Surah Al-Hashr (The Exile)

Al-Hashr means "The Exile" or "The Gathering," referring to the expulsion of a group who broke their agreement with the Muslim community in Medina.

Surah Al-Hashr is the fifty-ninth chapter of the Quran, a Medinan surah of twenty-four ayahs. It opens and closes with declarations that all in the heavens and the earth glorifies God. The surah takes its name from an episode in which a group in Medina who had broken their covenant were removed from the area, and it draws lessons about trust in God, the consequences of betrayal, and the alliance between hypocrites and those who oppose the community. It addresses the distribution of resources that came to the Muslims without warfare, directing that wealth should not circulate only among the rich, and it praises the generosity and mutual love between the emigrants and the helpers of Medina who preferred others over themselves. The surah warns against forgetting God, likening those who neglect Him to people who forget their own souls. It ends with a celebrated passage enumerating God's most beautiful names and attributes, affirming His majesty, mercy, and absolute sovereignty over creation.

Surah number: 59
Revelation: Medinan
Ayahs: 24
Arabic: الحشر

Read Surah Al-Hashr online — full Arabic text with the Pickthall English translation.

Main themes

All creation's glorification of God
Consequences of breaking covenant and the removal of the treacherous
The alliance and failure of the hypocrites
Just distribution of communal wealth, not hoarded among the rich
The generosity and brotherhood of the emigrants and helpers
God's most beautiful names and attributes in the closing verses

Why this surah matters

Al-Hashr is widely known for its concluding passage, which enumerates a series of God's names and attributes and is among the most cherished descriptions of the divine in the Quran; many Muslims traditionally recite these closing verses in remembrance and supplication. The surah is also valued for its portrait of the bond between the emigrants and the helpers of Medina, held up as a model of selflessness and mutual care. Its treatment of the just distribution of wealth is frequently cited in discussions of economic ethics. Overall it stands as a chapter blending historical lesson, social guidance, and profound affirmation of God's names.

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Al-Hashr refer to?

The name refers to the exile or gathering associated with the expulsion of a group in Medina who broke their agreement with the Muslim community. The surah reflects on that event and the lessons drawn from it.

Why are the closing verses of Al-Hashr so well known?

The final verses enumerate many of God's most beautiful names and attributes, affirming His sovereignty and mercy. Many Muslims traditionally cherish and recite this passage in remembrance, though its text is not reproduced here.

Is Al-Hashr Meccan or Medinan?

It is a Medinan surah, tied to the period after the migration to Medina. Its content addresses events and social guidance within the early Muslim community there.

Read Surah Al-Hashr

Read Surah Al-Hashr with the Pickthall translation and ask Noor about any ayah — ad-free and neutral across all five schools.

Get Living Quran free