139 Page Notes

06 Surah Al-Anam (continued)

Page 139 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

6:91

6:92

6:93

6:94

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 139 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 139 of the Quran contains the transition from Surah Al-An'am (The Cattle), verses 91 through 94. These profound verses deal fundamentally with the concept of revelation, human arrogance, the crime of inventing false prophecies, and the reality of death and accountability.

Classical Hadith literature and prophetic traditions (Sunnah) provide critical context (Asbab al-Nuzul or reasons for revelation) and theological explanations for these specific passages.

Surah Al-An'am, Verse 91

"They did not appreciate Allah with His true appreciation when they said, 'Allah has not revealed anything to a human'..."

The Context of Revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul)

According to prophetic traditions preserved in the classical exegeses (Tafsir) of Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse was revealed regarding a dispute with certain Jewish scholars of Medina or the Quraysh polytheists who denied that God sends down physical scripture to mortals.

• The Argument with Malik ibn al-Sayf: Traditions state that a Jewish scholar named Malik ibn al-Sayf came to argue with the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet asked him, "I adjure you by Allah Who revealed the Torah to Moses, do you find in the Torah that Allah dislikes an obese scholar?" Malik was a heavily built man and became deeply enraged. In his anger, he blurted out, "Allah has never revealed anything to any human being!" His fellow Jewish companions rebuked him, saying, "Woe to you! Not even to Moses?" Malik's emotional outburst directly prompted the revelation of verse 91, which challenges them by asking who revealed the book that Moses brought.

Surah Al-An'am, Verse 93

"And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah or says, 'It has been inspired to me,' while nothing has been inspired to him, and one who says, 'I will reveal [something] like what Allah revealed'..."

This verse targets false prophets and those who claimed they could replicate or alter the divine text. The Sunnah identifies specific historical figures tied to this text:

1. Musaylimah al-Kadhdhab (The Arch-Liar)

The Prophet Muhammad directly linked the warning in this verse to the rise of false prophets during his lifetime.

• The Prophetic Dream: In a well-documented Sahih tradition, the Prophet described a dream forecasting these individuals:
  "While I was sleeping, two golden bangles were placed in my hands. I disliked them and became anxious. It was inspired to me in the dream to blow on them. I blew on them and they flew away. I interpreted them as two liars who would appear after me." (Sahih al-Bukhari 3621 / Sahih Muslim 2274). The Prophet explicitly stated that one of these liars was Musaylimah al-Kadhdhab of Al-Yamama, who claimed divine inspiration alongside Muhammad, directly embodying the phrase "or says, 'It has been inspired to me,' while nothing has been inspired to him."

2. The Case of Abdullah ibn Sa'd ibn Abi Sarh

Early historical accounts (Seerah) and traditions from Ibn Abbas note that the final portion of verse 93 ("and one who says, 'I will reveal [something] like what Allah revealed'") originally referenced a scribe in Medina who apostatized.

• Abdullah ibn Sa'd used to write down the revelation for the Prophet. On one occasion, while the Prophet was dictating a verse about human creation, Abdullah uttered an exclamation of amazement: "Blessed be Allah, the best of creators!" The Prophet said, "Write that down, for it has just been revealed exactly like that."

• Abdullah fell into doubt, reasoning that if Muhammad was telling the truth, then he (Abdullah) was also receiving inspiration, or if he wasn't, Muhammad was inventing it. He left Islam and joined the Meccans, boasting that he could write whatever Allah revealed. (He later returned to Islam during the Conquest of Mecca and was pardoned).

Surah Al-An'am, Verses 93–94

"And if you could but see when the wrongdoers are in the overwhelming pangs of death while the angels extend their hands, [saying], 'Discharge your souls! Today you will be awarded the punishment of [extreme] humiliation'..."

The Extraction of the Soul at Death

This section of Page 139 provides a vivid description of the death of a disbeliever. The Sunnah provides an expansive, terrifyingly detailed commentary on this exact sequence.

The most prominent tradition mapping to these verses is the lengthy, authentic Hadith narrated by Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib regarding the journey of the soul:

• The Angel of Death's Approach: The Prophet explained that when a wicked or disbelieving servant is transitioning out of this world, dark-faced angels descend from heaven with rough sackcloth. The Angel of Death sits at his head and commands: "O evil soul, come out to the wrath and anger of Allah!"

• The Physical Struggle: The Prophet then explained the phrase "while the angels extend their hands": The soul scatters throughout the person's body, resisting extraction. The angels violently strike the body and rip the soul out of the veins and nerves, just as a multi-pronged roasting spit is pulled through wet wool, tearing it apart. (Musnad Ahmad 18534, Sunan Abi Dawud 4753).

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. I. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari. Kitab al-Manaqib (Book of Virtues), Hadith 3621.

• Al-Sijistani, Abu Dawud. (n.d.). Sunan Abi Dawud. Kitab al-Sunnah (Book of Sunnah), Hadith 4753.

• Ibn Kathir, I. (2000). Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim (Vol. 3, Surah Al-An'am interpretation).

• Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim. Kitab al-Ru'ya (Book of Dreams), Hadith 2274.