Hadithcore
Sahih Muslim, 805
sahih

An-Nawwas b. Sam'an said he heard the Messenger (ﷺ) say:

On the Day of Resurrection the Qur'an and those who acted according to it will be brought with Surah al-Baqara and AI 'Imran preceding them. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) likened them to three things, which I did not forget afterwards. He (the Prophet) likened them to two clouds, or two black canopies with light between them, or like two flocks of birds in ranks pleading for one who recited them.

حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ رَبِّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُهَاجِرٍ، عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْجُرَشِيِّ، عَنْ جُبَيْرِ بْنِ نُفَيْرٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّوَّاسَ، بْنَ سَمْعَانَ الْكِلاَبِيَّ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏"‏ يُؤْتَى بِالْقُرْآنِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَأَهْلِهِ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ بِهِ تَقْدُمُهُ سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ وَآلُ عِمْرَانَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَضَرَبَ لَهُمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثَلاَثَةَ أَمْثَالٍ مَا نَسِيتُهُنَّ بَعْدُ قَالَ ‏"‏ كَأَنَّهُمَا غَمَامَتَانِ أَوْ ظُلَّتَانِ سَوْدَاوَانِ بَيْنَهُمَا شَرْقٌ أَوْ كَأَنَّهُمَا حِزْقَانِ مِنْ طَيْرٍ صَوَافَّ تُحَاجَّانِ عَنْ صَاحِبِهِمَا

Isnad

7 transmitters
  1. 1Ishaq bin Mansur al-KausajMerv, Nisapur · d. 251 AH
  2. 2Yazid bin Abd Rbhal-Hims · d. 224 AH
  3. 3al-Walid bin Muslim al-QuraishiDamascus · d. 195 AH
  4. 4Muhammad bin Muhajir bin Abi MuslimSyria · d. 170 AH
  5. 5al-Walid bin 'Abdur Rahmanal-Hims
  6. 6Jubayr bin Nufayr al-HadramiHijaz/Syria · d. ~80 AH or Later
  7. 7al-Nawas bin Sam'an al-KalabiMedina/Syria
References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 6, Hadith 304
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Book 4, Hadith 1759 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Recitation of the Qur'an brings goodness and blessing for those who recite it and act upon it, for it is the extended rope of Allah, and it leads to salvation on the Day of Judgment, particularly Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān, given their great status. In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that "The Qur'an and its people who used to act upon it will be brought forth," i.e., those who recite the Qur'an, have faith in its information and believe it, and act upon its rulings. The Qur'an will be an argument for those people on the Day of Judgment. Excluded from this are those who do not believe in its information or establish its limits; the Qur'an will be an argument against them. This is because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said in a Hadīth narrated by Muslim: "The Qur'an is an argument for you or against you." This is supported by the verse that reads: {This is a blessed Book that We have sent down to you [O Prophet] so that they may reflect upon its verses, and so that people of understanding may take heed.} [Surat Sād: 29] And by the Prophet's words: "preceded by Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān," i.e., they come ahead of the Qur'an. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) likened Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān to three things, saying: "As if they were two clouds"; in Arabic "Ghamamatān", which means two clouds or two white clouds. A cloud is called such because it clouds the sky and conceals it. "or two canopies," i.e., two clouds that shade their companion from the heat of this situation of standing. He described these two clouds as 'black' because they are thick and piled upon each other. "with 'sharq' between them," i.e., light. The light of 'sharq' is the sun. This indicates that they, albeit thick, do not conceal light. It was said: Sharq means rift, i.e., a gap and break between them. This is like separating every two Surahs in the Mus'haf (copy of the Qur'an) with Basmalah (mentioning Allah's name). "or as if they were two flocks," i.e., two herds or two groups. "of birds in ranks," i.e., extending their wings and being linked to one another. The intended meaning is that they will protect their reciter from the heat of this situation of standing and the distress of the Day of Judgment. 'pleading' i.e., pushing against Hellfire and its keepers or pleading for him in intercession or when he is questioned, when his tongue keeps silent, his lips are distraught, and his arguments are lost. Their companion means: He who acts upon them and what they contain, of rulings and legislations, whether he is a memorizer or a reciter of them. In the Hadīth: Urging the recitation of the Qur'an and acting upon it; and the merit of Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān..
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