595 Page Notes

Surah Al-Balad (continued)

Page 595 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Surah Ash-Shams

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Surah Al-Layl

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 595 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Surah Al-Balad

Page 595 of the Quran opens by concluding the final two verses of Surah Al-Balad (Chapter 90), verses 19 and 20.

Following the breakdown of the righteous deeds required to conquer the steep moral uphill path (detailed on the previous page), these closing lines deliver a final, chilling verdict on those who intentionally rejected the signs of Allah:

“But those who disbelieved in Our signs – they are the companions of the left. Over them will be a fire closed in (Mu'sadah).” — Quran 90:19-20

The prophetic Sunnah and the explanations of the Companions break down the terrifying physical and architectural realities behind these two verses.

1. Verse 19: The Left Hand and the Gathering of Ash-hab al-Mash'amah

The text designates the deniers of the truth as Ash-hab al-Mash'amah (the Companions of the Left Hand/Misfortune). The Sunnah provides the original, cosmic background for how this ultimate polarization of humanity began:

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: "When Allah created Adam, He stroked his right shoulder and brought forth his pure white descendants, saying: 'I have created these for Paradise, and by the deeds of the people of Paradise they will act.'

Then He stroked his left shoulder and brought forth his pitch-black descendants, saying: 'I have created these for the Fire, and by the deeds of the people of the Fire they will act.'" (Recorded in Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 22535 / Muwatta Malik — Graded Sahih)

The Sunnah locks this down with the visual reality of Judgment Day. While the righteous have their faces lit up and walk to the right with their records held high, the "companions of the left" will be gathered in complete darkness, blind, and dragged on their faces toward their destination (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4760).

2. Verse 20: The Architectural Horror of a "Closed In" Fire (Mu'sadah)

“Over them will be a fire closed in (Narun Mu'sadah).” (Quran 90:20)

The core linguistic weight of the page ends on the word Mu'sadah (مُؤْصَدَةٌ). In ancient Arabic dialect, Eesad meant to firmly slide a heavy bolt across a vault door, or to completely trap a wild animal inside a cave with no ventilation.

The Companions and early students of the Sunnah provided vivid structural explanations of what this verse looks like from the inside:

The Airtight Vault

The legendary student of the Companions, Mujahid ibn Jabr, explained that a "closed-in fire" means it is completely airtight. There are no windows, no cracks, no vents, and absolutely zero light or fresh air passing through. It is an architecture designed for pure, suffocating claustrophobia.

The Iron Pillars

The Companion Abdullah bin Mas'ud added a horrifying physical detail that matches this verse with Surah Al-Humazah:

Ibn Mas'ud stated regarding verse 20: "They will be placed inside the Fire, and then massive iron gates will be shut flat against them. Afterward, enormous red-hot iron pillars ('Amad) will be hammered horizontally and vertically across those gates, locking them into the walls so deeply that not a single breath of air can enter, and no scream can ever escape." (Recorded in Tafsir al-Tabari and Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

3. The Prophetic Refuge from the Closed Fire

Because the finality of a "closed-in fire" represents a state from which there is no escape, the Prophet ﷺ heavily practiced a Sunnah of daily, urgent refuge. He taught his followers never to rely solely on their own virtue, but to actively beg for protection from this specific destination after every formal prayer.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "When any one of you finishes the final testimony (Tashahhud) of his prayer, he should seek refuge with Allah from four things, saying: 'O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of Hellfire (Adhab Jahannam)...'" (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 588a)

The Sunnah anchors page 595 by demonstrating that while the companions of the left face an eternity inside an airtight, vault-like furnace, the door to divine mercy remains completely open for the living to turn back before that final lock is thrown.

Summary of Reference Sources

• The Origins of the Left and Right (Verse 19): Musnad Ahmad (Hadith 22535) and Muwatta Malik (Book of Destiny).

• The Visual Gathering on the Left: Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Prophetic Commentary, Hadith 4760).

• The Structure of the Closed-In Gates (Verse 20): Recorded traditions of Ibn Mas'ud and Mujahid in Tafsir al-Tabari and Tafsir Ibn Kathir.

• The Standard Prayer of Refuge: Sahih Muslim (Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer, Hadith 588a).

Surah Ash-Shams

Page 595 of the Quran contains the entirety of Surah Ash-Shams (The Sun, Chapter 91), verses 1 through 15.

This stunning Surah opens with the most consecutive oaths found anywhere in the Quran—eleven cosmic and terrestrial signs—to emphasize a single, crucial psychological truth: the ultimate success or failure of a human being rests on the purification of their own soul. To ground this concept, Allah concludes the Surah with a historical case study: the sudden, devastating destruction of the ancient tribe of Thamud.

The prophetic Sunnah provides rich context regarding the recitation, core theology, and historical narrative of these 15 verses.

1. General Sunnah: The Liturgical Timing of Recitation

The Prophet ﷺ specifically highlighted Surah Ash-Shams as a prime example of the "medium-length" chapters (Mufassal) that are ideal for public congregational prayers. He used it to establish a major legal sunnah regarding empathy for the congregation:

Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah:

Mu'adh bin Jabal used to pray Isha with the Prophet ﷺ and then return to lead his own clan in prayer. One night he prolonged the prayer significantly, causing a working man to leave and pray alone. When the Prophet ﷺ heard of this, he became corrected Mu'adh, saying:

"Are you causing people to turn away from the religion, O Mu'adh? When you lead the people, why don't you recite Surah Ash-Shams, Surah Al-A'la, or Surah Al-Layl? For behind you pray the elderly, the weak, and those with urgent needs."

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 705 / Sahih Muslim, Hadith 465)

2. Verses 7–10: The Inherent Duality of the Soul

“And [by] the soul and He who proportioned it; And inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness. He has succeeded who purifies it, And he has failed who instills it [with corruption].” (Quran 91:7-10)

These verses outline the blueprint of human spiritual psychology. The Sunnah records that the Prophet ﷺ took this passage so seriously that he embedded its theological premise into his daily personal supplications:

Narrated Zayd bin Arqam:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would actively pray using these words:

"O Allah! Grant my soul its consciousness of You (Taqwa), and purify it, for You are the best of those who purify it; You are its Guardian and its Master..."

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2722)

3. Verses 11–12: The Arch-Criminal of Thamud

“Thamud denied [their prophet] by reason of their transgression, When the most wretched of them broke forth [to kill the she-camel].” (Quran 91:11-12)

The text shifts to historical evidence, identifying a single perpetrator as Ashqaha (the most wretched, miserable villain of the tribe). The Sunnah explicitly names this individual and details his social standing, showing that he was not an outcast, but a highly protected, elite leader:

Narrated Abdullah bin Zam'ah:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ delivered a sermon in which he mentioned the miraculous She-Camel of Allah and the man who slaughtered her. Reciting verse 12, the Prophet ﷺ said:

"The man who stepped forward to slaughter her was an incredibly powerful, malicious, and fiercely protected man among his people, possessing nobility and influence similar to Abu Zam'ah (a notorious pre-Islamic chief)."

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4942 / Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2855)

The historical records preserved in the Tafsir of the Sunnah identify this man as Qudar bin Salif.

4. Verses 13–14: The She-Camel and Collective Guilt

“And the messenger of Allah [Salih] said to them, '[Do not harm] the she-camel of Allah or [prevent her from] her drink.' But they denied him and hamstrung her, so their Lord crushed them for their sin and leveled them.” (Quran 91:13-14)

The Prophet Salih gave the tribe a miraculous camel that emerged from a solid rock, instructing them to share the city's water supply with her on alternating days. Though Qudar bin Salif was the physical executioner, verse 14 attributes the slaughter to the plural "they" (Faqaruhu).

The Sunnah explains this linguistic choice through the concept of collective accountability:

The early commentators of the Sunnah (including Qatadah and Hassan al-Basri):

"Qudar bin Salif did not strike the she-camel until the entire population—including the youth, the elderly, the men, and the women—had actively ratified his plan and pledged allegiance to the act. Because the society collectively applauded and sanctioned the crime, Allah destroyed them all with the exact same punishment."

(Recorded in Tafsir al-Tabari and Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Passing Through the Ruins of Thamud

The physical site of this destruction (Al-Hijr/Madain Salih) lay directly on the trade route between Madinah and Syria. The Prophet ﷺ left a strict Sunnah regarding how believers should react when passing by historical sites of divine punishment:

Narrated Abdullah bin Umar:

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by the dwellings of Thamud (Al-Hijr) during the expedition to Tabuk, he commanded his companions:

"Do not enter the dwellings of those who wronged themselves unless you are weeping. If you are not weeping, do not enter upon them, lest you be afflicted by the exact same calamity that struck them."

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3381 / Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2980)

Summary of Reference Sources

• Empathy in Congregation (Introduction): Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 705) and Sahih Muslim (Hadith 465).

• The Prophetic Prayer for Soul Purification (Verses 7-10): Sahih Muslim (Book of Dhikr and Du'a, Hadith 2722).

• Identity of the Wretched Slaughterer (Verses 11-12): Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Prophetic Commentary, Hadith 4942) and Sahih Muslim (Hadith 2855).

• Passing the Land of the Overthrown (Verses 14-15): Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Stories of the Prophets, Hadith 3381) and Sahih Muslim (Hadith 2980).

Surah Al-Layl

Page 595 of the Quran features the opening nine verses of Surah Al-Layl (The Night, Chapter 92).

Following the cosmic patterns established in the preceding Surah Ash-Shams, Surah Al-Layl focuses on the profound divergence of human effort. It swears by contrasting natural creations (night vs. day, male vs. female) to establish that human striving is also divided into completely opposite directions. It promises that those who sacrifice their wealth out of piety will be guided to divine ease, while those who hoard it greedily will be smoothed toward hardship.

The prophetic Sunnah provides foundational context regarding the core theology of destiny, the historical context of its verses, and its textual history.

1. Verses 5–9: The Concept of Divine Ease, Striving, and Destiny

“As for he who gives and fears Allah, and believes in the best reward, We will ease him toward ease. But as for he who is stingy and considers himself self-sufficient, and denies the best reward, We will ease him toward hardship.” (Quran 92:5-9)

These verses contain some of the most philosophically significant lines in the Quran regarding human free will and divine decree (Qadar). A premier and lengthy Hadith in the core collections explains exactly how the Prophet ﷺ used these verses to settle an intense theological debate among his Companions:

Narrated Ali bin Abi Talib:

We were attending a funeral at Baqi al-Gharqad (the cemetery in Madinah) and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came and sat down, holding a small stick with which he began scraping the ground. He raised his head and said: "There is none among you, no created soul, except that his seat in Paradise or Hellfire has already been written."

The Companions asked: "O Messenger of Allah! Should we not then just rely completely on what is written for us and give up performing good deeds?"

The Prophet ﷺ replied: "No! Perform your deeds, for everyone will find it easy to do those deeds that lead to what they were created for. Those who are destined to be among the blessed will find it easy to perform the deeds of the blessed, and those who are destined to be among the wretched will find it easy to perform the deeds of the wretched."

To prove this point, the Prophet ﷺ then stood up and recited verses 5 through 10 of Surah Al-Layl:

“As for he who gives and fears Allah, and believes in the best reward, We will ease him toward ease...”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4949 / Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2647)

This Sunnah teaches that human choice acts as a trigger: when an individual chooses to give charity and act with mindfulness, Allah actively shifts their psychology, making righteousness feel natural and effortless (Yusra).

2. Historical Sabab al-Nuzul (Reason for Revelation)

Early transmissions collected by classical scholars of Hadith and Tafsir tie the specific actions in verses 5–9 to real-world incidents occurring in Madinah during the Prophet's life.

The Greedy Landlord and the Date-Palm Tree

The early commentator Al-Hasan al-Basri and others recorded a tradition concerning a hypocritically stingy man in Madinah who owned a date-palm tree that leaned directly over the courtyard of his desperately poor neighbor. Whenever the ripe dates fell into the poor family's yard, the landlord would rush over, snatch them away from the hungry children, and even force his fingers down their throats to pull out any swallowed fruit.

The poor man complained to the Prophet ﷺ. A generous Companion named Abu al-Dahdah (or Abu Bakr in overlapping narrations) went to the greedy owner and purchased that specific leaning tree in exchange for an entire orchard of forty superior palm trees. He immediately gifted the tree to the poor family for the sake of Allah.

Following this immense, self-sacrificing trade, Allah revealed: "As for he who gives and fears Allah... We will ease him toward ease." Concurrently, the greedy merchant who thought he was secure in his wealth was condemned in verses 8 and 9: "But as for he who is stingy and considers himself self-sufficient..."

(Recorded in Tafsir Ibn Kathir / Al-Wahidi's Asbab al-Nuzul)

3. Verse 3: The Preservation and Textual History of the Revelation

“And [by] He who created the male and female.” (Quran 92:3)

The Sunnah preserves a highly unique textual conversation regarding verse 3 that occurred between the great Companion Abu ad-Darda and the students of Abdullah bin Mas'ud in Syria. It provides insight into the dialectal variations (Ahruf) in which the Quran was originally revealed:

Narrated Alqama:

I traveled to Syria with a group of companions. Abu ad-Darda heard of our arrival, came to see us, and asked: "Who among you is the best reciter of the Quran according to the method of Abdullah bin Mas'ud?" They pointed to me.

He told me to recite, so I recited the opening of Surah Al-Layl: "By the night as it envelops; By the day as it appears in brightness..." But when I reached verse 3, I recited it as Ibn Mas'ud taught it: "And by the male and the female" (omitting the phrase He who created).

Abu ad-Darda immediately exclaimed: "I testify that I heard the Prophet ﷺ reciting it exactly like that with his own mouth! But these people here insist that I recite 'And by He Who created...', but by Allah, I will not follow them over what I heard directly from the Messenger."

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4943 / Sahih Muslim, Hadith 824)

While the unified standard codex (Mus-haf) compiled under Caliph Uthman permanently established the wording we read today ("And by He who created..."), this authenticated Hadith stands as an essential historical artifact of the early prophetic era, demonstrating how deeply the Companions scrutinized every single syllable of Page 595.

Summary of Reference Sources

• The Theological Meaning of Verses 5–9 (Destiny vs. Action): Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Prophetic Commentary, Hadith 4949) and Sahih Muslim (Book of Destiny, Hadith 2647).

• The Textual Dialogue on Verse 3: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 4943) and Sahih Muslim (Book of the Prayer of Travelers, Hadith 824).

• The Circumstances of Revelation (Verses 5-9): Documented by early authorities, collected in Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Asbab al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi.