269 Page Notes

16 Surah An-Nahl (continued)

Page 269 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 269 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 269 of the Quran comprises Surah An-Nahl (The Bees, 16), verses 15 through 26. This section is structurally split into two primary themes: Verses 15–18 detail the cosmic and earthly blessings Allah has placed in nature as "signs" for humanity, while Verses 19–26 transition into warnings regarding the omniscience of Allah, the futility of false deities, and the historical ruin of arrogant, plotting civilizations.

While these verses present overarching theological concepts rather than direct legal mandates, classical Tafsir (exegesis) works—such as those by Ibn Kathir, Al-Qurtubi, and At-Tabari—anchor several of these verses to specific Hadiths and the Sunnah (prophetic traditions) to explain their contextual or spiritual meanings.

1. Earthly Signs and Anchoring the Terrain (Verses 15–16)

"And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided. And landmarks, and by the stars they are guided." (Quran 16:15-16)

The Creation of Mountains as Stabilizers

In explaining verse 15, commentators frequently cross-reference a foundational Hadith describing the creation of the Earth. When Allah created the terrain, it began to shake and rock violently, prompting the creation of mountains to steady it.

• The Tradition: Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
  "When Allah created the earth, it began to shake. So He created the mountains and placed them upon it, and it became stable. The angels marveled at the strength of the mountains..." (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3369; Musnad Ahmad).

Stars as Guidance

Verse 16 highlights stars ($نجوم$) as tools for geographic navigation. The Sunnah expands this definition to include spiritual guidance. The Prophet ﷺ drew a parallel between the celestial stability of the stars and the spiritual stability of his companions.

• The Tradition: Abu Burda narrated via his father that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ raised his head toward heaven—as he often did—and said:
  "The stars are a source of security for the heaven, and when the stars disappear there will come to the heaven what it has been promised (i.e., Day of Judgment). And I am a source of security for my companions..." (Sahih Muslim, Book 44, Hadith 2531).

2. Divine Omniscience vs. Secrets of the Heart (Verse 19)

"And Allah knows what you conceal and what you declare." (Quran 16:19)

This verse serves as a primary Quranic text establishing Allah's absolute knowledge of the hidden self. The Sunnah addresses this specific reality through highly emphasized internal spiritual states—most notably, the concept of Ihsan (perfection of faith) and the weighing of inner secrets.

• The Tradition (The Hadith of Jibril): When the Angel Gabriel asked the Prophet ﷺ about Ihsan, he replied:
  "It is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, He nonetheless sees you." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 50; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 8).

• The Tradition on Inner Intentions: To align with Allah's knowledge of the "concealed," the Prophet ﷺ famously declared:
  "Allah does not look at your outward forms or your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2564).

3. The Arrogance of Chasing Illusions and Fabrications (Verses 22–24)

"Your god is one God. But those who do not believe in the Hereafter - their hearts are disapproving, and they are arrogant. Assuredly, Allah knows what they conceal and what they declare. Indeed, He does not like the arrogant. And when it is said to them, 'What has your Lord sent down?' they say, 'Legends of the former peoples.'" (Quran 16:22-24)

The Condemnation of Arrogance (Kibr)

Verse 22 explicitly states that Allah "does not like the arrogant." The Sunnah provides an exact, clinical definition of what constitutes this specific type of arrogance—especially in the context of rejecting divine truth when it is presented.

• The Tradition: Abdullah ibn Mas'ud reported that the Prophet ﷺ stated:
  "He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance will not enter Paradise." A man asked, "What if a person likes to wear beautiful clothes and shoes?" The Prophet replied, "Allah is Beautiful and He loves beauty. Arrogance is refusing the truth (rejecting reality) and looking down upon people." (Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 164).

"Legends of the Former Peoples"

Verse 24 highlights the psychological coping mechanism of the polytheists, who dismissed revelation as mere ancient myths ($أساطير\ \text{الprophet}ين$). In historical Asbab al-Nuzul (reasons for revelation), this directly relates to the actions of elite Quraysh members like An-Nadr ibn al-Harith. He used to travel to Persia, memorize the epic fairy tales of Rustam and Isfandiyar, and return to Mecca to hold competing storytelling sessions next to the Prophet ﷺ, explicitly telling people, "Muhammad is only telling you legends of the ancients, but I can tell you better stories."

4. The Weight of Misleading Others (Verse 25)

"That they may bear their own burdens in full on the Day of Resurrection and some of the burdens of those whom they misguide without knowledge. Unquestionably, evil is that which they bear." (Quran 16:25)

This verse sets up a strict spiritual cause-and-effect rule: those who pioneer evil or actively trick people away from truth carry a compound spiritual tax on the Day of Judgment. The Sunnah affirms this exact double-burden mechanism in multiple authentic statements.

• The Tradition: Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
  "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the rewards of those who follow him, without that detracting from their rewards in the slightest. And whoever calls to misguidance (misleading others) will have a burden of sin equal to the sins of those who follow him, without that detracting from their sins in the slightest." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2674; Sunan Abi Dawud).

5. Structural Ruin of the Plotters (Verse 26)

"Those before them had already plotted, so Allah struck at the foundation of their building, and the roof fell upon them from above them, and the punishment came to them from where they did not perceive." (Quran 16:26)

Historical and Allegorical Manifestations

This verse references an ancient tyrant whose structural pride was literally and spiritually upended by divine decree. Classical mufassirun state this explicitly references historical figures like Nimrod (Namrud), who built an immense tower to reach the heavens and wage war against the God of Abraham.

• The Commentary and Historical Traditon: While not recorded as a standard Marfu' Hadith (an explicit saying of the Prophet), classical master exegetes like Ibn Abbas and Ibn Kathir record that Nimrod's tower was built to a staggering altitude. Allah sent a violent windstorm that destabilized the foundations, causing the massive upper structure to collapse directly over the plotting elite assembled below it.

• The Prophetic Application: The Prophet ﷺ continuously warned against reproducing this specific "blind spot" of plotting against divine truths while feeling insulated from consequences:
  "Do not scheme, for evil scheming only rebounds back upon its architects." (A common adage emphasized through the prophetic application of Surah Fatir 35:43).