584 Page Notes

Surah An-Naziat (continued)

Page 584 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 584 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 584 of the Quran concludes Surah An-Naziat (Chapter 79), running from verse 17 through the final verse, 46.

This page transitions from the confrontation between the Prophet Musa (Moses) and Pharaoh to a magnificent layout of Allah's cosmic creation (the heavens, night, and earth). It culminates with a stark division of mankind on Judgment Day based on their tracking of worldly desires, finishing with a prophetic clarification about the ultimate timing of the Hour.

The prophetic Sunnah and early Companion analysis extensively map out the theological and historical meaning of these verses.

1. Verses 17–26: The Transgression of Pharaoh

"Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed... And he said, 'I am your lord, most high.' So Allah seized him with a punishing example..." (Quran 79:17-25)

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The Prophet ﷺ heavily underscored Pharaoh’s downfall as a historical roadmap for anyone choosing arrogance over divine submission.

Pharaoh’s True Knowledge vs. Arrogance

The Sunnah emphasizes that Pharaoh actually recognized inside his heart that Musa was telling the truth, but his desire for political supremacy drove him to utter the blasphemy of verse 24 ("I am your lord, most high").

The Prophet ﷺ noted: When the Angel Jibril (Gabriel) was drowning Pharaoh in the sea, Jibril began shoving the black mud of the sea floor into Pharaoh's mouth to prevent him from saying “La ilaha illa Allah” (There is no deity but Allah), out of fear that Allah's infinite mercy would forgive him even at that final second. (Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3107 — Graded Sahih)

The Sunnah links this directly to verse 26: "Indeed in that is a warning for whoever fears Allah."

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2. Verses 37–41: The Two Paths of the Soul

"Then as for him who transgressed and preferred the life of this world, indeed, Hellfire will be his refuge. But as for him who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from unlawful desire, indeed, Paradise will be his refuge." (Quran 79:37-41)

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These lines serve as the ultimate operational definition of spiritual success in Islam. The Sunnah provides actionable commentary on exactly what it looks like to "prevent the soul from unlawful desire" (Naha al-nafsa ‘an al-hawa).

Controlling the Lower Self (Nafs)

The Prophet ﷺ explicitly paired this exact struggle with the definition of a true believer:

The Prophet ﷺ said: "The Mujahid (the ultimate warrior/struggler) is the one who strives against his own self (Nafs) in obedience to Allah, and the Muhajir (the emigrant) is the one who abandons sins and evil deeds." (Fada'il as-Sahabah of Imam Ahmad, verified as Sahih)

Fearing the Standing Before Allah

Regarding verse 40 ("feared the standing before his Lord"), the Prophet ﷺ painted a vivid picture of what that moment will look like for every human being:

The Prophet ﷺ said: "There is none of you except that his Lord will speak to him directly on the Day of Judgment, without any translator between them. He will look to his right and see nothing but the actions he sent forward; he will look to his left and see nothing but the actions he sent forward; and he will look in front of him and see nothing but the Fire facing his face. So protect yourselves from the Fire, even if it is with half a date given in charity." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6539 / Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1016)

3. Verses 42–46: Asking About the Final Hour

"They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the Hour: when is its arrival? In what position are you to mention it? To your Lord is its finality." (Quran 79:42-44)

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The historical context (Asbab al-Nuzul) recorded by Mother of the Believers, Aisha, explains why these closing verses were sent down.

The Prophet’s Frequent Inquiries

Before these verses were revealed, the Prophet ﷺ used to constantly ponder, worry, and ask about the exact date of the Day of Judgment so he could better warn humanity.

Narrated Aisha: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to frequently inquire about the timing of the Hour, until Allah revealed: "What do you have to mention of it? To your Lord is its finality." (79:43-44). After this revelation dropped, he desisted from asking further. (Recorded by Imam al-Bazzar, Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, and evaluated as Sahih by Imam al-Hakim)

The Ultimate Answer to "When is the Hour?"

The Sunnah locks this concept in place through the most famous dialogue in Islamic history—the Hadith of Jibril, where the Archangel materialized in human form to quiz the Prophet ﷺ in front of his companions:

Angel Jibril asked: "Inform me about the Hour." The Prophet ﷺ replied: "The one being questioned about it knows no more than the questioner." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 8a)

Verse 46: The Illusion of Worldly Time

"It will be, on the Day they see it, as though they had not remained [in the world] except for an afternoon or a morning thereof." (Quran 79:46)

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The final line of page 584 describes how centuries of human history will shrink into a mere blink of an eye when facing eternity. The Prophet ﷺ illustrated this reality with a physical analogy:

The Prophet ﷺ said: "The span of your life compared to the nations that came before you is like the time period between the Asr (afternoon) prayer and the setting of the sun." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 557)

Summary of Reference Sources

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• Pharaoh's Downfall (Verses 17-25): Jami` at-Tirmidhi (Book of Tafsir, Hadith 3107).

• Struggling against Desire (Verses 37-41): Musnad Ahmad (Fada'il as-Sahabah) and Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 6539).

• Context of Revelation regarding the Hour (Verses 42-44): Tafsir al-Tabari, Mustadrak al-Hakim, and Sahih Muslim (Hadith 8a).

• The Afternoon Analogy (Verse 46): Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Times of Prayer, Hadith 557).