577 Page Notes

74 Surah Al-Muddaththir (continued)

Page 577 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

75 Surah Al-Qiyamah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 577 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Surah Al-Muddaththir

Page 577 contains the closing verses of Surah Al-Muddaththir (Chapter 74), verses 48 through 56.

This final section of the chapter operates as a firm, divine summary of Meccan pushback. It dismisses false dependencies on spiritual intercession, provides a vivid, psychological metaphor of the disbelievers’ blind panic when hearing the Quran, exposes the absurd, ego-driven demands of the tribal chiefs, and concludes by asserting that guidance is a divine gift centered entirely on humility and the fear of God (Taqwa).

The Sunnah and classical exegetical traditions (Tafsir) provide critical linguistic breakdowns, historical context, and deep spiritual lessons for this page.

1. Verse 48: The Permanent Denial of Intercession (Shafa'ah)

"So no intercession of intercessors will be of any use to them." (Quran 74:48)

The Myth of Free Passes

The pagan Quraysh, much like the deviant factions of the People of the Book before them, falsely believed that if a Day of Judgment did happen, their idols, ancestral lineages, or tribal demigods would step in to magically clear their records.

The Sunnah establishes Verse 48 as an absolute barrier: intercession exists, but it is a highly regulated divine honor reserved strictly for those who died with basic Tawhid (pure monotheism).

Abu Hurairah (ra) asked the Prophet ﷺ: "O Messenger of Allah, who will be the happiest person to gain your intercession on the Day of Resurrection?"

The Prophet ﷺ explicitly clarified the boundaries of this verse, saying: "The happiest person to gain my intercession on the Day of Resurrection will be the one who says, 'La ilaha illallah' (There is no true deity worthy of worship except Allah) sincerely from the absolute bottom of his heart."

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 99).

2. Verses 49–51: The Fleeing Onagers and the Definition of Qaswarah

"Then what is the matter with them that they are, from the reminder, turning away? As if they were frightened donkeys, fleeing from a Qaswarah?" (Quran 74:49-51)

This is one of the most striking visual insults in the Quran. Allah describes the Meccan elites not as dignified leaders, but as wild, panicked onagers (wild desert donkeys) that completely lose their minds, scattering in absolute chaos the second they sense a threat.

The Sunnah preserves the linguistic verification from the core companions regarding the unique word Qaswarah.

Abu Hurairah (ra) stated regarding this verse: "A 'Qaswarah' is a lion."

Similarly, Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra) provided an expansive linguistic definition rooted in ancient languages: "It is called a lion (Asad) in Arabic, but it is called Qaswarah in the Abyssinian tongue, Sher in the Persian tongue, and Aryeh in the Hebrew tongue." (Other early companions noted it could also refer to a unified group of hunters or archers).

Source: Preserved in Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tafsir at-Tabari for Surah Al-Muddaththir.

3. Verse 52: The Absurd Demands for Personalized Letters

"Rather, every person among them desires that he should be given pages spread out." (Quran 74:52)

Ego-Driven Theology

The Meccan aristocrats were too proud to follow a single man (the Prophet ﷺ). They routinely told him that they would only believe if Allah sent an individual, custom-signed parchment from the heavens directly to their own doorsteps every morning, explicitly addressing them by name and ordering them to follow Muhammad.

The Sunnah maps out this specific backroom negotiation.

Ibn Abbas (ra) narrated that pagan leaders like Abu Jahl and Rafi' bin Huraymilah explicitly stated to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: "We will never believe in you until you bring us a written book from Allah from the sky, addressed to us personally, stating that you are indeed a messenger and that we must obey you."

Allah exposed their insincere, delaying tactics by revealing Verse 52: "Rather, every person among them desires that he should be given pages spread out." Their problem was not a lack of evidence; it was a lack of accountability and absolute pride.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir (via Muhammad bin Ishaq) and Al-Wahidi's Asbab al-Nuzul.

4. Verse 56: The Fount of Fear and Forgiveness

"And they will not receive admonition unless Allah wills; He is the One deserving of Taqwa [to be feared] and He is the One Who forgives." (Quran 74:56)

Balancing Fear and Hope

The final verse of the Surah names Allah as Ahlut-Taqwa (the only One worthy of being feared/obeyed) and Ahlul-Maghfirah (the ultimate Source of Forgiveness). The Sunnah provides a beautiful, reassuring commentary on how Allah applies this formula to human beings who stumble but keep trying.

Anas ibn Malik (ra) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited this final verse of Surah Al-Muddaththir: "He (Allah) is worthy of fear and adequate for granting forgiveness," and then explained that Allah says:

"I am the One Who is worthy of being feared, so let no one set up any partners alongside Me. And whosoever cautiously guards himself against setting up partners with Me, then I am fully obligated and ready to forgive him of all his sins."

Source: Sunan at-Tirmidhi (Hadith 3328), Sunan Ibn Majah (Hadith 4299), and Musnad Ahmad.

Surah Al-Qiyamah

On page 577, the Quran shifts into Surah Al-Qiyamah (Chapter 75), verses 1 through 19.

This early Makkan Surah deals directly with the core theological battle of Islam: the physical reality of resurrection. It opens with an intense divine oath, answers the physical mockers who doubted that decomposed bones could be reassembled, and uniquely pauses its apocalyptic narrative to give the Prophet ﷺ personal, tactical instructions on how to physically handle the overwhelming sensory weight of receiving revelation.

1. Verses 3–4: Reassembling the Fingerprints

"Does man think that We will not assemble his bones? Yes. [We are] Able [even] to proportion his fingertips." (Quran 74:3-4)

The Crumbled Bone Mockery

The pagan aristocracy of Mecca completely rejected the idea of bodily resurrection. They routinely weaponized this concept to publicly humiliate the Prophet ﷺ. The Sunnah records the physical confrontations that prompted these precise verses.

Historical accounts of the Seerah track that tribal leaders like Ubayy ibn Khalaf and Al-As ibn Wa'il would literally walk up to the Prophet ﷺ holding ancient, brittle human bones dug out of desert graves. They would visually crush the bones into dust right in front of his face, blow the powder into the wind, and mockingly ask: "O Muhammad! Do you honestly claim your God can bring this scattered dust back to life?!"

Allah answered with Verse 4, declaring that not only will the skeletal structure be rebuilt, but the most delicate, intricate, and unique parts of human anatomy—the fingertips (Banan)—will be perfectly restored to their original design.

Source: Detailed across classical Asbab al-Nuzul (Occasions of Revelation) by al-Wahidi and Ibn Kathir.

2. Verses 7–9: The Apocalyptic Alignment of the Skies

"So when vision is dazzled, and the moon darkens, and the sun and moon are joined..." (Quran 75:7-9)

The Prophet's Deep Dread of Eclipse Events

The merging and darkening of the sun and moon are core signs of the cosmic collapse on the Last Day. Because the Sunnah shows that the Prophet ﷺ lived in constant awareness of these verses, any temporary celestial disruption in his lifetime would trigger intense spiritual urgency.

Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (ra) narrated: The sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ. He stood up in a state of deep anxiety, terrified that the Final Hour (Al-Qiyamah) had actually arrived. He rushed directly to the Masjid and prayed with the longest standing, bowing, and prostration I have ever seen him perform in his entire life.

He then addressed the people, saying: "These signs that Allah sends do not occur because of the death or life of anyone. Rather, Allah sends them to strike fear into His servants. Therefore, when you see any of these cosmic events, rush with deep urgency to His remembrance, supplication, and seeking His forgiveness."

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 1059) and Sahih Muslim.

3. Verses 16–19: The Tactical Law of Revelation (Wahy)

"Do not move your tongue with it [the Quran] to make haste with it. Indeed, upon Us is its collection and its recitation..." (Quran 75:16-17)

 Verses 16 through 19 represent an extraordinary internal "parenthesis" in the text. Right in the middle of describing the Day of Judgment, Allah pauses the topic to speak directly to the Prophet's physical behavior during the transmission of the Quran.

The Hadith tracking this specific verse is one of the most foundational texts in Islamic scholarship, explaining how the Quran was preserved.

Sa'id ibn Jubayr reported that Ibn Abbas (ra) explained this verse by saying: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to handle the descent of revelation with immense internal struggle and hardship. To ensure he didn't forget anything, he would furiously move his lips and tongue to repeat the words immediately as Angel Jibreel was still speaking them."

Ibn Abbas told his student, "Look at me, I am moving my lips right now exactly as I saw the Messenger of Allah move his."

So Allah descended the words: 'Do not move your tongue with it to make haste with it...' meaning: Be completely silent, listen to the Angel finish, and We strictly guarantee that it will be permanently gathered in your chest (Jam'ahu).

"After this instruction dropped, whenever Jibreel came to visit him, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would keep perfectly silent and simply listen. The moment Jibreel left, the Prophet ﷺ would recite the verses flawlessly exactly as he had heard them."

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 5) and Sahih Muslim (Hadith 448).

4. Verse 19: The Sunnah as the Explicit Explanation of the Quran

"Then, indeed, upon Us is its explanation (Bayanah)." (Quran 75:19)

This verse serves as the absolute theological validation for the Sunnah itself. Allah promises that after the words of the Quran are memorized, He will inspire the Prophet ﷺ to explain its laws, contexts, and practical execution.

Scholars of Hadith cite Verse 19 as definitive proof that the Prophet's speech, actions, and explanations are divinely guided. The Prophet ﷺ validated this explicitly when he stated: "Behold! I have spent my life being given the Book (the Quran) and, alongside it, its absolute equivalent (the Sunnah)!"

Source: Sunan Abi Dawud (Hadith 4604) and Musnad Ahmad.