376 Page Notes

26 Surah Ash-Shuara (continued)

Page 376 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 376 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 376 of the standard Madinah Mushaf contains the final section of Surah As-Shu'ara (26:207–227). This page concludes the Surah by addressing the futility of worldly wealth against divine punishment, delivering strict instructions to the Prophet ($\rho$) regarding how to call his family to Islam, and addressing the distinct difference between poets who wander aimlessly and the believers who use poetry for truth.

1. Hadiths Related to Warning Close Relatives (Verses 214–215)

"And warn, [O Muhammad], your closest kindred. And lower your wing to those who follow you of the believers." (26:214–215)

When these verses were revealed, it marked a monumental shift in the prophetic mission from private dawah (preaching) to public declaration. The Sunnah preserves the exact moment this verse was applied.

The Gathering at Mount As-Safa

The Prophet ($\rho$) immediately acted upon verse 214 by climbing Mount As-Safa to call the various clans of the Quraysh by name.

Hadith: Ibn Abbas (r.a.) narrated: "When the Verse: 'And warn your closest kindred' was revealed, the Prophet ($\rho$) ascended the Safa (mountain) and started calling: 'O Bani Fihr! O Bani 'Adi!' addressing various tribes of Quraysh till they were assembled... He said, 'If I told you that there is an enemy army in the valley intending to attack you, would you believe me?' They said, 'Yes, for we have not found you telling anything but the truth.' He then said, 'I am a warner to you in the face of a severe punishment.'"

Hearing this, his uncle Abu Lahab mockingly said, "May you perish this day! Is it for this that you have gathered us?" Consequently, Surah Al-Masad was revealed.

• Source Citation: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 4770), Sahih Muslim (Hadith 208).

Pointing to Personal Accountability

The Sunnah emphasizes that the Prophet ($\rho$) warned his closest family members that his prophetic status would not automatically save them; they had to earn salvation through their own faith.

Hadith: Abu Hurairah (r.a.) narrated that when the verse was revealed, the Prophet ($\rho$) stood up and said: "O people of Quraysh! Buy yourselves (from Allah); I cannot save you from Allah's punishment... O Abbas bin Abdul-Muttalib, I cannot save you from Allah's punishment! O Safiyah (the aunt of Allah's Messenger), I cannot save you from Allah's punishment! O Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad! Ask me for whatever you want from my wealth, but I cannot save you from Allah's punishment!"

• Source Citation: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 2753), Sahih Muslim (Hadith 206).

2. Hadiths Related to the Reprimand and Exception of Poets (Verses 224–227)

"And as for the poets - [only] the deviants follow them; Do you not see that they wander in every valley and that they say what they do not do? Except those who believe and do righteous deeds and remember Allah much and defend themselves after they were wronged..." (26:224–227)

In pre-Islamic Arabia, poets acted like media outlets or modern political commentators—often inflating egos, spreading tribal tribalism, or engaging in slander. These verses reprimand corrupt poets but explicitly carve out an exception for righteous ones in verse 227.

The Exception for Righteous Poetry

The Sunnah heavily details how the Prophet ($\rho$) utilized and protected companions who fit the exact exception of verse 227—specifically Hassan bin Thabit, Ka'b bin Malik, and Abdullah bin Rawahah—to defend Islam against the propaganda of the Quraysh.

Hadith: Ka'b bin Malik (who was a poet himself) came to the Prophet ($\rho$) when these verses were revealed, worried about the status of his craft. The Prophet ($\rho$) reassured him: "Indeed, the believer fights with his sword and with his tongue. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, it is as if you are shooting arrows at them with your words."

• Source Citation: Musnad Ahmad (Hadith 27170). Classed as Sahih by Al-Arna'ut.

Wisdom vs. Deviant Vanity

The Sunnah establishes a clear metric for differentiating between the aimless "wandering" poetry condemned in verse 225 and the structured truth praised in verse 227.

Hadith: The Messenger of Allah ($\rho$) said: "In some poetry, there is indeed wisdom."

• Source Citation: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 6145).

Angelic Support for Truthful Media

The Prophet ($\rho$) explicitly noted that poets who utilize their skills to defend truth and fight back against oppression (the definition of "defend themselves after they were wronged" in verse 227) receive divine backing.

Hadith: The Prophet ($\rho$) said to Hassan bin Thabit: "Satirize them (the pagan Quraysh), and Jibril (Gabriel) is with you."

• Source Citation: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 4123), Sahih Muslim (Hadith 2486).

3. Hadiths on Night Prayer and Divine Oversight (Verses 217–220)

"And rely upon the Exalted in Might, the Merciful. Who sees you when you stand [for prayer] and your movement among those who prostrate." (26:217–220)

These verses highlight Allah's absolute awareness of the Prophet's ($\rho$) postures during late-night prayers (Tahajjud) and congregation. The Sunnah reflects this divine oversight through the Prophet's acute spiritual awareness while leading others.

Awareness of Those Prostrating Behind Him

Mirroring the language of verse 219 ("and your movement among those who prostrate"), the Prophet ($\rho$) was uniquely given the ability to perceive his congregation spiritually or physically beyond normal human sight.

Hadith: The Messenger of Allah ($\rho$) said: "Do you see my face facing this way? By Allah, neither your submissiveness nor your bowing (Ruku') is hidden from me, surely I see you from behind my back."

• Source Citation: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 418), Sahih Muslim (Hadith 424).

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. (1997). Sahih al-Bukhari (Vols. 1-9). Darussalam Publishers.

• Al-Sijistani, A. D. (2008). Sunan Abi Dawud. Darussalam Publishers.

• Ibn Hanbal, A. (2012). Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal. Mu'assasat al-Risalah.

• Muslim, I. (2007). Sahih Muslim. Darussalam Publishers.