430 Page Notes

34 Surah Saba (continued)

Page 430 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 430 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 430 of the Quran covers Surah Saba (Sheba), verses 15 through 22.

This section features the famous historical account of the civilization of Sheba (Saba) in Yemen, detailing how they fell from immense agricultural prosperity to absolute ruin due to their ungratefulness (Kufr al-Ni'mah). It then transitions back to theological warnings about the futility of polytheism and Shaitan’s manipulation of humanity.

Classical Islamic scholarship links several vital Hadiths and historical Sunnah contexts to these verses.

1. The True Identity and Destruction of Saba (Verses 15–17)

"There was for [the tribe of] Saba in their dwelling place a sign: two [fields of] gardens on the right and on the left... But they turned away [in refusal], so We sent upon them the flood of the dam [Sayl al-Arim]..."

The people of Sheba constructed the magnificent Marib Dam, which allowed them to transform an arid landscape into lush, sprawling orchards. However, they grew arrogant, neglected their faith, and were punished when the dam failed, turning their sweet fruit into bitter, thorny desert scrub.

The Identity of Saba

During the pre-Islamic era, there was confusion about whether "Saba" was a specific geographic location, a mountain, or a person. The Prophet cleared this up directly.

• The Prophetic Definition: In Sunan At-Tirmidhi (Hadith 3222), Musnad Ahmad, and Sunan Abi Dawud, Farwah ibn Musayk al-Ghutayfi narrated that a man approached the Prophet and asked: "O Messenger of Allah, tell me about Saba—is it a land or a woman?" The Prophet replied:
  "It is neither a land nor a woman. Rather, he was a man among the Arabs who fathered ten children. Six of them settled in Yemen and four of them settled in Ash-Sham (the Levant)." The Prophet then named the tribal descendants of these children (including Al-Azd, Ash-Ash'ariyun, Himyar, and Kallah), tying the Quranic history directly to the living genealogy of the Arab companions.

2. Arrogance and the Request for Hardship (Verses 18–19)

"And We placed between them and the cities which We had blessed [Jerusalem/Syria] conspicuous towns... But [insolently] they said, 'Our Lord, lengthen the distance between our journeys,' and wronged themselves, so We made them stories and dispersed them in total dispersion..."

Originally, the trade routes from Yemen to Syria were so heavily populated and safe that travelers did not need to carry heavy provisions or water. Out of sheer arrogance, the wealthy elites of Saba grew bored of this ease and wished for long, dangerous desert spans to distinguish themselves from poorer travelers. Allah granted their wish by destroying their infrastructure.

The Consequence of Dispersal

The phrase "We made them stories and dispersed them in total dispersion" became a structural reality in Arab history.

• The Migration of Azd: In the historical traditions of the Seerah (Prophetic biography), the breach of the Marib Dam forced the great Arab tribes to scatter across the peninsula. The tribe of Al-Azd migrated to Medina and split into two branches: the Aws and the Khazraj. Generations later, these exact two tribes became the Ansar (the Helpers) who protected and housed Prophet Muhammad. The Sunnah frequently highlights how the Prophet praised the Ansar, tracing their resilient roots right back to this Quranic exodus.

3. Shaitan's Assumptions Realized (Verses 20–21)

"And Iblees [Satan] had already proved true as to them his assumption, so they followed him, except for a party of believers... And We did not grant him any authority over them except that We might make evident who believes in the Hereafter from who is thereof in doubt."

When Satan was cast out of heaven, he made an assumption: "Because You have put me in error, I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path... and You will not find most of them grateful" (Surah Al-A'raf 7:16-17). Verse 20 confirms that the people of Saba proved Satan's assumption entirely correct.

Protection from Satan’s Trap

The Sunnah provides active blueprints to avoid falling into this specific trap of ungratefulness and disbelief.

• Recognizing Satanic Insinuations: In Sahih Muslim (Hadith 2813), Jabir narrated that the Prophet said: "The throne of Iblees is upon the sea and he sends his detachments (to cause mischief). The closest of them to him in rank is the one who causes the greatest fitnah (tribulation)."

• The Counter-Measures: To ensure a believer remains among the exempted "party of believers" (Fariqan minal-mu'minin), the Prophet taught the daily recitation of Ayat al-Kursi and the final chapters of the Quran (Al-Mu'awwidhatayn) before sleeping, stating that "a protector from Allah will remain over you, and no devil will come near you until morning" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2311).

4. The Futility of False Gods (Verse 22)

"Say, [O Muhammad], 'Invoke those you claim [as deities] besides Allah.' They do not possess an atom's weight in the heavens or on the earth, and they do not have therein any partnership [with Him], nor is there for Him from among them any assistant."

Confronting Polytheism

This verse systematically strips false idols of any supposed power: they don't own anything independently, they don't share ownership with Allah, and they aren't even hired help/assistants to God.

• The Prophet's Declaration at Mecca: This theological absolute governed the Prophet's actions. When he successfully liberated Mecca, Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 4287) records that there were 360 idols stationed around the Kaaba. The Prophet did not negotiate with the tribal elites or treat the idols as lesser partners. He physically struck them down with a stick while reciting: "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound to depart" (Surah Al-Isra 17:81), acting out the exact structural reality of Verse 22.

References

• Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Virtues of the Ansar, Book of Prophets, Book of Military Expeditions).

• Sahih Muslim (Book of the Characteristics of the Hypocrites and their Rulings).

• Sunan At-Tirmidhi (Book of the Chapters on Tafsir).

• Ibn Kathir, H. Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azeem [Exegesis of Surah Saba, Verses 15–22].