72 Page Notes

03 Surah Ali-Imran (continued)

Page 72 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

3:166

3:167

3:168

3:169

3:170

3:171

3:172

3:173

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 72 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 72 of the Qur'an contains Surah Ali-Imran (Chapter 3), Verses 166 through 173. This section transitions directly from the battlefield losses of the Battle of Uhud (3 AH / 625 CE) to dealing with the psychological subversion caused by the hypocrites (Munafiqoon) inside Medina, culminating in the foundational expedition of Hamra al-Asad.

The Hadith and Sunnah literature contextualize these verses by showing how the early Muslim community distinguished true faith from hypocrisy during times of immense crisis.

1. Exposing the Hypocrites & Abdullah ibn Ubayy (Verses 166–168)

"And what struck you on the day the two armies met was by permission of Allah that He might make evident the believers. And that He might make evident those who are hypocrites..." (Verses 166-167)

These verses address the actions of Abdullah ibn Ubayy bin Salul (the leader of the hypocrites), who deserted the Muslim army with 300 men just before the Battle of Uhud commenced, leaving the Prophet $\text{(PBUH)}$ with only 700 men.

Hadith on the Definition of Hypocrisy

When the true believers asked the defectors to stay and fight or at least help defend Medina, the hypocrites mockingly replied, "If we had known there was fighting, we would have definitely gone with you." (Verse 167). The Prophet’s Sunnah extensively maps this behavior.

• Canonical Context: In Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, a core tradition narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr defines these exact characteristics:
  "Four traits signify a pure hypocrite... When he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; when he makes a covenant, he betrays it; and when he argues, he behaves insolently."

• The Spiritual Sorting: Commenting on why Allah allowed the trauma of Uhud, classical exegesis points to the Prophetic principle found in Sahih al-Bukhari: "Medina is like a furnace; it expels its impurities and purifies its good elements." Uhud serves as that historical furnace on page 72.

2. The Living Status of the Martyrs (Verses 169–171)

"And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision..."

This segment provides immense spiritual consolation to the families of the 70 companions martyred at Uhud.

Hadith on the Souls of the Martyrs

The inner reality of this verse is explicitly unpacked in a famous Hadith found in Sahih Muslim, narrated by Masruq, who asked Abdullah ibn Mas’ud about this specific verse:

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud replied: We asked the Prophet $\text{(PBUH)}$ about this, and he said: "Their souls are inside green birds, that have lamps suspended from the Throne. They roam freely in Paradise wherever they want, then they return to those lamps..." Allah looks down upon them and asks if they desire anything else, to which they reply: "Our Lord, what could we wish for when we can roam freely through Paradise wherever we please?"

The Martyred Father of Jabir ibn Abdullah

• The Cause of Revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul): Recorded in Sunan al-Tirmidhi and Sunan Ibn Majah, Jabir ibn Abdullah narrated:
  "The Messenger of Allah met me and said, 'O Jabir, why do I see you broken-hearted?' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, my father was martyred at Uhud and left behind dependents and debts.' He said, 'Should I not give you glad tidings of what Allah met your father with?' I said, 'Yes, O Messenger of Allah.' He said, 'Allah never spoke to anyone except from behind a veil, but He spoke to your father face-to-face...'"

3. The Brave Turnout at Hamra al-Asad (Verse 172)

"Those [believers] who responded to Allah and the Messenger after injury had struck them. For those who did good among them and feared Allah is a great reward."

The day after the crushing defeat at Uhud, while the Muslims were still bleeding and burying their dead, word reached the Prophet that Abu Sufyan and the Quraysh army were considering turning back around to completely wipe out Medina.

The Sunnah of Absolute Bravery

The Prophet $\text{(PBUH)}$ immediately called for a pursuit to demonstrate strength, specifying that only those who fought yesterday at Uhud could join. Despite their physical wounds, the companions complied.

• Identity of the Core Warriors: In Sahih al-Bukhari, Aisha (the Prophet's wife) explicitly identifies the subjects of this verse to her nephew Urwah ibn al-Zubayr:
  "O my nephew! Your fathers were among them—referring to Zubayr ibn al-Awwam and Abu Bakr al-Siddiq. When the Messenger of Allah suffered what he suffered at Uhud and the polytheists retreated, he feared they might return, so he asked, 'Who will go on their track?' Seventy men volunteered, among whom were Abu Bakr and Zubayr."

4. The Origin of Hasbunallah wa Ni'mal Wakil (Verse 173)

"Those to whom hypocrites said, 'Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.' But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, 'Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.'"

As the wounded Muslim army marched to a place called Hamra al-Asad, bedouin travelers passed by them. These travelers had been secretly commissioned by Abu Sufyan to spread psychological warfare and disinformation—telling the Muslims that a massive, reinforced Meccan army was waiting to destroy them.

The Ultimate Statement of Reliance (Tawakkul)

Instead of breaking, the companions famously uttered: Hasbunallah wa ni'mal wakil (حَسْبُنَا اللَّـهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ).

• Canonical Source: Sahih al-Bukhari records an authoritative narration from Ibn Abbas regarding this phrase:
  "Sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the best Disposer of affairs' was said by Abraham when he was thrown into the fire; and it was said by Muhammad PBUH when they [the hypocrites and double-agents] said, 'Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them,' but it only increased them in faith..."