477 Page Notes

41 Surah Fussilat

Page 477 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 477 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 477 of the Quran introduces Surah Fussilat (Chapter 41), Verses 1 through 11. This Makkan section marks a profound rhetorical confrontation between the divine message and the leaders of the Quraysh. It moves from establishing the linguistic clarity of the Quran to detailing the massive cosmic creation of the earth and the primitive universe (Saruhan, 2024).

Classical Islamic exegesis (Tafsir)—including Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Tabari, and Tafsir al-Qurtubi—details multiple canonical Hadiths and historical accounts from the Sunnah that clarify the exact circumstances of revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul) and the cosmic timeline described in these verses.

1. The Context of Revelation: The Negotiation of Utbah ibn Rabi'ah (Verses 1–5)

“Ha, Meem. [This is] a revelation from the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful... But most of them turn away, so they do not hear. And they say, 'Our hearts are within coverings from that to which you invite us, and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a screen...'”

The primary historical context of these opening verses is preserved in an extensive, highly celebrated Hadith recorded by Imam al-Bayhaqi, Ibn Ishaq, and cited across major classical works of Tafsir.

• The Hadith Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah: The elite of the Quraysh sent one of their most eloquent debaters, Utbah ibn Rabi'ah, to offer the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ a series of compromises. Utbah said: "O my nephew, if you want money with this matter, we will collect our wealth so you become the richest. If you want honor, we will make you our leader. If you want kingship, we will make you king."
  The Prophet ﷺ listened patiently until Utbah finished, and then asked, "Are you finished, O Abul-Walid?" When Utbah replied yes, the Prophet ﷺ said, "Now listen to me." He then began reciting Surah Fussilat from Verse 1 onwards.
  As the Prophet ﷺ reached the verses describing the absolute majesty of God and the warning of a strike similar to what struck Aad and Thamud (Verse 13), Utbah was paralyzed with awe. He placed his hand over the Prophet's mouth, begging: "I adjure you by the ties of kinship to stop!" Utbah returned to the Quraysh completely transfixed, telling them, "I have heard a speech the like of which I have never heard. By God, it is not poetry, nor is it sorcery, nor is it soothsaying. Leave this man alone." (Recorded in Dala'il al-Nubuwwah by Al-Bayhaqi; Musnad Abd bin Humayd, Hadith 1485).

2. The Timeline of the Earth's Creation (Verses 9–10)

“Say, 'Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds.' And He placed on the earth firmly set mountains rising above it, and He blessed it and determined therein its [creatures'] sustenance in four days, equal [i.e., perfect] for those who ask.”

These verses break down the sequential stages of the structural development of the earth, specifying a divine timeline measured in "days" (Ayyam). Commentators explicitly link this to a foundational Hadith in Sahih Muslim detailing cosmic chronology:

• The Hadith of Abu Hurayrah: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took hold of my hand and said: "Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, created the clay (earth) on Saturday, and He created the mountains on Sunday, and He created the trees on Monday, and He created the things entailing labor (sustenance/resources) on Tuesday, and He created light on Wednesday, and He caused the animals to spread on Thursday, and He created Adam after 'Asr on Friday..." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2789).
  Note: Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir harmonize the terminology by noting that the "days" mentioned in the Quran represent massive epochs or distinct phases of creation rather than standard 24-hour solar days, which did not exist before the formation of the sun and celestial orbits.

3. The Primeval Cosmic Smoke and Earth's Obedience (Verse 11)

“Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, 'Come [into being], willingly or unwillingly.' They said, 'We come willingly.'”

This verse describes the early status of the universe as cosmic smoke (Dukhan) before the formation of individual distinct gaseous orbits and planetary systems (Mahmoud, 2026; Saruhan, 2024).

• The Sunnah of Universal Submission: The response of the Heavens and the Earth ("We come in willing obedience") is utilized in the Sunnah to demonstrate the concept of fundamental natural law—all created matter instinctively obeys the decree of God (Saruhan, 2024).
  In a narrative contextualized by Ibn Abbas, the Prophet ﷺ explained that when Allah commanded the skies to bring forth their sun, moon, and stars, and the earth to spring forth its rivers and plants, they complied out of absolute submission to the laws of physics and divine design set by the Creator (Tafsir al-Tabari). It serves as a Prophetic reminder that while inanimate cosmic bodies yield perfectly to God's decree, human beings are given free will to choose their submission.

References

• Mahmoud, O. A. W. (2026). The sky and its turmoil on the Day of Resurrection: A study in light of interpretations. Maqolat Journal of Islamic Studies, 4(2), 98–111.

• Saruhan, M. S. (2024). Contribution of philosophical knowledge for understanding the Qur'an: Calling Earth and Heavens to come willingly or unwillingly. Journal of Islamic Philosophy and Tafsir Studies, 42(2), 15–32.

(Note: Canonical reference frameworks like Sahih Muslim, Dala'il al-Nubuwwah, and Musnad Abd bin Humayd are cross-referenced across traditional collections via their globally standard indexing systems.)