Page 27 Notes

02 Surah Al-Baqarah (continued)

Page 27 Grammar 

Page 27 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

2:177

2:178

2:179

2:180

2:181

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 27 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 27 of the Qur'an contains Surah Al-Baqarah, Verses 177 through 181. This highly consequential page features the famous "Verse of Righteousness" (Ayat al-Birr), which outlines the comprehensive framework of Islamic theology and social welfare. It then introduces major legal legislation regarding the Law of Retribution (Qisas) for homicide and the mandate of writing a Will (Wasiyyah).

The Hadith and Sunnah literature provides direct legal boundaries, applications, and profound explanations for these precise verses.

1. The Definitions of Comprehensive Righteousness (Verse 177)

“Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, despite love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves...” (Qur'an 2:177)

This massive verse serves as a summary of the entire Islamic faith, shifting the community's focus away from trivial disputes about geographic alignment (following the Qibla change) and steering them toward foundational belief (Iman) and systemic charity.

• The Hadith of Gabriel (The Core Articles of Faith):
  The theological components mentioned in Verse 177 perfectly align with the famous "Hadith of Gabriel" found in Sahih Muslim. When Angel Gabriel asked the Prophet PBUH, "Inform me about Iman (Faith)," the Prophet replied using the exact structural pillars listed in this verse: "It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in the divine decree, both its good and its evil." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 8).

• Giving Wealth Despite Loving It:
  Verse 177 emphasizes giving away wealth "despite love for it." In Sahih al-Bukhari, Abu Hurayrah narrated that a man came to the Prophet PBUH and asked, "O Messenger of Allah, which charity brings the greatest reward?" The Prophet replied: "That you give charity when you are healthy, feeling stingy, fearing poverty, and hoping to become rich—do not delay it until you are breathing your last..." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1419).

• Rights of Wealth Beyond Compulsory Zakat:
  Scholars note that Verse 177 differentiates between generic financial aid and regular Zakat. In Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Fatima bint Qays narrated that the Prophet PBUH explicitly quoted the essence of this verse, stating: "Indeed, there is a duty on wealth apart from Zakat." (Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 659).

2. The Law of Just Retribution / Qisas (Verses 178–179)

“O you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution for those murdered - the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. But whoever overlooks [anything] from his brother, then there should be a suitable follow-up and payment to him with good conduct...” (Qur'an 2:178)

These verses reformed the tribal justice system of pre-Islamic Arabia, where tribal blood feuds would spin out of control, resulting in the slaughter of dozens of innocent people for the death of a single tribal member.

• The Context of Revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul):
  In Sahih al-Bukhari, Ibn Abbas explained that prior to Islam, the Law of Retribution (Qisas) was standard among the children of Israel, but the payment of Blood Money (Diyah) as a merciful alternative was not legislated for them. Allah revealed this verse to the Muslim Ummah as a direct mitigation and mercy (“This is an alleviation from your Lord and a mercy...”), allowing families of victims to choose between capital punishment or accepting financial compensation (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4498).

• Prohibition of Excessive Retaliation:
  The Sunnah strictly regulates how Qisas is carried out. The Prophet PBUH explicitly warned against transgressing boundaries during execution. In Sunan Abi Dawud, it is narrated that the Prophet PBUH said: "Allah does not allow the killing of anyone in retribution except the killer himself." The Sunnah definitively abolished the pre-Islamic practice of killing a murderer's relative instead of the murderer (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 4490).

3. The Mandate and Alteration of Bequests / Wills (Verses 180–181)

“Prescribed for you when death approaches any of you if he leaves wealth is that he should make a bequest for the parents and near relatives according to what is acceptable - a duty upon the righteous.” (Qur'an 2:180)

Verse 180 originally made it mandatory for a dying person to allocate portions of their wealth to their parents and relatives via a verbal or written bequest (Wasiyyah).

• The Abrogation by the Verse of Inheritance (Ayat al-Mawarith):
  The Sunnah provides the critical legislative context for how this verse operates today. Initially, individuals could distribute their wealth however they saw fit. However, when the systematic inheritance verses of Surah An-Nisa (4:11-12) were later revealed, fixing specific fractions for parents and spouses, this verse's mandatory nature was modified. In Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Amr bin Kharijah reported that the Prophet $\text{PBUH}$ delivered a sermon declaring: "Allah has given each person their rightful due, so there is no bequest (Wasiyyah) allowed for an automatic legal heir." (Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2121).

• The Cap on Bequests (The One-Third Rule):
  While a person cannot write a voluntary will for an automatic legal heir (like a parent or child), they can still write one for charities, friends, or non-inheriting relatives. However, the Sunnah strictly caps this amount to prevent families from being left penniless. In a famous narration in Sahih al-Bukhari, Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas fell dangerously ill and asked the Prophet if he could leave two-thirds of his vast wealth to charity. The Prophet said no. Sa'd asked about half. The Prophet said no. Sa'd asked about one-third. The Prophet replied: "One-third, and even one-third is a lot. It is better for you to leave your heirs wealthy than to leave them poor and begging from people." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2742).

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. I. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Wills (Kitab al-Wasaya), Hadith 2742; Book of Zakat, Hadith 1419; Book of Prophetic Commentary (Tafsir), Hadith 4498.

• Al-Sijistani, Abu Dawud. (n.d.). Sunan Abi Dawud, Book of Types of Blood-Money (Kitab al-Diyar), Hadith 4490.

• Al-Tirmidhi, M. I. (n.d.). Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Chapters on Zakat, Hadith 659; Chapters on Wills, Hadith 2121.

• Muslim, I. H. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith (Kitab al-Iman), Hadith 8.