Themes and purpose:

This Makkan surah is the first of the Ḥā-Mīm series, centered on establishing Monotheism and the absolute certainty of the Resurrection. It achieves this by contrasting Allah’s infinite power and mercy with the arrogance of the deniers, using the story of the believer in Pharaoh's family to illustrate that standing firm for truth leads to divine honor and victory.

Context of Revelation:

Era: Makkan by unanimous agreement.

Context: It was revealed during a period of intense persecution, which intensified after the death of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) uncle Abū Ṭālib. The central story of the man who secretly defended Moses directly consoles the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), who was himself being persecuted in Makkah.

Chronology: It is counted as the 60th surah in the order of revelation, revealed after Sūrat al-Zumar and before Fuṣṣilat.

Name and Ayah Count:

Name: The surah is known by three names: "Sūrat Ghāfir" (The Forgiver), for the description of Allah's attribute of forgiving sin, mentioned in the first āyah [3]; "Sūrat Ḥā’-Mīm al-Mu’min": Named after its opening letters and the story of the unnamed believer from Pharaoh's family [28]; and "Sūrat al-Ṭawl" (The Bounty/Grace): Named for the attribute in the opening passage [3].

Virtue: It is one of the seven Ḥawāmīm surahs (the group beginning with Ḥā-Mīm). The Prophet (ﷺ) encouraged reading it, stating that reading it along with Āyat al-Kursī (2:255) protects a person until the evening.

Ayah Count: 84 ayahs (Madīnah/Makkah) or 85 (Shām/Kūfah).

Surah Overview:

• Monotheism and the Quran: Affirming the Quran's truth and establishing Allah's divine attributes (forgiving, knowing, powerful). [1-6]
• Reward: Praising the believers and describing the honor granted to them and the angels' supplications on their behalf. [7-9, 40]
• Refuting Disputers: Condemning the pride and arrogance of the disbelievers who argue against Allah's signs without proof. [10-14, 35]
• The Hereafter: Proving the Resurrection and detailing the horrors of Judgment Day, where the arrogant leaders will disown their followers. [15, 59]
• Consolation via Prophecy: Recounting the detailed narrative of the believer in Pharaoh's court who defended Moses's prophecy and mission. [28-45]
• Historical Warning: Warning the polytheists of Makkah that the same fate of destruction that befell Pharaoh's people awaits them. [21, 46]
• Final Victory: Affirming the Prophet's (ﷺ) victory and the ultimate triumph of Islam in his lifetime and after his death. [47-58]
• Reminder of Grace: Citing signs of Allah's creation and provisions as reasons for gratitude and tawḥīd. [13, 61-64]
• Concluding with a final command to the Prophet (ﷺ) to be patient and affirm the ultimate truth of the Resurrection. [82-85]