545 Page Notes

58 Surah Al-Mujadila (continued)

Page 545 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

59 Surah Al-Hashr

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 545 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Surah Al-Mujadila

Surah Al-Mujadila, Verse 22 is the crowning finale of the Surah and one of the most powerful passages in the Qur'an regarding spiritual allegiance, love for the sake of Allah (Al-Wala' wal-Bara'), and divine reward.

The verse reads:

$$\text{لَّا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ...}$$

"You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their company..." (Qur'an 58:22)

In the Sunnah and Hadith literature, this verse is deeply tied to historical battlefields where biological ties collided with faith, as well as the overarching theological concept of the "sweetness of faith."

1. Historical Context (Asbab al-Nuzul) & The Companions

Classical commentators like Ibn Kathir and Al-Wahidi note that while this verse is a universal ruling, it was revealed highlighting specific, agonizing choices made by the Companions (Sahabah) during the battles of Badr and Uhud.

• Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah (ra): During the Battle of Badr, Abu Ubaydah’s father, Abdullah ibn al-Jarrah, was fighting on the side of the pagan Quraish. His father repeatedly targeted him on the battlefield. Abu Ubaydah tried to avoid him out of respect, but when his father cornered him to kill him, Abu Ubaydah struck and killed him.

• Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (ra): At Badr, Abu Bakr's son, Abd al-Rahman (who had not yet accepted Islam), was fighting for the Quraish. Years later, after accepting Islam, Abd al-Rahman said to his father, "You were exposed to me on the day of Badr, but I turned away from you." Abu Bakr replied: "If you had been exposed to me, I would not have turned away from you."

• Mus'ab ibn Umayr (ra): Mus'ab killed his own brother, Ubayd ibn Umayr, at Badr because his brother was fighting to eradicate the Muslim community.

• Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra): Umar personally executed his maternal uncle, Al-As ibn Hisham, at Badr to prove that loyalty to the Messenger ﷺ transcended clan lines.

Allah revealed Verse 22 to honor these men, declaring that true faith firmly roots its primary allegiance in Allah and His Messenger, placing biological relationships second.

2. Hadith on the "Firmest Handhold of Faith"

The Sunnah frequently references the exact theological principle established in Verse 22: that love and hate must be calibrated strictly around a person's relationship with Allah.

• The Hadith: In Musnad Ahmad (Hadith 18524) and authenticated in Al-Silsilah Ad-Da'ifah, the Prophet ﷺ asked his companions: "Which handhold of Islam is the firmest?" They guessed prayer, zakat, and jihad. The Prophet ﷺ corrected them, saying:
  "The firmest handhold of faith is to love for the sake of Allah and to hate for the sake of Allah."

• Relevance: This directly mirrors the verse’s statement that a true believer's heart cannot simultaneously hold genuine spiritual affection (yuwadduna) for those actively fighting against Allah and His Messenger.

3. Hadith on Finding the "Sweetness of Faith"

The latter half of Verse 22 promises incredible spiritual rewards for those who prioritize Allah over blood ties: "For those, He has decreed faith in their hearts and supported them with a spirit from Him." The Sunnah describes this divine support as a physical, emotional reality felt by the believer.

• The Hadith: In Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 16) and Sahih Muslim, Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
  *"Whoever possesses the following three qualities will taste the sweetness of faith:

  1. That Allah and His Messenger are dearer to him than anything else.

  2. That he loves a person solely for the sake of Allah.

  3. That he hates to revert to disbelief as he appreciates being saved from being thrown into a fire."*

• Relevance: The "sweetness of faith" (Halawat al-Iman) mentioned here is the direct internal manifestation of what Verse 22 calls "writing faith upon their hearts." When a person chooses the Messenger ﷺ over opposing family members, Allah cements faith in their soul.

4. The Contentment of Allah (Radiallahu Anhum)

The verse concludes with an iconic phrase:

$$\text{رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّهِ}$$

"Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. Those are the party of Allah..." (Qur'an 58:22)

The Sunnah explains that this specific pleasure (Ridwan) is the absolute highest reward a human being can attain, surpassing even the physical pleasures of Paradise.

• The Hadith: In Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 6549) and Sahih Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ narrated that Allah will call out to the dwellers of Paradise: "O people of Paradise! Are you pleased?" They will respond, "How could we not be pleased, O Lord, when You have given us what You have not given to any other of Your creation?" Allah will then say:
  "I shall bestow upon you something even better than that... I shall bestow My pleasure (Ridwan) upon you, and I will never be angry with you again."

• Relevance: This ultimate reward, detailed in the Sunnah, is exactly what is promised at the end of Surah Al-Mujadila to those who maintain undivided loyalty to Allah and His Messenger.

Page 545 of the Qur'an marks the beginning of Surah Al-Hashr (The Exile / The Gathering). Verses 1 through 3 focus on the expulsion of the Jewish tribe of Banu Nadir from Madinah due to their breach of the mutual defense treaty and their covert plot to assassinate the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

The verses read:

           سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ * هُوَ الَّذِي أَخْرَجَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مِن دِيَارِهِمْ لِأَوَّلِ الْحَشْرِ...

"Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth exalts Allah, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. It is He who expelled the ones who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture from their homes at the first gathering..." (Qur'an 59:1–2)

The Sunnah and Hadith literature provide extensive historical and legal context for these specific verses, as the event radically altered the socioeconomic structure of the early Muslim state.

1. The Historical Background & Direct Naming of the Surah

In Hadith literature, Surah Al-Hashr is so inextricably linked to this specific event that some of the leading Companions referred to the Surah by the tribe's name.

• The Hadith: In Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 4882), Sa'id ibn Jubayr narrated:
  I said to Ibn Abbas, "Surah Al-Hashr?" He replied, "Say, Surah Bani Al-Nadir."

• Relevance: This authentic narration establishes that the first three verses of page 545 are entirely dedicated to the downfall and exile of the Banu Nadir tribe.

2. The Sunnah Context: The Assassination Plot and Subsequent Siege

The Sunnah details the exact catalyst for the fulfillment of Verse 2 ("It is He who expelled the ones who disbelieved..."). The Prophet ﷺ had gone to the fortresses of Banu Nadir to seek their financial contribution toward the blood money (Diyyah) of two men killed by mistake, as stipulated by their treaty. While he sat by the wall of one of their houses, they plotted to drop a massive boulder on his head from the roof.

• The Divine Intervention: Gabriel (as) descended to inform the Prophet ﷺ of the assassination plot. The Prophet ﷺ stood up quietly, returned to Madinah, and ordered the military mobilization.

• The Siege: In Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 4028) and Sahih Muslim, it is detailed that the Prophet ﷺ besieged them for fifteen days, cutting down and burning some of their date-palm trees (specifically a premium type of palm called Al-Linah) to pressure them into surrendering without bloodshed.

• This tactical move caused panic among the Banu Nadir, prompting them to agree to exile. This matches the wording of Verse 2: "They thought that their fortresses would defend them against Allah; but [the decree of] Allah came upon them from where they had not expected."

3. Destroying Their Own Homes

Verse 2 mentions: "...they destroyed their houses by their own hands and the hands of the believers."

• The Sunnah Manifestation: The terms of surrender negotiated by the Prophet ﷺ allowed the Banu Nadir to leave safely with whatever possessions they could load onto their camels, except for their weapons.

• To deny the Muslims the use of their beautifully crafted woodwork, doors, and lintels, the Banu Nadir began aggressively dismantling and breaking down the interior structures of their own homes to pack the raw timber onto their camels. What they left behind, the Muslims dismantled to secure the area, perfectly validating the wording: "...destroying their houses by their own hands and the hands of the believers."

4. Verse 3: The Decree of Exile vs. Worldly Punishment

"And if it had not been that Allah had decreed exile for them, He would have punished them in this world..." (Qur'an 59:3)

The Sunnah clarifies what the alternative "worldly punishment" would have been had exile not been written for them.

• The Legal Precedent: In the Sunnah of the Prophet's military expeditions, treason during active warfare typically resulted in execution for the combatants and enslavement for the dependents (as later occurred with Banu Qurayzah due to their collaboration with the Confederates during the Battle of the Trench).

• The Hadith Application: In Sunan Abi Dawud (Hadith 3004), the details of the expulsion state that by granting them exile (Jala'), Allah spared them from the sword. They migrated to Khaybar and Syria, carrying their wealth with them, which was an immense mercy compared to the absolute destruction normally facing treasonous factions in the ancient world.