484 Page Notes

42 Surah Ash-Shuraa (continued)

Page 484 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 484 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 484 of the Quran features Surah Ash-Shura (42), Verses 11 through 15. This particular page serves as a major theological and legal cornerstone within the chapter. It handles foundational Islamic principles: the unique, non-anthropomorphic nature of Allah, the unified legacy of previous major prophets, the spiritual danger of sectarian division, and the explicit structural instructions given to the Prophet Muhammad to maintain dynamic justice.

The Sunnah and authentic Hadith corpuses provide vital clarity and direct practical context for these five foundational verses.

1. Verse 11: The Absolute Transcendence of Allah (Tanzih)

"[He is] Creator of the heavens and the earth... There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing." (Quran 42:11)

Establishing the Golden Mean of Creed (Aqeedah)

Verse 11 provides the definitive Islamic rule for understanding the attributes of Allah: He describes Himself with attributes we can comprehend (Hearing, Seeing), yet He explicitly prefaces this by stating "There is nothing like unto Him". This prevents Muslims from anthropomorphizing Him (making God look or act like creation) or entirely denying His attributes.

• The Hadith Application: The Prophet strictly reinforced this balance. When companions asked literalist questions about how Allah acts or moves, the Prophet anchored them back to the reality that His actions do not resemble human mechanics. For instance, regarding the heart of mankind, the Prophet said: "All the hearts of the children of Adam are between two fingers of the fingers of the Most Merciful as one heart; He turns it manually wherever He wills." (Sahih Muslim 2654).

• The Companion's Rule: The companions and early scholars used Verse 11 to explain these Hadiths, famously stating: "Pass them on as they have come, without asking 'how' (bila kayf) and without striking resemblances."

2. Verse 13: The Unified Religion of the Prophets (Deen)

"He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus - to establish the religion and not be divided therein..." (Quran 42:13)

The Legal Brotherhood of Prophethood

Verse 13 isolates the five greatest arch-prophets of Islam (known as Ulul 'Azm or the Prophets of Strong Will) and explicitly states they were all given the exact same core spiritual mandate: to establish monotheistic submission (Deen) and avoid fracturing into sects.

• The Hadith: Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: "The Prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one." (Sahih al-Bukhari 3443, Sahih Muslim 2365).

• Connection: The Prophet’s analogy of "paternal brothers" perfectly explains Verse 13. While the detailed laws, timings, and dietary regulations (Sharia) varied slightly across history under different "mothers," the theological core and fundamental call to establish righteousness (Deen) remained identical from Noah down to Muhammad.

3. Verses 13–14: The Condemnation of Sectarianism (Tafriqah)

"...and not be divided therein... And they did not become divided until after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves..." (Quran 42:13-14)

The Warning Against Falling into Past Traps

Verse 14 points out a tragic pattern in religious history: communities do not split due to lack of information; they split after receiving knowledge because of pride, envy, and tribalism (baghyan baynahum). The Prophet constantly echoed this warning to his own community.

• The Hadith: The Prophet stated: "Do not break off ties with one another, do not nurse enmity against one another, do not harbor mutual jealousy, and do not turn your backs upon one another. Be, O servants of Allah, brothers." (Sahih al-Bukhari 6065, Sahih Muslim 2559).

• The Prophetic Prediction: He explicitly tied the threat of division back to the history mentioned in Verse 14, warning: "You will surely follow the paths of those who came before you, handspan by handspan, cubit by cubit, to the point that if they entered the hole of a lizard, you would follow them." The companions asked, "O Messenger of Allah, do you mean the Jews and the Christians?" He replied, "Who else?" (Sahih al-Bukhari 7320).

4. Verse 15: The Execution of Justice and Personal Uprightness

"So to that [religion of Allah] invite, [O Muhammad], and remain on a right course as you are commanded and do not follow their inclinations but say, 'I have believed in what Allah has revealed of the Book, and I have been commanded to do justice among you...'" (Quran 42:15)

Standing Upright Against Social Pressures

Verse 15 serves as a direct operating manual for the Prophet when facing intense social and political pressures from various factions. He was commanded to remain steadfast (Istiqlamah) and balance scales equally without letting emotional biases alter the law.

• The Sunnah of Uncompromising Justice: This command was manifested intensely in the Prophet's practical life. In one famous instance, a noblewoman from the prominent Makhzum tribe committed theft, and some companions tried to use their social status to negotiate a lighter sentence for her to avoid public shame.

• The Hadith: Upon hearing this attempt to warp justice, the Prophet became visibly upset, stood up, and delivered a sermon: "The people before you were destroyed because if a noble person among them stole, they would let him go, but if a weak person among them stole, they would execute the legal punishment upon him. By Allah, if Fatimah the daughter of Muhammad were to steal, I would have her hand cut off." (Sahih al-Bukhari 3475, Sahih Muslim 1688).

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari.

• Muslim, I. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim.