270 Page Notes

16 Surah An-Nahl (continued)

Page 270 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 270 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 270 of the Quran contains Surah An-Nahl (The Bees, 16), verses 27 through 34. This section focuses heavily on the psychological states and ultimate fates of two contrasting groups at the exact moment of death and on the Day of Judgment: the arrogant who rejected divine guidance (Verses 27–29), and the pious, God-fearing believers who welcomed it (Verses 30–32). It concludes with a warning about the inevitable consequence of mocking divine messengers (Verses 33–34).

Classical commentaries link these specific verses to multiple authentic Hadiths that illuminate the unseen realities of death, the nature of accountability, and the spiritual definitions of goodness.

1. Humiliation of the Arrogant and False Deities (Verses 27–29)

"Then on the Day of Resurrection He will disgrace them and say, 'Where are My "partners" for whom you used to oppose [the believers]?' Those who were given knowledge will say, 'Indeed disgrace, this Day, and evil are upon the disbelievers'—Those whose lives the angels take while they are wronging themselves..." (Quran 16:27-28)

The Confrontation of Shirk (Associating Partners with God)

Verse 27 illustrates Allah confronting the polytheists regarding the entities they worshipped alongside Him. In the Sunnah, this confrontation is detailed as a physical and rhetorical sequence on the Day of Resurrection, where false objects of worship will completely abandon their followers.

• The Prophetic Tradition: Abu Hurairah reported that the people asked, "O Messenger of Allah, shall we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?" The Prophet ﷺ detailed a lengthy description of the gathering, noting that Allah will command the creation:
  "Let every nation follow what they used to worship. So, those who used to worship the sun will follow the sun, and those who used to worship the moon will follow the moon, and those who used to worship false deities (Tawaghit) will follow them..." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 7437).

Wronging One's Soul at Death

Verse 28 describes the angels seizing the souls of those "wronging themselves" ($ظالِمي\ أَنفُسِهِم$). In the Sunnah, this is explained as a terrifying, violent extraction process where the soul of the corrupt individual tries to hide within the body to avoid its fate.

• The Prophetic Tradition: In a highly comprehensive narration by Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib, the Prophet ﷺ described the death of an evildoer/disbeliever:
  "...The Angel of Death sits by his head and says, 'O evil soul, come out to the wrath and anger of Allah!' The soul then disperses throughout his body, and the angel drags it out violently, rupturing the veins and nerves, just as a multi-pronged roasting spit is pulled through wet wool..." (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 18534; Sunan Abi Dawud).

2. The Rewards of the Pious and the Gentle Extraction of the Soul (Verses 30–32)

"And it will be said to those who feared Allah, 'What has your Lord sent down?' They will say, '[That which is] good.' For those who do good in this world is good; and the home of the Hereafter is better... Those whose lives the angels take while they are in a state of goodness, saying [to them], 'Peace be upon you. Enter Paradise for what you used to do.'" (Quran 16:30-32)

Defining "Goodness" (Khayr)

When asked what Allah revealed, the righteous reply immediately with one word: "Good" ($خَيْرًا$). The Prophet ﷺ frequently explained that true goodness in this world is inherently tied to practicing faith, which translates directly into a blissful internal state before the hereafter.

• The Prophetic Tradition: Suhaib reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
  "Amazing is the affair of the believer, for there is good for him in everything, and this is for none but a believer. If prosperity comes to him, he expresses gratitude and it is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and it is good for him." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2999).

The Angels Taking Souls in a State of Purity

Verse 32 highlights the contrasting death experience for the pious ($طَيِّبِينَ$ — those in a state of spiritual goodness/purity). The angels greet them with peace ("Salamun 'Alaikum") and provide glad tidings of Paradise even before they are buried.

• The Prophetic Tradition: Continuing the foundational narration of Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib, the Prophet ﷺ described the passing of a righteous believer:
  "...The Angel of Death sits near his head and says, 'O pure and tranquil soul, come out to forgiveness from Allah and His pleasure!' The soul then flows out smoothly, just as a drop of water flows from the mouth of a waterskin. The angel takes it, and the other angels do not leave it in his hand for even the blink of an eye before placing it in a shroud from Paradise..." (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 18534; Sunan an-Nasa'i).

3. Waiting for the Final Decrees (Verses 33–34)

"Do the disbelievers await except that the angels should come to them or there comes the command of your Lord? Thus did those before them. And Allah wronged them not, but they had been wronging themselves. So the evil consequences of what they did struck them, and they were enveloped by what they used to ridicule." (Quran 16:33-34)

The Appearance of Angels at Death

Verse 33 addresses those who arrogantly delay their repentance, asking if they are waiting until the very moment the angels arrive to execute Allah's final decree. The Sunnah underscores that once the angels appear to end a person's life, the window for choosing faith closes entirely.

• The Prophetic Tradition: Ibn Umar reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
  "Allah accepts the repentance of a servant as long as he is not in the final gasps of death (the soul has not reached the throat)." (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3537).

Enveloped by Ridicule

Verse 34 warns that a person's mockery of divine warnings will ultimately "envelop" or trap them as a physical consequence. The Prophet ﷺ heavily cautioned his companions against mocking sacred realities, explaining that a person can speak a careless word of ridicule without realizing its weight.

• The Prophetic Tradition: Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
  "A servant may speak a word pleasing to Allah without giving it much weight, and due to it, Allah raises him degrees. And a servant may speak a word displeasing to Allah, ridiculing or careless, without giving it much thought, and because of it, he plummets into the Hellfire." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6478).