Page 42 Notes

02 Surah Al-Baqarah (continued)

Page 42 Grammar 

Page 42 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

2:253

2:254

2:255

2:256

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 42 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 42 of the Quran features Surah Al-Baqarah, verses 253 through 256. This page contains some of the most profound theological statements in Islam, including the hierarchy and roles of the Prophets, a call to charity, the world-renowned Ayat al-Kursi (The Verse of the Throne), and the foundational human rights decree that there is no compulsion in religion.

The Sunnah and authentic Hadiths provide rich context, legal applications, and spiritual rewards associated with these verses:

1. Surah Al-Baqarah: Verse 253 (The Degrees of the Prophets)

“Those messengers - some of them We caused to exceed others. Among them were those to whom Allah spoke, and He raised some of them in degree. And We gave Jesus, the Son of Mary, clear proofs and We supported him with the Pure Spirit...”

📌 The Sunnah: The Prohibition of Arrogant Comparison

While this verse explicitly states that Allah favored some Prophets over others, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ strictly forbade Muslims from engaging in sectarian or arrogant comparisons that put down other Prophets.

• The Hadith: A Muslim and a Jewish man got into an argument in the marketplace, and the Jewish man swore, "By Him Who chose Moses above all human beings!" The Muslim man slapped him out of anger for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. They came to the Prophet ﷺ to settle the matter. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Do not give me superiority over the other Prophets... People will fall unconscious on the Day of Resurrection, and I will be the first to regain consciousness, only to find Moses holding tightly to one of the pillars of the Throne (Arsh). I will not know whether he woke up before me or if he was spared because of his experience at Mount Sinai."

• Citation: Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2411; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2373.

• The Explanation: The Sunnah clarifies that while Allah establishes degrees among His messengers (as stated in Verse 253), human beings must respect all Prophets equally without causing division or boasting.

2. Surah Al-Baqarah: Verse 255 (Ayat al-Kursi — The Verse of the Throne)

“Allah! There is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth...”

Ayat al-Kursi is structurally and spiritually the most powerful single verse in the entire Quran. The Sunnah emphasizes its unmatched status and provides practical daily applications for it.

📌 The Sunnah: The Greatest Verse in the Quran

• The Hadith: The Prophet ﷺ asked Ubayy bin Ka'b: "O Abu al-Mundhir, do you know which verse from the Book of Allah with you is the greatest?" Ubayy replied, "Allah and His Messenger know best." The Prophet ﷺ repeated the question, and Ubayy responded, "Allah! There is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence (Ayat al-Kursi)." The Prophet ﷺ playfully tapped him on the chest and said with a smile: "May knowledge be pleasing and easy for you, O Abu al-Mundhir! (i.e., Congratulations on your deep understanding!)"

• Citation: Sahih Muslim, Hadith 810.

Ayat al-Kursi is structurally the centerpiece of page 42. It is explicitly designated in the Hadith corpus as the greatest verse in the entire Quran.

• The Greatest Verse in the Quran:
  Narrated Ubayy bin Ka'b: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "O Abu Mundhir, do you know which verse from the Book of Allah which you have is greatest?" I said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He asked again, and I replied: "Allah! There is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence..." (Ayat al-Kursi). Thereupon he struck my breast and said: "May knowledge be pleasant for you, O Abu Mundhir!"
  — Sahih Muslim, Book 6, Hadith 311.

• Protection Before Sleeping:
  The famous Hadith of Abu Hurairah catching a thief stealing from the Ramadan Zakat funds (who turned out to be Shaytan in disguise) establishes a core Sunnah:
  The thief said to Abu Hurairah: "Whenever you go to bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi... If you do so, Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you, and no devil will come near you until morning." When Abu Hurairah reported this to the Prophet ﷺ, the Prophet said: "He spoke the truth, although he is a compulsive liar. That was Shaytan."
  — Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 61, Hadith 530.

• The Gateway to Paradise after Obligatory Prayers:
  Narrated Abu Umamah: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi immediately after each obligatory prayer, nothing will prevent him from entering Paradise except death."
  — Sunan al-Kubra by An-Nasa'i (Hadith 9848); authenticated as Sahih by Al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami'.

📌 The Sunnah: Protection from Satan Before Sleeping

• The Hadith: In a famous, lengthy narration, Abu Hurayrah was appointed by the Prophet ﷺ to guard the Ramadan charity (Zakat al-Fitr). A thief kept coming back nightly to steal food, and each time Abu Hurayrah caught him, the thief begged for mercy. On the third night, to secure his release, the thief said, "Let me teach you some words by which Allah will benefit you." Abu Hurayrah asked what they were. The thief said, "When you go to your bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi... for then a guardian from Allah will remain with you, and no devil will come near you until the morning." When Abu Hurayrah reported this to the Prophet ﷺ the next morning, the Prophet ﷺ remarked: "He told you the truth, though he is a habitual liar. Do you know who you were talking to these past three nights, O Abu Hurayrah? That was Satan."

• Citation: Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2311.

📌 The Sunnah: A Guarantee of Paradise After Obligatory Prayers

• The Hadith: The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi immediately after each obligatory prayer, nothing will prevent him from entering Paradise except death."

• Citation: Sunan al-Nasai al-Kubra, Hadith 9928; Authenticated as Sahih (authentic) by Imam al-Albani in Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah (Hadith 972).

3. Surah Al-Baqarah: Verse 256 (No Compulsion in Religion)

“There is no compulsion in religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut (false deities) and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold...”

📌 The Sunnah: The Reason for Revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul)

This verse serves as a foundational text for religious freedom in Islamic law. Its historical context involves the early Muslims of Medina who tried to force their own children to convert to Islam.

• The Hadith: Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: Before Islam came to Medina, if an indigenous woman's children repeatedly died in infancy, she would make a vow to God, saying: "If my next child survives, I will raise it as a Jew" (as the Jewish tribes of Medina were seen as people of scripture and knowledge at the time). When the Jewish tribe of Banu Nadir was exiled from Medina due to political treachery, they had many of these Arab children living among them who had been raised Jewish. The Muslim parents from Medina (the Ansar) said, "We will not let our children go with them! We must force them to accept Islam!" Allah then immediately revealed verse 256: "There is no compulsion in religion." The Prophet ﷺ subsequently ordered that the children be given a free choice; those who chose to stay with the Jewish tribe were allowed to go, and those who chose Islam stayed.

• Citation: Sunan Abi Dawud, Book of Jhd, Hadith 2682; Authenticated as Sahih by Al-Wadi'i and Al-Albani.