255 Page Notes

13 Surah Ar-Rad (continued)

Page 255 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

14 Surah Ibrahim

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 255 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Surah Ar-Rad

In the standard Uthmani script of the Quran, page 255 marks the very beginning of Surah Ibrahim (Chapter 14). However, the verse that transitions into this page from the bottom of page 254—and serves as the absolute conclusion of Surah Ar-Rad—is Surah Ar-Rad (13:43).

Because of how pages flow across different printings, classical commentators link this specific verse directly to the opening theme of Surah Ibrahim. The verse reads:

“And those who have disbelieved say, ‘You are not a messenger.’ Say, [O Muhammad], ‘Sufficient is Allah as Witness between me and you, and [the witness of] whoever has knowledge of the Scripture.’” (Surah Ar-Rad 13:43)

Several core elements of the Sunnah, prophetic biographical accounts (Seerah), and highly authenticated Hadiths explain and expand upon this final verse.

1. Hadith on Prophetic Miracles as Allah's "Practical Witness"

In the verse, Allah commands the Prophet to tell the rejectors that Allah is sufficient as a witness to his messengership. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Mohsin Ali Najafi point out that Allah’s witness is not just verbal (through the text of the Quran), but practical—manifested through the miracles (Mu'jizaat) granted to the Prophet via the Sunnah (Najafi, n.d.).

When the disbelievers demanded physical proof or claimed he was not a messenger, the Prophet’s Sunnah provided instant, living miracles. A foundational Hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari highlights the greatest of these witnesses:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Every Prophet was given miracles the type of which would make people believe, 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)

2. Who is "Whoever has knowledge of the Scripture"?

The second witness invoked by the verse is “waman 'indahu 'ilmul-kitab” (whoever has knowledge of the Scripture). This refers to individuals who recognized the description of Prophet Muhammad in their own uncorrupted divine books (the Torah and the Gospel).

There are two major historical explanations derived from the Sunnah and the Companions regarding this phrasing:

A. The General Witness of Jewish and Christian Scholars

Because Surah Ar-Rad is primarily a Meccan Surah (revealed before the migration to Madinah), Ibn Abbas and Qatadah explained that this refers generally to any scholar among the People of the Book who honestly recognized the traits of the final Messenger foretold by their respective prophets (Ibn Kathir, 2015).

The Sunnah records early encounters of this nature, such as the Christian monk Bahira recognizing the seal of prophethood on Muhammad’s back during his youth, and Waraqah ibn Nawfal (a Christian scholar in Makkah) confirming that the Angel Jibril had visited him just as he had visited Moses.

B. The Specific Example of Abdullah bin Salam

Though the verse was revealed in Makkah, major commentators like Mujahid note that it seamlessly foreshadowed specific individuals who would later testify to its truth in Madinah (Ibn Kathir, 2015). The most prominent example from the Sunnah is Abdullah bin Salam, a high-ranking rabbi of Madinah.

The authentic Sunnah meticulously documents his conversion and explicit testimony:

When the Prophet (ﷺ) arrived in Madinah, Abdullah bin Salam went to look at his face and instantly recognized that it was not the face of a liar. He asked the Prophet three complex theological questions that only a Prophet could answer. Upon hearing the responses, Abdullah testified: "I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah." — Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 3329)

3. Alternative Explanations in Other Traditions

In Shi'a exegetical traditions (such as the commentaries of Mohsin Ali Najafi), the phrase "whoever has knowledge of the Book" is frequently identified as a reference to Ali ibn Abi Talib.

To support the assertion that Ali possessed a uniquely comprehensive, divinely-inspired understanding of the Quran and earlier scriptures, these traditions frequently cite the famous (though textually debated among various schools of Hadith) saying of the Prophet: "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate" (Najafi, n.d.).

The Transition to Page 255 (Surah Ibrahim)

The theme of Ar-Rad verse 43 perfectly sets the stage for page 255, which begins with Surah Ibrahim, Verse 1: “Alif, Lam, Ra. [This is] a Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that you may bring forth mankind from darknesses into the light...”

The Sunnah teaches that bringing mankind out of darkness is an act belonging to Allah, but executed through the physical agency, character, and daily practices (the Sunnah) of the Prophet Muhammad (Najafi, n.d.).

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. I. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari. Hadith 3329 & Hadith 4981.

• Ibn Kathir, I. (2015, May 20). Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) (Vol. 5, pp. 279-305).

• Najafi, M. A. (n.d.). Tafseer e Quran: Sura Al Rad: Ayat 43. Hyder AI. 

Surah Ibrahim

Page 255 of the Quran comprises the first five verses of Surah Ibrahim (Chapter 14). These verses establish the core objective of the Quran, the primary mission of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the universal nature of the message, and the historical continuity of divine guidance through past prophets, specifically Moses (Musa).

Classic commentaries (Tafsir) like those of Ibn Kathir, Al-Qurtubi, and Al-Tabari connect these specific verses to various Hadiths and Sunnah traditions to explain their context, terminology, and legal implications.

1. Surah Ibrahim, Verses 1–2: The Purpose of the Revelation

"Alif, Lam, Ra. [This is] a Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that you might bring mankind out of darknesses into the light by permission of their Lord..." (14:1)

Prophetic Mission as "Bringing Light"

The Sunnah illustrates how the Prophet ﷺ embodied this verse by actively pulling his society out of the "darkness" of ignorance (Jahiliyyah) and idol worship into the "light" of monotheism (Tawhid).

In a well-known Sahih Hadith, the Prophet ﷺ explicitly maps the concept of "darkness" (Zulumat) used in this verse to specific spiritual and social evils, notably injustice:

“Oppression will be a darkness on the Day of Resurrection.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 2447; Sahih Muslim, 2579).

Furthermore, the Prophet ﷺ used to make a frequent supplication (Dua) asking Allah to place light in every facet of his existence, reflecting the ultimate goal of Surah Ibrahim:

“O Allah, place light in my heart, light in my sight, light in my hearing, light on my right, light on my left, light above me, light below me, light in front of me, light behind me, and make for me light.” (Sahih Muslim, 763).

2. Surah Ibrahim, Verse 4: Sent in the Language of the People

"And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people, in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them..." (14:4)

This verse outlines a fundamental rule of divine diplomacy: clarity and accessibility. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ spoke the purest dialect of Arabic (Quraysh) to ensure his immediate audience understood him perfectly.

Sunnah of Clear Communication

The Prophet’s lifestyle perfectly mirrored this verse. He did not speak in vague riddles or elite prose; his speech was deliberate, measured, and tailored to the common tongue. Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) narrated:

"The speech of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was speech that was distinct, which everyone who heard it could understand." (Sunni legal texts; Sunan Abi Dawud, 4839).

Anas bin Malik also reported on how the Prophet ensured maximum clarity:

"Whenever the Prophet ﷺ spoke a sentence, he used to repeat it three times so that it could be fully understood from him." (Sahih al-Bukhari, 95).

3. Surah Ibrahim, Verse 5: Moses and "The Days of Allah"

"And We certainly sent Moses with Our signs, [saying], 'Bring out your people from darknesses into the light and remind them of the days of Allah.' Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful." (14:5)

This verse explicitly commands Prophet Musa (Moses) to remind his people of the "Days of Allah" (Ayyamillah). In Islamic scholarship, "The Days of Allah" refers to the monumental historical days where Allah blessed His believers or seized oppressors.

Prophetic Hadith Defining "The Days of Allah"

There is a direct Hadith where the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ clarifies the meaning of this exact phrasing. Ubayy ibn Ka'b narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Regarding the statement of Allah, 'and remind them of the days of Allah,' it means: Allah's blessings and favors [upon them].” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3136; authenticated as Sahih by Al-Hakim).

The Sunnah of Commemorating Historical Deliverance (Ashura)

The ultimate practical application of Verse 5 is found in the Sunnah regarding the day of Ashura (the 10th of Muharram). When the Prophet ﷺ migrated to Medina, he found the Jewish community fasting on this day because it marked the specific "Day of Allah" where Moses and the Israelites were saved from Pharaoh.

The Prophet ﷺ chose to preserve and honor this reminder of past divine favor, creating a lasting Sunnah:

Ibn Abbas narrated: The Prophet ﷺ came to Medina and saw the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura. He asked, "What is this?" They said, "This is a righteous day: it is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemies, so Moses fasted on this day." The Prophet ﷺ said, "We have more right to Moses than you," so he fasted on that day and commanded [the Muslims] to fast. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 2004).

4. Surah Ibrahim, Verse 5: Patience and Gratitude

"...Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful." (14:5)

The verse concludes by pairing two essential virtues: patience (Sabr) and gratitude (Shukr). Commentators observe that the entire framework of a believer's life swings between these two anchors.

The Standard of the Believer

This exact theological duo highlighted on page 255 of the Quran is encapsulated perfectly in one of the most famous statements of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:

Suhayb reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for his affair is all good, and this applies to no one except a believer. If something good happens to him, he is thankful (grateful), and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him.” (Sahih Muslim, 2999).