268 Page Notes

16 Surah An-Nahl (continued)

Page 268 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 268 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 268 of the Quran encompasses Surah An-Nahl (16:7–14). This segment deeply explores cosmic and terrestrial blessings (ni'am)—including draft animals, rain, vegetation, astronomy, and marine life—illustrating how the universe is precisely subjugated (taskheer) for human survival and spiritual contemplation.

Classical prophetic commentaries connect these verses to specific Hadiths and practices from the Sunnah.

1. Kindness to Beasts of Burden (Verses 7–8)

"And they carry your loads to a land you could not have reached except with difficulty to yourselves... And [He created] the horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride and as adornment..."

• The Spiritual Purpose of Animals: These verses note that Allah created livestock and riding animals to relieve human physical distress. Because they are signs of mercy, the Prophet Muhammad strictly forbade overworking or abusing them.

• The Complaining Camel: In a well-known narrative, the Prophet entered an orchard belonging to the Ansar and saw a camel. When the camel saw the Prophet, it began to cry, shedding tears. The Prophet stroked its head until it calmed down and asked who owned it. When the young man stepped forward, the Prophet gently corrected him, aligning directly with the spirit of verse 7:
  Hadith: "Do you not fear Allah regarding this beast which Allah has put into your possession? Indeed, it has complained to me that you keep it hungry and continue to exhaust it with endless work." (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 2549).

2. Water From the Sky and Islamic Etiquette (Verse 10)

"It is He who sends down rain from the sky; from it is drink and from it is foliage in which you pasture [animals]."

• The Prophet's Joy at Rain: Rain is described on this page as a direct blessing of life from Allah. The Sunnah shows that the Prophet welcomed rainfall with intense humility, treating it as a fresh mercy from God.

• Exposing the Skin to Rain: Anas bin Malik narrated: "It rained upon us while we were with the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah uncovered his garment slightly so that the rain could strike his skin." The companions asked why he did this, and the Prophet replied:
  Hadith: "Because it has just recently come from its Lord." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 898).

3. The Alternation of Day and Night (Verse 12)

"And He has subjected for you the night and the day and the sun and the moon, and the stars are subjected by His command..."

• The Sunnah of Night Reflection: The synchronization of the cosmos mentioned here serves as a template for deep spiritual reflection (tafakkur). The Prophet routinely woke up in the final third of the night, looked up at the sky, and meditated on these exact cosmic arrangements.

• The Prophetic Practice: Whenever the Prophet woke up for the night prayers (Tahajjud), he would look toward the heavens and recite the concluding verses of Surah Ali 'Imran regarding the creation of the heavens and the earth, embodying the exact contemplative state commanded in verse 12: "Indeed in that are signs for a people who reason." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4569).

4. Subjugation of the Sea and Marine Law (Verse 14)

"And it is He who subjected the sea for you to eat from it tender meat and to extract from it ornaments which you wear..."

• The Purity of Sea Water and Sea Creatures: Verse 14 declares that Allah has permitted the consumption of "tender meat" (lahman tariyyan) from the sea. A companion once approached the Prophet and explained that they traveled by sea and carried very little fresh water; if they used it for ablution (wudu), they would go thirsty. They asked if they could perform wudu with seawater, and if its deceased animals were permissible to eat.

• The Foundation of Marine Law: The Prophet provided a legendary, concise legal framework that serves as the definitive commentary for this verse:
  Hadith: "Its water is pure and purifying, and its dead animals are lawful to eat (Halal)." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 69; Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 83).

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. I. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari. Kitab al-Tafsir & Kitab al-Wudu.

• Muslim, H. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim. Kitab al-Istisqa (Book of Prayer for Rain).

• Al-Tirmidhi, M. I. (n.d.). Sunan al-Tirmidhi. Kitab al-Taharah (The Book of Purification).

• Abi Dawud, S. (n.d.). Sunan Abi Dawud. Kitab al-Jihad & Kitab al-Taharah.

• Ibn Kathir, I. O. (2003). Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim (Vol. 5, Surah An-Nahl). Darussalam Publishers.