106 Page Notes

04 Surah An-Nisa (continued)

Page 106 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

4:176

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

05 Surah Al-Maidah

5:1

5:2

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 106 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Surah An-Nisa

Page 106 of the Quran holds a unique place in Islamic jurisprudence. It contains only a single verse—Surah An-Nisa, verse 176—which officially concludes the chapter.

This monumental verse is the second of the two primary "inheritance verses" in the Quran, dealing explicitly with the laws of Kalalah (an estate left by a deceased person who has no surviving children or parents). Because Islamic inheritance law ('Ilm al-Fara'id) is exceptionally precise, several canonical Hadiths directly outline the context of this verse's revelation and its legal application.

1. The Context of Revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul)

"They request from you a [legal] ruling. Say, 'Allah gives you a ruling concerning al-kalalah.' If a man dies, leaving no child but [only] a sister, she will have half of what he left..." (4:176)

The primary reason for the revelation of this final verse involves the celebrated companion, Jabir bin Abdullah.

• The Sickness of Jabir:
  Jabir reported that he fell so severely ill that he lost consciousness. The Prophet ﷺ came to visit him, performed ablution (Wudu), and sprinkled some of the water over Jabir, which brought him back to consciousness.

Jabir said: "O Messenger of Allah! I have no heirs except my sisters. How should my property be divided?" Following this direct question, the final verse of Surah An-Nisa (4:176) was sent down to establish the exact legal shares for siblings when a person dies leaving neither ascendants (parents) nor descendants (children). (Sahih al-Bukhari 4577; Sahih Muslim 1616).

2. Chronological Significance of the Verse

Because it sits on its own page at the very end of Surah An-Nisa, classical scholars heavily emphasized its historical placement within the chronology of Quranic revelation.

• The Last Verse Revealed Regarding Rulings:
  The companion Al-Bara' bin 'Azib explicitly identified this verse as one of the very last pieces of legislative revelation the Muslim community received before the Prophet's ﷺ passing.

Al-Bara' bin 'Azib narrated: "The last Surah to be revealed completely was Surah Bara'at (At-Tawbah), and the last verse to be revealed was the final verse of Surah An-Nisa: 'They request from you a legal ruling...'" (Sahih al-Bukhari 4605; Sahih Muslim 1617).

3. Umar ibn al-Khattab’s Deep Concern Over Kalalah

The definition and underlying details of Kalalah were considered so legally intricate that the second Caliph, Umar ibn al-Khattab, frequently discussed his intense desire to have probed the Prophet ﷺ even deeper on its minor nuances.

• The Prophet's Reassurance:
  Umar ibn al-Khattab noted that he repeatedly questioned the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the exact boundaries of Kalalah until the Prophet ﷺ jokingly tapped him on the chest.

Umar said: "The Prophet ﷺ tapped my chest with his finger and said: 'O Umar, is the "verse of the summer" (Ayat al-Sayf) at the end of Surah An-Nisa not sufficient for you?'"

Umar later remarked that if the Prophet ﷺ had left an exhaustive, line-by-line manual on every imaginable edge case for it, it would have been beloved to him over the finest worldly possessions. (Sahih Muslim 567).

4. Practical Calculations Extracted via Sunnah

The text of the verse outlines that if a man dies childless and leaves a sister, she receives half ($1/2$) of the wealth. If there are multiple sisters, they collectively share two-thirds ($2/3$). If there are mixed brothers and sisters, the male receives a portion equal to that of two females.

• The Role of Consanguine vs. Full Siblings:
  The Sunnah, via the judgments of the companions and the Prophet ﷺ, clarified that the siblings intended in this final verse are full siblings (sharing both mother and father) or consanguine siblings (sharing the same father).

This stands in contrast to the earlier verse on the same topic, Surah An-Nisa 4:12, which specifies the much smaller shares ($1/6$ or $1/3$) allocated exclusively to uterine siblings (those who share only the same mother). The Sunnah unified these verses into a comprehensive legal matrix used by Islamic courts to this day (Al-Asqalani, 2024).

References

• Al-Asqalani, I. H. (2024). Fath al-Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari. Dar al-Salam.

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

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

Surah Al-Maidah

Together, Verses 1 and 2 of Surah Al-Maidah occupy the bottom half of Page 106 of the Quran, laying down structural guidelines for how the Muslim community must interact with allies, symbols of sanctity, and enemies alike.

Following Verse 1, which establishes the final legal authority of the chapter, Verse 2 of Surah Al-Ma'idah expands heavily into social ethics, international diplomacy during pilgrimage, and the core Islamic maxim governing collective teamwork.

1. Respecting the Sacred Symbols of Allah (Sha'a'ir - Verse 2)

"O you who have believed, do not violate the symbols of Allah or [the sanctity of] the sacred month or [that of] the sacrificial animals and the garlands..." (5:2)

The verse commands deep psychological and behavioral reverence for the rituals of Hajj, the sacred calendar months, and even the marked livestock (Hady and Qala'id) being driven to Makkah for charity.

• The Context of Revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul):
  Classical commentators like Ibn Kathir record that a man named Al-Hutam (from the tribe of Banu Hanifah) came to Madinah with commercial caravans, entering into a deceitful, short-lived alliance with the Muslims. He later left, stole livestock belonging to the people of Madinah, and headed toward Makkah.
  The next year, the companions saw him leading a massive trade caravan decorated with ritual garlands (Qala'id), signifying he was performing the pilgrimage. The companions furious at his prior theft, asked the Prophet ﷺ for permission to ambush him. Allah immediately revealed this clause: even though he was a thief and an idolater, because he was honoring the sacred symbols and the garlands, the Muslims were forbidden from attacking him in that state.

• Hadith on Honoring Sacrificial Garlands:
  The Prophet ﷺ perfectly practiced this requirement by meticulously garlanding his own sacrificial animals to publicize their sacred status, ensuring safe passage for everyone's herds.

Aisha narrated: "I twisted the garlands for the sacrificial sheep of the Prophet ﷺ with my own hands, and then he marked them and sent them off [to Makkah]..." (Sahih al-Bukhari 1699; Sahih Muslim 1321).

2. Preventing Past Grievances from Driving Injustice (Verse 2)

"...And do not let the hatred of a people for having obstructed you from the Sacred Mosque lead you to transgress..." (5:2)

This clause addresses the immense emotional trauma the companions faced during the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, when the pagan Makkans physically blocked them from entering the Kaaba. Allah warns them that a history of being wronged does not grant them a divine license to act unjustly out of revenge.

• Hadith on the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah:
  The Sunnah emphasizes the extreme self-restraint the Prophet ﷺ exercised during this blockage to prevent war, matching the exact command of this verse. When the Makkan negotiators insisted that the words "Messenger of Allah" be erased from the peace treaty, the Prophet ﷺ voluntarily complied to keep the peace, despite his companions' deep distress.

Al-Bara' bin 'Azib narrated: "...The Prophet ﷺ told Ali to erase 'Messenger of Allah'. Ali said, 'By Allah, I will never erase your name.' So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ took the document himself—and he did not write well—and wrote: 'This is the peace treaty concluded by Muhammad, the son of Abdullah...'" (Sahih al-Bukhari 2699; Sahih Muslim 1783).

3. The Universal Law of Cooperation (Verse 2)

"...And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty." (5:2)

This single statement forms the structural backbone of Islamic social ethics and global partnerships. Righteousness (Al-Birr) and Piety (Al-Taqwa) demand collective support, while maliciousness (Al-Ithm) and hostility (Al-'Udwan) must be starved of coordination.

• Hadith on Stopping Oppression as a Form of Help:
  The Prophet ﷺ reframed the classical tribal concept of "supporting your brother" to align completely with this verse's definition of ethical cooperation:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one."

The companions asked, "O Messenger of Allah, we understand helping him if he is oppressed, but how do we help him if he is an oppressor?" The Prophet ﷺ replied: "By restraining him or preventing him from committing oppression; that is your way of helping him." (Sahih al-Bukhari 2444; Sahih Muslim 2584).

• Hadith on Championing Righteous Causes:
  The Sunnah rewards those who initiate or cooperate in positive social programs, ensuring they share in the spiritual profits of everyone involved:

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the rewards of those who follow him, without that detracting from their rewards in the slightest. And whoever calls to misguidance will have a sin similar to the sins of those who follow him, without that detracting from their sins in the slightest." (Sahih Muslim 2674).

References

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

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

• Ibn Kathir, I. (2003). Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azeem (Vol. 3). Dar Taybah.