Message. At the end of the Surah, they have been told that the person whom they considered to be a "distress and affliction" had in reality come to them as a blessing.
Verses 1–15: Urgent warning that the Day of Judgment is near; mockery of messengers by disbelievers.
Verses 16–29: The universe is created with truth; Allah is free from partners; angels serve Allah.
Verses 30–50: Signs in creation; lessons from Nūḥ, Mūsā, and Hārūn.
Verses 51–70: Story of Ibrāhīm and his stand against idol worship.
Verses 71–88: A chain of prophets — each facing trials but helped by Allah.
Verses 89–112: Consolation to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ; final warning to disbelievers.
Important Subjects
- Unity of Divine Message — All prophets called to the same truth (21:25).
- Signs in Creation — The heavens and earth once joined, then separated (21:30).
- Trials of Prophets — Patience, faith, and divine help.
- The Hereafter — Accountability is certain; worldly power cannot save.
- Allah’s Mercy — Relief comes after hardship for the patient and faithful.
Key Lessons
- Continuity of Guidance — Truth has one source; rejecting one prophet means rejecting them all.
- Patience in Dawah — Prophets endured ridicule but persisted.
- Reliance on Allah — Deliverance comes from Him alone.
- World is a Test — Material blessings are temporary; real success is eternal.
- Unity in Faith — Believers are part of one brotherhood across time.
Selected verses from Sūrah Al-Anbiyā
You may now refer to some of the selected verses from Surah Ta Ha already published:
- Verse 1: The time of people's reckoning is near: Yet they remain stubbornly heedless
- Verse 21: Theory of Big Bang and formation of every living being with water
- Verse 24: Most of the people do not know the Truth, and turn away
- Verse 35: Every living being shall taste death - and to Us shall all of you be eventually sent back
- Verse 47: The Ultimate Divine Justice
- Verse 87: A powerful prophetic supplication attributed to Prophet Yunus (Jonah, sws)
- Verse 87: Ayat e Kareema: There is no god but Thou. Glory be to You! I was indeed wrong."
- Verse 89: Lord! Leave me not solitary - You are the Best Inheritor (Supplication Prophet Zakariyyā (Zechariah) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)
In time we will add more verses from Sūrah Al-Anbiyā.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may also refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
For more Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. .
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.
No comments:
Post a Comment