257 Page Notes

14 Surah Ibrahim (continued)

Page 257 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 257 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 257 of the Quran contains Surah Ibrahim (Chapter 14), verses 11 through 18. This page continues the dialogue between the past Prophets and their disbelieving nations. The thematic focus shifts to complete reliance on Allah (Tawakkul), the severe warnings given to tyrants, a graphic description of the punishments of Hell (Jahannam), and the total worthlessness of good deeds performed without faith.

Classical commentaries of Tafsir (such as Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari) tie several Hadiths and Sunnah principles to these specific verses to elaborate on their theological and practical real-world applications.

1. Surah Ibrahim, Verses 11–12: Prophetic Humanity and Total Reliance (Tawakkul)

"Their messengers said to them, 'We are only men like you, but Allah confers favor upon whom He wills of His servants... And upon Allah let the believers rely.' And why should we not rely upon Allah while He has guided us to our ways? And we will surely be patient against whatever harm you cause us..." (14:11-12)

These verses emphasize that while the Prophets were human beings, they survived severe persecution by exercising absolute reliance (Tawakkul) on Allah.

The Sunnah of Absolute Reliance

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ mirrored this exact stance during his struggles in Mecca and Medina. He taught that real Tawakkul is a powerful spiritual force that secures divine provisioning and protection, similar to how birds survive.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “If you were to rely upon Allah with the reliance that is due to Him, He would provide for you just as He provides for the birds. They go out in the morning with empty stomachs and return in the evening full.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 2344; Sunan Ibn Majah, 4164).

Patience in the Face of Persecution

When the disbelievers of Mecca severely tested the Prophet ﷺ, he famously recalled the patience of past messengers referenced in verse 12. Following the grueling battle of Hunayn, a man criticized the Prophet's distribution of spoils. The Prophet ﷺ responded by invoking the patience of Moses:

“May Allah have mercy on Moses; he was persecuted with more than this, yet he remained patient.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 3405; Sahih Muslim, 1062).

2. Surah Ibrahim, Verse 15: The Downfall of Every Arrogant Tyrant

"And they sought victory, and disappointed [and destroyed] was every obstinate tyrant." (14:15)

This verse reveals that historical tyrants who stubbornly rejected the truth eventually met utter destruction. The word used for tyrant here is Jabbar, which denotes a person who uses brutal force to compel others while refusing to submit to God.

The Prophetic Warning Against Arrogance (Kibr)

The Prophet ﷺ heavily warned his companions against exhibiting the traits of a Jabbar, stating that the modern equivalent of this destruction is a complete barrier from entering Paradise.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance will not enter Paradise.” A man asked, "What if a man likes his clothes and shoes to look good?" The Prophet replied, “Allah is Beautiful and He loves beauty. Arrogance means rejecting the truth and looking down on people.” (Sahih Muslim, 91).

3. Surah Ibrahim, Verses 16–17: The Drink of Hell (Sadeed)

"Before him is Hell, and he will be given to drink of purulent water (Sadeed). He will gulp it but will hardly be able to swallow it. And death will come to him from everywhere, but he is not to die..." (14:16-17)

These graphic verses describe the horrific physical punishments reserved for the stubborn deniers. The word Sadeed refers to the thick, boiling fluid, pus, and sweat that drains from the skin of the denizens of Hellfire.

Explanatory Hadith on Gulping Sadeed

There is a direct, specific Hadith where the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ references this exact verse to describe the psychological and physical torment of trying to drink this fluid. Abu Umamah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said regarding the phrase, "and he will be given to drink of purulent water (Sadeed). He will gulp it...":

“It will be brought near to his mouth, and he will dislike it. When it is brought closer, it will scald his face and the skin of his head will fall off. When he drinks it, it will tear his innards to shreds until it exits his backside.” Allah says: "And they will be given to drink boiling water so it tears their bowels." (47:15) and "If they ask for help, they will be helped with water like molten copper that scalds their faces." (18:29) (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 2583; Musnad Ahmad, 22173).

4. Surah Ibrahim, Verse 18: Deeds Without Faith are Dust in the Wind

"The example of those who disbelieve in their Lord is that their deeds are like ashes which the wind blows forcefully on a stormy day; they are unable [to keep] from what they earned a single thing..." (14:18)

This verse lays down a definitive law in Islamic theology: actions, no matter how morally good or philanthropic they seem on the surface, hold zero spiritual weight on the Day of Judgment if they are completely detached from faith (Iman) in the Creator. They are rendered entirely non-transferable, resembling ash scattered by a gale-force wind.

Prophetic Hadith Concerning Good Deeds of Non-Believers

The Prophet’s wife, Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her), specifically asked him about a famous pre-Islamic tribal leader named Ibn Jud’an, who was widely known across Arabia for his extreme generosity, feeding the poor, and maintaining family ties, to see if those deeds would benefit him based on this Quranic reality.

Aisha narrated: I said, "O Messenger of Allah, during the period of Jahiliyyah (ignorance), Ibn Jud’an used to maintain ties of kinship and feed the poor. Will that benefit him at all?" The Prophet ﷺ replied: “It will not benefit him, because he never once said: 'My Lord, forgive me my sins on the Day of Judgment' (i.e., he never believed in Allah or the Resurrection).” (Sahih Muslim, 214).