What is Surah Humazah about? Surah Humazah is the 104th chapter of the Quran, containing 9 verses. It opens with a severe warning to anyone who habitually mocks, slanders, and backbites others, then condemns the arrogant hoarding of wealth as a delusion of immortality. It closes with a vivid description of Al-Hutamah—the Crushing Fire—as the punishment for those who destroy others with words while placing all trust in their wealth. Surah Humazah addresses three of the most socially destructive sins in a single short surah: slander, backbiting, and greedy hoarding.
Quick Facts About Surah Humazah
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Surah | Al-Humazah |
| Chapter Number | 104 |
| Verses | 9 |
| Words | 33 |
| Meaning | The Slanderer / The Backbiter / The Scorner |
| Revelation | Makki (Meccan) |
| Juz | 30 (Amma Para) |
| Arabic Name | الهُمَزَة |
| Also known as | Surah of the Crushing One |
The Virtue of Reading Surah Humaza
The Prophet’s (Majma’ al-Bayn, vol. 10)
It is further stated in the narration of Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that whoever recites Surah Humajah in any of the compulsory prayers will see that poverty stays away from them, nourishment comes to them, and an abominable death is averted from them. (Majma’ al-Bayn, vol. 10)
Spiritual benefits are associated with genuine understanding and reflection on the message of Surah Humajah—it is no longer a lesson in itself without taking the warnings to heart.
What does Humazah mean?
The word “Humazah” (هُمَزَة) comes from the Arabic root “hamz” (هَمْز), which is actually a way of “pressing,” “hugging,” or “disturbing.” Applied to a person, it describes a person who habitually crushes and violates the glory and dignity of others—ridiculing, ridiculing, ridiculing. Through gestures and disrespect
The surah pairs this with Lumazah (لُمَزَة), from “lamz,” which primarily refers to slander and slandering others behind one’s back, usually through gestures, eye movements, or cutting speech.
Tafsir scholars note that Arabic has two clauses within the “deep magnification form”—meaning that it does not describe a one-time slip but a steady, practiced pattern of behavior.
Surah Humazah Arabic Text (Full 9 Verses)
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
- وَيْلٌ لِّكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُّمَزَةٍ
- الَّذِي جَمَعَ مَالًا وَعَدَّدَهُ
- يَحْسَبُ أَنَّ مَالَهُ أَخْلَدَهُ
- كَلَّا لَيُنبَذَنَّ فِي الْحُطَمَةِ
- وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْحُطَمَةُ
- نَارُ اللَّهِ الْمُوقَدَةُ
- الَّتِي تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى الْأَفْئِدَةِ
- إِنَّهَا عَلَيْهِمْ مُّؤْصَدَةٌ
- فِي عَمَدٍ مُّمَدَّدَةٍ
Surah Humazah Transliteration
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem
- Waylul li-kulli humazatil-lumazah
- Alladhi jama’a malaw wa ‘addadah
- Yahsabu anna malahu akhladah
- Kalla la yunbadhanna fil-hutamah
- Wa ma adraka mal-hutamah
- Narul-lahil-muqadah
- Allati tattali’u ‘alal-af’idah
- Innaha ‘alayhim mu’sadah
- Fi ‘amadin mumaddadah
Surah Humazah English Translation
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
- Woe to every habitual slanderer and backbiter.
- who amasses wealth and keeps counting it,
- thinking that his wealth will make him live forever.
- Not at all! He will certainly be hurled into the Crusher.
- And what will make you understand what the Crusher is?
- It is the Fire of Allah, kindled and blazing,
- which reaches right into the heart.
- It will be closed over them.
- in towering columns stretched over them.
Surah Humazah Tafsir & Explanation (Verse by Verse)
Verse 1: Woe to the Slanderer and Backbiter
The opening word “Waylu” is one of the strongest warning terms in the Quran, used specifically for those heading toward severe punishment. Surah Humazah directs this at anyone combining two traits: Humazah and Lumazah.
Ibn Abbas (RA) explained that “humaza” refers to the person who disgraces others openly—through mocking gestures, raised eyebrows, sneering, pointing, imitating, and face-to-face ridicule. Lumazah is the backbiter — the one who attacks people’s reputations when they are not present.
Mujahid, one of the great scholars of tafsir among the tabi’in, distinguished the two: Humazah is carried out with the hand and the eye, while Lumazah is carried out with the tongue.
The Prophet ﷺ defined backbiting precisely: “Backbiting is your speaking about your brother in a manner he would dislike.” When asked what if the fault actually exists in that person, he replied, “If what you say is true, you have backbitten him. If it is not true, you have slandered him.” (Sahih Muslim 2589)
Verse 2: Wealth Amassed and Counted
Surah Humazah immediately links the slanderer’s character to a second trait: obsessive wealth accumulation. The Arabic “jama’a” (gathered/hoarded) and “addadahu” (counted it repeatedly) together suggest someone who obsessively tallies their wealth—counting, recounting, and checking.
Muhammad ibn Ka’b described this type vividly: “His wealth occupies him during the day. Then when the night comes, he sleeps like a rotting corpse.” The link between slander and wealth is clear—the person feels entitled to mock others precisely because of their perceived financial superiority.
Verse 3: The Delusion of Immortality
“He thinks his wealth will make him live foreverThe root cause of both sins in Surah Humazah — slander and hoarding — is this delusional belief that wealth brings permanence. The more wealth accumulated, the more invincible the person feels, and the more contemptuous they become toward those with less.
The Quran gives two powerful historical examples of this exact delusion:
Qarun had treasuries so vast that their keys alone were a burden for strong men. Yet when divine punishment came, the earth swallowed him and everything he owned—none of it postponed his end by even a moment. (Surah Qasas 28:81)
The Pharaohs of Egypt: Left behind gardens, springs, crops, noble buildings, and immense wealth. Yet all of it passed to others within a short time. (Surah Dukhan 44:25-28)
Verses 4–6: Al-Hutamah — The Crusher
Kalla—”Not at all!” This is one of the strongest negations in the Quran, a sharp correction of the immortality delusion. The person will be “hurled” (yunbadh)—a word meaning to throw something away as worthless. The one who spent their life making others feel worthless will themselves be hurled as something discarded into Al-Hutamah.
Al-Hutamah (the Crusher) comes from “hatm,” meaning to smash and break into pieces. The punishment fits the crime precisely: the one who spent their life “crushing” others’ dignity with words will be placed in the ultimate Crusher. The surah calls it “the Fire of Allah, ‘kindled'”—the only place in the Quran where Hellfire is described directly as “the Fire of Allah,” expressing both its ferocity and the divine wrath it carries.
Verse 7: Fire That Reaches the Hearts
“Which reaches right into the hearts.” Unlike ordinary fire that burns from outside inward, Al-Hutamah penetrates all the way to the hearts—the seats of intentions, arrogance, and malice. The punishment reaches precisely where the crime originated: in the heart that felt contempt for others and trusted wealth over Allah.
Verses 8–9: Sealed and Enclosed
“It will be closed over them in towering columns stretched over them.” The imagery is of an inescapable enclosure—the same as those who locked their wealth in safes and secret storage, now locked in punishment with no door of escape. Commentators also mention this refers to tall iron pillars by which the gates of this section of Hell are fastened shut permanently.
Pride—the root of these sins.
The tafseer scholars identify vanity (kibar) because of the underlying cause that links every blasphemy and collection in Surah al-Humazah. When a person accumulates money and begins to make themselves look better, it is clear that they are degrading themselves to others—and that contempt is expressed in ridicule, regret, and blame.
The Prophet ﷺ said after his night journey (Isra-Mi’raj) that he saw a group inside Hereftir whose wings had been eaten. When he asked Gabriel (a.s.) who they were, he said, “These are backward people outside your community.” (Nur-ut-Thakalajan, V. bind)
The Prophet ﷺ further said, “The lowest of people is the one who insults human beings.” (Bihar Anwar, Volume 75)
The Islamic View on Wealth in Surah Humazah
Surah Humaza condemns a certain relationship with money—now not the money itself. Elsewhere, the Qur’an refers to wealth as the “gift of Allah” (Fadlullah, Sura Jumu’ah sixty-two:10) and khair (fair, Sura Habqar 2:one hundred and eighty) Money earned lawfully and spent gratefully and generously is praised in Islam.
What Surah Humajah condemns is wealth that is made into an object of worship—compulsively hoarded, used as a basis for pride, and treated as a guarantee of immortality. Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha (a.s.) noted that wealth arises through five qualities: terrible miserliness and terrible misery. Cut ties with those who prefer this world to the next.
There are two kinds of people who encounter money: people who worship it as an idol and people who use it as a means of salvation. Surah Humaza warns against being of the first kind.
Who Was Surah Humazah Revealed About?
Scholars mention several Quraysh leaders because the instant targets of the warning in Surah Humajah, such as Walid ibn al-Mughira, Akhnas ibn Shariq, and Ubay ibn Khalaf, are all known to mock the Prophet ﷺ and his followers for being unusually wealthy at one time.
But by using “kulli” (“everyone”) in verse 1—”Woe to every common scoffer”—Surah Humajah makes a general caution to anybody, at any time and in any state, that adopts this character.
Sura Humazahand Social Media
Surah Al-Humazah contains precise meaning today. The actions she condemned—mocking, pointing, winking, finding fault, and backtracking—are now popping up to a level that was not possible in any way before with social media. Prudence in the Sura includes all means that a person uses by crushing the dignity of each person for entertainment, status, or monetary gain.
The main theme of Sura Humazah.
Ordinary condemnation and repentance emphasize intense godly prudence—these are not minor social failings.
Wealth as a Spiritual Threat — When wealth leads to vanity and disgrace, it becomes destructive.
The fable of the durability of the fabric—the last beautiful state of wealth is indifferent to death—
Divine justice—the punishment fits the crime—the crusher punishes those who spent their lives crushing others.
The heart, because it is the seat of sin—the fiery furnace that enters the heart reflects the contempt that lives there.
Lessons From Surah Humazah
Watch your words. Ridicule, sarcasm, blame-finding, backbiting—even “just funny stories”—fall under the precept of Surah Al-Humazah.
Look at money as one, not as security. The more it is, the more the excess endangers the damned pride of this Sura. The antidote is gratitude and generosity.
The worst sin is usually the paperwork available. Rolling one’s eyes at someone, presumably whispering their faults, joking at their expense — those are the very actions that Surah Humazah presumably warns against.
Disrespect for others is disrespect for that Creator. Every man or woman has an honor (ijjah) given by Allah. To mock the dignity of man is to despise something sacred.
Hell is described as annoying in charity. Surah Humajah says, “This is the fire of Allah, kindled”—as if it were already ready. The results are substantial and well-equipped.
Frequently Asked Questions About Surah Humazah
What is Surah Humazah about? Surah Humazah (Chapter 104) warns against three connected sins: habitual mockery and slander of others, obsessive hoarding of wealth, and the delusional belief that money brings permanent security. It describes Al-Hutamah — the Crushing Fire — as the punishment for those who combine these traits.
What does Humazah mean in the Quran? In the Quran, “Humazah” means “the habitual slanderer”—someone who mocks, ridicules, and belittles others as a consistent character trait, both to their face and behind their backs.
How many verses are in Surah Humazah? Surah Humazah contains 9 verses and 33 words, making it one of the shorter surahs in Juz 30.
Is Surah Humazah Makki or Madani? Surah Humazah is a Makki surah, revealed in Makkah in the early period of the Prophet’s ﷺ mission.
What is the difference between Humazah and Lumazah? “Humazah” refers to open, face-to-face mockery—through words, gestures, and ridicule. Lumazah refers to backbiting someone when they are absent. Surah Humazah condemns both together as a combined character failing.
What is Al-Hutamah in Surah Humazah? Al-Hutamah is the name given to Hellfire in this surah, meaning “The Crusher.” It is described as the Fire of Allah that penetrates all the way to the heart—reflecting the justice of punishing those who spent their lives crushing others’ dignity.
Why does the fire reach the hearts in Surah Humazah? Because the sin originated in the heart—the contempt, arrogance, and delusional trust in wealth all lived there. Al-Hutamah targets the very source of the wrongdoing.
What are the benefits of reciting Surah Humazah? Narrations mention ten good deeds for every person who mocked the Prophet ﷺ and protection from poverty and a hideous death. The primary benefit is spiritual: building awareness of the danger of arrogance, slander, and misplaced trust in wealth.
Is backbiting really a major sin in Islam? Yes. The Prophet ﷺ compared backbiting to eating the flesh of one’s dead brother (Quran 49:12). Surah Humazah’s opening Waylun — the same warning used for other severe sins in the Quran — places habitual slander in the category of sins with severe punishment.
What lessons does Surah Humazah teach about wealth? That wealth is a test, not a guarantee. When it leads to arrogance and contempt for others, it becomes the path to destruction. When earned lawfully and spent with gratitude, it is a blessing—but Surah Al-Humazah warns against making wealth an idol or imagining it grants immortality.
Closing Supplication
O Allah, save us from the negligence that comes from wealth, position, and desires.
O Allah, make us free from being enslaved to material things, and protect us from the mastership of Shaytan over our hearts.
O Allah, the fire of Al-Hutamah is severe—none can be saved from it except by Your grace. Bestow Your Grace upon us and keep us far from the sins Surah Humazah warns against.
Ameen, O Lord of the Worlds.
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Sources & References
- The Holy Quran, Surah Al-Humazah, 104:1–9
- Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Surah 104)
- Tafsir Maariful Quran — Mufti Muhammad Shafi
- Tafhim al-Qur’an — Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi
- Majma’ al-Bayan, vol. 10 (virtues of recitation)
- Nur-uth-Thaqalayn, vol. 5 (Mi’raj narration)
- Bihar ul-Anwar, vol. 75 (honour of people)
- Sahih Muslim 2589 (definition of backbiting)
- Quran 49:12 (prohibition of backbiting)
- Surah Qasas 28:81 (story of Qarun)
- Surah Dukhan 44:25-28 (Pharaoh’s wealth)
Written by: Abdul Wahab Reviewed by: Hafiz Munir Ahmed Last reviewed: August 3, 2026
Disclaimer: This article is intended for general knowledge and educational purposes only. While every effort has been made to present accurate translations and reference recognized tafsir sources, readers are encouraged to consult a qualified scholar for in-depth religious rulings or personal guidance.