565 Page Notes

68 Surah Al-Qalam (continued)

Page 565 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 565 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 565 of the Quran covers Surah Al-Qalam (Chapter 68), verses 17 through 42.

This page contains two major thematic shifts. The first is a lengthy parable about the arrogant "People of the Garden"—wealthy orchard owners who plotted to bypass the poor, only to have their entire livelihood vaporized overnight. The second is a terrifying, highly literal transition to the Day of Judgment, focusing on a profound moment of physical distinction where humanity is called to prostrate before the Divine Creator.

The Sunnah and canonical Hadith collections provide explicit moral frameworks, legal rulings, and eschatological (End Times) definitions for these verses.

1. Verses 17–18: The Danger of Presumption and the Law of Insha'Allah

"Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the early morning. Without making exception (i.e., without saying 'Insha'Allah')." (Quran 68:17-18)

The Legal and Spiritual Obligation of Istithna (Making an Exception)

The "People of the Garden" were so confident in their worldly power and agricultural machinery that they swore absolute oaths to harvest their crops without acknowledging divine willpower. The Sunnah emphasizes that speaking the phrase "Insha'Allah" (If Allah wills) is not merely a polite cultural phrase; it is a spiritual protection against having one's plans completely upended.

The Prophet ﷺ taught that even the most powerful figures in history face immediate failure when they leave out this phrase.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Solomon (Sulaiman), the son of David, said: 'Tonight I will surely intimately visit seventy women (wives), each of whom will give birth to a knight who will fight in the cause of Allah.' His companion said to him: 'Say: If Allah wills (Insha'Allah).' But he did not say it, and he forgot.

None of them gave birth except for one woman, who gave birth to a half-formed child. By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, if he had said 'If Allah wills,' they would have all fought as knights in the cause of Allah."

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 3424) and Sahih Muslim.

Tafsir Connection: Ibn Kathir links this directly to verse 18, noting that the sons of the righteous garden owner allowed greed to make them completely forget their dependence on the divine decree, leading to the immediate destruction of their livelihood while they slept.

2. Verses 23–24: The Systemic Sins of Hoarding and Starving the Needy

"So they departed, while they were whispering to one another: 'No poor person shall enter it upon you today.'" (Quran 68:23-24)

The Prophetic Warning Against Miserliness (Shuhh)

The breakdown of the garden owners' morality began when they weaponized the dark of early dawn to smuggle out their wealth so that the vulnerable and destitute would not see them. The Sunnah categorizes this exact mindset—active plotting to deny poor relief—as a foundational sin that destroys civilizations.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ warned: "Beware of oppression, for oppression will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection. And beware of miserliness/greed (Shuhh), for miserliness destroyed those who came before you. It led them to shed their blood and to make lawful what was forbidden to them."

Source: Sahih Muslim (Hadith 2578).

Historical Context: Early narrative traditions recorded by Ibn Abbas indicate that the father of these boys used to always set aside a third of the garden's yield for charity. When he died, his sons looked at the poor and said, "Our father was foolish for giving our profits away." Their secret morning plot was a direct manifestation of Shuhh.

3. Verse 42: The Uncovering of the Shin and the Test of Prostration

"The Day the shin will be uncovered and they are invited to prostration, but they will not be able." (Quran 68:42)

The Litmus Test of Sincerity on Judgement Day

Verse 42 is one of the most vividly discussed verses in Hadith literature, specifically concerning the text: "Yawma yukshafu 'an saqin" (The Day the shin is uncovered). The text describes a terrifying, sorting event on the Day of Judgment where all of humanity is commanded to fall to the earth in worship.

The standard, canonical explanation of this cosmic event is detailed directly by the Prophet ﷺ in an extensive description of the Resurrection.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported: I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying: "Our Lord will uncover His Shin, and every believing male and every believing female will fall down in prostration before Him. The only people who will remain standing are those who used to prostrate in the worldly life only to show off and gain a good reputation (Riyaa'). Such a person will try to prostrate, but his back will be turned into a single, rigid, stiff plate (meaning his spine will lock up and refuse to bend)."

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 4919) and Sahih Muslim (Hadith 183).