174 Page Notes

07 Surah Al-Araf (continued)

Page 174 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

7:179

7:180

7:181

7:182

7:183

7:184

7:185

7:186

7:187

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 174 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 174 of the Quran encompasses Surah Al-A'raf (Chapter 7), verses 179 through 187. This section deals heavily with core concepts of Islamic creed (Aqidah): the reality of Hellfire and why people end up there, the beautiful Names of Allah, the gradual entrapment of sinners (Istidraj), and the hidden timing of the Hour (the Day of Judgment).

1. Hadiths Related to Verse 179 (Creation Destined for Hell)

"And We have certainly created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see..."

This verse addresses the divine decree (Qadar) and how some individuals completely misuse their God-given senses, rendering them spiritually blind and deaf.

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) explained that while Allah knows everyone's ultimate destination, humans are responsible for their choices, and their actions reveal what they were created for.

Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 82, Hadith 6596:

Narrated Ali ibn Abi Talib: We were in a funeral procession and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat down and we sat around him. He said, "There is none among you but has his place written for him, either in Paradise or in the Hellfire." They said, "O Messenger of Allah! Shall we not then depend upon what is written for us and leave off striving?" He said, "No, carry on doing good deeds, for everyone will find it easy to do such deeds as will lead him to his destined place for which he has been created." Then he recited verses from Surah Al-Lail, reinforcing the message found here in Al-A'raf.

2. Hadiths Related to Verse 180 (The Beautiful Names of Allah)

"And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing."

This verse forms the foundational Quranic command to learn and call upon Allah using His authentic Names and Attributes (Asma-ul-Husna).

The Reward for Memorizing and Understanding the Names

The most famous prophetic tradition directly clarifying this verse promises an immense reward for those who preserve these names in their hearts and actions.

Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 97, Hadith 7392:

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Allah has ninety-nine Names, one-hundred less one; and he who memorizes them (and acts upon them) will enter Paradise."

What Does "Deviation" (Ilhad) Mean?

The verse warns against those who "practice deviation" (yulhiduna) regarding His names. The Sunnah and early commentators explain this as either inventing names for Allah that He did not name Himself, denying His attributes, or twisting His names to name idols (such as deriving Al-Lat from Allah or Al-Uzza from Al-Aziz).

3. Hadiths Related to Verses 182–183 (Gradual Punishment / Istidraj)

"And those who deny Our signs — We will progressively lead them [to destruction] from where they do not know. And I will give them time. Indeed, My plan is firm."

The concept of Istidraj means that when a person continuously sins, Allah does not always punish them right away. Instead, He may grant them wealth, health, and worldly success, causing them to grow more arrogant until their ultimate downfall catches them completely off guard.

The Prophet (ﷺ) explicitly defined this psychological trap:

Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 17311 (Authenticated by Al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami', 561):

Uqbah ibn Amir reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "When you see Allah giving a servant what he wants from this world despite his sins, that is only a means of progressive entrapment (Istidraj)." Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited: "So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the gates of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly..." (Surah Al-An'am 6:44).

4. Hadiths Related to Verse 187 (The Timing of the Hour)

"They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the Hour: when is its arrival? Say, 'Its knowledge is only with my Lord. None will reveal its time except Him...'"

The polytheists and critics frequently challenged the Prophet (ﷺ) to give a specific date or time for the Day of Judgment. This verse clarifies that this knowledge is strictly a divine secret.

The Prophet and Gabriel

This verse perfectly mirrors the interaction between the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Angel Gabriel in one of the most famous Hadiths in Islamic history.

Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 1:

In the famous "Hadith of Jibril," the Angel Gabriel came in the guise of a traveler and asked the Prophet a series of questions. When he asked, "Inform me about the Hour," the Prophet (ﷺ) replied exactly in the spirit of verse 187: "The one questioned about it knows no more than the questioner."

The Proximity of the Hour

While the exact date is unknown, the Sunnah emphasizes that the arrival of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was itself a sign that humanity has entered its final historical epoch.

Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 78, Hadith 6504:

Sahl ibn Sa'd reported: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pointing with his index and middle fingers, and he said: 'I have been sent and the Hour is like these two.'"