556 Page Notes

Surah At-Taghabun

Page 556 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 556 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 556 of the Quran introduces Surah At-Taghabun (Chapter 64), verses 1 through 9.

This Surah is Classified as one of the Al-Musabbihat (the chapters that begin with the declaration of God’s perfection and glorification). Vertically flowing with themes of cosmic praise, divine design, and human agency, page 556 shifts from the grand architecture of creation to a severe warning about the Day of Gathering, explicitly defining it as At-Taghabun—the Day of Mutual Loss and Gain.

The Sunnah and classical Hadith literature provide essential context regarding the virtues of this specific page, the theological realities of human choice, and the chilling meaning of Taghabun.

1. Context of the Surah: The Virtue of Al-Musabbihat

"Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies Allah..." (Quran 64:1)

Before diving into the individual verses, the Sunnah highlights the profound status of how this page begins. The Prophet ﷺ held the opening style of this Surah in incredibly high esteem.

The Prophet’s companion Irbad ibn Sariyah (ra) reported: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to recite Al-Musabbihat (the Surahs beginning with 'Sabbaha' or 'Yusabbihu', which includes At-Taghabun) before going to sleep, and he would say: 'Indeed, in them is a verse that is better than a thousand verses.'"

Source: Jami` at-Tirmidhi (Hadith 3406; graded Hasan) and Sunan Abi Dawud.

2. Verse 2: The Coexistence of Belief and Disbelief

"He it is who created you, and among you is the disbeliever and among you is the believer. And Allah is All-Seer of what you do." (Quran 64:2)

The Decree of Human Choice

This verse strikes at the heart of free will and divine destiny (Qadr). In prophetic traditions, this verse is used to explain that while God is the ultimate Creator, He has fashioned human beings with the capacity to choose their spiritual alignment, and He observes how they utilize that autonomy.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Every day, people go out and sell their souls—either setting them free (by choosing belief and righteousness) or destroying them (by choosing disbelief and sin)."

Source: Sahih Muslim (Hadith 223).

Tafsir Note: In explaining verse 2, Ibn Kathir notes that the phrase "He it is who created you, then among you is the disbeliever and among you is the believer" means God willed that humans would have the agency to diverge into these paths, and His divine vision watches over the choices they fulfill.

3. Verse 3: The Perfect Fashioning of the Human Form

"He created the heavens and the earth in truth and formed you and perfected your forms, and to Him is the final return." (Quran 64:3)

Grateness Over the Divine Design

The Sunnah frequently underscores the gratitude a human must show for the miraculous physical form God designed for them, as mentioned in this verse.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Every joint of a person must perform a charity every day the sun rises: acting justly between two people is a charity, helping a man with his mount... is a charity, a good word is a charity..."

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 2989) and Sahih Muslim.

Connection: The classical commentators link this direct command to the physical gratitude owed for the reality of verse 3—that God "perfected your forms."

4. Verse 9: The Day of At-Taghabun (Mutual Loss and Gain)

"The Day He will gather you for the Day of Gathering—that is the Day of Deprivation (At-Taghabun). And whoever believes in Allah and does righteousness—He will remove from him his misdeeds and admit him into gardens..." (Quran 64:9)

The defining core of this entire page is the word At-Taghabun, translated closely as "mutual cheating," "deprivation," or the "unveiling of bad investments." The Sunnah clarifies the vivid, psychological weight of what will happen on that Day.

The Real Meaning of "Loss and Gain"

The Prophet ﷺ used heavy financial metaphors to explain the exact dynamic of Taghabun to his companions so they could visualize the Day of Gathering.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked: "Do you know who the bankrupt person (al-muflis) is?"

The companions replied: "The bankrupt among us is the one who has no money or property."

The Prophet ﷺ corrected them, saying: "The truly bankrupt person of my Ummah is the one who comes on the Day of Resurrection with prayers, fasting, and Zakat. But he comes having insulted this person, slandered that person, consumed the wealth of another, shed the blood of this one, and beaten that one. So, his good deeds will be given to them. And if his good deeds run out before his accounts are settled, their sins will be taken and cast upon him, and he will be thrown into the Hellfire."

Source: Sahih Muslim (Hadith 2581).

The Sunnah Definition of Taghabun:

The companions and early commentators (such as Ibn Abbas and Mujahid) explicitly stated that the "mutual loss and gain" occurs when the dwellers of Paradise inherit the potential homes in Paradise that the dwellers of Hellfire forfeited through their disbelief. Conversely, the dwellers of Hell carry the burdens and losses of their terrible earthly trades. It is the ultimate market crash of human souls.