Texts of Islam

The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'ân,: 46. al-Ahqaf: The Sandhills

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This is Surah 46 (al-Ahqaf, "The Sandhills") from the Qur'an, presented in M.M. Pickthall's early 20th-century English translation — a landmark rendering notable for its attempt at formal, archaic diction that echoes the register of the King James Bible. The surah belongs to the Meccan tradition and develops core Islamic theological arguments: the divine origin of the Qur'an, the futility of polytheism, and the certainty of resurrection and judgment. A significant portion addresses the Prophet Muhammad directly, instructing him to challenge opponents to produce comparable scripture or evidence for their beliefs, and reminding him that he is one in a long line of messengers. The surah recounts the destruction of the ancient people of 'Ad — swept away by a punishing wind — as a historical warning to contemporaries who dismiss revelation as fabrication or magic. Distinctively, it includes an episode in which a group of jinn overhear the Qur'an being recited and immediately embrace it, then return to their own people as evangelists, framing the scripture's authority as transcending the human world. The surah closes by calling for patience in the face of disbelief, grounding that call in the example of earlier prophets and the inevitable reckoning to come.

The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'ân,: 46. al-Ahqaf: The Sandhills

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