497 Page Notes

44 Surah Ad-Dukhan (continued)

Page 497 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 497 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Surah Ad-Dukhan (Chapter 44), verses 19 through 39, focuses on the mission of Moses, the stubbornness of Pharaoh, and the eventual destruction of those who reject the truth. These verses also address the historical significance of the "people of Tubba" and reinforce the concepts of divine creation and resurrection.

1. The Mission of Moses and the Arrogance of Pharaoh (Verses 19–33)

Verses 19–33 detail the interaction between Moses and Pharaoh, where Moses urges Pharaoh to release the Children of Israel and desist from his arrogance. Pharaoh, however, views Moses as a magician and threatens him with execution.

• Thematic Connection: These verses serve as a parallel to the struggle between the Prophet Muhammad and the Meccan Quraysh. The Sunnah emphasizes the patience of the Prophets when faced with such arrogance. The destruction of Pharaoh is frequently cited in Hadith and Islamic tradition as a definitive warning to those who reject divine messengers despite being shown clear evidence of God’s power (Noor, n.d.).

• The Lesson of Power: The narrative highlights that true authority belongs to Allah alone. Moses is recorded in the Quran as instructing his people to "pray for help from Allah, and (wait) in patience and constancy: for the earth is Allah's, to give as a heritage to such of His servants as He pleaseth" (Deuraseh, n.d.).

2. The People of Tubba (Verse 37)

In verse 37, Allah asks the disbelievers: "Are they better, or the people of Tubba and those before them? We destroyed them, for they were guilty."

• Historical Context: "Tubba" was a title given to the kings of the Himyarite Kingdom in Yemen. Classical Tafsir literature, including Tafsir Nur Al-Ihsan, discusses this figure. Some narrations suggest that the King of Yemen (Tubba/As'ad bin Mulkikub) was a believer who had knowledge of the coming Prophet Muhammad long before his birth, while his people were the ones who persisted in disbelief and were subsequently destroyed for their oppression (Yusuff, 2010).

• Sunnah Perspective: The mention of the people of Tubba serves as a historical reminder that material prosperity and powerful kingdoms do not protect a people from divine judgment if they reject the truth and persist in corruption (Yusuff, 2010).

3. Creation and Resurrection (Verses 38–39)

The section concludes by rejecting the notion that the heavens and earth were created in sport or without purpose, asserting instead that they were created in truth (bi-l-haqq).

• Theological Significance: This reinforces the Islamic worldview that life is not a result of random chance but a purposeful creation. The Hadith tradition consistently teaches that the creation of the universe and the life of human beings are directed toward the ultimate return to Allah, stressing the reality of the Hereafter (Akhirah) and the responsibility of humans to act righteously (Noor, n.d.).

References

Deuraseh, N. (n.d.). Earth in the holy Qur’an: How to protect and maintain it? Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. 

Noor, A. Y. M. (n.d.). International journal of social science and economic research. IJSSER. 

Yusuff, M. S. S. (2010). An analysis of the interpretation of the verses of the Quran in Tafsir Nur Al-Ihsan based on patterns. Knowledge Words Publications. 

Page 497 of the Holy Quran covers Surah Ad-Dukhan (Chapter 44), Verses 19 through 39. This portion of the Surah details the climax of Prophet Musa’s confrontation with Pharaoh, the miraculous parting of the sea, the drowning of the Egyptian army, and the complete lack of grief shown by the heavens and the earth for the tyrants. It then shifts back to the Quraysh polytheists, dismantling their denial of the resurrection by comparing them to the historically destroyed kingdom of Tubba'.

Classical Tafsir (such as Ibn Kathir, Al-Qurtubi, and Al-Tabari) links several significant Hadiths and Sunnah narrations to this page:

1. Seeking Refuge from Being Stoned or Harmed (Verse 20)

“And indeed, I have sought refuge in my Lord and your Lord, lest you stone me.”

The Sunnah of Seeking Refuge (Isti'adhah)

When threatened with literal stoning or execution by Pharaoh's court, Prophet Musa publicly declared his reliance on Allah for physical protection.

The Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) deeply mirrors this practice. Whenever the Prophet faced imminent physical harm, assassination plots from the Quraysh, or hostile tribes, he would utilize specific supplications seeking Allah's protective shield.

• A well-known prophetic practice recorded by Abu Musa al-Ash'ari states that when the Prophet (ﷺ) feared a specific group of people, he would say:
  "O Allah, we place You before them, and we seek refuge in You from their evil." (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 1537; Authenticated by Al-Albani)

2. Leaving the Sea Still and the Drowning of Pharaoh (Verse 24)

“And leave the sea calm; indeed, they are an army to be drowned.”

The Sunnah of Fasting on the Day of Ashura

Verse 24 describes the moment after Musa and the Children of Israel safely crossed the parted sea. Musa wanted to strike the sea again with his staff so it would close and block Pharaoh, but Allah commanded him to leave the sea open (Rahwan—still and calm) as a trap to lure the Egyptian army to their ultimate destruction.

This historical day of salvation is directly commemorated in the daily calendar of the Sunnah through fasting. Ibn Abbas narrated:

"The Prophet (ﷺ) came to Medina and saw the Jews fasting on the day of 'Ashura (the 10th of Muharram). He asked, 'What is this?' They said, 'This is a righteous day; it is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemies, so Moses fasted on this day.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'We have more right to Moses than you,' so he fasted on that day and commanded the Muslims to fast on it." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2004)

3. The Earth and Sky Weeping for the Deceased (Verse 29)

“And the heaven and earth wept not for them, nor were they reprieved.”

The Places of Prayer and Good Deeds Weep for the Believer

This verse states that when Pharaoh and his legions died, neither the heavens nor the earth shed a single tear for them because they left behind no legacy of righteousness. This prompted the Sahabah to ask the Prophet (ﷺ) if the earth and sky literally weep for anyone.

A foundational narration contextualizing this verse comes from Ali ibn Abi Talib and Abdullah ibn Abbas, tracing back to the teachings of the Prophet (ﷺ):

"Every person has two gates: a gate in the heaven from which his provision descends, and a gate through which his good deeds and speech ascend. When a believer dies, these two gates miss him and weep for him. And the place on earth where he used to pray and remember Allah weeps for him as well. But Pharaoh's people had no good deeds on earth nor any ascending righteousness to heaven, so the heaven and earth did not weep for them." (Recorded in Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3250; Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

4. The Identity and Status of the People of Tubba' (Verse 37)

“Are they better or the people of Tubba' and those before them? We destroyed them, [for] indeed, they were criminals.”

Is Tubba' a Prophet?

To humble the Quraysh, Allah asks if they think they are more powerful than the ancient kingdom of "Tubba'" (the royal title for the kings of the Himyarite Kingdom in Yemen), who were completely wiped out due to their arrogance. The Sunnah explicitly clarifies the spiritual status of King Tubba' himself, showing that while his people were destroyed for their criminality, the king himself had ultimately accepted monotheism.

Sahl bin Sa'd narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

"Do not revile Tubba', for he had embraced Islam." (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 22802; Authenticated by Al-Albani)

Aisha also reinforced this Sunnah understanding, stating: "Tubba' was a righteous man. Do you not see that Allah condemned his people (the 'People of Tubba') but did not condemn him directly?" (Tafsir al-Tabari)

5. The Purposeful Creation of the Universe (Verses 38–39)

“And We did not create the heavens and the earth and that between them in play. We did not create them except in truth, but most of them do not know.”

Rejecting the Concept of Cosmic Nihilism

These verses reject the pagan idea that life is a random accident without a moral accounting or a day of judgment. The Sunnah incorporates this specific Quranic worldview into daily devotion.

Whenever the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) woke up in the middle of the night to pray the Tahajjud, he would look up at the sky and recite verses emphasizing this purposeful creation, reinforcing that the universe is governed by absolute truth and accountability:

"O Allah! All praise is due to You. You are the Light of the heavens and the earth... You are the Truth, Your promise is true, the meeting with You is true, Your Word is true, Paradise is true, and Hell is true..." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1120)