103 Page Notes

04 Surah An-Nisa (continued)

Page 103 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

4:155

4:156

4:157

4:158

4:159

4:160

4:161

4:162

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 103 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 103 of the Quran contains Surah An-Nisa, verses 155 through 162.

This section details critical theological discussions regarding the historical errors of the past nations, the clearing of Maryam's (Mary) name from slander, the core Islamic doctrine concerning Isa (Jesus)—specifically his protection from crucifixion and eventual return—and a condemnation of consuming financial usury (Riba).

1. Wrapped Hearts and the Rust of Sin (Verse 155)

"And [We cursed them] for their breaking of the covenant and their disbelief in the signs of Allah... and their saying, 'Our hearts are wrapped'. Rather, Allah has sealed them because of their disbelief..." (4:155)

When people repeatedly reject truth, they historically claimed their hearts were naturally "unreceptive" or immune to the message. The Quran corrects this: a hardened heart is a consequence of ongoing, persistent sin, not a natural defect.

• Hadith on the Staining of the Heart:
  The Prophet ﷺ explicitly mapped out the spiritual psychology of how a heart becomes "sealed" or "wrapped" through lifestyle and deliberate action:

"When a believer commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents, gives up the sin, and asks for forgiveness, his heart is cleansed. But if he increases [in sin], the spot increases until it covers his entire heart. That is the 'Ran' (rust) which Allah mentioned in the Quran." (Sunan at-Tirmidhi 3334; graded Sahih by Al-Albani).

2. The Slander Against Maryam (Verse 156)

"And for their disbelief and their saying against Maryam a great slander." (4:156)

This verse vindicates Maryam (Mary), the mother of Isa, condemning those who chose to reject her miraculous, chaste conception of her son and falsely accused her of unchastity.

• Hadith on the Status of Maryam:
  The Prophetic Sunnah regularly elevated Maryam to the highest tier of human excellence, entirely dismantling any historical slander against her.

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Many men reached perfection, but none among women reached perfection except Maryam, the daughter of 'Imran, and Asiya, the wife of Pharaoh." (Sahih al-Bukhari 3411; Sahih Muslim 2431).

3. The Non-Crucifixion and True Ascension of Isa (Verses 157–158)

"And [for] their saying, 'Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.' And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them... Rather, Allah raised him to Himself..." (4:157–158)

These verses form the definitive baseline for Islamic Christology: Isa was neither killed nor crucified. Instead, Allah rescued him from his enemies by ascending him physically to the heavens.

• Hadith on the Descent of Isa before Judgment Day:
  Flowing from the fact that he was raised to Allah alive, the Sunnah details that Isa will return to Earth before the end of time to rule justly.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, surely the son of Maryam (Jesus) will soon descend among you as a just judge. He will break the cross, kill the swine, and abolish the Jizyah tax, and wealth will pour forth abundantly until no one will accept it." (Sahih al-Bukhari 2222; Sahih Muslim 155).

4. The Belief of the People of the Book Before His Death (Verse 159)

"And there is none from the People of the Scripture but that he will surely believe in Jesus before his death. And on the Day of Resurrection he will be against them a witness." (4:159)

Classical commentators offer two main linguistic interpretations for "before his death" (qabla mawtihi). The most prominent view supported by Hadith is that it refers to the actual death of Isa after his future descent to Earth.

• Hadith detailing Isa's life upon return:
  The Sunnah elaborates that during his return, everyone alive from the People of the Book will recognize his true identity as a prophet of Allah, fulfilling the verse's prediction.

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Prophets are paternal brothers... and I am the closest of mankind to Jesus, son of Mary, for there was no prophet between him and me. He will descend... He will fight people for the cause of Islam, smash the crosses, kill the swine, and eliminate all religions except Islam... He will live on earth for forty years, and then he will die and the Muslims will pray the funeral prayer over him." (Sunan Abi Dawud 4324; graded Sahih by Al-Albani).

5. Prohibitions and the Devouring of Usury (Verses 160–161)

"And [for] their taking of usury while they had been forbidden from it, and their consuming of the people's wealth unjustly..." (4:161)

Allah notes that certain good things were made prohibited to past groups as a direct consequence of their systemic injustices—specifically highlighting the exploitation of others through usury (Riba).

• Hadith Cursing the Dealings of Usury:
  To protect the Muslim community from falling into the same destructive financial patterns, the Prophet ﷺ heavily cursed all parties facilitating usury.

Jabir reported: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ cursed the one who consumes usury, the one who pays it, the one who writes it down, and the two who witness it." He said, "They are all equal [in sin]." (Sahih Muslim 1598).

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari.

• Al-Naysaburi, M. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim.

• Al-Sijistani, Abu Dawud. (n.d.). Sunan Abi Dawud.

• Al-Tirmidhi, Muhammad. (n.d.). Sunan at-Tirmidhi.

• Al-Albani, N. (Ed.). Sahih Sunan at-Tirmidhi & Sahih Sunan Abi Dawud.