Sūrah 21 · Meccan

How Sūrah Al-Anbiyaa was revealed.

Where and when it came down, what it teaches, and the hadith about it — all on one calm page.

Read Al-Anbiyaa → The revelation story
Where revealed Meccan

Revealed in the Meccan period, before the migration to Madīnah.

Order of revelation #73

Its place in the traditional order in which the sūrahs were revealed.

Length 112 ayahs

7 reading sections in the Muṣḥaf.

The revelation story

How and when it came down.

This surah begins with a strong warning to heedless humanity that the reckoning is near, and it establishes the truth of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) messengership and the divine origin of the Quran. It affirms Monotheism and the Resurrection through the evidences of creation and through recounting the histories of many prophets—paralleling their circumstances and the stance of their peoples to the Prophet’s (ﷺ) own situation with his people—showing how Allah gives victory to His messengers over their peoples, answers their supplications, and grants the ultimate good end to the believers.

Themes and purpose:

This surah begins with a strong warning to heedless humanity that the reckoning is near, and it establishes the truth of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) messengership and the divine origin of the Quran. It affirms Monotheism and the Resurrection through the evidences of creation and through recounting the histories of many prophets—paralleling their circumstances and the stance of their peoples to the Prophet’s (ﷺ) own situation with his people—showing how Allah gives victory to His messengers over their peoples, answers their supplications, and grants the ultimate good end to the believers.

Context of Revelation:

Era: Makkan by unanimous agreement. Some suggested that ayah 44 is Madinan.

Chronology: It has been counted as the 71st surah in order of revelation (in the chronology of Jabir ibn Zayd), revealed after Fuṣṣilat and before al-Naḥl. This would place it in the late Makkan era, among the last surahs revealed before the Emigration to Madinah.

Context: The surah addresses the polytheists’ secret plots and mockery of the Prophet (ﷺ) in the backdrop of the Muslims’ growing numbers by comparing his mission with the mission of past prophets. It is possible that it was revealed when some of the people of Madinah had already accepted Islam.

Name and Ayah Count:

Name: The surah’s established name is "Sūrat al-Anbiyā’" (The Prophets). It has no other name. It is named this because it mentions the names of sixteen prophets, a number exceeded only by Sūrat al-Anʿām (which mentions 18).

Virtue: Abdullah ibn Mas’ud counted it among al-ʿItāq al-Ūwal—early surahs of exceptional stature that he learned first and valued most.

Ayah Count: 111 ayahs (Madīnah, Makkah, Shām, Baṣrah) or 112 (Kūfah).

Surah Overview:

  • Warning of the imminent Resurrection and confirming its inevitability. [1-2]
  • Warning against denying the Quran and the Messenger, and exposing the dismissive speech of the deniers. [3–6, 10, 50]
  • Establishing the truth of the Prophet (ﷺ) by reminding them that all messengers brought the same foundational message, all were human, and all faced similar rejection. [3, 7-8, 25]
  • Warning humanity by recalling the destruction of past nations who rejected their messengers. [11, 44]
  • Proving Monotheism by arguing that the order of the cosmos cannot stand with a multiplicity of gods; strong rebuttal of all claims of offspring or partners for Allah by declaring Allah’s transcendence. [21-29, 43]
  • Hinting that beyond this life is a more perfected life of recompense. [18, 47, 97–103]
  • Pointing to creation as evidence of the Creator, and to His governance and signs in the heavens and earth. [30–33]
  • Reminder that all created beings are destined for extinction and that life is a trial. [34–35]
  • Warning not to be deceived by the delay of punishment: it may come suddenly; and mentioning the opening of Gog and Magog as a sign linked to the approach of the Hour. [37–41, 96–97]
  • Detailing the prayers and struggles of numerous prophets (Nuh, Ibrahim, Lut, Yunus, Musa, etc.) and how Allah answered their calls. [48-91]
  • Affirming that the message of all messengers was fundamentally one in its core principles. [92]
  • Concluding by affirming that the final victory and good end belong to the believers in this world and the next. [105, 112]
  • Praising the Quran and asserting the Prophet (ﷺ) is a "mercy to the worlds". [106-107]

Sūrah background — via the Quran Foundation Content API. Shown as supplied by the provider. We do not edit, summarise or generate it.

Hadith about this sūrah

What the hadith say.

These 10 narrations in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī are connected to specific āyāt of this sūrah — a linkage reviewed by the Quran Foundation. Open any one to read it in full, in Arabic and English.

  1. Relates to āyah13
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4739

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَالْكَهْفُ وَمَرْيَمُ وَطَهَ وَالأَنْبِيَاءُ هُنَّ مِنَ الْعِتَاقِ الأُوَلِ، وَهُنَّ مِنْ تِلاَدِي‏.‏ وَقَالَ قَتَادَةُ ‏{‏جُذَاذًا‏}‏ قَطَّعَهُنَّ‏.‏ وَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ ‏{‏فِي فَلَكٍ‏}‏ مِثْلِ فَلْكَةِ الْمِغْزَلِ ‏{‏يَسْبَحُونَ‏}‏ يَدُورُونَ‏.‏ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ‏{‏نَفَشَتْ‏}‏ رَعَتْ ‏{‏يُصْحَبُونَ‏}‏ يُمْنَعُونَ‏.‏ ‏﴿‏أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً‏﴾‏ قَالَ دِينُكُمْ دِينٌ وَاحِدٌ‏.‏ وَقَالَ عِكْرِمَةُ‏.‏ ‏{‏حَصَبُ‏}‏ حَطَبُ بِالْحَبَشِيَّةِ‏.‏ وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ ‏{‏أَحَسُّوا‏}‏ تَوَقَّعُوهُ مِنْ أَحْسَسْتُ‏.‏ ‏{‏خَامِدِينَ‏}‏ هَامِدِينَ‏.‏ حَصِيدٌ مُسْتَأْصَلٌ يَقَعُ عَلَى الْوَاحِدِ وَالاِثْنَيْنِ وَالْجَمِيعِ‏.‏ ‏﴿‏لاَ يَسْتَحْسِرُونَ‏﴾‏ لاَ يُعْيُونَ، وَمِنْهُ حَسِيرٌ، وَحَسَرْتُ بَعِيرِي‏.‏ عَمِيقٌ بَعِيدٌ‏.‏ ‏{‏نُكِسُوا‏}‏ رُدُّوا‏.‏ ‏﴿‏صَنْعَةَ لَبُوسٍ‏﴾‏ الدُّرُوعُ‏.‏ ‏{‏تَقَطَّعُوا أَمْرَهُمْ‏}‏ اخْتَلَفُوا، الْحَسِيسُ وَالْحِسُّ وَالْجَرْسُ وَالْهَمْسُ وَاحِدٌ، وَهْوَ مِنَ الصَّوْتِ الْخَفِيِّ ‏{‏آذَنَّاكَ‏}‏ أَعْلَمْنَاكَ ‏{‏آذَنْتُكُمْ‏}‏ إِذَا أَعْلَمْتَهُ فَأَنْتَ وَهْوَ عَلَى سَوَاءٍ لَمْ تَغْدِرْ‏.‏ وَقَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ ‏﴿‏لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْأَلُونَ‏﴾‏ تُفْهَمُونَ ‏{‏ارْتَضَى‏}‏ رَضِيَ‏.‏ ‏{‏التَّمَاثِيلُ‏}‏ الأَصْنَامُ، السِّجِلُّ الصَّحِيفَةُ‏.‏

    Narrated `Abdullah: The Suras of Bani Israel, Al-Kahf, Mariyam, Taha and Al-Anbiya are from the very old Suras which I learnt by heart, and they are my first property.

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  2. Relates to āyah19
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4739

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَالْكَهْفُ وَمَرْيَمُ وَطَهَ وَالأَنْبِيَاءُ هُنَّ مِنَ الْعِتَاقِ الأُوَلِ، وَهُنَّ مِنْ تِلاَدِي‏.‏ وَقَالَ قَتَادَةُ ‏{‏جُذَاذًا‏}‏ قَطَّعَهُنَّ‏.‏ وَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ ‏{‏فِي فَلَكٍ‏}‏ مِثْلِ فَلْكَةِ الْمِغْزَلِ ‏{‏يَسْبَحُونَ‏}‏ يَدُورُونَ‏.‏ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ‏{‏نَفَشَتْ‏}‏ رَعَتْ ‏{‏يُصْحَبُونَ‏}‏ يُمْنَعُونَ‏.‏ ‏﴿‏أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً‏﴾‏ قَالَ دِينُكُمْ دِينٌ وَاحِدٌ‏.‏ وَقَالَ عِكْرِمَةُ‏.‏ ‏{‏حَصَبُ‏}‏ حَطَبُ بِالْحَبَشِيَّةِ‏.‏ وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ ‏{‏أَحَسُّوا‏}‏ تَوَقَّعُوهُ مِنْ أَحْسَسْتُ‏.‏ ‏{‏خَامِدِينَ‏}‏ هَامِدِينَ‏.‏ حَصِيدٌ مُسْتَأْصَلٌ يَقَعُ عَلَى الْوَاحِدِ وَالاِثْنَيْنِ وَالْجَمِيعِ‏.‏ ‏﴿‏لاَ يَسْتَحْسِرُونَ‏﴾‏ لاَ يُعْيُونَ، وَمِنْهُ حَسِيرٌ، وَحَسَرْتُ بَعِيرِي‏.‏ عَمِيقٌ بَعِيدٌ‏.‏ ‏{‏نُكِسُوا‏}‏ رُدُّوا‏.‏ ‏﴿‏صَنْعَةَ لَبُوسٍ‏﴾‏ الدُّرُوعُ‏.‏ ‏{‏تَقَطَّعُوا أَمْرَهُمْ‏}‏ اخْتَلَفُوا، الْحَسِيسُ وَالْحِسُّ وَالْجَرْسُ وَالْهَمْسُ وَاحِدٌ، وَهْوَ مِنَ الصَّوْتِ الْخَفِيِّ ‏{‏آذَنَّاكَ‏}‏ أَعْلَمْنَاكَ ‏{‏آذَنْتُكُمْ‏}‏ إِذَا أَعْلَمْتَهُ فَأَنْتَ وَهْوَ عَلَى سَوَاءٍ لَمْ تَغْدِرْ‏.‏ وَقَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ ‏﴿‏لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْأَلُونَ‏﴾‏ تُفْهَمُونَ ‏{‏ارْتَضَى‏}‏ رَضِيَ‏.‏ ‏{‏التَّمَاثِيلُ‏}‏ الأَصْنَامُ، السِّجِلُّ الصَّحِيفَةُ‏.‏

    Narrated `Abdullah: The Suras of Bani Israel, Al-Kahf, Mariyam, Taha and Al-Anbiya are from the very old Suras which I learnt by heart, and they are my first property.

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  3. Relates to āyah63
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3358

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ لَمْ يَكْذِبْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ـ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ـ إِلاَّ ثَلاَثَ كَذَبَاتٍ ثِنْتَيْنِ مِنْهُنَّ فِي ذَاتِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، قَوْلُهُ ‏﴿‏إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ ‏﴾‏ وَقَوْلُهُ ‏﴿‏بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَذَا‏﴾‏، وَقَالَ بَيْنَا هُوَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ وَسَارَةُ إِذْ أَتَى عَلَى جَبَّارٍ مِنَ الْجَبَابِرَةِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ إِنَّ هَا هُنَا رَجُلاً مَعَهُ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ أَحْسَنِ النَّاسِ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ، فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْهَا‏.‏ فَقَالَ مَنْ هَذِهِ قَالَ أُخْتِي، فَأَتَى سَارَةَ قَالَ يَا سَارَةُ، لَيْسَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الأَرْضِ مُؤْمِنٌ غَيْرِي وَغَيْرُكِ، وَإِنَّ هَذَا سَأَلَنِي، فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ أَنَّكِ أُخْتِي فَلاَ تُكَذِّبِينِي‏.‏ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهَا، فَلَمَّا دَخَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ ذَهَبَ يَتَنَاوَلُهَا بِيَدِهِ، فَأُخِذَ فَقَالَ ادْعِي اللَّهَ لِي وَلاَ أَضُرُّكِ‏.‏ فَدَعَتِ اللَّهَ فَأُطْلِقَ، ثُمَّ تَنَاوَلَهَا الثَّانِيَةَ، فَأُخِذَ مِثْلَهَا أَوْ أَشَدَّ فَقَالَ ادْعِي اللَّهَ لِي وَلاَ أَضُرُّكِ‏.‏ فَدَعَتْ فَأُطْلِقَ‏.‏ فَدَعَا بَعْضَ حَجَبَتِهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّكُمْ لَمْ تَأْتُونِي بِإِنْسَانٍ، إِنَّمَا أَتَيْتُمُونِي بِشَيْطَانٍ‏.‏ فَأَخْدَمَهَا هَاجَرَ فَأَتَتْهُ، وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي، فَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ مَهْيَا قَالَتْ رَدَّ اللَّهُ كَيْدَ الْكَافِرِ ـ أَوِ الْفَاجِرِ ـ فِي نَحْرِهِ، وَأَخْدَمَ هَاجَرَ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ تِلْكَ أُمُّكُمْ يَا بَنِي مَاءِ السَّمَاءِ‏.‏

    Narrated Abu Huraira: Abraham did not tell a lie except on three occasion. Twice for the Sake of Allah when he said, "I am sick," and he said, "(I have not done this but) the big idol has done it." The (third was) that while Abraham and Sarah (his wife) were going (on a journey) they passed by (the territory of) a tyrant. Someone said to the tyrant, "This man (i.e. Abraham) is accompanied by a very charming lady." So, he sent for Abraham and asked him about Sarah saying, "Who is this lady?" Abraham said, "She is my sister." Abraham went to Sarah and said, "O Sarah! There are no believers on the surface of the earth except you and I. This man asked me about you and I have told him that you are my sister, so don't contradict my statement." The tyrant then called Sarah and when she went to him, he tried to take hold of her with his hand, but (his hand got stiff and) he was confounded. He asked Sarah. "Pray to Allah for me, and I shall not harm you." So Sarah asked Allah to cure him and he got cured. He tried to take hold of her for the second time, but (his hand got as stiff as or stiffer than before and) was more confounded. He again requested Sarah, "Pray to Allah for me, and I will not harm you." Sarah asked Allah again and he became alright. He then called one of his guards (who had brought her) and said, "You have not brought me a human being but have brought me a devil." The tyrant then gave Hajar as a girl-servant to Sarah. Sarah came back (to Abraham) while he was praying. Abraham, gesturing with his hand, asked, "What has happened?" She replied, "Allah has spoiled the evil plot of the infidel (or immoral person) and gave me Hajar for service." (Abu Huraira then addressed his listeners saying, "That (Hajar) was your mother, O Bani Ma-is-Sama (i.e. the Arabs, the descendants of Ishmael, Hajar's son).

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The link between each āyah and these narrations is the Quran Foundation's reviewed reference map. The wording is reproduced verbatim from a public-domain edition of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and is not edited, summarised or generated; every narration also opens at Sunnah.com so it can be checked against another copy.

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