426 Page Notes

33 Surah Al-Ahzab (continued)

Page 426 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 426 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 426 of the Quran covers Surah Al-Ahzab (The Coalition), verses 55 through 62. This pivotal section transitions between specific etiquette involving the household of Prophet Muhammad and broader public ordinances regarding modesty, safety, and community behavior in Medina.

Classical Islamic scholarship links these verses to several foundational Hadiths and Sunnah narratives (historical practices of the Prophet).

1. Exceptions to the Rules of Hijab (Verse 55)

"There is no blame upon them [the Prophet's wives] concerning their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their brothers' sons or their sisters' sons or their women or those their right hands possess..."

Context & Hadith Link

Following the strict revelation of the Hijab (curtain/barrier) ordinances in verse 53, the companions wondered who was legally permitted to speak with the wives of the Prophet without a screen. Verse 55 was revealed to clarify the Mahram relationships (close relatives exempt from the rule).

A standard application of this is found in Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 5233), where Aishah narrates that her maternal uncle through fosterage, Aflah, came to visit her after the verses of Hijab were revealed. She initially refused to let him enter until she asked the Prophet, who confirmed that fosterage establishes the same prohibitions and exemptions as blood relationships.

2. Sending Blessings upon the Prophet (Verse 56)

"Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to send] blessings upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace."

This verse is the foundational source for the practice of Salawat (sending blessings upon the Prophet). Classical exegesis (Tafsir) heavily cites the specific manner in which the Prophet taught his companions to fulfill this command (Abdurrochman, n.d.).

Key Hadiths

• The Manner of Salawat: In Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 6357) and Sahih Muslim, Ka'b bin 'Ujrah narrated that the companions approached the Prophet and said, "O Messenger of Allah! We know how to greet you with peace, but how do we send blessings upon you?" The Prophet replied, "Say: Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammadin... (O Allah, send Your blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad...)". This formula became a permanent fixture of the daily ritual prayers (Salah).

• Virtues of Sending Blessings: In Sunan an-Nasa'i (Hadith 1297), the Prophet stated: "Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah will send blessings upon him tenfold, erase ten of his sins, and elevate him ten degrees."

3. Warning Against Offending the Prophet and Believers (Verses 57–58)

"Indeed, those who abuse Allah and His Messenger – Allah has cursed them in this world and the Hereafter... And those who harm believing men and believing women for undeserved offenses bear the guilt of slander and blatant sin."

Context & Sunnah Application

These verses were heavily tied to the societal reality in Medina, where hypocrites (Munafiqoon) spread malicious rumors to destabilize the Muslim community.

• Defending Honor: In Sahih Muslim (Hadith 2589), the Prophet defined Gheebah (backbiting) as saying something about your brother that he would dislike, and Buhtan (slander) as inventing a lie about him. Verse 58 establishes a severe spiritual penalty for this social harm.

• The Gravity of Abusing the Prophet: The Prophet consistently emphasized that hurting him was a direct affront to Allah. In Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 33), he remarked, "None of you will have faith until I am dearer to him than his father, his children, and all mankind."

4. The Jilbab / Public Modesty Ordinance (Verse 59)

"O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks [jilbabs] close over themselves. That will be more proper that they should be known and not be abused..."

This is one of the most structurally impactful verses regarding Islamic dress code. Its historical context (Asbab al-Nuzul) is deeply documented in the Sunnah (Acim, 2023; Mujahid, n.d.).

Context & Hadith Link

In Medina, women would go out into the fields at night or twilight to relieve themselves. Hypocrites and troublemakers would loiter along the paths and harass women, later claiming they mistook them for enslaved women (who did not wear formal wraps at the time). Verse 59 was revealed to give free, believing women a distinct social identity of dignity and protection (Acim, 2023).

• The Reaction of the Ansar Women: In a famous Hadith recorded in Sunan Abi Dawud (Hadith 4101), Umm Salamah narrated: "When the verse 'to draw their cloaks close over themselves' was revealed, the women of the Ansar (Medinan Muslims) came out looking as if crows were sitting on their heads because of the garments they wore to cover themselves."

• What Constitutes a Jilbab: In Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 324), Umm 'Atiyya narrated that during the Eid festival, the Prophet commanded all women to come to the prayer ground. She noted, "O Messenger of Allah, some of us do not have a Jilbab (outer cloak)." The Prophet responded, "Let her companion cover her with her own Jilbab." This underscores that a loose outer garment was required for public outings.

5. The Hypocrites and the Sunnah of Divine Law (Verses 60–62)

"If the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease and those who spread rumors in Al-Madinah do not cease, We will surely incite you against them... [This is] the established way [Sunnah] of Allah with those who passed on before; and you will not find in the way of Allah any change."

Sunnah Context

These final verses on page 426 warn the fifth columnists in Medina (Murjifoon—those who spread fake news and panic) of execution or expulsion if they continued to target the community's safety.

• The Strategy of the Prophet: The Prophet’s physical dealing with these factions serves as a real-world blueprint for state security. While he knew exactly who the hypocrites were (having whispered their names to his companion Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, as noted in Sahih al-Bukhari), his Sunnah was to judge people only by their outward actions and spare them from execution as long as they claimed Islam publicly, ensuring that "people would not say Muhammad kills his own companions." However, verses 60–62 set the boundary: if their covert psychological warfare translated into tangible treason, security crackdowns would follow.

References

• Acim, S. A. (2023). Interpretation of the commandment to women's hijab authorize according to the Quran, Al Hadith and Ahlussunnah Waljamaah Ulama. International Journal of Social Sciences, 6(2), 51–60. 

• Abdurrochman, N. (n.d.). Penafsiran Surat Al Ahzab Ayat 56 Tentang Shalawat (Studi Komparasi Tafsir Al Misbah Karya Quraish Shihab Dan Tafsir Al Ibriz Karya Bisri Musthafa) [Doctoral dissertation, Institutional Repository UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta].

• Mujahid, A. (n.d.). Al Quds [Exegesis review on Surah Al-Ahzab Verse 59]. Umea' Jurnal IAIN Curup. 

• Sahih al-Bukhari (Translations of relevant books: Book of Prayers, Book of Wedlock, Book of Dress).

• Sunan Abi Dawud (Book of Clothing).

(Note: "n.d." denotes classical texts where modern standardized publication years vary across publishers, cited instead by their universally recognized book and Hadith numbers).