112 Page Notes

05 Surah Al-Maidah (continued)

Page 112 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

5:24

5:25

5:26

5:27

5:28

5:29

5:30

5:31

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 112 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 112 of the standard Uthmani Mushaf comprises Surah Al-Ma'idah (Chapter 5), verses 24 through 31.

This page concludes the narrative of Moses and the rebellious Israelites wandering in the desert, and immediately transitions into the story of the two sons of Adam (Cain and Abel / Habil and Qabil). This account serves as the Quranic archetype for the first murder in human history, highlighting themes of jealousy, accountability, and repentance.

The Hadith and Prophetic Sunnah provide deeply impactful commentary, expanding on the spiritual and legal gravity of the events detailed on this page.

1. Surah Al-Ma'idah, Verses 24-26: The Wanderings in the Wilderness (Tih)

"They said, 'O Moses, indeed we will never enter it as long as they are within it; so go, you and your Lord, and fight. Indeed, we are remaining here.' ... [Allah] said, 'Then indeed, it is forbidden to them for forty years; they will wander throughout the land...'" (5:24-26)

The Sunnah Parallel: The Companions' Pledge

As mentioned on the previous page, the Companions (Sahabah) explicitly used verse 24 as a baseline of what not to say to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Beyond the famous statement by Al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad before the Battle of Badr, another foundational leader, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (the chieftain of the Ansar), repeated this stance to solidify the Medinan allegiance:

"O Messenger of Allah, we believe in you, we testify to your truth... March on as you desire, for we are with you. By the One Who sent you with the truth, if you were to ask us to cross this sea and you plunged into it, we would plunge into it with you! Not a single man among us would stay behind. We do not dislike meeting our enemy tomorrow... Go forward with the blessing of Allah."

• Source: Recorded in Seerah Ibn Hisham and Zad al-Ma'ad by Ibn al-Qayyim; confirmed in context by the core transmissions of Sahih Muslim (Kitab al-Jihad).

The Hadith on Manna from the Wilderness

Verse 26 details that the Israelites were sentenced to wander the desert of Sinai for forty years (Yatihuna fil-ard). The Sunnah reveals that even during this punishment, Allah provided miraculous sustenance for them, including truffles that grew naturally in the desert floor:

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Truffles are a kind of 'Manna' which Allah sent down to the people of Israel [during their wandering], and their juice is a medicine for the eyes."

• Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 76, Hadith 5708); Sahih Muslim (Hadith 2049).

2. Surah Al-Ma'idah, Verses 27-29: The Two Sons of Adam and Pacifism in Fitnah

"And recite to them the story of the two sons of Adam, in truth, when they both offered a sacrifice [to Allah], and it was accepted from one of them but was not accepted from the other. Said [the latter], 'I will surely kill you.' Said [the former], 'Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous [who fear Him]. If you should raise your hand against me to kill me - I shall not raise my hand against you to kill you...'" (5:27-28)

The Hadith on Becoming Like "The Better Son of Adam"

The behavior of the righteous brother (Abel / Habil), who chose total non-retaliation and pacifism rather than killing his brother, became a primary legal and moral standard in the Sunnah for how a Muslim should act during times of internal civil strife (Fitnah):

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "There will be tribulations during which the one who sits is better than the one who stands, and the one who stands is better than the one who walks...'" A companion asked: "O Messenger of Allah, what do you order me to do if someone enters my home and extends his hand to kill me?" The Prophet ﷺ replied: "Be like the son of Adam," and in another narration, he recited verse 28: "If you should raise your hand against me to kill me - I shall not raise my hand against you to kill you."

• Source: Sunan Abi Dawud (Book 37, Hadith 4257); Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Hadith 2194). Classified as Sahih.

3. Surah Al-Ma'idah, Verse 30: The Gravity of the First Murder

"And his soul permitted to him the murder of his brother, so he killed him and became among the losers." (5:30)

The Shared Burden of Every Unjust Murder

In a terrifying theological warning, the Prophet ﷺ explained that because Cain (Qabil) initiated the concept of unlawful murder on Earth, he bears a portion of the spiritual burden for every subsequent murder committed until the end of time.

The Prophet ﷺ said: "No human being is killed unjustly but that a share of the responsibility for its blood is cast upon the first son of Adam, for he was the first to establish the custom of murder."

• Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 60, Hadith 3335); Sahih Muslim (Hadith 1677).

4. Surah Al-Ma'idah, Verse 31: The Raven and Burial Laws

"Then Allah sent a crow searching [i.e., scratching] in the ground to show him how to hide the disgrace [i.e., dead body] of his brother. He said, 'O woe to me! Have I failed to be like this crow and hide the body of my brother?' And he became of the regretful." (5:31)

The Sunnah of Dignified Burial

Verse 31 highlights that burying the dead out of respect is an ancient, divinely instituted practice dating back to the dawn of humanity. The Prophetic Sunnah strictly codified this lesson by emphasizing that a deceased human body retains its absolute sanctity and must be handled with care, covered completely, and buried without delay.

• Sanctity of the Deceased: The Prophet ﷺ said: "Breaking the bone of a deceased person is like breaking it when he is alive." (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 3207).

• Expediting the Burial: The Sunnah mandates quick action following death, reflecting the urgency that Cain realized too late: "Hasten with the burial of the dead..." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1315).

References

• Al-Bukhari, Muhammad ibn Ismail. Sahih al-Bukhari (Chapters: Kitab Ahadith al-Anbiya / Stories of the Prophets; Kitab al-Tafsir / Prophetic Commentary).

• Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj. Sahih Muslim (Chapters: Kitab al-Qasamah / Oaths and Murders; Kitab al-Jihad wal-Siyar / Expeditions).

• Ibn Kathir, Ismail ibn Umar. Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azeem (Volume 3, Exegesis of Surah Al-Ma'idah, Verses 24–31).

• Sijistani, Abu Dawud Sulayman ibn al-Ash'ath. Sunan Abi Dawud (Book of Tribulations / Kitab al-Fitan).