344 Page Notes

23  Al-Muminun (continued)

Page 344 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 344 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 344 of the standard Uthmani codex continues Surah Al-Muminun (Chapter 23), covering verses 28 through 42.

This page contains two major structural sections: the conclusion of Prophet Nuh’s (Noah) epic saga—complete with the precise prayers he was commanded to say upon boarding and disembarking his vessel (Verses 28–30)—followed by the rise and catastrophic fall of a subsequent, unnamed generation widely recognized by commentators as the people of ‘Ad or Thamud (Verses 31–42). The Sunnah provides direct formulas for daily life derived from these verses.

1. Hadiths Related to Verses 28–29: Prophetic Prayers for Travel and Lodging

As the floodgates of heaven opened, Allah commanded Nuh and his followers to anchor their hearts with specific phrasing:

"And when you have boarded the ship, you and those with you, then say, 'Praise to Allah who has saved us from the wrongdoing people.' And say, 'My Lord, let me land at a blessed landing place, and You are the best of those who bring to land.'" (Quran 23:28-29).

The Sunnah of Seeking Safe Lodging

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ adopted the foundational spirit of Verse 29—asking for divine protection over physical locations and travel destinations—and institutionalized it into a highly famous protective prayer for his followers whenever they travel or stop at a new location.

• The Narration: Khawlah bint Hakim reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Whoever stops at a stopping place [during travel or moves into a new location] and says:
  'A'udhu bi-kalimat-illahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaq'
  (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created),

• ...nothing will harm him until he departs from that stopping place." The scholars of Hadith note that this brief prayer acts as the practical, everyday execution of Nuh’s ancient request on page 344 to be granted a "blessed landing place" free of hidden dangers.

Source Citations:

• Sahih Muslim: Book 48, Hadith 78 (Book of Remembrance, Supplication, Repentance, and Seeking Forgiveness).

• Sunan At-Tirmidhi: Hadith 3437.

2. Hadiths Related to Verses 31–41: The Destruction of the Arrogant Elite

The second half of the page chronicles a recurring cycle of human history: Allah raises a new generation after the flood, sends them a messenger from among themselves, but the wealthy political elite (Al-Mala') mock the concept of resurrection, calling it nothing but old fairy tales (Verses 31–38). The narrative culminates in a swift divine intervention:

"He [the prophet] said, 'My Lord, support me because they have denied me.' [Allah] said, 'After a little while they will surely become regretful.' So the shriek (Sayhah) seized them in truth, and We made them as plant stubble [debris]. So away with the wrongdoing people." (Quran 23:39-41).

The Prophet’s Anxiety During Storms

The execution of the divine punishment described here—a singular, terrifying sonic blast or storm blast (Sayhah) that instantly reduces a massive empire to lightweight organic debris (Ghutha')—was something the Prophet ﷺ never treated lightly. The Sunnah records his palpable anxiety when weather patterns changed, out of raw reverence for these specific verses.

• The Witness of Aisha: The Prophet's wife, Aisha, narrated: "I never saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ laughing so fully that I could see his uvula; he would only smile. And whenever he saw a heavy cloud or a fierce wind, a look of deep distress would appear on his face."

• The Reason: She asked him, "O Messenger of Allah! When people see a cloud, they rejoice, hoping it will bring rain. But I notice that when you see one, an expression of dislike is clear on your face."

• The Prophet ﷺ replied with direct reference to the punishments outlined on this page of the Quran: "O 'Aisha! What can guarantee me that there is no punishment in it? A nation was punished by a wind, and indeed, another nation looked at their punishment and said: 'This is a cloud bringing us rain!'"

The Analogy of Ghutha' (Scum/Debris)

In Verse 41, the ruined mockers are turned into Ghutha' (translated as plant stubble, dried foam, or flood debris). The Prophet ﷺ used this exact, visceral keyword from page 344 in a chilling prophecy regarding the future psychological state of the global Muslim community.

• The Narration: Thawban narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: "The nations will soon summon one another to attack you just as mockers invite others to a feast." Someone asked, "Will that be because we are few in number on that day?"

• The Prophet ﷺ replied: "No, you will be vast in number on that day, but you will be Ghutha' like the scum carried by a flood torrent (Ghutha'an ka-ghutha'is-sayl). Allah will pull the fear of you from the chests of your enemies, and He will cast Wahn (weakness) into your hearts." When asked what Wahn was, he replied: "Love of this material world and a hatred of death."

Source Citations:

• The Anxiety of Storms: Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 65, Hadith 4828 (Book of Prophetic Commentary / Tafsir); Sahih Muslim, Book 9, Hadith 16.

• The Scum Analogy: Sunan Abi Dawud, Book 39, Hadith 4297 (Book of Battles / Malahim). Graded Sahih (Authentic) by Al-Albani.