156 Page Notes

07 Surah Al-Araf (continued)

Page 156 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

7:44

7:45

7:46

7:47

7:48

7:49

7:50

7:51

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 156 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 156 of the Quran spans Surah Al-A'raf (The Heights), verses 44 through 51.

This page introduces one of the most vivid and unique dialogues in the entire Quran: the three-way conversation between the People of Paradise (Ahl al-Jannah), the People of the Fire (Ahl an-Nar), and the People of the Heights (Ahl al-A'raf). The A'raf refers to a raised wall or barrier separating Heaven and Hell, where individuals whose good and bad deeds are perfectly equal await their final judgment.

The Sunnah and classical traditions deeply enrich our understanding of this intermediate state and the chilling requests made by those in the Fire.

1. The Identity of the People of the Heights (Al-A'raf)

“And between them will be a partition, and on its heights are men who know all by their marks. And they call out to the companions of Paradise, 'Peace be upon you.' They have not [yet] entered it, but they intensely desire [it].” — Surah Al-A'raf (7:46)

The Quran describes these men as standing on a high partition, looking back and forth between the two ultimate destinations. Prophetic commentary explains exactly who these people are and why they are stationed there.

The Perfect Balance of Deeds

Scholars of Tafsir (exegesis) consistently cite prophetic statements explaining that the People of the Heights are those whose spiritual balances are completely static.

• Hadith / Athar: While the explanation is widely transmitted through companions like Ibn Abbas and Ibn Mas'ud, a specific Prophetic tradition clarifies this status. It is reported that the Messenger of Allah was asked about the People of the Heights, and he replied:
  "They are men who were killed in the path of Allah while their fathers were displeased with them. Their martyrdom blocked them from entering the Fire, but their disobedience to their fathers blocked them from entering Paradise [immediately]. So they are held on the wall until Allah judges between His servants." (Transmitted in the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari; graded Hasan/Da'if by various chains, but universally accepted as the core structural meaning of the verse)

2. Looking at the Fire and Seeking Refuge

“And when their eyes are turned toward the companions of the Fire, they say, 'Our Lord, do not place us with the wrongdoing people.'” — Surah Al-A'raf (7:47)

When the People of the Heights look toward Hell, they see the graphic punishment of the inmates and desperately pray not to join them. The Sunnah teaches that looking upon or thinking about the Fire should immediately trigger a heartfelt prayer for safety.

Seeking Protection from Hell Post-Prayer

The Prophet made it a strict, daily Sunnah practice to explicitly ask for protection from the Fire during the final sitting of every single prayer, echoing the plea in Verse 47.

• Hadith: Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah said:
  "When any one of you finishes the final Tashahhud (sitting), he should seek refuge with Allah from four things, saying: 'O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of Hell, from the punishment of the grave, from the trials of life and death, and from the evil of the trial of the False Messiah.'" (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 588)

3. The Chilling Request for Water and Food

“And the companions of the Fire will call to the companions of Paradise, 'Pour upon us some water or from whatever Allah has provided you.' They will say, 'Indeed, Allah has forbidden them both upon the disbelievers.'” — Surah Al-A'raf (7:50)

This verse exposes the agonizing thirst experienced by the people of Hell. They call out to their former earthly acquaintances or relatives in Paradise, begging for basic hydration or standard food scraps.

A. The Best Form of Charity is Water

Because water is denied to the inhabitants of Hell, the Sunnah heavily emphasizes providing water to the thirsty in this life as one of the ultimate acts of spiritual protection.

• Hadith: Sa'd bin 'Ubadah came to the Prophet and asked, "O Messenger of Allah, my mother has passed away. Which charity is best?" The Prophet replied:
  "Water." So Sa'd dug a well and said, "This is for the mother of Sa'd." (Sunan an-Nasa'i, Hadith 3664 / Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 1681; graded Sahih)

• Scholarly Link: The great Tabi'i scholar Al-Qurtubi noted, "Whoever has abundant sins should give water to drink, for Allah has shown that the punishment for the ultimate sinners involves being denied water."

B. The Food and Drink of the Fire

To contextualize why the inmates beg for the food of Paradise (Verse 50), the Sunnah describes the horrifying nature of what they are actually given to consume inside the Fire.

• Hadith: Ibn Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah recited a verse about Hell and then warned the companions:
  "If a single drop of Zaqqum (the bitter tree of Hell) were to fall into the oceans of this world, it would ruin the entire livelihood of the people of Earth. So how will it be for the one whose literal food it is?" (Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2585; graded Sahih)