374 Page Notes

26 Surah Ash-Shuara (continued)

Page 374 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 374 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 374 of the standard Madinah Mushaf contains Surah As-Shu'ara (26:160–183). This specific text covers two major historical accounts:

1. The Story of Lut (Lot) and his people (Verses 160–175): Focusing on their moral corruption and eventual destruction.

2. The Story of Shuaib and the Companions of the Wood (Verses 176–183): Focusing on economic fraud, cheating in weights, and their ultimate punishment.

While these historical narratives are expanded upon across various compilation works, classical Hadith and Sunnah literatures explicitly address the legal boundaries, moral lessons, and theological contexts defined in these exact verses.

1. Hadiths Related to the Story of Lut (Verses 160–175)

In these verses, Prophet Lut denounces his people for committing unprecedented ethical offenses and ignoring the natural bounds of relationships (Qur'an 26:165–166). The Sunnah provides explicit legal rulings regarding the actions condemned in this section.

Condemnation of the Actions of Lut's People

The Prophet Muhammad strictly warned his Ummah against falling into the specific sins that brought down wrath upon the people of Lut.

Hadith: The Prophet (ρ) said: "What I fear most for my nation is the deed of the people of Lut."

• Source Citation: Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Hadith 1457), Sunan Ibn Majah (Hadith 2563). Classed as Sahih/Hasan by classical and contemporary muhadditheen.

Strict Legal Penalties

To safeguard society from the societal collapse that befell the city mentioned in verse 172, the Sunnah established strict deterrents.

Hadith: “Whomever you find doing the deed of the people of Lut, kill the one who does it and the one to whom it is done.”

• Source Citation: Sunan Abi Dawud (Hadith 4462), Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Hadith 1456).

2. Hadiths Related to Shuaib and the Companions of the Wood (Verses 176–183)

Verses 176 through 183 detail the message of Prophet Shuaib to the people of Al-Aykah (the Wood/Forest). His primary socio-economic mandates were:

• "Give full measure and do not be of those who cause loss." (26:181)

• "And weigh with an even [i.e., honest] balance." (26:182)

• "And do not deprive people of their due and do not commit abuse on earth, spreading corruption." (26:183)

The Sunnah heavily reinforces these exact business ethics, turning these verses into foundational principles of Islamic commercial law (Fiqh al-Muamalat).

Warning to Merchants and Traders

The Prophet (ρ) mirrored Shuaib's warning, noting that corrupt economic practices like manipulating scales invoke immediate divine and political consequences.

Hadith: The Prophet (ρ) turned to the companions and warned of five trials, explicitly highlighting Shuaib's theme: "...They do not cheat in weights and measures but they will be stricken with famine, severe calamity, and the oppression of their rulers..."

• Source Citation: Sunan Ibn Majah (Book 36, Hadith 4019). Classed as Hasan.

Commending Honest Trade

In direct line with the "honest balance" commanded in verse 182, the Sunnah elevates those who obey this instruction:

Hadith: "The truthful, trustworthy merchant is with the Prophets, the truthful, and the martyrs."

• Source Citation: Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Hadith 1209), Sunan al-Darimi (Hadith 2539).

Prophetic Command to "Weigh and Give Excess"

The Sunnah didn't just command a fair scale; it encouraged merchants to err on the side of generosity to ensure they never accidentally violate verse 181.

Hadith: Jabir bin 'Abdullah narrated that the Prophet (ρ) said to a companion weighing commodities: "Weigh, and give a little more."

• Source Citation: Sunan Ibn Majah (Book 12, Hadith 2222), Sunan Abi Dawud (Hadith 3335).

3. Contextual Insights from Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

In the broader scope of the Sunnah—which encompasses historical contexts collected by early scholars—these verses are further illuminated:

• Identity of the Companions of the Wood (Verse 176): As recorded in the historical traditions of Tafsir Ibn Kathir, a narrative chain tracing back to the Companions confirms that the "Companions of the Wood" (As-hab al-Aykah) were indeed the people of Madyan to whom Shuaib was sent (ibn Kathir, n.d.). Their "wood" refers to a dense, tangled grove of trees they used to worship alongside their fraudulent market practices.

• The "Day of the Shadow" Punishment (Verse 189): Although just past verse 183, the Sunnah-adjacent narrations from Ibn Abbas clarify that the "punishment of the day of the canopy/shadow" began with a scorching heatwave that drove the people out of their homes toward a cloud providing shade. Once gathered underneath it, it rained down fire and crushed them (Guezzou, 2015).

References

• Guezzou, M. (2015). Tanwīr al-Miqbās min Tafsīr Ibn ’Abbās. Traditional Hikma.

• ibn Kathir, A. I. (n.d.). Stories of the Prophets. Kalamullah.

• Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Vols. 1-6). Darussalam Publishers.

• Sunan Ibn Majah (Vols. 1-5). Darussalam Publishers.

• Sunan Abi Dawud (Vols. 1-5). Darussalam Publishers.