540 Page Notes

57 Surah Al-Hadid (continued)

Page 540 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 540 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Surah Al-Hadid (Chapter 57), Verses 19 through 24 occupies page 540 of the Quran. This section provides a profound philosophical and psychological framework for life. It begins by elevating those who believe in Allah and His messengers to the status of Siddiqun (the truthful) and martyrs, transitions into a famous metaphor defining the transience of worldly life (Al-Hayan ad-Dunya), and concludes by laying down the core psychological remedy for grief and arrogance through the lens of Al-Qadr (Divine Decree).

The authentic Hadiths and prophetic traditions linked to this specific page expand on the ranks of the believers, the reality of the material world, and the emotional equilibrium brought about by destiny.

1. The Rank of the Siddiqun and Martyrs (Verse 19)

“And those who have believed in Allah and His messengers - those are the sincere ones (Al-Siddiqun) and the martyrs (Shuhada), with their Lord. They will have their reward and their light...”

The Sunnah explicitly breaks down who qualifies for these exceptionally high spiritual ranks, expanding the definition of martyrdom beyond just those who fall on the battlefield.

The Five Types of Martyrs (Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih Muslim)

The Prophet Muhammad assured his followers that Allah's mercy allows ordinary believers who suffer from specific worldly trials to attain the rank of the Shuhada mentioned in this verse.

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “The martyrs are of five kinds: One who dies of a plague, one who dies of an abdominal disease, one who drowns, one who dies under a collapsed building, and the martyr in the cause of Allah.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 56, Hadith 2829; Sahih Muslim, Book 33, Hadith 1914).

The Highest Stations of Paradise (Sahih al-Bukhari)

The Prophet described the physical visual distance between ordinary inhabitants of Paradise and the Siddiqun referenced on this page.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri narrated that the Prophet said: “The people of Paradise will look at the dwellers of the lofty rooms above them just as you look at a brilliant star remaining on the eastern or western horizon... ” The companions asked, "O Messenger of Allah, are those the dwellings of the Prophets which no one else can attain?" The Prophet replied: “No, by Him in Whose Hand is my soul! They are for men who believed in Allah and attested to the truth of the Messengers (the Siddiqun).” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 59, Hadith 3256).

2. The Metaphor of Worldly Life (Verse 20)

“Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children - like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris...”

The Sunnah heavily mirrors this exact vegetal metaphor, with the Prophet routinely warning his companions against becoming cognitively blinded by the temporary "greenness" of the world.

The World is Green and Sweet (Sahih Muslim)

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah sat on the pulpit and said: “Indeed, this world is sweet and green, and verily Allah is making you successive generations in it to see how you will act. So beware of the world and beware of [the trials of] women.” (Sahih Muslim, Book 49, Hadith 2742).

The Example of the Two Pasturing Herds (Sunan at-Tirmidhi)

The Prophet explicitly targeted the phrase "competition in increase of wealth" (takathurun fil-amwal) to show how unchecked materialism erodes human morality.

Ka’b ibn Malik narrated that the Prophet said: “Two hungry wolves sent among a flock of sheep do not cause more destruction to them than a man’s greed for wealth and status causes to his religion.” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Book 34, Hadith 2376; graded Sahih by Al-Albani).

3. Psychological Healing via Divine Decree (Verses 22–23)

“No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being - indeed that, for Allah, is easy. In order that you not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you. And Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful.”

Verse 23 provides one of the ultimate cognitive therapies in Islamic theology: understanding that because everything is pre-recorded, a human being should neither be destroyed by grief (A-sa) when losing something, nor blinded by arrogance (Farah) when gaining something.

The Companion Insight on Emotional Balance (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

The master commentator Ikrimah summarized how the Sunnah contextualizes these verses for human psychology:

“There is no one among us except that he experiences both grief and joy. However, the Prophet taught us to transform these into compliance: When disaster strikes, make it a source of patience (Sabr), and when good fortune comes, make it a source of gratitude (Shukr).” (Recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim and cited extensively in the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir).

The Pens Have Been Lifted (Sunan at-Tirmidhi)

The foundational prophetic anchor for Verse 22 ("it is in a register before We bring it into being") is found in the famous advice given by the Prophet to the young Abdullah ibn Abbas.

The Prophet said to him: “...Know that if the entire nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, they would not benefit you except with something Allah had already written for you. And if they were to gather to harm you with anything, they would not harm you except with something Allah had already written against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried. ” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Book 37, Hadith 2516; graded Sahih).

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. I. Sahih al-Bukhari. (Hadiths concerning the physical visual distance of the Siddiqun in Paradise, and the alternative categories of martyrdom).

• Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj. Sahih Muslim. (Hadiths detailing the biological categories of the Shuhada, and the descriptive metaphor of the world being "sweet and green").

• At-Tirmidhi, M. I. Jami` at-Tirmidhi. (The definitive traditions outlining the lifting of the pens regarding Al-Qadr, and the destructive nature of hoarding wealth).

• Ibn Kathir, I. Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim. (Cross-referencing early companion applications of Verse 23 to emotional regulation and mental health).