277 Page Notes

16 Surah An-Nahl (continued)

Page 277 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 277 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 277 of the Quran contains Surah An-Nahl (The Bees, 16), verses 88 through 93. This specific page is universally recognized in Islamic scholarship as holding one of the most comprehensive social and ethical roadmaps in the entire Quran (Verse 90). The text spans themes ranging from the increased punishment for those who block others from finding truth (Verse 88), the role of the Prophet ﷺ as a witness over his own community on Judgement Day (Verse 89), the foundational values of Islamic justice, and the sacred binding nature of oaths and covenants (Verses 91–93).

Classical commentaries map these highly practical and social verses directly to specific canonical Hadiths.

1. The Witness Over the Nations (Verse 89)

"And [mention] the Day when We will resurrect among every nation a witness over them from themselves. And We will bring you, [O Muhammad], as a witness over these [i.e., your nation]. And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as guidance and mercy and good tidings for the Muslims." (Quran 16:89)

This verse reveals that on the Day of Judgment, every prophet will act as a legal witness regarding whether their civilization received and understood the divine message. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ will specifically be brought to witness over his own followers. The Sunnah records that the sheer emotional and spiritual weight of this responsibility caused the Prophet ﷺ to weep when he heard it recited.

• The Prophetic Tradition: Abdullah ibn Mas'ud narrated:
  "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, 'Recite the Quran to me.' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah! Shall I recite it to you while it was revealed to you?' He said, 'Yes, for I love to hear it from someone else.' So I recited Surah an-Nisa until I reached the verse: 'How [will it be] then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you, [O Muhammad], as a witness against these people?' (Quran 4:41, which mirrors An-Nahl 16:89). He said, 'That is enough for now.' I turned to look at him and saw tears flowing from his eyes." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5050; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 800).

2. The Great Universal Commandment of Ethics (Verse 90)

"Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded." (Quran 16:90)

The companion Abdullah ibn Mas'ud famously remarked that this single verse is the most comprehensive verse in the Quran regarding good and evil. It pairs three fundamental commands with three absolute prohibitions. For centuries, across the Muslim world, this verse has been recited at the very end of every single Friday sermon (Khutbah) to act as a permanent societal anchor.

The Concept of Justice ('Adl) and Harm

The Sunnah mirrors this baseline command for absolute justice and the complete eradication of oppression (Baghy).

• The Hadith Qudsi on Oppression: Abu Dharr reported that the Prophet ﷺ narrated that Allah said:
  "O My servants, I have forbidden oppression (Zulm) for Myself, and I have made it forbidden among you, so do not oppress one another." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2577).

The Concept of Good Conduct (Ihsan) and Kinship

The verse commands Ihsan (excellence/kindness) and supporting family members. The Prophet ﷺ tied the maintenance of family bonds (Silat ar-Rahim) directly to an individual's baseline faith and material prosperity.

• The Prophetic Standard: Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
  "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him maintain the bonds of kinship." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6138).

3. The Sacred Sanctity of Oaths and Contracts (Verses 91–92)

"And fulfill the covenant of Allah when you have taken it, [O believers], and do not break oaths after their confirmation while you have made Allah, over you, a witness. Indeed, Allah knows what you do. And do not be like she who untwisted her spun thread after it was strong..." (Quran 16:91-92)

Fulfilling Oaths

These verses strongly condemn breaking verbal agreements, treaties, or vows once they have been legally binding. Allah uses a striking visual analogy: a person breaking a solemn oath is like a foolish woman who spends hours carefully spinning a strong, intricate textile thread, only to sit down and systematically unpick and untwist it back into loose fibers.

The Sunnah establishes that violating verbal oaths or breaking treaties is an explicit trait of spiritual hypocrisy.

• The Prophetic Warning: Abdullah ibn Amr narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
  "Four traits, whoever possesses them is a pure hypocrite, and whoever possesses one of them has a trait of hypocrisy until he gives it up: when he is trusted, he betrays; when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a covenant, he breaks it; and when he disputes, he resorts to wicked, insult-driven speech." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 34; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 58).

The Consequence of Treachery

Verse 92 warns against using oaths deceptively to gain a material advantage over another group. The Sunnah underscores that anyone who cheats or acts treacherously under the guise of an agreement will be publicly humiliated on the Day of Resurrection.

• The Prophetic Tradition: Ibn Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
  "For every betrayer/breaker of a covenant, a banner will be raised for him on the Day of Resurrection, and it will be announced publicly: 'This is the betrayal of so-and-so, the son of so-and-so.'" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6178; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1735).