»The surah that mentions the fatal lesion of the ancient people of ʿĀd who dwelled in the dune valley of Aḥqāf, whose prophet warned them to give up idolatry and worship only God, but to no avail. It takes its name from verse 21, where Aḥqāf is mentioned. It reflects one of the major themes of this surah: the inescapable punishment that awaits those who deny the truth and the Resurrection. Emphasis is placed on the fact that communities more established than the Meccans” have been destroyed, and that even the jinn believe in the Quran before the disbelievers of Mecca do. Finally, the Prophet is encouraged to be steadfast and await God’s judgement on the disbelievers.«

The surah is also known as The Dune Valleys of al-Ahqaf, The Dunes, The Sand Dunes, The Sandy Plains, Winding Sand-tracts