91 Page Notes

04 Surah An-Nisa (continued)

Page 91 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

4:80

4:81

4:82

4:83

4:84

4:85

4:86

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 91 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Surah An-Nisāʾ 4:80–86 covers obedience to the Messenger ﷺ, the Prophet's responsibility as a conveyer of revelation, Allah's protection of him against plots, encouragement to strive in Allah's cause, intercession, accountability, and the etiquette of returning greetings. The following authentic hadiths and Sunnah reports are closely related to these verses.

Verse 80: Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ

“Whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah...”

1. Obeying the Prophet is Obeying Allah

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever obeys me obeys Allah, and whoever disobeys me disobeys Allah.”

Source

• Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 7137

• Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1835

This hadith is a direct explanation of the verse.

2. Following the Sunnah

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“All of my nation will enter Paradise except those who refuse.”

They said, “Who refuses?”

He said, “Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me has refused.”

Source

• Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 7280

Verse 81: Secret Plots and Allah's Knowledge

“They say, ‘Obedience,’ but when they leave you, a group of them spend the night determining to do other than what you say...”

Related Sunnah

The Prophet ﷺ warned against hypocrisy:

“The signs of a hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted, he betrays the trust.”

Source

• Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 33

• Sahih Muslim, Hadith 59

The behavior described in the verse resembles the conduct of the hypocrites who outwardly professed obedience while secretly opposing the Prophet ﷺ.

Verse 82: Reflecting Upon the Qur'an

“Do they not then reflect upon the Qur'an?”

Related Sunnah

The Prophet ﷺ encouraged deep engagement with the Qur'an:

“The best among you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it.”

Source

• Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5027

He also recited the Qur'an thoughtfully and would pause at verses of mercy and punishment, reflecting on their meanings.

Source

• Sahih Muslim, Hadith 772

This exemplifies the contemplation (tadabbur) called for in the verse.

Verse 83: Verifying Reports Before Spreading Them

“When there comes to them information concerning security or fear, they spread it around...”

1. Warning Against Spreading Everything One Hears

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“It is sufficient falsehood for a person to relate everything he hears.”

Source

• Sahih Muslim, Introduction, Hadith 5 (numbering may vary by edition)

2. Verifying News

The Prophet ﷺ taught caution regarding reports and testimony, emphasizing reliability and truthfulness.

This verse is frequently cited by scholars alongside the above hadith as a principle of verifying information before publicizing it.

Verse 84: Encouragement to Strive in Allah's Cause

“So fight in the cause of Allah; you are not held responsible except for yourself...”

Related Sunnah

The Prophet ﷺ repeatedly encouraged believers even when their numbers were small.

At the time of the expedition of Badr, he supplicated:

“O Allah, if this group is destroyed, You will not be worshipped on earth.”

Source

• Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1763

His personal courage and leadership are examples of acting upon the command that one is responsible for fulfilling one's own duty regardless of others.

Verse 85: Good and Bad Intercession

“Whoever intercedes for a good cause will have a share of it...”

1. Encouraging Beneficial Intercession

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Intercede, and you will be rewarded; Allah decrees through the tongue of His Prophet whatever He wills.”

Source

• Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1432

• Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2627

This hadith is considered one of the clearest explanations of verse 85.

Example from the Sunnah

The Prophet ﷺ often accepted requests from companions who interceded on behalf of others when the request involved lawful benefit and mercy.

Verse 86: Returning Greetings

“When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with one better than it or return it equally...”

1. The Right of Greeting

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The rights of a Muslim upon another Muslim are six... When you meet him, greet him with salam.”

Source

• Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2162

2. Spreading Salam

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I direct you to something that, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread salam among yourselves.”

Source

• Sahih Muslim, Hadith 54

3. Returning a Better Greeting

A man came and said:

“As-salamu 'alaykum.”

The Prophet ﷺ replied and said, “Ten.”

Another came and said:

“As-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah.”

He said, “Twenty.”

Another came and said:

“As-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.”

He said, “Thirty.”

Meaning: the reward increases with the more complete greeting.

Source

• Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 5195

• Jami' at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2689 (graded hasan)

These hadiths are among the primary narrations cited by classical commentators such as Ibn Kathir, Al-Tabari, and Al-Baghawi when explaining Surah An-Nisāʾ 4:80–86, especially regarding obedience to the Prophet ﷺ, verification of information, lawful intercession, and the etiquette of salam.