439 Page Notes

35 Surah Fatir (continued)

Page 439 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 439 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

1. Verse 39: Successors upon the Earth and the Trap of Arrogance

"It is He who has made you successors upon the earth. And whoever disbelieves - upon him will be his disbelief; and the disbelief of the disbelievers does not increase them in the sight of their Lord except in hatred..." (Surah Fatir 35:39)

Relevant Hadith & Sunnah:

• The Trial of Successorship (Khala'if): The Prophet ﷺ frequently reminded his followers that being a "successor" on earth is a severe test of stewardship and humility, rather than a license for pride.
  Sahih Muslim (2742): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The world is sweet and green, and verily Allah is making you successors (Mustakhlifukum) in it, so that He may see how you will act. So, beware of the world and beware of women."

• The Definition of Arrogance: This verse notes that disbelief and pride only compound a person's ruin. The Prophet ﷺ precisely defined the anatomy of this spiritual disease:
  Sahih Muslim (91): The Prophet ﷺ said: "Arrogance is refusing the truth and despising people."

2. Verses 42–43: Breaking Treaties, Arrogance, and Evil Plotting

"And they swore by Allah their strongest oaths that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than [any] one of the [previous] nations... due to arrogance in the land and evil plotting; but the evil plot encompasses only him who makes it. Then do they await except the way (Sunnah) of the former peoples?..." (Surah Fatir 35:42-43)

Relevant Hadith & Sunnah:

• The Law of Reciprocity in Plotting: Verse 43 states a foundational cosmic law: "the evil plot encompasses only him who makes it." The Sunnah echoes this by warning that deceit invariably boomerangs back to the perpetrator.
  Sunan Abi Dawud (4902) & Sunan al-Tirmidhi (2502): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Do not plot evil against your brother, for whoever plots evil against his brother will have it return upon him."

• Mimicking the Mistakes of Past Nations: The Qur'an criticizes those who swore they would be righteous but rebelled when a real Messenger arrived. The Prophet ﷺ warned that later generations of Muslims would fall into this exact psychological trap:
  Sahih al-Bukhari (7320) & Sahih Muslim (2669): The Prophet ﷺ said: "You will surely follow the ways (Sunan) of those who came before you, handspan by handspan, cubit by cubit, to the extent that if they entered a lizard's hole, you would follow them." The Companions asked, "O Messenger of Allah, do you mean the Jews and the Christians?" He replied, "Who else?"

3. Verse 44: Reflecting on the Ruins of Past Empires

"Have they not traveled through the land and observed how was the end of those before them? And they were greater than them in power. But Allah is not such that anything escapes Him in the heavens or in the earth..." (Surah Fatir 35:44)

Relevant Hadith & Sunnah:

• The Prophetic Practice When Passing Ruins: When traveling through areas where ancient, powerful civilizations were destroyed by divine decree (such as the dwellings of Thamud at Mada'in Salih), the Prophet ﷺ established a precise Sunnah of sober reflection rather than casual sightseeing.
  Sahih al-Bukhari (3381) & Sahih Muslim (2980): When the Prophet ﷺ passed by the archaeological ruins of Al-Hijr, he covered his head, quickened the pace of his mount, and instructed his Companions: "Do not enter the places of those who wronged themselves unless you are weeping, lest you suffer the same punishment that befell them." This action provides a physical, practical application of the command in verse 44 to "observe how was the end of those before them."

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari. (Reference to Hadiths 3381, 7320).

• Al-Sijistani, Abu Dawud. (n.d.). Sunan Abi Dawud. (Reference to Hadith 4902).

• Al-Tirmidhi, M. (n.d.). Sunan al-Tirmidhi. (Reference to Hadith 2502).

• Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim. (Reference to Hadiths 91, 2669, 2742, 2980).