453 Page Notes

38 Surah Sad

Page 453 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 453 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 453 of the Qur'an marks the beginning of Surah Sad (Chapter 38), verses 1 through 16. This Meccan Surah opens with a defense of the Qur'an's status as a reminder and immediately shifts into a vivid historical look at the arrogance of the Quraish elite. The passage details their collective outrage when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ called them to replace their hundreds of tribal idols with a single God, prompting them to walk away and plot his assassination or silencing.

Classical commentaries (Tafsir), including those by Ibn Kathir, Al-Qurtubi, and Al-Tabari, connect this opening passage to several prominent, highly authentic Hadiths regarding its historical context and reasons for revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul):

1. Verses 1–3: The Pride of the Disbelievers and Past Destructions

"Sad. By the Qur'an containing reminder... But those who disbelieve are in pride and dissension. How many a generation have We destroyed before them..." (Surah Sad 38:1-3)

Relevant Hadith & Sunnah:

• The Weight of the Single Letter: Like other chapters opening with disconnected letters (Al-Muqatta'at), the Sunnah defines the immense value of reciting even a single character like Sad.
  Sunan al-Tirmidhi (2910): The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah will have a reward, and the reward will be multiplied by ten. I do not say that Alif-Lam-Mim is a letter, rather Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter, and Mim is a letter."

• Pride as the Barrier to Faith: Verse 2 isolates "pride" ('Izzah) as the root cause of their rejection. The Sunnah emphasizes that even an atom's weight of this trait blocks entry to salvation:
  Sahih Muslim (91): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance will not enter Paradise."

2. Verses 4–7: The Outrage Over Monotheism (Tawhid)

"And they wonder that there has come to them a warner from among themselves. And the disbelievers say, 'This is a magician and a liar. Has he made the gods [only] one God? Indeed, this is a curious thing.' And the prominent among them went forth, [saying], 'Walk on and be constant to your gods... We have not heard of this in the latest religion. This is not but a fabrication.'" (Surah Sad 38:4-7)

These specific verses feature a highly famous, universally documented reason for revelation involving the deathbed of the Prophet's uncle, Abu Talib.

Relevant Hadith & Sunnah:

• The Gathering at Abu Talib's Deathbed:
  Musnad Ahmad (2012), Sunan al-Tirmidhi (3232), & Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim: When Abu Talib fell terminally ill, the elite chieftains of the Quraish (including Abu Jahl and Al-As ibn Wa'il) grew anxious that the Prophet ﷺ would gain total leverage after his passing. They visited Abu Talib and said, "You are our elder and leader, and you see what your nephew is doing to our traditions. Call him and let us strike a treaty: he leaves us to our religion, and we leave him to his."
  Abu Talib called the Prophet ﷺ and explained the compromise. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ looked at the Meccan elites and said: "O my uncle! Shall I not call them to something that is vastly better for them? If they give me just one single phrase, the entire Arab world will submit to them, and the non-Arabs will pay them tribute."
  Abu Jahl eagerly replied, "By your father, we will give you ten phrases! What is it?" The Prophet ﷺ answered: "You must say: La ilaha illallah (There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah), and cast away what you worship besides Him."
  The chieftains clapped their hands in sheer fury and said, "O Muhammad, do you want to turn all our gods into just one single God? Your demand is utterly impossible!" They stood up, stormed out of the room, and told the crowds outside to stay firm to their idols, as recorded in verses 4–7.

3. Verses 15–16: Mocking the Judgment and Asking for the "Share"

"And these do not await it except one blast, for which there will be no delay. And they say, 'Our Lord, hasten for us our share (Qittana) before the Day of Reckoning!'" (Surah Sad 38:15-16)

Relevant Hadith & Sunnah:

• What is the "Qitt"? Verse 16 highlights the mocking sarcasm of the disbelievers, who asked Allah to forcefully fast-track their Qitt before Judgment Day.
  Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Athar of Ibn Abbas & Mujahid): The Companion Abdullah ibn Abbas explained that Qittana translates to "our book of deeds" or "our share of punishment." The Quraish were arrogantly mocking the Prophet’s warnings of hellfire, yelling out: "O God! If this judgment is real, go ahead and drop our share of the punishment on us right now while we are still alive!"

• The Suddenness of the First Blast: Verse 15 warns that their mockery will be cut short by a singular, un-delayed "blast" (Sayhah). The Sunnah provides explicit details on how abruptly this cosmic sound will catch humanity off guard.
  Sahih al-Bukhari (6506): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The Hour will be established while two men are spreading a piece of cloth between them, yet they will neither be able to conclude their bargain nor fold it up. And the Hour will be established when a man has milked his she-camel... yet he will not be able to drink it."

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari. (Reference to Hadith 6506).

• Al-Tirmidhi, M. (n.d.). Sunan al-Tirmidhi. (Reference to Hadiths 2910, 3232).

• Al-Hakim, M. (n.d.). Al-Mustadrak 'ala al-Sahihayn. (Reference to the deathbed narration of Abu Talib).

• Ibn Kathir, I. (n.d.). Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim (Commentary on Surah Sad 38:1-16).

• Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim. (Reference to Hadith 91).

• Ahmad ibn Hanbal. (n.d.). Musnad Ahmad. (Reference to Hadith 2012).

• Al-Tabari, I. J. (n.d.). Jami' al-Bayan 'an Ta'wil ay al-Qur'an (Tafsir al-Tabari).