253 Page Notes

13 Surah Ar-Rad (continued)

Page 253 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 253 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 253 of the standard Uthmani Mushaf covers Surah Ar-Ra'd (13), verses 29 through 34. This section focuses on the specific rewards of the righteous (introducing the concept of Tuba), the stubborn nature of the Makkans who demanded physical miracles, the history of previous Messengers, and the unyielding reality of divine punishment.

Classical works of Tafsir (including those by Ibn Kathir, Al-Qurtubi, and Al-Tabari) connect these verses to several well-known authentic Hadiths and principles of the Prophetic Sunnah.

1. Verse 29: The Meaning of Tuba

"Those who have believed and done righteous deeds — Tuba is for them and a beautiful place of [final] return."

The Arabic word Tuba (طُوبَىٰ) has dual meanings in classical exegesis: it translates generally to "supreme joy/blessedness," but the Prophetic Sunnah explicitly defines it as a magnificent, specific landmark inside Paradise.

The Hadith on the Tree of Tuba

When the Companions asked the Prophet ﷺ about the linguistic and literal definition of Tuba in this verse, he explained it as a massive heavenly tree.

• The Hadith:
  Abu Sa'id al-Khudri narrated that a man asked, "O Messenger of Allah, glad tidings to him who sees you and believes in you." The Prophet ﷺ said: "Glad tidings to him who sees me and believes in you, and Tuba (greater glad tidings) to him who believes in me and has not seen me." The man asked, "What is Tuba?" The Prophet ﷺ replied: "It is a tree in Paradise whose size is a hundred years' travel, and the clothes of the inhabitants of Paradise are made from its outer bud covers." (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 11119; Sahih Ibn Hibban, Hadith 7411; graded Hasan).

The Hadith on the Shade of Paradise

The incredible scale of this heavenly reward is echoed in the core canonical books, further illustrating the immense baseline blessings promised in verse 29.

• The Hadith:
  Sahl bin Sa'd narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "In Paradise, there is a tree in whose shade a rider could travel for a hundred years without crossing it." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6552; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2826).

2. Verse 31: Demanding Miracles & Moving Mountains

"And if there were a Quran by which the mountains would be removed or the earth would be broken apart or the dead would be made to speak, [it would be this Quran]..."

The Historical Context (Asbab al-Nuzul)

According to classical commentators like Al-Wahidi and Ibn Kathir, this verse was revealed when leaders of the Quraysh (including Abu Jahl and Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah) challenged the Prophet ﷺ. They demanded that if he were truly a prophet, he should use his revelation to physically move the rugged mountains surrounding Makkah to make the valley spacious and fertile, or revive their dead ancestors to testify to his prophethood.

The Sunnah tracks this reality: the Prophet ﷺ was granted miracles (like the splitting of the moon), but Allah clarifies in this verse that even if the mountains moved, obstinate hearts would still refuse to believe.

The Hadith on the True Miracle of the Prophet ﷺ

The Prophet ﷺ explained that his primary, eternal miracle is the Quran itself—which is structurally superior to physical wonders because it targets human intellect and guidance rather than mere spectacle.

• The Hadith:
  Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: "There was no Prophet among the Prophets except that he was given miracles by which people believed. But what I have been given is a Divine Inspiration (the Quran) which Allah has revealed to me. So I hope that my followers will outnumber the followers of the other Prophets on the Day of Resurrection." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4981; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 152).

3. Verse 32: The Respite Granted to Mockers

"And already were [other] messengers mocked before you, and I extended the time of those who disbelieved; then I seized them, and how [terrible] was My penalty."

This verse served as a direct emotional consolidation for the Prophet ﷺ during the severe persecution of the Makkan period. It outlines a divine law: Allah grants a period of respite (Imla') to oppressors and mockers, but this delay should not be mistaken for lack of accountability.

• The Hadith:
  Abu Musa al-Ash'ari narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Verily, Allah gives respite to the wrongdoer until, when He seizes him, He does not let him escape." Then, the Prophet ﷺ recited: "And thus is the seizure of your Lord when He seizes the cities while they are committing wrong. Indeed, His seizure is painful and severe." [Quran 11:102] (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4686; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2583).

4. Verses 33–34: The Vigilant Watcher & The Reality of Retribution

"Then is He who is a maintainer of every soul for what it has earned [like the others]?... For them is punishment in the worldly life, and the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe..."

These concluding verses of page 253 emphasize that Allah keeps a precise, constant record of everything a soul earns. The Sunnah expands on this by reminding believers that worldly hardships can act as an expiation of sins, whereas a lack of reckoning in this world followed by punishment in the next is far more severe.

• The Hadith on the Record of Deeds:
  Aisha narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: "No calamity befalls a Muslim but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5640).

• The Hadith on Severe Accountability:
  Anas bin Malik narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "When Allah wills good for His servant, He hastens the punishment for him in this world. And when He wills bad for His servant, He withholds his sins from him until he appears with them on the Day of Judgment." (Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2396; graded Hasan Sahih).