Jami' at-Tirmidhi
Chapters on Tafsir
كتاب تفسير القرآن عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
Chapter 30
وَمِنْ سُورَةِ الْعَنْكَبُوتِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Mus‘ab ibn Sa‘d reported from his father, Sa‘d: ‘Four verses were revealed concerning me.’ He then recounted the story, including his mother’s words: ‘Has Allah not commanded you to treat your parents well? By Allah, I will neither eat nor drink until I die or you renounce your faith.’ When they wanted to feed her, they would force her mouth open. Then this verse was revealed: ‘We have enjoined upon the human being goodness toward his parents…’ (Qur’an 29:8).
Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih report.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source says Sa‘d mentioned the story but includes only his mother’s ultimatum and the revelation of Qur’an 29:8 in this excerpt.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Umm Hani’ reported that the Prophet, explaining Allah’s words “Do you commit disgraceful acts in your gatherings?” (Qur’an 29:29), said: ‘They used to pelt people with pebbles and mock them.’
Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan report; we know it only through Hatim ibn Abi Saghirah, from Simak. Sulaym ibn Akhdar also transmitted a similar report through Hatim with the same chain.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Preserved the two acts named in the report: pelting people with pebbles and mocking them.
Chapter 31
وَمِنْ سُورَةِ الرُّومِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah said to Abu Bakr, regarding a wager about “Alif Lam Mim. The Romans have been defeated…” (Qur’an 30:1–2): ‘Would you not have taken greater care, Abu Bakr? The term bid‘ means a number from three to nine.’
Abu ‘Isa said: This is a gharib report through al-Zuhri, from ‘Ubaydullah, from Ibn ‘Abbas.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Rendered bid‘ as the range stated in the report, three to nine; the Arabic does not include the fuller background of the wager in this excerpt.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
‘Atiyyah reported from Abu Sa‘id: ‘On the day of Badr, the Romans prevailed over the Persians, and the believers were pleased. Then these verses were revealed: “Alif Lam Mim. The Romans have been defeated…” through “On that day the believers will rejoice in Allah’s victory” (Qur’an 30:1–5). The believers rejoiced at the Romans’ victory over the Persians.’
Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan gharib report through this route. Nadr ibn ‘Ali recited the verse as “the Romans have prevailed.”
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Preserved the account’s dating of the Roman victory to the day of Badr and its reported verse recitation, without harmonizing the chronology.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Sa‘id ibn Jubayr reported from Ibn ‘Abbas concerning Allah’s words “Alif Lam Mim. The Romans have been defeated in the nearest land” (Qur’an 30:1–3): ‘The Romans were defeated, then they would be victorious. The polytheists wanted the Persians to prevail over the Romans because both were idolaters, while the Muslims wanted the Romans to prevail because they were People of the Book. They told Abu Bakr, who told the Messenger of Allah. He said, “They will surely prevail.” Abu Bakr told them, and they proposed a wager: “Set a term between us. If we win, we get this and that; if you win, you get this and that.” Abu Bakr set a term of five years, but the Romans did not prevail in that time. They told the Prophet, and he said, “Why did you not set it for less than”—the narrator thought he said “ten”? Sa‘id said, “Bid‘ means less than ten.” Then the Romans prevailed.’
‘That is the meaning of Allah’s words “Alif Lam Mim. The Romans have been defeated…” through “On that day the believers will rejoice in Allah’s victory; He gives victory to whom He wills” (Qur’an 30:1–5). Sufyan said, “I heard that they prevailed over them on the day of Badr.”’
Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih gharib report. We know it only through the report of Sufyan al-Thawri, from Habib ibn Abi ‘Amrah.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Preserved the narrator’s uncertainty about the Prophet’s suggested term and the later note that the Roman victory occurred on Badr; the previous report gives a different account of the timing.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Niyar ibn Mukram al-Aslami reported: ‘When the verses “Alif Lam Mim. The Romans have been defeated in the nearest land, but after their defeat they will prevail within a few years” (Qur’an 30:1–4) were revealed, the Persians had defeated the Romans. The Muslims wanted the Romans to prevail because they were People of the Book. Allah says: “On that day the believers will rejoice in Allah’s victory; He gives victory to whom He wills. He is the Mighty, the Merciful” (30:4–5). Quraysh wanted the Persians to prevail because neither they nor Quraysh were People of the Book or believed in resurrection.’
‘When Allah revealed these verses, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq went around Makkah proclaiming them. Some Quraysh said, “Your companion claims the Romans will defeat the Persians within a few years. Let us wager on it.” Abu Bakr agreed. This was before wagering was forbidden. They set a stake and asked Abu Bakr what “a few” meant—three to nine years—and to choose a midpoint. They agreed on six years. Six years passed without the Romans prevailing, and Quraysh took Abu Bakr’s stake. When the seventh year began, the Romans defeated the Persians. The Muslims reproached Abu Bakr for choosing six years when Allah had said “a few years.” Many people became Muslims at that time.’
Abu ‘Isa said: This is a sahih hasan gharib report from Niyar ibn Mukram. We know it only through ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi al-Zinad.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Preserved that the wager is explicitly said to have occurred before wagering was prohibited, and the timeline of six years followed by Roman victory in the seventh year.
Chapter 32
وَمِنْ سُورَةِ لُقْمَانَ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Umamah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘Do not sell female singers, buy them, or teach them. There is no good in trading in them, and their price is unlawful.’ The verse “Among people are those who purchase idle talk to lead others astray from Allah’s path…” (Qur’an 31:6) was revealed concerning such things.
Abu ‘Isa said: This is a gharib report, transmitted only through al-Qasim from Abu Umamah. Al-Qasim is reliable, but ‘Ali ibn Yazid is considered weak in hadith. Abu ‘Isa said he heard Muhammad ibn Isma‘il affirm that al-Qasim is reliable and ‘Ali ibn Yazid is weak.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Rendered qiyanat as female singers, matching the source witness, and preserved the explicit criticism of ‘Ali ibn Yazid’s reliability.
Chapter 33
وَمِنْ سُورَةِ السَّجْدَةِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Anas ibn Malik said concerning Allah’s words “Their sides forsake their beds” (Qur’an 32:16): ‘It was revealed about waiting for this prayer, which you call al-‘Atamah [the night prayer, ‘Isha’].’
Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih gharib report. We know it only through this route.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Identified al-‘Atamah as the night prayer (‘Isha’) while preserving the historical name used in the report.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet said, conveying the words of Allah, Exalted is He: ‘I have prepared for My righteous servants what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and what has never occurred to any human heart.’ The confirmation of this is in Allah’s Book: “No soul knows what joy of the eyes is hidden for them as a reward for what they used to do” (Qur’an 32:17).
Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih report.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Preserved the three parallel expressions describing what has been prepared for the righteous and the confirming Qur’anic verse.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Al-Sha‘bi reported: ‘I heard al-Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah say from the pulpit, attributing this to the Messenger of Allah: “Musa asked his Lord, ‘My Lord, who is lowest in rank among the people of Paradise?’ He said, ‘A man who comes after the people of Paradise have entered it. He is told, “Enter Paradise.” He says, “How can I enter when they have settled in their abodes and taken their portions?” He is asked, “Would you be content to have what one of the kings of this world had?” He says, “Yes, my Lord, I am content.” It is said to him, “You shall have that, and its like, and its like, and its like.” He says, “I am content, my Lord.” It is said to him, “You shall have that and ten times as much.” He says, “I am content, my Lord.” Then it is said, “Along with this, you shall have whatever your soul desires and whatever delights your eyes.”’”
Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih report. Some transmitters related it from al-Sha‘bi, from al-Mughirah, without tracing it to the Prophet; the version traced to the Prophet is more accurate.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Preserved the repeated increases in the reward and the distinction between the marfu‘ version and another route that stops at al-Mughirah.
Chapter 34
وَمِنْ سُورَةِ الأَحْزَابِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Qabus ibn Abi Zabyan reported from his father: ‘We asked Ibn ‘Abbas about Allah’s words “Allah has not made for any man two hearts within his body” (Qur’an 33:4), asking what they meant. He said: “One day the Prophet stood to pray and was distracted by a passing thought. The hypocrites who prayed with him said, ‘Do you not see that he has two hearts—a heart with you and a heart with them?’ Then Allah revealed, ‘Allah has not made for any man two hearts within his body.’”’
A similar report was transmitted by Ahmad ibn Yunus from Zuhayr. Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan report.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Rendered khatara khatrah as being distracted by a passing thought, without specifying the nature of the distraction.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Anas reported: ‘My paternal uncle Anas ibn al-Nadr, after whom I was named, did not take part in Badr with the Messenger of Allah. This weighed heavily on him, and he said, “The first battle the Messenger of Allah attended, I was absent from. By Allah, if Allah lets me attend another battle with the Messenger of Allah, He will see what I do.” He did not wish to say more than that. The following year, he fought with the Messenger of Allah at Uhud. Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh met him and asked, “Abu ‘Amr, where are you going?” He replied, “Ah, for the fragrance of Paradise! I can smell it near Uhud.” He fought until he was killed. They found more than eighty wounds on his body from sword blows, spear thrusts, and arrows. My aunt al-Rubayyi‘ bint al-Nadr said, “I recognized my brother only by his fingertips.” Then this verse was revealed: “Among the believers are men who were true to the covenant they made with Allah; some have fulfilled their vow, and some are still waiting, and they have not changed in the least” (Qur’an 33:23).’
Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih report.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Preserved the more than eighty wounds and the identification by fingertips; the Arabic says Anas ibn al-Nadr was the narrator’s paternal uncle and namesake.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Anas ibn Malik reported that his uncle had missed the Battle of Badr and said, ‘I was absent from the first battle in which the Messenger of Allah fought the polytheists. If Allah lets me take part in a battle against the polytheists, Allah will surely see what I do.’ When the day of Uhud came and the Muslims were driven back, he said, ‘O Allah, I declare before You that I am free of what these people—the polytheists—have brought, and I seek Your pardon for what these people—his Companions—are doing.’ He then advanced. Sa‘d met him, and he said, ‘Brother, what have you done? I am with you, but I could not do what he did.’ He was found to have more than eighty wounds from sword blows, spear thrusts, and arrows. We used to say that this verse was revealed about him and his companions: ‘Among them are those who have fulfilled their vow, and among them are those still waiting’ (Qur’an 33:23). Yazid said: ‘That is, this verse.’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih hadith. His uncle’s name was Anas ibn al-Nadr.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Kept the two parts of the uncle’s prayer distinct: disavowal of the polytheists’ deeds and seeking pardon for the Companions’ retreat. The report says more than eighty wounds; the uncle is identified as Anas ibn al-Nadr.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Musa ibn Talhah said: ‘I went in to see Mu‘awiyah, and he said, “Shall I give you good news?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah say: ‘Talhah is among those who fulfilled their vow.’”’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a gharib hadith. We know it as a report from Mu‘awiyah only through this chain. It is also reported from Musa ibn Talhah, from his father.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The compiler distinguishes this uncommon route through Mu‘awiyah from the route through Musa’s father.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Musa and ‘Isa, the sons of Talhah, reported from their father that the Companions of the Messenger of Allah said to an unschooled Bedouin: ‘Ask him who it is that fulfilled his vow.’ They themselves did not dare ask him, out of respect and awe for him. The Bedouin asked, but the Prophet turned away from him. He asked again, and the Prophet turned away; then he asked a third time, and the Prophet turned away. Then I appeared at the mosque door wearing green garments. When the Messenger of Allah saw me, he said, ‘Where is the one who asked about the man who fulfilled his vow?’ The Bedouin said, ‘Here I am, Messenger of Allah.’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘This is one of those who fulfilled his vow.’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan gharib hadith. We know it only through the report of Yunus ibn Bukayr.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Retained the report’s repeated attempts by the Bedouin and the narrator’s detail that he was wearing green when the Prophet identified him. The Arabic compiler’s grading and single known route are included.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: When the Messenger of Allah was commanded to offer his wives the choice, he began with me. He said, ‘‘A’ishah, I am going to tell you something; you need not hurry before consulting your parents.’ He knew that my parents would never tell me to leave him. Then he said, ‘Allah Most High says: “O Prophet, say to your wives: If you desire the life of this world and its adornment, then come …”’ until the verse reached, ‘“…for the doers of good among you, a great reward”’ (Qur’an 33:28–29). I said, ‘Why should I consult my parents about this? I desire Allah, His Messenger, and the Hereafter.’ The other wives of the Prophet did as I did. Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih hadith. It is also reported from al-Zuhri, from ‘Urwah, from ‘A’ishah.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Preserved the Prophet’s instruction not to answer hastily, ‘A’ishah’s response, the Qur’anic passage, and the alternative chain noted by Abu ‘Isa.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
‘Umar ibn Abi Salamah, the Prophet’s stepson, said: When the verse ‘Allah only intends to remove impurity from you, People of the House, and to purify you completely’ (Qur’an 33:33) was revealed to the Prophet in Umm Salamah’s house, he called for Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn, and covered them with a cloak. ‘Ali was behind him, and he covered them with the cloak as well. Then he said, ‘O Allah, these are the people of my household. Remove impurity from them and purify them completely.’ Umm Salamah said, ‘And I am with them, Prophet of Allah?’ He replied, ‘You remain in your place, and you are upon goodness.’ Abu ‘Isa said: This is a gharib hadith through this route, from ‘Ata’, from ‘Umar ibn Abi Salamah.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Rendered the Arabic statement about Umm Salamah as ‘you remain in your place, and you are upon goodness’; the English witness adds an interpretive gloss that is not explicit in the Arabic wording.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Anas ibn Malik reported that for six months the Messenger of Allah would pass by Fatimah’s door when he went out for the dawn prayer and say, ‘Prayer! O People of the House: Allah only intends to remove impurity from you, People of the House, and to purify you completely’ (Qur’an 33:33). Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan gharib hadith through this route; we know it only through the report of Hammad ibn Salamah. He added: There are related reports from Abu al-Hamra’, Ma‘qil ibn Yasar, and Umm Salamah.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Kept the six-month duration and the compiler’s named parallel reports and route note.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: If the Messenger of Allah had concealed any part of the revelation, he would have concealed this verse: ‘When you said to the one whom Allah had favored’—that is, with Islam—‘and whom you had favored’—by manumitting him—‘Keep your wife and fear Allah. You concealed within yourself what Allah was to disclose, and you feared the people, whereas Allah has more right to be feared by you’—up to His words, ‘And Allah’s command is always accomplished’ (Qur’an 33:37). When the Messenger of Allah married her, people said, ‘He has married the former wife of his son.’ So Allah Most High revealed: ‘Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets’ (33:40). The Messenger of Allah had adopted Zayd when he was a child, and he remained known as Zayd ibn Muhammad until he became a man. Then Allah revealed: ‘Call them by their fathers’ names; that is more just in Allah’s sight. If you do not know their fathers, then they are your brothers in faith and your allies’ (33:5). Thus one would say, ‘So-and-so, the ally of so-and-so,’ and ‘So-and-so, the brother of so-and-so.’ ‘More just in Allah’s sight’ means more equitable in Allah’s sight. Abu ‘Isa said: This is a gharib hadith. It has also been reported from Dawud ibn Abi Hind, from al-Sha‘bi, from Masruq, from ‘A’ishah, with the wording ‘If the Prophet had concealed any part of the revelation, he would have concealed this verse: “When you said to the one whom Allah had favored and whom you had favored …”’ The passage is not transmitted in full in that version. ‘Abdullah ibn Waddah al-Kufi related that version to us, saying: ‘Abdullah ibn Idris related it to us, from Dawud ibn Abi Hind.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Corrected the English witness’s ambiguous ‘his wife’s son’: the Arabic says people objected that the Prophet had married the former wife of his adopted son. Preserved the explanations of the favors, the Qur’anic citations, and the shorter alternate chain wording.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: If the Prophet had concealed any part of the revelation, he would have concealed this verse: ‘When you said to the one whom Allah had favored and whom you had favored …’ (Qur’an 33:37). Abu ‘Isa said: This is a hasan sahih hadith.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
This is the shorter wording of the report about Qur’an 33:37; the previous entry gave the fuller account and its alternate chain.