235 Page Notes

11 Surah Hud (continued)

Page 235 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

11:118

11:119

11:120

11:121

11:122

11:123

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

12 Surah Yusuf

12:1

12:2

12:3

12:4

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 235 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Surah Hud

Page 235 of the Quran contains the final verses of Surah Hud (11), verses 118 through 123. This critical, concluding passage addresses human diversity and disagreement, states the divine purpose behind recounting the stories of past prophets, and finishes with a powerful declaration of reliance (Tawakkul) on Allah, who possesses absolute knowledge of the unseen.

The Sunnah and authoritative Hadith collections offer profound theological commentary on these specific closing verses.

1. Verses 118–119: Human Differences and the Fitrah (Natural State)

Verses 118 and 119 read: "And if your Lord had willed, He could have made mankind one community; but they will not cease to differ. Except whom your Lord has given mercy, and for that He created them..."

The Prophet’s ﷺ Warning About Sectarianism and Differences

The Sunnah directly expounds upon the reality that mankind will naturally differ and fragment over time, pointing back to the exceptions—those blessed with "mercy" mentioned in verse 119—and how to remain among them.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

"Indeed, those who came before you from the People of the Book split into seventy-two sects. And this religion will split into seventy-three sects; seventy-two will be in the Fire, and one in Paradise. They are the Jama'ah (the main body of believers following the truth)."

— Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 4597; Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 3992

The Concept of the Original State (Fitrah)

In commenting on "and for that He created them," classical scholars draw from the Sunnah to explain that humans were created with the innate capability to recognize truth, though free will allows them to deviate into differing beliefs later.

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

"No child is born except upon the Fitrah (natural disposition to believe in one Creator). Then his parents make him a Jew, a Christian, or a Magian..."

— Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1385; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2658

2. Verse 120: The Purpose of Prophetic History

Verse 120 directly comforts the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his followers: "And each [story] We relate to you from the news of the messengers is that by which We make firm your heart. And there has come to you in this the truth and an instruction and a reminder for the believers."

How the Prophet ﷺ Derived Strength from His Predecessors

The Sunnah demonstrates how the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ actively applied verse 120 in his daily life. When he faced extreme persecution, rejection, or internal strife from his people, he would intentionally recall the stories of older prophets to steady his heart and maintain composure.

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud narrated:

After the battle of Hunayn, a man criticized the Prophet's distribution of spoils, saying, "This distribution was not done seeking the pleasure of Allah!" I went to the Prophet ﷺ and informed him. His face turned red with anger, but he then calmed himself and said:

"May Allah have mercy on Musa (Moses)! He was hurt with more than this, yet he remained patient."

— Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3150; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1062

This exact psychological mechanism—using the history of past messengers to firmly anchor the heart during active trauma—is precisely what verse 120 commands.

3. Verse 123: The Unseen and the Command for Absolute Reliance

Surah Hud closes with verse 123, a cornerstone theological statement: "And to Allah belongs the unseen [secrets] of the heavens and the earth and to Him will be returned the matter, all of it. So worship Him and rely upon Him. And your Lord is not unaware of that which you do."

Prophetic Invocations of Absolute Reliance (Tawakkul)

The Prophet ﷺ completely embodied the ending of this Surah ("So worship Him and rely upon Him"). Whenever he woke up for the voluntary night prayers (Tahajjud), he would make a famous supplication that beautifully mirrors the vocabulary of verse 123:

"O Allah! To You belongs all praise... You are the Truth, Your promise is true, the meeting with You is true... O Allah! To You I have submitted, in You I have believed, and upon You I have relied (tawakkaltu)..."

— Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1120; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 763

The Five Keys to the Unseen (Ghayb)

Verse 123 underscores that the ultimate secrets of the heavens and earth belong to Allah alone. The Sunnah explicitly expands on this phrase, identifying what those absolute barriers of knowledge are:

The Prophet ﷺ said:

"The keys of the Unseen are five, which no one knows except Allah: No one knows what will happen tomorrow; no one knows what is in the wombs; no one knows when it will rain; no soul knows in what land it will die; and no one knows when the Hour (Day of Judgment) will be established."

— Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4778 (referencing Surah Luqman 31:34, which structurally anchors the theme of Surah Hud 11:123).

Summary of Source References

If you are opening primary source texts to research these verses further:

• The Hadith on splitting into groups (Verses 118-119): Look up Sunan Abi Dawud, Book of Al-Sunnah (The Model Behavior of the Prophet).

• The Prophet's invocation of patience through Musa (Verse 120): Look up Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of the Stories of the Prophets.

• The Night Prayer Supplication of Tawakkul (Verse 123): Look up Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Tahajjud (Night Prayer).

Surah Yusuf

Page 235 of the Quran marks a major transition in the text: it contains the final verses of Surah Hud and introduces the very beginning of Surah Yusuf (12), verses 1 through 4.

This new Surah is unique because it is entirely dedicated to a single, chronological story—the life of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph). The opening four verses establish the Arabic nature of the text, its status as the "best of stories," and Yusuf's famous childhood dream.

The Sunnah and classical Hadiths provide historical context, linguistic clarifications, and noble descriptions of the individuals introduced here.

1. Verses 1–2: The Arabic Revelation

Verse 2 reads: "Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Quran that you might understand."

The Historical Cause of Revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul)

Hadith and early historical accounts explain that Surah Yusuf was revealed in Mecca in response to a specific test of knowledge posed by the polytheists, who were coached by local Jewish tribes.

The scholars of the Jews told the Meccan polytheists: "Ask Muhammad why the family of Ya'qub (Jacob) moved from Canaan to Egypt, and ask him about a man whose story is wondrous."

Upon this, Allah revealed the entirety of Surah Yusuf in Arabic, perfectly matching the historical truths they held in their records, serving as a sign of his prophethood.

— Delivered via historical chains recorded in Tafsir al-Qurtubi and Tafsir Ibn Kathir

2. Verse 3: "The Best of Stories" (Ahsan al-Qasas)

Verse 3 states: "We relate to you, [O Muhammad], the best of stories in what We have revealed to you of this Quran..."

The Companion's Request for Stories

The Sunnah notes that human psychology naturally craves narratives, and the Companions themselves explicitly asked the Prophet ﷺ for storytelling to ease their hearts during intense times of trial in Mecca.

Ibn Abbas narrated:

The Companions said, "O Messenger of Allah! If only you could tell us some stories (to give us comfort)?" Consequently, Allah revealed: "We relate to you the best of stories..." (12:3).

— Mustadrak al-Hakim, Vol. 2, Hadith 3443; also transmitted by Ibn Abi Hatim

The Lineage of "The Noble One"

Because verse 3 highlights the unparalleled excellence of this story, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ frequently praised Yusuf himself, calling him the most noble person to have ever lived due to his unmatched lineage of prophets.

Abdullah ibn Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

"The noble one, son of the noble one, son of the noble one, son of the noble one was Yusuf, the son of Ya'qub, the son of Ishaq, the son of Ibrahim."

— Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3382

3. Verse 4: The Eleven Stars, Sun, and Moon

Verse 4 records the dream that starts the narrative: "[Remember] when Yusuf said to his father, 'O my father, indeed I have seen eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me.'"

A Direct Inquiry from a Jewish Scholar

The celestial imagery in Yusuf’s dream was well known among the religious historians of the Arabian Peninsula. A specific Hadith documents a direct cross-examination of the Prophet ﷺ regarding the identities of these "eleven stars."

Jabir ibn Abdullah narrated:

A Jewish man named Bustanai came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked, "O Muhammad, tell me about the stars that Yusuf saw prostrating to him, what are their names?"

The Prophet ﷺ remained silent for a moment, and then Angel Jibril came and informed him. The Prophet ﷺ then said: "They are: Al-Khartu, Al-Tariq, Al-Dhayal, Al-Dhul-Katfayn, Al-Qabis, Al-Wathab, Al-Amudan, Al-Faliq, Al-Musbih, Al-Daruh, and Al-Farigh."

The man replied, "By Allah, these are indeed their names (in our ancient texts)."

— Musnad al-Bazzar, Hadith 4242; Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani

(Note: Classical scholars indicate that while the chain of this specific naming Hadith has weaknesses, the structural identity of the 11 stars representing his 11 brothers is universally affirmed by the Quran itself later in the Surah).

The Prophetic Nature of Dreams

Yusuf's story begins with a dream because dreams are a fundamental medium for divine inspiration (Wahy) for prophets. The Sunnah cements this relationship between righteous dreams and prophethood.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

"A true, good dream of a righteous believer is one of the forty-six parts of Prophethood."

— Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6987; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2263

Summary of Source References

If referencing these texts in primary Islamic source volumes:

• The Noble Lineage Hadith (Verse 3): Open Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of the Stories of the Prophets, Chapter on Yusuf.

• The Part of Prophethood Dream Hadith (Verse 4): Open Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of the Interpretation of Dreams.