553 Page Notes

62 Surah Al-Jumuah

Page 553 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 553 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 553 of the Quran contains the opening verses of Surah Al-Jumu'ah (Chapter 62, "Friday"), specifically verses 1 through 8.

This page serves as a sweeping introduction to the purpose of Prophethood and contrasts the spiritual execution of the Muslim community with the historical failures of past nations. It outlines the core mission of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (purification and education) and delivers a firm critique of religious hypocrisy, specifically addressing those who claim exclusive divine favor while fearing accountability and death.

The Sunnah and classical Hadith literature provide profound context regarding the revelation of these verses and establish the practice of reciting them weekly.

1. The Global Sunnah: Weekly Recitation in the Friday Prayer

Before examining individual verses, the single most prominent Sunnah related to Page 553 is its liturgical application. The Prophet ﷺ did not just leave this Surah to be read privately; he integrated it directly into the collective consciousness of the community by making it his primary recitation during the Friday congregational prayer.

Ibn Abi Rafi' narrated: "Marwan ibn al-Hakam appointed Abu Hurayrah as his deputy in Medina and left for Mecca. Abu Hurayrah led us in the Friday prayer and recited Surah Al-Jumu'ah in the first Rak'ah, and Surah Al-Munafiqun in the second. When he finished, I met him and said: 'You have recited two Surahs which Ali ibn Abi Talib used to recite in Kufah.' Abu Hurayrah replied: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reciting these two Surahs in the Friday prayer.'"

Source: Sahih Muslim (Hadith 877) and Sunan Abi Dawud.

2. Verse 2: The Four Pillars of the Prophetic Mission

"He it is Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger from among themselves, reciting to them His verses, purifying them, and teaching them the Book and Al-Hikmah (wisdom)..." (Quran 62:2)

The Interpretation of "Al-Hikmah" as the Sunnah

This verse defines the structural purpose of the Prophet’s mission. Classical scholars note that when Allah mentions teaching "the Book and Al-Hikmah," the word Hikmah (wisdom) refers explicitly to the Sunnah—the practical implementation, legal rulings, and exemplary lifestyle of the Prophet ﷺ.

The Prophet ﷺ directly reinforced this understanding of the verse when he stated:

"Lo! I have indeed been given the Book (the Quran) and something similar to it alongside it (the Sunnah)."

Source: Sunan Abi Dawud (Hadith 4604) and Musnad Ahmad; authenticated as Sahih.

3. Verse 3: The Universal Expansion of Islam (The Non-Arabs)

"And [He has sent him also] to others among them who have not yet joined them. And He is the Almighty, the All-Wise." (Quran 62:3)

The Context of Revelation: The Vision of Salman al-Farisi

When this verse was revealed on page 553, the Companions were deeply intrigued by who these "others" were, since the community at the time was predominantly Arab. The Hadith records a historic moment where the Prophet ﷺ explicitly prophesied the entry of non-Arab civilizations (specifically the Persians) into the core of Islamic scholarship.

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated: "We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when Surah Al-Jumu'ah was revealed to him. When he recited the verse, 'And others among them who have not yet joined them,' a man asked, 'Who are they, O Messenger of Allah?' The Prophet ﷺ did not reply until the man asked two or three times.

Salman al-Farisi (who was Persian) was sitting among us. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ placed his hand on Salman and said: 'Even if faith were near Ithuraiya (the Pleiades star cluster, meaning incredibly remote), some men from among these people would surely attain it.'"

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 4897) and Sahih Muslim.

4. Verse 5: The Parable of the Donkey and Unapplied Knowledge

"The likeness of those who were entrusted with the Torah, but who subsequently failed in those [obligations], is as the likeness of a donkey who carries huge burdens of books [but understands nothing]..." (Quran 62:5)

The Sunnah Warning Against Textual Intellectualism

This severe parable critiques the religious leadership of Bani Israel, who memorized scripture and carried the physical weight of religious knowledge but refused to let it change their behavior or recognize the Prophet ﷺ.

The Prophet ﷺ constantly used the principle of this verse to warn his own community against becoming intellectual hoarders of information without practical application.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "A man will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and cast into the Hellfire, and his intestines will pour forth, and he will go around them just as a donkey goes around a millstone. The inhabitants of Hell will gather around him and say, 'O so-and-so, what is wrong with you? Did you not use to command us to do good and forbid us from doing evil?' He will reply, 'I used to command you to do good, but I did not do it myself; and I used to forbid you from doing evil, while I committed it myself.'"

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 3267) and Sahih Muslim.

5. Verses 6–8: Challenging False Claims of Salvation and Fleeing Death

"Say, 'O you Jews... long for death if you are truthful.' But they will never long for it, because of what their hands have put forth... Say, 'Indeed, the death from which you flee will surely meet you...'" (Quran 62:6-8)

The Reality of the Spiritual Mubahalah (Challenging the Claim)

Verses 6 and 7 issue a direct psychological challenge: if any group truly believes they are exclusively chosen by God to the exclusion of the rest of humanity, they should logically welcome death, as it would fast-track them to their reward. The Quran notes their internal fear of death due to their secret sins.

The Sunnah confirms that this was a literal, legal binding offer of a Mubahalah (an invocation of God's judgment) during the Prophet's regular debates with hostile factions.

Ibn Abbas (ra) stated regarding these verses: "If the Jews had wished for death (accepting the challenge of the Prophet ﷺ to prove their exclusive chosen status), every single one of them would have choked on his own saliva and died on the spot, and they would have seen their places in the Hellfire."

Source: Documented in Musnad Ahmad (Hadith 2217); cited by Ibn Kathir as authentic.