548 Page Notes

59 Surah Al-Hashr (continued)

Page 548 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 548 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 545 transitions into page 546 with Surah Al-Hashr, verses 17 through 24. This magnificent concluding section of the Surah shifts from specific historical events (the exile of Banu Nadir) to profound, universal spiritual themes. It covers the ultimate fate of the hypocrites and Satan (Verse 17), an intense call to mindfulness and self-reckoning (Verses 18–19), the contrast between the people of Paradise and Hellfire (Verse 20), the awe-inspiring power of the Qur'an (Verse 21), and concludes with the majestic list of Allah's Beautiful Names (Verses 22–24).

1. Verses 17–19: Taqwa and Auditing the Soul (Muhasabah)

"O you who have believed, fear Allah. And let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow—and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do." (Qur'an 59:18)

The Sunnah Context

This verse is the foundational text for the Islamic concept of Muhasabah (self-rectification and spiritual auditing). The Sunnah displays how heavily the Prophet ﷺ and his companions relied on this verse to stir up accountability and charity.

• The Prophetic Sermon on Charity: In Sahih Muslim (Hadith 1017), Jarir ibn Abdullah (ra) narrated that some desperately poor, barefoot people from the Mudhar tribe came to Madinah. Seeing their poverty, the Prophet's face changed color with sorrow. He ordered Bilal to call the prayer, led the congregation, and then stood up to deliver a powerful sermon. He began by reciting Surah Al-Hashr, Verse 18: "Let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow..."

• Spurred by this specific verse, the Companions immediately rushed to bring whatever they could: a dinar, a dirham, clothing, a measure of wheat, and even half a date, until two massive piles of food and clothes were formed, bringing a joyful smile back to the Prophet’s face.

• The Hadith on Consciousness: In Sunan At-Tirmidhi (Hadith 2459), the Prophet ﷺ defined the proactive mind state demanded by this verse:
  "The wise person is one who holds himself accountable (Dana Nafsahu) and works for what comes after death, and the helpless person is one who follows his desires and then harbors baseless expectations of Allah."

2. Verse 20: The Dwellers of Fire vs. The Dwellers of Paradise

"Not equal are the companions of the Fire and the companions of Paradise. The companions of Paradise are the attainers [of success]." (Qur'an 59:20)

The Sunnah Context

The Sunnah frequently echoes this absolute polarization of human destinies, framing it as a daily reminder to choose our paths deliberately.

• The Core Definition of Success: In Sahih Muslim (Hadith 135), the Prophet ﷺ beautifully encapsulated the dividing line noted in this verse: "Whoever dies knowing that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah shall enter Paradise."

• The Sunnah emphasizes that the distinct pathways of these two groups manifest clearly in their daily actions on earth. In Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 6605), the Prophet ﷺ said: "Paradise is closer to any of you than the strap of his shoe, and so is the Hellfire."

3. Verse 21: The Power of the Qur'an on a Mountain

"If We had sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and splitting asunder from fear of Allah..." (Qur'an 59:21)

The Sunnah Context

While humans often listen to the Qur'an with hardened hearts, the Sunnah documents physical matter reacting with intense emotion and humility when exposed to divine communication or the physical presence of the Prophet ﷺ.

• The Crying Tree Trunk: In Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 3584), Jabir ibn Abdullah (ra) reported that the Prophet ﷺ used to stand by a date-palm trunk while delivering sermons. When a formal pulpit (Minbar) was built for him, he used it for the first time. The date-palm trunk suddenly burst into an agonizing, weeping cry—sounding like a child crying out—because it missed hearing the divine reminders and Quranic recitations that used to occur right next to it. The Prophet ﷺ had to descend from the pulpit and hug the trunk until it quieted down.

• Relevance: If an inanimate piece of wood wept out of longing for divine remembrance, it underscores the imagery of Verse 21: physical creation recognizes the weight of Allah's speech far more acutely than heedless human hearts.

4. Verses 22–24: The Majestic Names of Allah (Asma al-Husna)

"He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed. He is the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful... The Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection, the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior..." (Qur'an 59:22–23)

The Sunnah Context

The final three verses of Surah Al-Hashr contain the densest concentration of Allah’s Names in the entire Qur'an. The Sunnah places immense value on learning, memorizing, and supplicating with these specific attributes.

• The Reward for Memorization: In Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 2736) and Sahih Muslim, Abu Hurairah (ra) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
  "Indeed, Allah has ninety-nine names—one hundred minus one. Whoever enumerates them (Ahsaha—meaning memorizes them, understands them, and lives by them) will enter Paradise."

• The Greatest Name of Allah (Al-Ism Al-A'zam): The closing verses include names like Al-Hayy (The Ever-Living) and Al-Qayyum (The Sustainer), which are found in adjacent verses. In Sunan Abi Dawud (Hadith 1495), the Prophet ﷺ heard a companion making a du'a using several of the exact attributes listed at the end of Surah Al-Hashr (like Al-Mannan, The Bestower, and Badi' as-Samawati wal-Ard, Originator of the heavens and earth). The Prophet ﷺ remarked:
  "He has supplicated to Allah using His Greatest Name (Al-Ism Al-A'zam), by which if He is asked, He grants, and if He is called upon, He answers."