467 Page Notes

39 Surah Az-Zumar (continued)

Page 467 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

40 Surah Ghafir

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 467 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Surah Az-Zumar

Page 467 of the Quran begins with Surah Az-Zumar (39), Verse 75, which serves as the breathtaking, majestic climax to the entire Surah. After describing humanity being sorted into groups and entering their final abodes, the scene opens to the cosmic grand scale of the unseen world.

The verse reads:

"And you will see the angels surrounding the Throne, exalting [Allah] with praise of their Lord. And it will be judged between them in truth, and it will be said, '[All] praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.'"

The Sunnah and canonical Hadith corpuses provide awe-inspiring commentary on this verse, detailing the literal physical scale of the angels surrounding the Throne ($الْعَرْشِ$), their constant state of worship, and the specific phrases of praise mentioned at the end of the text.

1. The Scale of the Angels Surrounding the Throne

Verse 75 describes the angels surrounding the Divine Throne (Haafeena min hawlil-'Arsh). While human minds struggle to comprehend the proportions, the Sunnah provides a concrete glimpse into the majestic size of the specific angels tasked with carrying and encircling the Throne.

The Prophet was given explicit permission by Allah to describe one of these monumental beings:

The Messenger of Allah said: "I have been permitted to speak about one of the angels of Allah, from among the bearers of the Throne. The distance between his earlobe and his shoulder is a journey of seven hundred years."

Source Citation: Sunan Abi Dawud, Book 42 (Book of Sunnah), Hadith 4727; authenticated as Sahih (authentic) by Al-Albani.

2. The Constant "Exalting with Praise" ($يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ$)

The text states that these magnificent beings are continuously exalting Allah. The Sunnah underscores that this praise isn't a burdensome task assigned to them, but rather as natural and essential to their existence as breathing is to humans.

A. The Sound of the Heavens Under Their Weight

The Prophet described how crowded the heavens are with angels performing the exact glorification detailed in Verse 75:

The Messenger of Allah said: "Indeed, I see what you do not see and I hear what you do not hear. The heaven groans, and it has the right to groan! There is no space equal to the width of four fingers but there is an angel placing his forehead in prostration to Allah."

Source Citation: Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Book 34 (Chapters on Asceticism), Hadith 2312; Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 4190.

B. The Words Most Beloved to Allah

When the companions asked what words are best for worship, the Prophet pointed directly to the phrase used by the angels in this exact verse:

The Messenger of Allah was asked, "Which speech is best?" He replied: "That which Allah chose for His angels or for His servants: 'Glory be to Allah and with His praise.' ($سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ$)"

Source Citation: Sahih Muslim, Book 48 (Book of Remembrance and Supplication), Hadith 2731.

3. The Final Universal Declaration: "All Praise is Due to Allah"

The verse finishes with a passive declaration: "and it will be said, '[All] praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.'"

Classical commentators like Ibn Kathir explain that this phrase is uttered by the entirety of creation—both humans and angels—after absolute justice has been served. It signifies total closure. The Sunnah emphasizes that Alhamdulillah (All praise is due to Allah) is the definitive phrase that completely fills the cosmic scales of justice.

• Filling the Scales: The Prophet explicitly highlighted the weight of this concluding word:
  The Messenger of Allah said: "Purity is half of faith, and 'Alhamdulillah' (All praise is due to Allah) fills the scale..."
  Source Citation: Sahih Muslim, Book 2 (The Book of Purification), Hadith 223.

Surah Az-Zumar

Page 467 of the Quran features the grand opening of Surah Ghafir (40), Verses 1 through 7. This marks a major shift in the Quranic text, introducing the "Ha-Meem" (حـم) family of chapters, also known as Al-Hawameem. These seven consecutive Surahs are deeply celebrated in the Sunnah for their spiritual beauty, theological depth, and descriptions of divine mercy.

The Hadith literature provides beautiful insights into the overarching virtues of these verses, alongside detailed narratives focusing on the forgiveness of sins and the behavior of the Throne-bearing angels.

1. The Overarching Virtue of the Ha-Meem Verses (Verses 1–3)

"Ha, Meem. The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Knowing. The Forgiver of sin, the Accepter of repentance, severe in punishment, the Owner of abundance..."

The Sunnah establishes a profound respect for the opening family of chapters starting on this page. The companions viewed these verses as the crown jewels of rhythmic Quranic revelation.

A. The Brides of the Quran

The Prophet's companions used beautiful metaphors to emphasize the unique, elegant style of these specific chapters:

Ibn Abbas said: "Everything has an essence, and the essence of the Quran is the family of Ha-Meem (Al-Hawameem)."

Ibn Mas'ud similarly remarked: "The Hawameem are the beautiful brides of the Quran."

(Recorded in the Sunan of Al-Darimi, Hadith 3381; and cited by Al-Qurtubi in the introduction to Surah Ghafir).

B. Nightly Protection and Reward

The Sunnah encourages using the beginning of Surah Ghafir as a regular formula for protection when paired with Ayat al-Kursi:

The Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever recites in the morning Ha-Meem until 'to Him is the destination' (Surah Ghafir, Verses 1-3) and Ayat al-Kursi, he will be protected by them until evening. And whoever recites them in the evening, he will be protected by them until morning."

Source Citation: Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Book 45 (Chapters on Virtues of the Quran), Hadith 2879.

2. Umar ibn al-Khattab and the Practical Application of Verse 3

"...The Forgiver of sin, the Accepter of repentance, severe in punishment..."

The Sunnah tracks how the early Muslim community practically applied these descriptions of Allah to restore hope to struggling believers. A famous historical report illustrates the therapeutic nature of Verse 3:

A man from Syria who used to visit Umar ibn al-Khattab stopped showing up. Umar asked about him, and the people replied, "He has fallen deep into heavy drinking."

Umar called his scribe and dictated a letter directly to him, writing: "From Umar bin al-Khattab to so-and-so. Peace be upon you. I praise Allah besides Whom there is no deity: The Forgiver of sin, the Accepter of repentance, severe in punishment, the Owner of abundance. There is no deity except Him; to Him is the destination."

Umar then turned to his companions and said, "Pray for your brother, that Allah turns his heart and accepts his repentance." When the man received the letter, he read it repeatedly, wept, and said, "Allah has warned me of His punishment and promised to forgive my sin." He repented immediately and never returned to drink.

(Recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim in his Tafsir; cited extensively by Ibn Kathir in his commentary on 39:3).

3. The Intercession of the Angels for the Believers (Verse 7)

"Those [angels] who bear the Throne and those around it exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who have believed, [saying], 'Our Lord, You have encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who have repented and followed Your way and protect them from the punishment of Hellfire.'"

This verse reveals a beautiful, unseen reality: the most colossal, powerful creations of Allah—the angels bearing the Divine Throne—spend their time praying for ordinary human beings on earth.

The Sunnah emphasizes this deep bond of intercession between the angels and the believers, particularly during acts of worship:

A. Praying for You While You Sit in the Mosque

The Prophet explained that the angels echo the exact themes of Verse 7 whenever a person remains in their place of prayer:

The Messenger of Allah said: "The angels supplicate for any one of you as long as he remains in his place of prayer... They say: 'O Allah, forgive him! O Allah, have mercy on him!' This continues as long as he does not invalidate his ablution."

Source Citation: Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 8 (Book of Prayers), Hadith 445; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 649.

B. The Angels Praying for Your Sick Friends

The Sunnah also details that when you mimic the selflessness of the angels by praying for someone else, the angels immediately pray for you in return:

The Prophet said: "Whenever a Muslim supplicates for his brother in his absence, the angel appointed to him says: 'Ameen, and may the same be for you.'"

Source Citation: Sahih Muslim, Book 48 (Remembrance and Supplication), Hadith 2732.