594 Page Notes

 Surah Al-Fajr (continued)

Page 594 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Surah Al-Balad

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 594 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Surah Al-Fajr

Page 594 of the Quran opens by concluding the final eight verses of Surah Al-Fajr (Chapter 89), verses 23 through 30.

This passage represents one of the most visually and emotionally dramatic transitions in the entire Quran. It shifts from the visceral horror of a regretful soul witnessing Hell being dragged into view, to an intimate, peaceful divine welcome extended to the pure soul as it is ushered into Paradise.

The prophetic Sunnah and the recorded statements of the Companions provide clear, striking commentary for these final verses.

1. Verse 23: The Physical Pulling of Hellfire

“And brought [within view], that Day, is Hell – that Day man will remember, but how [i.e., what good] to him will be the remembrance?” (Quran 89:23)

The Sunnah explicitly tracks the terrifying physical reality behind the word Jee'a (brought forth) used in this verse. The Prophet ﷺ revealed that Hell is not a stationary location on that Day; it is an active, restrained entity brought directly to the grand assembly:

Narrated Abdullah bin Mas'ud: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Hell will be brought forth on that Day trailing seventy thousand reins, and with every single rein will be seventy thousand angels pulling it along." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2842 / Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2573)

The Sunnah establishes that the sheer sight of this roaring, massive entity being dragged by billions of angels is what triggers the instant, useless panic and regret mentioned in the text.

2. Verse 24: The Desperation for "The True Life"

“He will say, 'Oh, I wish I had sent ahead [some good] for my life.'” (Quran 89:24)

The text uses the phrase li-hayati (for my life). The early scholars of the Sunnah noted that the speaker realizes their 70 or 80 years on earth was not actually "life" at all—it was merely a brief prelude. True life only begins at resurrection.

The Prophet ﷺ heavily reinforced this concept by teaching his Companions a phrase to repeat during moments of immense worldly luxury or extreme hardship to protect them from this exact deathbed regret:

The Prophet ﷺ used to say during intense trials or major worldly distractions: "Labbayk, innal-'aysha 'ayshul-Akhirah" (Here I am at Your service, O Allah! Truly, the only real life is the life of the Hereafter.) (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2834 / Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1805)

3. Verses 27–30: The Welcome of the Tranquil Soul (An-Nafs al-Mutma'innah)

“ [To the righteous it will be said], 'O reassured soul, Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him], And enter among My [righteous] servants, And enter My Paradise.'” (Quran 89:27-30)

These closing lines are globally celebrated as some of the most comforting words in scripture. The Sunnah provides the exact timeline of when a believer hears this beautiful, private address.

At the Moment of Death

The Prophet ﷺ explained that these four verses are spoken directly to the believer by the Angel of Death while they are still resting on their earthly deathbed:

The Prophet ﷺ said regarding the dying believer: "...The Angel of Death comes and sits right by his head, and says: 'O pure, tranquil soul! Come out to the forgiveness of your Lord and His absolute pleasure!' The soul then flows out of the body as smoothly as a drop of water flows from the mouth of a water-skin..." (Recorded in Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 18543 / Sunan an-Nasa'i — Graded Sahih)

The Historical Context: The Departure of Ibn Abbas

The Sunnah preserves a deeply moving historical event showing how these verses manifested at the funeral of one of the greatest Quranic scholars of the Companions, Abdullah bin Abbas:

Narrated Sa'id bin Jubayr: "When Abdullah bin Abbas passed away in the city of Ta'if, a mysterious, white bird of a type never seen before flew down and entered his shroud, and no one saw it come out.

As he was being lowered into his grave, an unseen voice was suddenly heard reciting from the edge of the burial site, echoing through the air: 'O reassured soul, Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him]... And enter My Paradise.' Nobody knew who recited it, but it comforted everyone present." (Recorded by Al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak, Hadith 6333 / Al-Tabarani — Graded Sahih)

Summary of Reference Sources

• The Pulling of Hell (Verse 23): Sahih Muslim (Book of Paradise, Hadith 2842).

• The Reality of Life (Verse 24): Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Jihad, Hadith 2834) and Sahih Muslim (Hadith 1805).

• The Departure of the Reassured Soul (Verses 27-30): Musnad Ahmad (Hadith 18543).

• The Funeral Miracle of Ibn Abbas: Al-Mustadrak 'ala al-Sahihayn of Al-Hakim (Hadith 6333).

Surah Al-Balad

Page 594 of the Quran introduces Surah Al-Balad (The City, Chapter 90), verses 1 through 18.

This early Makkan Surah serves as a profound reality check on the human condition. It begins with a solemn oath by the sacred terrain of Makkah, directly diagnoses the inherent struggle of human life, and outlines the "steep, uphill path" (Al-Aqabah) required to achieve moral and spiritual salvation.

The prophetic Sunnah and the accounts of the Companions provide critical historical, theological, and legal context to these 18 verses.

1. Verses 1–2: The Sacred Legal Loophole of Makkah

“I swear by this city [Makkah] – And you, [O Muhammad], are free of restriction in this city.” (Quran 90:1-2)

The text uses the word Hillun (permissible/free of restriction). Makkah was historically a total sanctuary where violence, hunting, and fighting were strictly forbidden by divine law. However, Allah states here that a unique exception would be made for the Prophet ﷺ.

The Sunnah explicitly records the fulfillment of this prophecy years later during the Conquest of Makkah, explaining the exact parameters of this verse:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up on the day of the Conquest of Makkah and said:

"Verily, Allah made this city sacred on the Day He created the heavens and the earth, and it will remain sacred by the sanctity of Allah until the Day of Resurrection. Fighting in it was never permitted for anyone before me, and it was not permitted for me except for a single hour of a single day.

Today, its sanctity has returned just as it was sacred yesterday. Let those who are present convey this to those who are absent."

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1349 / Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1353)

The Sunnah clarifies that verse 2 was a prophetic foreshadowing: the structural ban on weapons in Makkah would be momentarily lifted for the Prophet ﷺ just long enough to peacefully reclaim the city and clear it of idols, before the strict prohibition immediately locked back into place.

2. Verse 4: The Inherent Hardship of Life (Kabad)

“We have certainly created man in hardship.” (Quran 90:4)

The word Kabad signifies toil, struggle, and distress. The early commentators of the Sunnah, including Abdullah bin Abbas, explained that this verse establishes that a human being experiences struggle at every developmental milestone—from the pains of birth and teething to the daily grind of earning a living and facing death (Tafsir al-Tabari).

The Sunnah offers a profound perspective on how a believer is meant to process this inescapable baseline of worldly hardship:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

"The world is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the disbeliever."

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2956)

He ﷺ also explained:

"The lineage of human testing is based on spiritual capacity: The people who face the severest trials are the Prophets, then those who resemble them the most, then those who resemble them next..."

(Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2398 — Graded Sahih)

3. Verses 11–13: Conquering the Steep Path via Freedom

“But he has not broken through the steep pass. And what can make you know what is the steep pass? It is the freeing of a neck [a slave].” (Quran 90:11-13)

Allah uses a vivid mountain-climbing metaphor (Al-Aqabah) to describe the psychological barrier humans must break through to overcome their innate selfishness. The very first action item listed to conquer this peak is Fakku Raqabah (freeing a slave).

The Sunnah tracks the immense, life-saving spiritual value the Prophet ﷺ placed on this social reform action:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

"Whoever frees a believing slave, Allah will free for every limb of that slave one of his own limbs from the Hellfire—even a hand for a hand, a leg for a leg, and a private part for a private part."

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6715 / Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1509)

4. Verses 14–16: Altruism in Times of Crisis

“Or feeding on a day of severe hunger, An orphan of near relationship, Or a needy person cleaving to the dust.” (Quran 90:14-16)

The text emphasizes feeding specifically during a Yawmin dhi Masghabah (a day of famine or severe socioeconomic crisis) and prioritizes family orphans (Yatiman dha Maqrabah). The Sunnah provides the direct economic and communal rationale behind this prioritization:

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

"Giving charity to a poor person who is a stranger brings a single reward (the reward of charity). But giving charity to a poor relative brings a double reward: the reward of charity and the reward of keeping family ties."

(Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 658 / Sunan an-Nasa'i, Hadith 2582 — Graded Sahih)

He ﷺ also famously noted:

"The one who looks after an orphan and myself will be together in Paradise like these two," and he held his index and middle fingers close together.

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5304)

5. Verses 17–18: The Defining Mark of the Right Hand

“Then he became one of those who believed and recommended one another to patience and recommended one another to compassion. Those are the companions of the right.” (Quran 90:17-18)

To successfully cross the steep pass and join the As-hab al-Maymanah (the Companions of the Right Hand), personal charity is not enough; one must join a community dedicated to Tawasaw bil-Marhamah (mutually instilling compassion into society).

The Prophet ﷺ summarized this collective community ethos in a foundational axiom of the Sunnah:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

"Those who show mercy will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Be compassionate to those on the earth, and the One above the heavens will be compassionate to you."

(Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1924 / Abu Dawud, Hadith 4941 — Graded Sahih)

Summary of Reference Sources

• The Sacred Sanctuary of Makkah (Verses 1-2): Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Funerals, Hadith 1349) and Sahih Muslim (Book of Hajj, Hadith 1353).

• The Paradigm of Toil and Trial (Verse 4): Sahih Muslim (Hadith 2956) and Jami` at-Tirmidhi (Hadith 2398).

• The Liberation of Slaves (Verse 13): Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Oaths, Hadith 6715) and Sahih Muslim (Hadith 1509).

• Orphans and Relatives First (Verses 14-15): Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Divorce, Hadith 5304) and Jami` at-Tirmidhi (Book of Zakat, Hadith 658).

• The Culture of Mutual Compassion (Verses 17-18): Jami` at-Tirmidhi (Book of Righteousness, Hadith 1924).