49 Surah Hujurat

Tadabbur i Qur’ān
Sūrah al-Ḥujurāt (49)

Sūrah al-Ḥujurāt (49)
Tone of the Sūrah and its Relationship with the Previous one
This sūrah is an addendum and supplement to the preceding sūrah: Sūrah al-Fatḥ. The last
& & ‫ ۡ &ﻟﻜﻔﺎر‬Ir‫ﺷﺪآء ﻋ‬
verse of the previous sūrah mentions with reference to the Torah
ۡ & ۡ ‫رﺣﻤﺂء‬ & ۤu
the following
ۡ ‫رﺳﻮل ﷲ ٰ ) و‬
attribute of the
ٌ &
& ۡ & ‫ﻣﺤﻤﺪ‬
Prophet (sws) and his companions (rta): (٢٩:٤٨) .‫ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻢ‬ ‫ﻟﺬﻳﻦ ﻣﻌﻪ‬
(Muhammad, the Messenger of God and those who are with him are stern to the disbelievers but
merciful to one another, (48:29)). This whole sūrah is an explanation of this verse. The
importance of this verse has already been elaborated upon in the exegesis of the previous sūrah. It
was the importance of this verse which required that all of its implications and insinuations be
elucidated here and which are essential for the reformation of the Muslim society. I have already
explained this at a relevant place in this exegesis that these directives were revealed in the Qur’ān
in accordance with the requirements of the circumstances so that people become aware of their
importance. Thus this sūrah too was revealed in circumstances when certain things emanated
from converts that showed that neither were they fully aware of the status and position of the
Prophet (sws) nor of their responsibilities in an Islamic society. Thus important directives, which
were necessary for the circumstances of those times, were revealed in this supplementary sūrah.
All these directives relate to the mutual rights of the Prophet (sws) and the Muslims. The matter
of the disbelievers is not discussed in it. The attitude which Muslims should adopt towards them
has been alluded to in the previous sūrahs.
The nature of relationship of Sūrah al-Nūr with Sūrah al-Mu’minūn in the third group of sūrahs
is the same as the relationship of this sūrah with that of Sūrah al-Fatḥ. Both sūrahs also have a
similar tone.
Analysis of the Meanings

Verses (1-5): Muslims are warned that Muḥammad (sws) is a Messenger of God. Muslims are not
allowed to give priority to their own views over the views and directives of the Prophet (sws).
They must not raise their voice above his, nor must they address him as they address one another.
The Almighty nurtures the seed of piety in only those hearts which have regard and respect for
the Prophet (sws). Those who express their superiority while talking to him because they think
that they have done God and the Prophet (sws) a favour by accepting Islam should be aware that
this attitude might render in vain all their deeds while they may not even realize this loss.
Verses (6-10): The dealings of Muslims with one another should be based on brotherhood and
fraternity and not on the basis of association with a particular party or group. It is totally
forbidden for a Muslim faction to launch an assault over another Muslim faction by trusting the
report of an evil doer, something on which they would themselves feel ashamed later on. In all
important affairs, they should leave the decision-making to the Prophet (sws) and follow his
directives. To obtain the support and sympathy of the Prophet (sws), no party should unduly
pressurize him. This would be showing disregard to the blessing of faith the Almighty has
340 Tadabbur-i-Qur’ān
bestowed on them . After tasting the flavour of faith, any deed unworthy of it would be
tantamount to a return to disbelief and disobedience. The Almighty has endeared faith to them
and made disbelief and wrongdoing abhorrent to them precisely to prevent this return. The sūrah
further gives guidance to the believers when two of their parties take up arms against one another.
They must not support either of these parties because of their association with it; instead they
should view the whole affair with justice and fairness and try to make peace between them. If one
of the parties refuses to submit to what has been ascertained as justice, then Muslims should
forcibly make it submit to it.
Verses (11-13): Muslims are advised to refrain from all activities which create hatred among them
and which ignite the flames of disorder and disruption in the society. No Muslim should mock or
make fun of another Muslim or defame him or call him by insulting names. Muslims should
avoid immoderate suspicion, and also refrain from hunting down each others’ mistakes.
Moreover, they must abstain from backbiting. Pride and vanity about one’s clan, family or creed
are relics of the period of jāhiliyyah before Islam and must not be continued. The Almighty has
created all mankind from a single pair of man and woman: Adam and Eve. The real aim behind
dividing mankind into various groups and tribes is merely to identify each separately. The basis
of honour in the sight of God is piety and not association with a particular clan or tribe.
Verses (14-18): The concluding verses, in essence, reiterate what had been hinted at the beginning
of the sūrah. It becomes clear from these verses that the people under discussion in the initial
verses of the sūrah are the Bedouins who lived in the vicinity of Madīnah and who had accepted
Islam only because they were over-awed by its increasing political strength. Therefore, the true
essence of faith had not found its way into their hearts and they arrogantly reckoned that they had
done the Prophet (sws) a great favour by accepting Islam. As a result, they had developed a
conceited attitude and behaviour about which they have been warned in the beginning of the
sūrah. Here, at the end, the Almighty has asked the Prophet (sws) to convey to these people that
they must not think that Islam is indebted to them; the Almighty has full knowledge of their inner
and outer selves. Though they have submitted, yet faith has not found its roots in their hearts.
They have done Islam no favour by accepting faith; rather the Almighty has done them a favour
by guiding them to faith. If they now fulfill the obligations which their faith now imposes on
them, they shall be duly rewarded, for the Almighty is watching all their deeds.
Section I: Verses (1-10)
Text and Translation
ۡ ‫ﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ‬
‫ﻟﺮﺣﻴﻢ‬ ٰ ۡ ٰ ‫ﺑﺴﻢ ﷲ‬ ۡ
ۡ & ‫ﺗﺮﻓﻌﻮۤ ۡﺻﻮ ﺗ‬
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻣﻨﻮۡ ﻵﻹ‬& ٰ ۡ & ٌ ۡ ٰ ٰ & ٰ ۡ ۡ& & ۡ& ٰ ۡ &
‫ﻜﻢ‬ ‫﴾ »ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ ﻟﺬﻳﻦ‬١﴿ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻢ‬
ٌ ۡ ‫ﺳﻤﻴﻊ‬ ‫ﻘﻮ ﷲ ) ن ﷲ‬L ‫رﺳﻮﻟﻪ و‬ ٖ ۡ & ‫• ﻳﺪي ﷲ و‬B‫ﻘﺪﻣﻮ ﺑ‬L ‫»ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ ﻟﺬﻳﻦ ﻣﻨﻮ ﻵﻹ‬
ۡ & ‫ﻐﻀﻮن ۡﺻﻮ‬P
‫ﺗﻬﻢ‬ ۡ & & ‫ﻟﺬﻳﻦ‬
ۡ ‫﴾ ن‬٢﴿ ‫ﺗﺸﻌﺮون‬ ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻧﺘﻢ ﻵﻹ‬ ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﺗﺤﺒﻂ‬
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻋﻤﺎﻟﻜﻢ و‬ ۡ ‫ﻟﺒﻌﺾ ۡن‬ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻛﺠﻬﺮ‬
ۡ ‫ﻌﻀﻜﻢ‬X ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﻪ‬
ۡ ‫ﺑﺎﻟﻘﻮل‬ u ‫ﺗﺠﻬﺮو‬
ۡ & ۡ ‫ و ﻵﻹ‬yþ‫ﺻﻮت ﻟﻨ‬ ۡ ‫ﻓﻮق‬ ۡ
ٍ
‫ﻟﺤﺠﺮت‬ ٰ & & ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ ورآء‬ ۡ & & ‫ﻟﺬﻳﻦ‬
ۡ ‫ﻳﻨﺎدوﻧﻚ‬ ۡ ‫﴾ ن‬٣﴿ ‫ﻋﻈﻴﻢ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ﺟﺮ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ة و‬RS‫ﻣﻐ‬ ٌ ۡ ۡ& ٰ ۡ ‫ﻗﻠﻮﺑﻬﻢ‬
‫ﻟﻠﺘﻘﻮي ) ﻟﻬﻢ‬ ۡ & ۡ & & & ٰ ‫ﻟﺬﻳﻦ ۡﻣﺘﺤﻦ ﷲ‬
ۡ ‫وﻟ†ﻚ‬° & ٰ ‫رﺳﻮل ﷲ‬ ۡ & ‫ﻋﻨﺪ‬ۡ
ٌۢ ٰ ۡ& ۡ& ۡ
‫ﺑﻨﺒﺎ‬
ٍ ‫ﺟﺂء•ﻢ ﻓﺎﺳﻖ‬ ۡ & ‫ﻣﻨﻮۡۤ ۡن‬& ٰ ۡ &
‫﴾ »ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ ﻟﺬﻳﻦ‬٥﴿ ‫رﺣﻴﻢ‬ٌ ۡ ‫ﻏﻔﻮر‬ ٌ ۡ & & ٰ ‫ﻟﻬﻢ ) و ﷲ‬
ۡ & AB‫ﺧ‬ً ۡ ‫ﻟﻴﻬﻢ ﻟ¯ﺎن‬ ۡ ۡ ‫<ج‬Ò‫ﺗ‬ & ۡ y‚‫ﺣ‬ ‫و‬AŒ‫﴾ و ﻟﻮ ﻧﻬﻢ ﺻ‬٤﴿ ‫ﻌﻘﻠﻮن‬P ۡ&& ۡ
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻫﻢ ﻵﻹ‬A´•
ۡ ۡ ‫ ﻣﻦ‬AB‫ﻛﺜ‬ ۡ ۡ ۡ&&ۡ &ۡ ٰ ۡ& ۡ&ۡ ۤۡ & ۡ ۡ ٰۡ&ۡ ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﺑﺠﻬﺎﻟﺔ‬
ٰ ‫ﻓﺘﺼﺒﺤﻮ‬ ۢ ً ۡ ۡ & ۡ & ۡ ۤۡ &
‫ﻵﻹﻣﺮ‬ ٍ IJ ‫ﻋﻠﻤﻮ ن ﻓﻴﻜﻢ رﺳﻮل ﷲ ) ﻟﻮ ﻳﻄﻴﻌﻜﻢ‬ ‫﴾ و‬٦﴿ •B‫ﻓﻌﻠﺘﻢ ﻧﺪﻣ‬ ‫ ﻣﺎ‬Ir‫ﻋ‬ ٍ ‫ﻗﻮﻣﺎ‬ ‫ﻓﺘﺒﻴﻨﻮ ن ﺗﺼﻴﺒﻮ‬
Sūrah al-Ḥujurāt (49) 341
ً ۡ ﴾ۙ٧﴿ ‫ﻟﺮﺷﺪون‬
‫ﻓﻀﻶﻹ ﻣﻦ‬ & & ‫وﻟ†ﻚ‬° & ) ‫ﻟﻌﺼﻴﺎن‬
ۡ & ٰ ‫ﻫﻢ‬ ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﻔﺴﻮق و‬ ۡ&ۡ && ۡ
ۡ & & ۡ ‫ و‬RS‫ﻟﻜ‬ ۡ & ۡ & & IJ
‫ﻗﻠﻮﺑﻜﻢ و —<ه ﻟﻴﻜﻢ‬ ۡ ‫زﻳﻨﻪ‬u ‫ﻵﻹﻳﻤﺎن و‬ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﻴﻜﻢ‬ & & ۡ ‫ﻟﻌﻨﺘﻢ و ٰﻟﻜﻦ ﷲ ٰ ﺣﺒﺐ‬
ۡ&
& ٰ ۡ & ۡ Ir‫ﻬﻤﺎ ﻋ‬ê‫ﺣﺪ‬
‫ﻵﻹ“<ي ﻓﻘﺎﺗﻠﻮ‬ & ٰ ۡ ‫ﻐﺖ‬X
ۡ ‫ﻓﺎن‬ & ۡ ‫ﻓﺎﺻﻠﺤﻮ‬
? { ‫ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬ & ۡ ۡ ۡ&ۡ
ۡ & ۡ ۡ‫ﻗﺘﺘﻠﻮ‬ ٰ
•B‫﴾ و ۡن ﻃﺂ•ﻔ‘• ﻣﻦ ﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨ‬٨﴿ ‫ﺣﻜﻴﻢ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻢ‬ ٌ ۡ & ٰ ‫‹ﻌﻤﺔ ) و ﷲ‬
ً ۡ ٰ
‫ﷲ و‬
ٌ ۡ ۡ& ۡ&ۡ ۡ ۡ &ۡ & & ٰ &ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ & ۡ ۡ & ۡ ۡ ٰ
ۡ { ‫ ۡﻣﺮ ﷲ‬IŠ» ‫•”ء‬L ٓ ٰ ۡ ۡy‚‫ﻟ‬
‫﴾ ﻧﻤﺎ ﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﻮن ﺧﻮة‬٩﴿ •B‫ﻓﺎن ﻓﺂءت ﻓﺎﺻﻠﺤﻮ ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻤﺎ ﺑﺎﻟﻌﺪل و ﻗﺴﻄﻮ ) ن ﷲ ﻳﺤﺐ ﻟﻤﻘﺴﻄ‬ ۡ y‚‫ﺗﺒ÷”ۡ ﺣ‬
ۡ&
ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﻟﻌﻠﻜﻢ‬ ٰ & ۡ&ۡ ۡ & ۡ
﴾١٠﴿ ‫ﺗﺮﺣﻤﻮن‬ ‫ﻘﻮ ﷲ‬L ‫• ﺧﻮﻳﻜﻢ و‬B‫ﻓﺎﺻﻠﺤﻮۡ ﺑ‬
In the name of God, the Most-Gracious, the Ever-Merciful.
Believers! Do not give preference to your view over that of God and the Messenger. And have
fear of God. Indeed, God hears all and knows all. (1)
Believers! Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor call him the way you
call one another lest your deeds should come to nothing without you even being aware of it.
Remember that those who speak gently in the presence of God’s Prophet are the men whose
hearts God has selected to nurture piety. For them are forgiveness and a great reward. (2-3)
Indeed, most of those who call out to you while you are in your chambers are naive. If they
waited with patience until you went out to them, it would have been better for them. And God is
Forgiving and Merciful. (4-5)
Believers! If a defiant person brings you a piece of news, investigate it thoroughly lest you
assail someone unknowingly then regret your action. And fully bear in mind that God’s
Messenger is among you. If he follows you in many matters, you would encounter many
difficulties. But God has endeared faith to you and ingrained it in your hearts and made disbelief,
defiance, and disobedience abhorrent to you. These are the people who are rightly guided through
God’s grace and bounty. And God is All-knowing and Wise. (6-8)
And if two groups from among the believers take up arms against one another, make peace
between them. Then if one of them unjustly attacks the other, fight against the aggressor till it
submits to God’s judgement. So, if it submits, reconcile them with fairness and administer full
justice. Indeed, God loves those who exercise justice. Muslims are brothers to one another so
reconcile your brothers and fear God that you may be shown mercy. (9-10)
Explanation
ٌ ۡ ٰ ٰ & ٰ ۡ ۡ& & ۡ& ٰ ۡ &
1 ٌ ۡ ‫ﺳﻤﻴﻊ‬
﴾١﴿ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻢ‬ ٖ ۡ & ‫• ﻳﺪي ﷲ و‬B‫ﻘﺪﻣﻮ ﺑ‬L
‫ﻘﻮ ﷲ ) ن ﷲ‬L ‫رﺳﻮﻟﻪ و‬ ‫»ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ ﻟﺬﻳﻦ ﻣﻨﻮ ﻵﻹ‬
Though common Muslims are addressed, yet the attitude of the Muslim Bedouins of the
environs of Madīnah is discussed in this sūrah, as will gradually become evident from the later
verses; they had accepted faith after having witnessed the emerging strength of Islam, and faith
had not fully found its roots in their hearts. The first reason for this was that they had not
embraced Islam after understanding it but because they were over-awed by it. Secondly, since
they were cut off from the centre, they could not be properly educated and instructed. They were
also afflicted with the conceited notion that since they had showed obedience to the Prophet (sws)
without being attacked, they had done him a great favour. As a result of this notion when their
leaders came to Madīnah their attitude towards the Prophet (sws) was as though they had a done a
great favour and service to Islam. Even without being asked for advice, they would take the
initiative to assertively give suggestions. To express their own superiority, they would raise their
1. Believers! Do not given preference to your view over that of God and the Messenger. And Have fear
of God. Indeed, God hears all and knows all.
own voice above that of the Prophet (sws). Whenever they came, they would desire that the
Prophet (sws), leaving aside all his activities, immediately attend to them and in case of any
delay, they would shout unhesitatingly near his chamber to call him the way one calls an ordinary
person. Each person would try to win the support of the Prophet (sws) in their various rifts and
jealousies against each other prevailing ever since the days of jāhiliyyah. To achieve this end,
they would at times try to give such information to the Prophet (sws) regarding their adversaries
which would create a wrong perception about them in his mind. If, on the basis of this
information, the Muslims of Madīnah had taken some step, it could have been very harmful to the
collective life of the Muslims.
It is these circumstances in which this sūrah was revealed. Though the attitude of a specific
group of Muslims is discussed in it, as was indicated earlier, the words of address of the Qur’ān
are general so that this group is not put to too much disgrace and all doors are closed for Satan to
ignite mischief and nuisance in the society.
It needs to be kept in consideration that the prohibition stated here is to take the initiative before
the Messenger of God in presenting one’s view or to give preference to one’s view to that of God
and His Messenger; the prohibition does not relate to mere presentation of one’s opinion to the
Prophet (sws). The Prophet (sws) would often ask for the opinions of the Companions (rta) in
various affairs and they would also present them to him. Similarly, at times, the Companions (rta)
would say to him that in case a certain measure of his was not based on divine revelation, then in
their opinion, a certain other plan would be better. At times, the Prophet (sws) would even accept
their opinion. This verse does not forbid such things. The Prophet (sws) through his very attitude
encouraged this. It is mentioned in certain narratives that the Prophet (sws) was one who would
seek consultation from people the most. The Almighty too, as is evident from: (١٥٩:٣) ‫ﻵﻹﻣﺮ‬ ۡ ۡ IJ ‫ﺷﺎورﻫﻢ‬
ۡ&ۡ ‫و‬
(and consult them in affairs, (3:159)), had directed the Prophet (sws) to keep consulting people.
The prohibition relates to what we have referred to earlier: a person while regarding the
Messenger of God to be a common person or a mere leader and regarding his own self to be
superior to him tries to influence the Messenger with his opinion which was not asked for in the
first place and to give preference to it over that of the Messenger. If someone does this, then his
attitude bears evidence to the fact that he is absolutely unaware of the real position and status of
the Prophet (sws). A messenger of God is His representative and whatever he does or says is at
the bidding of God. If a person is bold enough to give preference to his own views over his, then
this, in other words, would mean that he regards his own view to be superior to that of God; this
will lay waste all hisٰ beliefs and deeds without him even knowing it.
ۡ
ٖ ۡ & ‫• ﻳﺪي ﷲ و‬B‫ ﺑ‬show that the matters of God and His Messenger are not distinct from
The words ‫رﺳﻮﻟﻪ‬
one another. A messenger of God is His representative and envoy. Giving him unasked for advice
is like giving advice to God; giving preference to one’s own opinion over his is like giving
preference to one’s own opinion over God’s opinion and to regard oneself to be more wise is to
regard one self to be wiser than the all-knowing God. These are the necessary consequences of
this attitude of a person. It is possible that because of foolishness a person does not realize these
ٌ ۡ ٰ ٰ refuted
consequences, but it cannot be that these are the necessary consequences.
ٌ ۡ &
The words ‫ﻘﻮ ﷲ ) ن ﷲ ﺳﻤﻴﻊ ﻋﻠﻴﻢ‬L ‫ و‬sound a warning to these people that they should keep fearing
God and not be in the craze of regarding themselves to be wiser and more sagacious than God and
His Messenger. God is all-hearing and all-knowing; He is listening to what they are saying and is
also fully aware of the motives behind them. What is implied is that when He sees and knows all,
the law of retribution will definitely come into play. The succeeding verse mentions this law.
This verse warns the people of our times as well who, while claiming to serve Islam, are
distorting its values and tampering with its laws. They are of the view that the form in which God
and His Messenger has given Islam has gone obsolete and that it is essential that it be adapted to
the needs of the current era. Thus they are changing the directives of the sharī‘ah as per their own
view. The only difference is that the verse mentions people who wanted to take the lead in
presenting their suggestions to God and His Messenger, while the claimants to Islam of this era
did not get this chance so they are now, God forbid, correcting the mistakes made by God and His
Messenger regarding religion.
2 ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻧﺘﻢ ﻵﻹ‬

﴾٢﴿‫ﺗﺸﻌﺮون‬ ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﺗﺤﺒﻂ‬
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻋﻤﺎﻟﻜﻢ و‬ ۡ ‫ﻟﺒﻌﺾ ۡن‬ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻛﺠﻬﺮ‬
ۡ ‫ﻌﻀﻜﻢ‬X ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﻪ‬u ‫ﺗﺠﻬﺮو‬
ۡ ‫ﺑﺎﻟﻘﻮل‬ ۡ & ۡ ‫وﻵﻹ‬yþ‫ﺻﻮت ﻟﻨ‬
ۡ ‫ﻓﻮق‬ ۡ & ‫ﺗﺮﻓﻌﻮۤ ۡﺻﻮ‬
ۡ ‫ﺗﻜﻢ‬ ۡ & ٰ ‫ﻟﺬﻳﻦ‬
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻣﻨﻮ ﻵﻹ‬ ۡ ‫»ﻳﺎ &ﻳﻬﺎ‬
ٍ
This verse alludes to another aspect of what is said above: those who were inflicted with the
satanic thought that they were in a position to give advice to God and His Messenger or those
who vainly reckoned that they had done a great favour to Islam and the Prophet (sws) by
embracing faith could not be humble and courteous in their conversation with the Prophet (sws).
In fact, a reflection of this vanity in their conversation was quite natural. Thus when these people
spoke to the Prophet (sws) it would become evident from their style that instead of learning from
the Messenger of God they had actually come to teach him. Consequently, just as they would take
the lead in presenting their views, they would also try that their voice be loud and imposing on
the Prophet (sws) and when they would address him, then instead of respectfully addressing him
by the words “O Messenger of God!”, they would say “O Muḥammad!” as if they were
conversing with some of their own common compatriots. Here, they are stopped from addressing
the Prophet (sws) in such a disrespectful way because this attitude clearly showed that they had
not yet recognized his true position and status; moreover, hidden in them was the pride of their
own superiority which would ultimately lay waste their deeds.
I have been referring to the fact that the words to the effect ‫ —< ﻫﺔ‬or ‫ ﻣﺨﺎﻓﺔ‬are suppressed before
ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﺗﺤﺒﻂ‬
‫ﻋﻤﺎﻟﻜﻢ‬ ۡ ‫ ۡن‬. If this suppression is unfolded, the discourse would be something to the effect: you
are being stopped from this disrespectful behaviour lest this lays waste all your deeds before God.
The implication of the words ‫ﺗﺸﻌﺮون‬ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻧﺘﻢ ﻵﻹ‬
ۡ & ۡ ‫ و‬is that though these people conceitedly reckoned that
they had done a great service to Islam and their anxiety to benefit the Prophet (sws) from their
opinion was due to their zeal to serve religion, yet all the deeds which they reckoned to have done
for the cause of religion would be of no use to them and they not even be aware of this.
It is evident from this that at times a person in his own view does a lot of things which he thinks
are a service to religion, however, if he has the conceited notion that he is doing a favour to God
or His messenger or His religion and as a result he neither pays true regard to the exaltedness of
God nor show the true respect His Messenger deserves, then all his deeds will come to nothing
and he will only come out of this unawareness in the Hereafter. God is not dependent on anyone
for the service of His religion so that a person thinks himself to have done a favour to Him and
His Messenger. Only the deeds of those people will be blessed enough to be accepted by Him
who serve the cause of His religion only to please Him in accordance with the bounds and limits
set by Him; at the same time, they acknowledge wholeheartedly that by doing this service they do
not do any favour to God or His Messenger; on the contrary, God has done them a favour as He
gave them the urge to be of some service to His religion.
2. Believers! Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor call him the way you call one
another lest your deeds should come to nothing without you even being aware of it.
ٌ ۡ ۡ & ٰۡ ۡ & ۡ & & & ٰ

ٌ ۡ ‫ة و‬RS‫ﻣﻐ‬ ۡ ‫وﻟ†ﻚ‬° & ٰ ‫رﺳﻮل ﷲ‬ ۡ ۡ& ۡ ۡ && ۡ
3 ٌ ۡ ‫ﺟﺮ‬
﴾٣﴿ ‫ﻋﻈﻴﻢ‬ ‫ﻟﺬﻳﻦ ۡﻣﺘﺤﻦ ﷲ ﻗﻠﻮﺑﻬﻢ ﻟﻠﺘﻘﻮي ) ﻟﻬﻢ‬ ۡ & ‫ﻋﻨﺪ‬ ‫ﻐﻀﻮن ﺻﻮ ﺗﻬﻢ‬P ‫ن ﻟﺬﻳﻦ‬
This verse teaches the right etiquette essential for every believer to adopt regarding the Prophet
(sws). The verse says that those who keep down their voices before the Prophet (sws) are the ones
whose hearts the Almighty has selected to nurture the seeds of piety. The word ‫ۡﻣﺘﺤﻦ‬
encompasses the meaning of the word ”•‫ﺻﻄ‬ž ْ ‫ ﺍ‬or some word of similar meaning. It is evident from
this that not every heart is appropriate for sowing and nurturing the seeds of piety; the Almighty
selects such hearts by making them pass through a test. The real thing which becomes a reason
for preference in this is whether a person has the true zeal to submit before God and His
messenger and has the awareness to be humble before them. The more a person has this the more
he is blessed with piety and the more a person is devoid of it the farther away is he from piety.
Raising one’s voce is mentioned here as a reflection of a person’s inner self, as has been indicated
earlier. A person who tries to raise his voice over that of another shows by this very act of his that
he regards himself to be superior to him. This attitude closes doors to gain and to acquiring more.
Anyone who adopts this attitude with the Messenger of God will not only be deprived of the
blessings and benefits of the Messenger but also of the urge from God because the Messenger is
God’s Messenger.
The same status is occupied by God’s Book and the Sunnah of the Messenger. Only those
hearts are selected by God for nurturing piety which are humble and submit themselves before the
Book and Sunnah the way Muslims have been directed to be humble in the presence of God’s
Messenger. A person who has the sincere zeal of submitting himself to every directive of God
and His Messenger will find before him many opportunities to grow in his piety as well as divine
help at every step. If a person conceitedly reckons that he is in a position to reform the Qur’ān
and the Ḥadīth, then this vanity of his will lay waste his deeds and lead him to a grievous fate in
the Hereafter.
ٌ ۡ ۡ&
ٌ ۡ ‫ة و‬RS‫ﻣﻐ‬
ٌ ۡ ‫ﺟﺮ‬
Consider now the next part of the verse: ‫ﻋﻈﻴﻢ‬ ‫ﻟﻬﻢ‬. In the earlier verse, it was stated that
people who raised their voice above that of the Prophet’s voice would find their deeds going
waste. Now, here, in contrast, the fate of people who keep down their voices before that of the
Prophet (sws) is mentioned: for them is forgiveness and great reward. In other words, God will
forgive their faults because they remained humble before God and His Messenger. Their vanity
and haughtiness did not make them bold enough to regard themselves to be superior to God and
His Messenger. The reward they got for this attitude was that God chose their hearts to nurture
the seed of piety in them – something of which the reward in turn is great in the eyes of God.
4
﴾٤﴿ ‫ﻌﻘﻠﻮن‬P ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻟﺤﺠﺮت‬
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻫﻢ ﻵﻹ‬A´• ٰ & & ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ ورآء‬ ۡ & & ‫ﻟﺬﻳﻦ‬
ۡ ‫ﻳﻨﺎدوﻧﻚ‬ ۡ ‫ن‬
Just as these people were disrespectful to the Prophet (sws) in his gatherings, they were also
discourteous in shouting to him from outside his chambers to call him to gatherings where he had
not come. Such behaviour is disrespectful in itself; however, its inner motive was even more
ignominious than its outer expression. These people, as I have alluded to earlier with more details
forthcoming, thought wrongly, that since they had embraced Islam without any war or armed
3. Remember that those who speak gently in the presence of God’s Prophet are the men whose hearts
God has selected to nurture piety. For them are forgiveness and a great reward.
4. Indeed, most of those who call out to you while you are in your chambers are naive.
struggle they had done a great favour to Islam and the Prophet (sws). For this reason, they
thought that it was their right that when they came to the Prophet (sws), he should greet them
without any delay. If he was not present at that moment, they would not wait for him and start
encircling the chambers of the wives of the Prophet (sws) and call out his name in a very
disrespectful manner. The verse says that most of them have no sense. The words ‫ﻌﻘﻠﻮن‬P ۡ&& ۡ
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻫﻢ ﻵﻹ‬A´•
harbour in them a rebuke on their foolishness and also very subtly hint to the Prophet (sws) to
overlook this foolishness of theirs: even though they are guilty of doing something very ill-
mannered yet their majority is neither aware of the status of the Prophet (sws) nor of the fate of
this behaviour; so they need instruction and training and should be ignored.
ٰ & & ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ ورآء‬
The word ‫( ورآء‬behind) in the expression ‫ﻟﺤﺠﺮت‬ ۡ does not necessarily say that they used to
call out from behind the chambers and this was the reason for the rebuke. This word does not
specifically mean “behind.” In the Arabic language, the expression ‫ﻣﻦ ورآ ﻟﺪ ر‬ ْ I¹ ‫ ﻧﺎد‬would only mean
“he called out to me from outside the house” regardless of whether from the back of the house or
from the front. What made this act objectionable was the way in which they addressed the
Prophet (sws). It needs to be kept in mind that it is against respect to call even a common person
in this manner; let alone the Prophet (sws). The proper way of addressing people to meet them
has already been delineated in Sūrah al-Nūr.
ٌ ۡ & & ٰ ‫ﻟﻬﻢ ) و ﷲ‬

ٌ ۡ ‫ﻏﻔﻮر‬ ً ۡ ‫ﻟﻴﻬﻢ ﻟ¯ﺎن‬
ۡ & AB‫ﺧ‬ ۡ ۡ ‫<ج‬Ò‫ﺗ‬ ٰ ۡ& ۡ& ۡ
& ۡ y‚‫ﺣ‬
5
﴾٥﴿ ‫رﺣﻴﻢ‬ ‫و‬AŒ‫و ﻟﻮ ﻧﻬﻢ ﺻ‬
This verse informs them of the correct etiquette they should have adopted: had they been patient
enough to wait for him to come out, this would have earned them great blessings. The style of the
verse is to express sorrow at their deprivation. The implication is that had they recognized and
valued the fountain they had reached, their thirst would have been quenched; it is their loss that
because of not duly honouring this opportunity they lost what they had, much less gain something
ٌ ۡ & & ٰ ‫ و ﷲ‬the Almighty has reminded the Prophet (sws) of His attributes of
from it.
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻏﻔﻮر‬
By the words ‫رﺣﻴﻢ‬
forgiveness and mercy and the purpose is to subtly direct his attention to the fact that even though
those people were guilty of such unworthy acts, they were people bereft of sense and reason; so,
for that time, he should ignore those acts. God was forgiving and merciful and it was but
appropriate that His Prophet too should be forgiving and merciful.
ۢ ً ۡ ۡ & ۡ & ۡ ۤۡ & ٌۢ
6 ۡ ٰۡ&ۡ
﴾٦﴿ •B‫ﻓﻌﻠﺘﻢ ﻧﺪﻣ‬ ‫ ﻣﺎ‬Ir‫ﻋ‬ ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﺑﺠﻬﺎﻟﺔ‬
ٰ ‫ﻓﺘﺼﺒﺤﻮ‬ ٍ ‫ﻗﻮﻣﺎ‬ ‫ﺑﻨﺒﺎ ﻓﺘﺒﻴﻨﻮ ن ﺗﺼﻴﺒﻮ‬ ۡ & ‫ﻣﻨﻮۤ ۡن‬
ٍ ‫ﺟﺂء•ﻢ ﻓﺎﺳﻖ‬ ۡ & ٰ ‫ﻟﺬﻳﻦ‬ & »
ۡ ‫ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ‬
This verse informs the Muslims of Madīnah of a certain political threat: I have referred to earlier
that the behaviour of the leaders of certain Bedouin tribes of the environs of Madīnah is discussed
here. Just as those people were bereft of the awareness of the high stature of the Prophet (sws),
they were also until then bereft of the sentiments of Islamic brotherhood. The effects of the
jealousy and hate they harboured for one another in the days of ignorance were still found in them.
When they came to Madīnah, some of them would give all kinds of right and wrong news about
their adversaries in order to influence the Prophet’s opinion about them. They would also try to
5. If they waited with patience until you went out to them, it would have been better for them. And God
is Forgiving and Merciful.
6. Believers! If a defiant person brings you a piece of news, investigate it thoroughly lest you assail
someone unknowingly then regretting your action.
win the support of the Companions (rta) they could influence in this matter so that they were able
to use the central power of Madīnah in their favour. This was a very precarious situation. The
government of Madīnah in the first place was not yet fully stable. Secondly, any action on the
basis of the baseless rumours, especially against some Muslim faction would have been against
both justice and collective welfare. This situation necessitated that the centre of the Muslims be
directed that in all such important affairs they altogether leave the decision to the discretion of the
Prophet (sws); they should also not trust the reports of unreliable people thereby influencing the
opinion of the Prophet (sws) in accordance with their own. Consequently, they were directed that
if an insolent person brought news of some important event, then without thoroughly investigating
the matter they were not to take any step relying on that news lest being over-awed with zeal they
ۢ ٌ an innocent faction and then later regretting it.
end up attacking
The word ‫( ﻓﺎﺳﻖ‬insolent) here refers to people who are indifferent to the bounds and limits of
the sharī‘ah. I have already presented my research on the word ‫ ﻧﺒﺄ‬at a relevant place in this
exegesis that it refers to important news accepting which or acting on which may have far
reaching consequences. If such important news is given by someone who is not reliable as regards
his faith and morals, then both sense and morality entail that this piece of information not be
believed until both the information and the person giving it are thoroughly investigated. It may be
that such a person gave the information because of evil motives and the information may either be
totally baseless or because of some ill-intention has been changed and adapted to inflame the
emotions of the listeners. The word ‫ ﺟﻬﺎﻟﺔ‬is used in the meaning of emotional frenzy and rage. I
have presented research on this word as well at a relevant place in this exegesis.
& & ۡ ‫ﻮﺑﻜﻢ و —<ه‬

‫ﻟﻴﻜﻢ‬ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻗﻠ‬
&& ۡ u & & ۡ ‫ﻟﻌﻨﺘﻢ و ٰﻟﻜﻦ ﷲ ٰ ﺣﺒﺐ‬
ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﻴﻜﻢ‬
IJ ‫ﻵﻹﻳﻤﺎن و زﻳﻨﻪ‬ ۡ & ‫ﻵﻹﻣﺮ‬
ۡ ۡ ‫ ﻣﻦ‬AB‫ﻛﺜ‬ۡ ۡ ۡ&&ۡ &ۡ ٰ ۡ& ۡ&ۡ
ٍ IJ ‫ﻋﻠﻤﻮ ن ﻓﻴﻜﻢ رﺳﻮل ﷲ ) ﻟﻮ ﻳﻄﻴﻌﻜﻢ‬
ۤۡ & ۡ
‫و‬
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻢ‬ ٰ ً ۡ
ٌ ۡ & ‫‹ﻌﻤﺔ ) و ﷲ‬ ٰ ً ۡ ﴾٧ۙ ﴿ ‫ﻟﺮﺷﺪون‬ & & ‫وﻟ†ﻚ‬° & ) ‫ﻟﻌﺼﻴﺎن‬
ۡ & ٰ ‫ﻫﻢ‬ ۡ & & ۡ ‫ و‬RS‫ﻟﻜ‬
ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﻔﺴﻮق و‬ &
ۡ ۡ
7
﴾٨﴿ ‫ﺣﻜﻴﻢ‬ ‫ﻓﻀﻶﻹ ﻣﻦ ﷲ و‬
These verses further emphasize the warning meted out earlier to the Muslims: the Messenger of
God was present among them; hence they were not to give so much importance to their opinions
that they try to convince him into following them; on the contrary, they were to follow him.
Whatever steps he took, he took in the guidance of God. Hence their success both in this world
and in the next was in following him and not in following their own feelings and emotions. If
they wanted to present their opinion, they were to respectfully do so and leave the decision to his
discretion and not desire that all their opinions be necessarily accepted. They were to fully bear in
mind that a lot of their opinions were raw; if the Messenger of God accepted those opinions, they
would end up in a lot of bother; he only accepted the correct opinions they put forth. Because of
the Messenger of God they were lucky enough to be divinely guided at every step; hence they
should duly value this favour and show gratitude to God. &
The word ‫ ﻋﻨﺖ‬means “difficulty and hardship.” Thus ‫ﻟﻌﻨﺘﻢ‬ ۡ would mean “you will get caught in
great difficulty and hardship.” If a patient instead of following the doctor wants that the doctor
& & ۡ ‫ و ٰﻟﻜﻦ ﷲ ٰ ﺣﺒﺐ‬say that precisely to save
follow his opinion, then it is very obvious& that such a patient will end up in a lot of danger.
ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﻔﺴﻮق و‬ ۡ&ۡ &&ۡ
ۡ & & ۡ ‫ و‬RS‫ﻟﻜ‬ ۡ ۡ & & IJ ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﻴﻜﻢ‬
u ‫ﻵﻹﻳﻤﺎن و‬
ۡ ‫زﻳﻨﻪ‬
The words ‫ﻟﻌﺼﻴﺎن‬ ‫ﻗﻠﻮﺑﻜﻢ و —<ه ﻟﻴﻜﻢ‬
7. Fully bear in mind that God’s Messenger is among you. If he follows you in many matters, you would
encounter many difficulties. But God has endeared faith to you and ingrained it in your hearts and made
disbelief, defiance, and disobedience abhorrent to you. These are the people who are rightly guided through
God’s grace and bounty. And God is all-Knowing and Wise.
them from difficulty and hardship had the Almighty endeared faith to them and made it find roots
in their hearts and had made disbelief and disobedience hateful and odious to them. The
obligation they owe to this arrangement is that they should continue to love and hold dear their
faith and none of their words and deeds be stained with disbelief and disobedience.
The preposition IŠ after ‫ ﺣﺒﺐ‬and ‫ —<ه‬refers to the special arrangement made by the Almighty
through His Messenger to endear faith to them and to engender in them an abhorrence of disbelief
and defiance. In the age of jāhiliyyah, all moral values had been muddled. Satan had made faith
hateful and endeared disbelief and disobedience to people. Faith was so deeply concealed beneath
multi-layers that to unveil its true beauty and radiance to people by slicing away these layers had
become an onerous task. Similarly, Satan had made disbelief so deceptively beautiful by various
lures that to show its real horrendous face had become virtually impossible. It was a blessing of
God that He sent His Messenger who after a long struggle and jihād unveiled faith in its true
attractive form and made its majesty take root in their hearts. Similarly, he scraped away the
artificial embellishments from the horrible face of disbelief and showed them its real hideous and
abhorrent face and made them detest it. This topic is discussed here by the words IŠ‫ﺍ‬ž‫ ﺣﺒﺐ‬and IŠ‫ﺍ‬ž‫—<ه‬.
In other words, he presented belief and disbelief in their original form to them as a result of which
they became desirous of belief and hated disbelief. It is as if both these verbs comprise the
meaning of IŠ‫ﺍ‬žand the preposition is pointing towards this meaning.
ْ&
Here the object of the verb ‫ ﺣﺒﺐ‬is faith alone while there are three objects of the verb ‫—<ه‬: RS‫ﻛ‬
&
ْ & (defiance) and ‫ﻋﺼﻴﺎن‬ ْ (disobedience) The reason for this, as is indicated
(disbelief) and ‫ﻓﺴﻮق‬
earlier, is that the people whose character is under discussion here were the ones who had till then
not yet become fully aware of the opposite of disbelief. As a result, it required that they be told
ْ&
that it is not merely RS‫( ﻛ‬disbelief) which was contrary to belief; things belonging to the category
ْ & & (defiance) and ‫ﻋﺼﻴﺎن‬
of ‫ﻓﺴﻮق‬ ْ (disobedience) were also off shoots of disbelief and for this reason
the Almighty regarded them to be detestable as well.
ْ has been used in the Qur’ān to connote RS‫ﻛ‬ ْ&
Though the word ‫ﻖ‬ ‫ﻓﺴ‬ , yet since here it is used with
ْ&
RS‫ﻛ‬, it would refer to defiance shown to God by a person while laying claim to belief. The word
‫ﻋﺼﻴﺎن‬ْ as per its context and occasion refers to disobeying the Messenger. Since disobeying His
representatives is also an act of indirect disobedience to Him, hence this thing is also included in
ٌ ۡ & ٰ ‫‹ﻌﻤﺔ ) و ﷲ‬
ً ۡ ٰ
its meaning.
The words ‫ﺣﻜﻴﻢ‬ٌ ۡ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻢ‬ ً ۡ .‫ﻟﺮﺷﺪون‬
‫ﻓﻀﻶﻹ ﻣﻦ ﷲ و‬ & & ‫وﻟ†ﻚ‬° & state that it is these people in whose hearts
ۡ & ٰ ‫ﻫﻢ‬
ْ& ْ&&
the majesty of faith has taken roots and who abhor the slightest trace of RS‫( ﻛ‬disbelief) and ‫ﻓﺴﻮق‬
(defiance) and ‫ﻋﺼﻴﺎن‬ ْ (disobedience). They are, in reality, rightly guided and they received this
guidance as a favour and blessing of God. Thus, they should remain thankful to God alone. Like
the naïve, they should not think that these favours are the result of their own endeavours and that
they have done a favour to God and His Messenger. The attributes are meant to emphasize that
every act of God is based on His knowledge and wisdom. He does not blindly apportion things.
He blesses only those with the gift of faith whom He finds worthy of it.
This verse showers praise on the Muslims of Madīnah who were continuously benefiting from
the companionship of the Prophet (sws) and were fully devoted to God. Moreover, the context
bears witness that the verse is a slant on the raw Muslims whose shortcomings are being
discussed since the initial verses of the sūrah and who belonged to the nearby tribes of Madīnah.
Our exegetes8 as per their customary practice have also mentioned an occasion of revelation
8. See for example: Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-‘Aẓīm, vol. 4, 210-211.
related to verse 6: the Prophet (sws) sent Walīd ibn ‘Uqbah to collect zakāh from the tribe of Banū
Muṣṭaliq; when he reached there, the tribesmen came out in the form of a procession to greet him;
Walīd thought that the people had come out to fight him; fearing an attack, he ran back home and
informed the Prophet (sws) that those people had become apostates and had refused to pay zakāh;9
on hearing this news, the Prophet (sws) was very annoyed at the tribe of Banū Muṣṭaliq; he sent an
army contingent or decided to send one; when the Banū Muṣṭaliq tribe got news of this their leader
immediately came over to the Prophet (sws) and assured him on oath that they had not even seen
the face of Walīd much less refused to pay zakāh. After this explanation, the matter was resolved.
In the opinion of our exegetes, this verse was revealed because of this narrative attributed to
Walīd; Muslims were directed not take a hasty step believing in the narration of a fāsiq person.
It is customary for our exegetes to cite an occasion of revelation for almost every verse. They
have also cited an occasion of revelation for verse 4 earlier. I have not dealt with it because some
authorities have criticized it; however, as far as the occasion of revelation of the verse under
discussion is concerned, there is a consensus of the exegetes on it. Thus, analyzing it was essential.
The principle premise regarding narratives on the occasion of revelation that should always
remain in consideration is something which I have mentioned in the preface to this exegesis: if
our early authorities mention an incident as an occasion of revelation for a verse, it does not
necessarily mean that that exact incident was the cause of revelation of that verse; they mean that
this verse also guides us regarding that incident. This is the opinion of the scholars of exegetical
interpretation, which is why I have cited it. Moreover, it is also known that most narratives which
mention an occasion of revelation are ḍa‘īf, in fact, baseless. Hence it is essential that they be
analyzed in the light of criteria based on both reason and revelation lest this lead to an untoward
situation which this verse had stopped Muslims from ending up in.
If this occasion of revelation is analyzed in the light of reason, one will see that it has many flaws.
Firstly, the verse has asked Muslims not to trust a piece of news given by a fāsiq (defiant
person). Before this incident there is nothing known to people from Walīd which could, God forbid,
regard him as a fāsiq. Not only this, such was the nature of his reliability and trustworthiness that
the Prophet (sws) entrusted him with the responsibility of collecting zakāh. If there had been
some issue with his character, the Prophet (sws) would never have selected him for such an
important service.
Secondly, if this occasion of revelation is accepted, then it will have to be conceded that the
Prophet (sws), God forbid, was so unaware of his Companions (rta) that he would select from
among them for such important positions those, who because of their dishonest misconduct,
would endanger both the citizens and the government. Such short-sightedness is not expected
even from a common sane human being, let alone the Prophet (sws).
Thirdly, if Walīd ran away from the tribe thinking the group who had come out to receive him
to be armed in order to attack him and if he conveyed this impression of his to the Prophet (sws),
then though this could be regarded as a naïve act on his part, as per the sharī‘ah, it cannot be
regarded as fisq. Had this been the case, the verse should have been something to the effect:
“Believers! Do not entrust your responsible positions to simpletons who are not even able to
distinguish between a welcoming faction and a warring faction.” What needs to be kept in
consideration is that had Walīd been such a simpleton, would the Prophet (sws) have entrusted
9. Some narrators have reported that he did not run away because of fear but because he already had
grievances with the tribe. So he came back without meeting them and instead reported to the Prophet (sws)
that they had refused to pay zakāh. See: Ibid.
him with such a political and fiscal position? Can the trait of being a simpleton suddenly emanate
from a person and the people around him not know about it? Even a person like the Prophet (sws)
was not able to discern it?
Fourthly, it is Walīd who was made the governor of Kūfah by the caliph ‘Uthmān (rta) in his
time. Was he not aware of the fact that as per a Qur’ānic verse, this person had been classified as
a fāsiq and was not even eligible to narrate a report or to bear witness, let alone governorship? If
he was not aware, then it should be accepted that a rightly guided caliph as ‘Uthmān (rta) who is
also known as the collector of the Qur’ān, God forbid, did not have even as much knowledge of
the Qur’ān as the narrators of reports of occasions of revelation.
I have referred to only a few aspects of this occasion of revelation; otherwise it has problems at
10
every step. Some variants say that the Prophet (sws) had sent the army contingent; others say
that he had decided to send it and had given an ultimatum to the Banū Muṣtaliq that if they did
not abstain, he would send someone who is like him (y×‫ )ﻋﻨﺪي ﻛﻨﻔ‬and at the same time patting ‘Alī
(rta) on his back to encourage him indicated that he would be sent for this campaign.11 In some
12
other narratives, it is said that he had sent Khālid ibn Walīd (rta) for the campaign.
& In short,
ۡ ۡ
ۡ ‫ ﻣﻦ‬AB‫ ﻛﺜ‬IJ ۡ & ۡ & ۡ‫ ﻟﻮ‬that if such a
contradictions abound even though it is evident from the words ‫ﻵﻹﻣﺮ‬ ٍ ۡ ‫ﻳﻄﻴﻌﻜﻢ‬
thing came to the Prophet (sws), he ignored it and people were warned that they should not try to
influence him with their opinions.
In my opinion, this occasion of revelation has been concocted by the rawāfiḍ through which
they not only wanted to bring Walīd’s name into disrepute but also that of ‘Uthman (rta) that
deliberately patronizing his relative13 he appointed a fāsiq as governor of Kūfah. Even during his
tenure as governor of Kūfah, those horrible people did not spare Walīd and narrated such
incidents reflecting his fisq which bring both laughter and tears: laughter at their intelligence and
tears at the simplicity of our exegetes who cite such baseless reports in their exegesis even though
they have no relation with the words and context of the verse.
ٰ ٰ
ٓۡ y‚‫ﺣ‬ & ٰ ۡ & ۡ Ir‫ﻬﻤﺎ ﻋ‬ê‫ﺣﺪ‬
& ٰ ۡ ‫ﻐﺖ‬X ۡ & ۡ •B‫ﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨ‬
ۡ ۡ&ۡ ٰ
{ ‫ ۡﻣﺮ ﷲ‬IŠ» ‫•”ء‬L ۡ ۡ y‚‫ﻟ‬
”÷‫ﺗﺒ‬ ۡ ‫ﻓﻘﺎﺗﻠﻮ‬ ‫ﻵﻹ“<ي‬ ۡ ‫ﻓﺎن‬ & ۡ ‫ﻓﺎﺻﻠﺤﻮ‬
? { ‫ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻗﺘﺘﻠﻮ‬ ‫و ۡن ﻃﺂ•ﻔ‘• ﻣﻦ‬
ۡ ۡ ۡ & ٰ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﺑﺎﻟﻌﺪل و‬
ۡ ۡ ‫ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬
& ۡ ‫ﻓﺎﺻﻠﺤﻮ‬ ۡ ۡ
14
﴾٩﴿ •B‫ﻗﺴﻄﻮ ) ن ﷲ &ﻳﺤﺐ &ﻟﻤﻘﺴﻄ‬ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻓﺂءت‬ ‫ﻓﺎن‬
It was said in the previous verse that it was not allowed for Muslims to attack any faction of
Muslims by relying on the report of a fāsiq. In this verse, Muslims or their governments are guided
on what to do when two factions of Muslims are at war: they should try to resolve the issue. If
either of the two is not ready for a reconciliation or after reconciliation commits an excess against
the other by violating the terms of the reconciliation, then in this situation other Muslims or their
ٰ ۡ wage
government should
» ٓ ٰ against the perpetrators of excess until they submit to the truth.
war
ۡ
The words ‫ ﻣﺮ ﷲ‬IŠ ‫•”ء‬L y‚‫ ﺣ‬mean to submit to the decision of the adjudicator. If a faction evades
this decision, it is as if it evades submission to the decision of God. This is because in order to
10. See, for example: Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-‘Aẓīm, vol. 4, 210.
11. See, for example: Al-Zamakhasharī, Al-Kashshāf, vol. 4, 362.
12. See, for example: Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-‘Aẓīm, vol. 4, 211.
13. It should remain in mind that Walīd ibn ‘Uqbah (rta) was a relative of ‘Uthmān (rta).
14. And if two groups from among the believers take up arms against one another, make peace between
them. Then if one of them unjustly attacks the other, fight against the aggressors till it submits to God’s
judgement. So if it submits, reconcile them with fairness and administer full justice.
resolve this situation this is what the Almighty has ordered and when God had commanded thus,
then its status is that of God’s decision.
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﺑﺎﻟﻌﺪل و‬
The words ‫ﻗﺴﻄﻮ‬ ۡ ۡ ‫ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬
& ۡ ‫ﻓﺎﺻﻠﺤﻮ‬ ۡ
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻓﺂءت‬ ۡ refer to the fact that if after this collective action by the
‫ﻓﺎن‬
Muslims they submit, then no further action should be taken against them on the grounds that they
had adopted a rebellious attitude; on the contrary, peace should be made between the two parties
on the basis of justice, and the party which has been inflicted with damage should be compensated.
ۡ & ۡ has come to fulfil the consequences of justice. The implication is that neither
The word ‫ﻗﺴﻄﻮ‬
should unfair concession be granted to anyone nor should anyone be oppressed: whatever is the
need of justice should be implemented fairly and squarely. It is such just people whom the
Almighty keeps as friends.
The following collective principles can be derived from this verse:
1. If two groups of Muslims are engaged in a fight with one another, other Muslims should not
remain indifferent to this state of affairs and should not think that this matter does not concern
them. Similarly, it is improper to support a group merely on the basis of familial or tribal bias
without finding out which of the two is right. They must support the group which in their opinion
is right, and, in no way, let biases form the basis of their support or otherwise. They must try to
fully comprehend the situation, and, then, try to reconcile the two groups.
2. If one of the groups is not willing to reconcile, or, insists on war or after reconciliation
presents conditions which are against justice, then, in this situation, it would be the duty of the
Muslims to use force to make it submit to these conditions.
3. In such disputes, obeying the conditions of reconciliation presented in accordance with the
directives of God and His Prophet (sws) by neutral Muslims will be mandatory on the two
factions the way it is mandatory to obey the directives of the sharī‘ah. So much so, war will be
declared on the faction which deviates from them.
4. If after reconciliation a faction violates the conditions of reconciliation, then it shall be
regarded as a transgressor. It is obligatory on the Muslims to curb it from this act.
It should be kept in consideration that this directive relates to a situation when there is a central
power of the Muslims which has the authority to intervene between two such factions or groups. In
this age, the complex situation has arisen that many small and large Muslim states have been set up.
If a war is, God forbid, waged between them, then it is not allowed for other Muslims states to
ignore this situation. Every one of them should make efforts to make the warring states reconcile as
is directed in this verse; however, practical intervention depends on the situation which relates to the
political needs of the time. If the situation allows, use of force against the transgressing faction to
make it submit to the truth will be totally justified. But if this is liable to cause further complexities
in the international situation, then practical intervention should be abstained from; however, there
can be no abstention from the efforts to make the two reconcile through diplomatic means.
ۡ&
ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﻟﻌﻠﻜﻢ‬ ٰ & ۡ&ۡ ۡ ۡ& ۡ ٌ ۡ ۡ& ۡ&ۡ
15
﴾١٠﴿ ‫ﺗﺮﺣﻤﻮن‬ ‫ﻘﻮ ﷲ‬L ‫• ﺧﻮﻳﻜﻢ و‬B‫ﻓﺎﺻﻠﺤﻮ ﺑ‬ ‫ﻧﻤﺎ ﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﻮن ﺧﻮة‬
All Muslims are brothers to one another. A dispute between them is, in the very first place,
ٰ &
against their brotherhood; however, if Satan is able to instigate a dispute, then other& Muslims
ۡ
should try to make peace between them and not further ignite this enmity. The words ‫ﻟﻌﻠﻜﻢ‬ ‫ﻘﻮ ﷲ‬L ‫و‬
&
ۡ & ۡ say that Muslims should keep fearing God. If they become a means of death and destruction
‫ﺗﺮﺣﻤﻮن‬
15. Indeed, God loves those who exercise justice. Muslims are brothers to one another so reconcile your
brothers and fear God that you may be shown mercy.
for their brethren or if they are involved in a brawl on the basis of some national, tribal,
geographical or political expediency, then they should remember that they will not be able to save
themselves from the grasp of God. Only the people who always try to strengthen the brotherhood
established by God will be regarded worthy of His mercy; those who neither do anything to
weaken it nor, as far as they can, give an opportunity to anyone else to do so.
ۡ & ۡ •B‫ﺑ‬
The dual used in ‫ﺧﻮﻳﻜﻢ‬
ۡ
does not imply that the war is only between brothers; in fact, this is
used for two factions of Muslims. Such usage of the dual is common in Arabic; examples can be
seen in the previous sūrahs.
The Source of Jarḥ and Ta‘dīl in the Qur’ān

ٌۢ & ۤ& &
Our scholars of Ḥadīth regard verse 6 of Sūrah al-Ḥujurāt: ‫ﺟﺂء•ﻢ ﻓﺎﺳﻖ‬ ۡ ‫ﻟﺬﻳﻦ ٰ ﻣﻨﻮۡ ۡن‬
ۡ ‫ »ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ‬... to be the
source for verifying the reliability or unreliability of the narrators of Ḥadīth as a result of which the
great science of rijāl was born – which is one of the sciences of which Muslims are the pioneers.
This verse directs Muslims to fully investigate news given to them by a fasīq. This directive is
indeed a general one for it is essential to investigate all news likely to have far-fetched
consequences. However, if someone attributes a report to the Prophet (sws), then it is even more
important that it be scrutinized. The Prophet (sws) is a divinely appointed guide: each of his
directives and practices is the best exemplar for the Muslims. If something is wrongly ascribed to
him and it is accepted without inquiry, then this can result in loss not only in this world but in the
Hereafter as well.
Though the verse only asks Muslims to investigate the news given by a fāsiq, yet it is obvious
that if a narrator is majhūl (not known) such that neither is he known to be trustworthy nor
untrustworthy, then it is essential that he too be researched into. This is because there is a chance
that in accepting the report of an unknown narrator that person turns out in reality to be a fāsiq.
Thus scholars of Ḥadīth have always investigated majhūl narrators so that their reliability or
unreliability can be ascertained. If they were not able to find out the details of a narrator, they
rejected him by regarding him to be majhūl.
It is also evident from the verse that this investigation is essential when a fāsiq gives a piece of
news that has far reaching consequences. This is because the word used is ‫ ﻧﺒﺄ‬which is used for a
piece of news that is important and has far reaching consequences. This word is not used for a
common piece of news or incident. Thus in general matters of every day life there is nothing
wrong in accepting the information of a fāsiq.
The verse asks Muslims to investigate both the narrator and his narration since the words used
are: “Believers! When a fāsiq brings a piece of news to you, investigate it.” It is obvious that the
ۤۡ &
object of the verb ‫ﻓﺘﺒﻴﻨﻮ‬ is both the narrator and his narration; in fact, that the narration is the
object of the verb is even more evident. This is because it is already known that the narrator is
fāsiq. In the investigation of a report, just as the reliability and trustworthiness of a narrator is
important, even more important is to critically evaluate the words of the report, its context and
background, its accordance or discordance with other reports, its analysis in the light of reason
and revelation and, most important of all, its harmony with the Book of God and related things. If
only the narrator is scrutinized and all these aspects are disregarded, then it cannot be said that
research has been thoroughly done. Our scholars of Ḥadīth mostly stress on scrutinizing the
narrator and do not give much importance to scrutinizing the content of the report with regard to
the aspects I have just referred to. This is in spite of the fact that without researching into these
aspects we cannot say that the investigation is thorough. It is for this reason that our jurists have
enunciated principles to scrutinize the contents of a report and this process is called darāyah. The
greatest share in this service is that of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (ra). By contributing in this regard, he
has not only done a great favour to fiqh, he has also done a great service to the discipline of
Ḥadīth. Had our scholars of Ḥadīth properly applied these principles, the great propaganda and
uproar against Ḥadīth would never have originated by mischief-mongers which opened the way
to many interventions in religion by many misled sects. If God gives me the urge and time to
write my proposed book on the principles of deliberation on Ḥadīth, I will inshā’Allāh try to
elaborate upon the value and importance of these principles.
It is evident from the above details that it is in accordance with this explicit directive of the
Qur’ān that our scholars of Ḥadīth have exposed fāsiq and majhūl narrators. However, in these
times, some well-wishers of such narrators have asserted that exposing the faults of these
narrators amounts to backbiting which the Qur’ān has prohibited in verse 12 of this very sūrah
and regarded it to be equivalent to consuming the meat of one’s dead brother. In their opinion,
because of a certain “strategy,” the scholars of Ḥadīth legalized this prohibition in order to save
religion from the narratives of fāsiq narrators. From this point, they postulated an even deeper and
subtle point that none of the prohibitions of the sharī‘ah is eternal. Hence, the leader of an
Islamic Movement (Taḥrīk-i Islāmī) has the right under the requisites of this “strategy” to legalize
a prohibition. I have already humbly commented on these views in some of my articles;16 there is
neither need nor requirement to repeat this critique here. It suffices to say that would the scholars
of Ḥadīth legalize a thing as filthy as backbiting as part of this so called “strategy” when the
Qur’ān has so explicitly directed to expose the fāsiq and majhūl narrators.
It also needs to be kept in consideration that regarding the impugning of narrators to be
backbiting is the work of the exponents of taṣawwuf. Since the whole edifice of taṣawwuf stands
on weak and baseless narratives, when the scholars of Ḥadīth began researching into the narrators
of a report, these people thought that if this work continued fearlessly the whole edifice of
taṣawwuf would be razed to ground. In order to safeguard themselves from this danger, the
exponents of taṣawwuf started to allege that the scholars of Ḥadīth were indulging in backbiting.
This point became very popular among the circles of taṣawwuf. This point was adopted by some
minds of the present age who dubbed it as “strategy”, and, on this basis, enunciated such a
principle which could disfigure the whole religion.
In the end, another thing about this verse should be kept in mind. Some scholars of Ḥadīth and
fiqh, while investigating the narratives of a fāsiq person, gave importance to the practical fisq
which emanated from him while disregarding the fisq of his belief and ideology. It is their opinion
that if a person is guilty of some practical fisq like telling a lie or has a bad moral conduct, then his
narrative and testimony shall no doubt not be accepted; however, if he has belief which can be
regarded as fisq, then merely on this basis his narrative or testimony shall not be rejected. In my
opinion, this view is absolutely wrong. Experience shows that the number of narratives fabricated
by people having beliefs which reflect fisq are much more than those fabricated by people whose
deeds reflect fisq. Their narratives are found in great numbers in books of sīrah, tafsīr, taṣawwuf
and history and have been misused by innovators and misguided sects. May God have mercy on
16. Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Khalid Masud (ed.) Maqalāt-i Iṣlāḥī, 1st ed. (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1991),
79-189.
the scholars who have given this concession to narrators having fisq in their beliefs and in this
manner set this ummah on a trial which is not at all easy for the upright.
In my opinion, this division between fisq in belief and fisq in practice is meaningless. There is
nothing in the Qur’ān and Ḥadīth which supports this view. The general principle stated earlier
regarding fāsiq people is in accordance with reason and revelation if it is applied to the people
who have fisq in their beliefs: their report and testimony shall be accepted in all matters in which
the report of a disbeliever is acceptable; however in important matters, in particular religious
ones, their report and testimony cannot possibly be accepted.
Section II: Verses (11-13)
In verse seven earlier, the Almighty& has mentioned the elaborate arrangement He had made to
ْ
save Muslims out of His grace from RS‫( ﻛ‬disbelief) and ‫ﻓﺴﻮق‬ْ & & (defiance) and ‫ﻋﺼﻴﺎن‬
ْ (disobedience). In
the succeeding verses, they are stopped from certain things which are contrary to faith and are of the
category of fisq. They incite mischief in the hearts which poisons the whole society and which if not
ْ & ْ ‫رﺣﻤﺂء‬
stopped, causes those who have been called ‫ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻢ‬ & & by God to become the enemies of one another.
Readers may proceed to study the succeeding verses.
ۤۡ & ۡ & ۡ AB‫ﺧ‬

ً ۡ ‫ﻳﻜﻦ‬& ۡ » ۡ ‫ﻧﺴﺂء‬ ٌ ‫ﻣﻨﻬﻢ و ﻵﻹ‬ۡ & ۡ AB‫ﺧ‬ ۡ & ‫ ۡن‬y×‫ﻋ‬
ً ۡ ‫ﻳﻜﻮﻧ & ۡﻮ‬ » ‫ﻗﻮم‬ ۡ ‫ﻗﻮم‬ ٌ ۡ <Ò‫ﻳﺴ‬
ۡ ۡ ‫ﻣﻨﻮ ﻵﻹ‬ۡ & ٰ ‫ﻟﺬﻳﻦ‬
ۡ ‫ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ‬ & »
‫ﺗﻠﻤﺰو‬ ‫ﻣﻨﻬﻦ { و ﻵﻹ‬ ‫ ن‬y×‫ﻧﺴﺂء ﻋ‬ٍ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ٍ ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ‬
ٰ &
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻣﻨﻮ‬
‫ﺟﺘﻨﺒﻮ‬
& ٰ ۡ &
‫﴾ »ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ ﻟﺬﻳﻦ‬١١﴿ ‫ﻟﻈﻠﻤﻮن‬
ۡ & ‫ﻫﻢ‬& ‫ﻓﺎوﻟ†ﻚ‬° & ‫ﻳﺘﺐ‬ۡ & ‫ﻣﻦ ۡﻟﻢ‬ۡ ‫ﻵﻹﻳﻤﺎن { و‬ &ۡ & &ۡ & ۡ
ۡ ۡ ‫ﻌﺪ‬Xۡ ‫ﻟﻔﺴﻮق‬ ۡ
‫ﺑﺎﻵﻹﻟﻘﺎب ) ﺑﺌﺲ ﻵﻹﺳﻢ‬
ۡ ۡ ۡ& ۡ& &ۡ
‫‹ﻔﺴﻜﻢ و ﻵﻹ ﺗﻨﺎﺑﺰو‬
& & ۡ & & ‫<ﻫ‬Ð‫ﻓ‬
ۡ ‫ﻣﻴﺘﺎ‬ ً ۡ ‫ﺧﻴﻪ‬ۡ ‫ﻟﺤﻢ‬ &ۡ ۡ ۡ& & & & ً ۡ ۡ & & ۡ ۡ ۡ
ۡ ‫ﻞ‬c‫ﻳﺎ‬ & ٌ ۡ ‫ﻌﺾ ﻟﻈﻦ‬Xۡ ‫ ن‬Á ‫ ﻣﻦ ﻟﻈﻦ‬AB‫ﻛﺜ‬ ًۡ
‫ﻘﻮ‬L ‫ﺘﻤﻮه ) و‬ ‫ﻌﻀﺎ ) ﻳﺤﺐ ﺣﺪ•ﻢ ن‬X ‫ﻌﻀﻜﻢ‬X ‫ﻐﺘﺐ‬P ‫ﺗﺠﺴﺴﻮۡ و ﻵﻹ‬ ‫ﺛﻢ و ﻵﻹ‬
ۡ & ٰ ۡ ٰ ‫ﻋﻨﺪ ﷲ‬ ۡ ۡ& ۡ ۡ& ۡ & ٰ ۡ ‫ و‬yÌ‫ﻣﻦ ذ—< و & ۡ ٰﻧ‬
ً ۡ & & ‫ﺟﻌﻠﻨﻜﻢ‬ ۡ & ٰ ۡ ‫ﻟﻨﺎس ﻧﺎ‬
ۡ ‫ﺧﻠﻘﻨﻜﻢ‬ & ‫ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ‬ & » ٌۡ ٌ ٰ ٰ
) ‫ﻘﻜﻢ‬L ‫ﻟﺘﻌﺎرﻓﻮ ) ن —<ﻣﻜﻢ‬ ‫ﺷﻌﻮﺑﺎ و ﻗﺒﺂ•ﻞ‬ ٍ ﴾١٢﴿ ‫ﷲ ) ن ﷲ ﺗﻮ ب رﺣﻴﻢ‬
ٌ ۡ ٰ‫نﷲ‬
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻢ‬
﴾١٣﴿ AB‫ﺧﺒ‬
Believers! Let not one group of men make fun of another; it is possible that they may fare
better than them. And let not women make fun of other women who may perhaps turn out to be
better than themselves. And do not defame one another, nor call one another by bad names. Even
the name of defiance is bad after faith. And those who do not repent are the ones who are unjust
to their souls. (11)
Believers! Avoid being overly speculative, for some speculations are a blatant sin and do not
pry on one another. And no one among you should indulge in backbiting others. Would any of
you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? So you regarded this to be abhorrent. And keep
fearing God. Indeed, God is ever inclined to accepting repentance and is Ever-Merciful. (12)
People! We have created you from one man and one woman and divided you into tribes and
clans that you might get to know one another. The noblest of you in God’s sight is he who is the
most God-conscious. Indeed, God is All-knowing and Wise. (13)
Explanation
ۤۡ & ۡ & ۡ AB‫ﺧ‬ & ۡ »
ً ۡ ‫ﻳﻜﻦ‬ ۡ & ۡ AB‫ﺧ‬
ٌ ‫ﻣﻨﻬﻢ و ﻵﻹ‬
ۡ ‫ﻧﺴﺂء‬ ۡ & ۡ & ‫ ۡن‬y×‫ﻋ‬
ً ۡ ‫ﻳﻜﻮﻧﻮ‬ » ‫ﻗﻮم‬ ٌ ۡ <Ò‫ﻳﺴ‬
ۡ ‫ﻗﻮم‬ ۡ & ٰ ‫ﻟﺬﻳﻦ‬
ۡ ۡ ‫ﻣﻨﻮ ﻵﻹ‬ & »
ۡ ‫ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ‬
‫ﺗﻠﻤﺰو‬ ‫ﻣﻨﻬﻦ { و ﻵﻹ‬ ‫ ن‬y×‫ﻧﺴﺂء ﻋ‬
ٍ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ٍ ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ‬
ٰ &
17 ۡ & ‫ﻫﻢ‬
﴾١١﴿ ‫ﻟﻈﻠﻤﻮن‬ ° & ‫ﻳﺘﺐ‬
& ‫ﻓﺎوﻟ†ﻚ‬ ۡ & ‫ﻣﻦ ۡﻟﻢ‬ ۡ ۡ ‫ﻌﺪ‬X
ۡ ‫ﻵﻹﻳﻤﺎن { و‬ &ۡ & &ۡ & ۡ
ۡ ‫ﻟﻔﺴﻮق‬ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ&
‫ﺑﺎﻵﻹﻟﻘﺎب ) ﺑﺌﺲ ﻵﻹﺳﻢ‬
& &ۡ
‫‹ﻔﺴﻜ ۡﻢ و ﻵﻹ ﺗﻨﺎﺑﺰو‬
&ۡ ٰ ‫ﻟﺬﻳﻦ‬ &
ۡ ‫ »ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ‬are not merely meant for address; further down the evils which are fisq
The words ‫ﻣﻨﻮ‬
and also contrary to faith are mentioned. This address directs the attention of the Muslims to the
fact that it is not befitting for those who have embraced faith to stain themselves with fisq.
It is neither befitting for men once they have accepted faith to make fun of other men by
regarding them to be inferior to them nor is it permitted that women should ridicule other women.
In the sight of God, it is faith and deeds which make a person noble or ignoble and true weight
carried by faith and deeds will be known on the Day of Judgement through God’s scale of justice.
It is possible that a person regards himself to be superior but on the Day of Judgement the scale of
God tells us that his faith and deeds carry no weight. It is similarly possible that he who was
never given any importance by the people of the world is given a status in the kingdom of God
which is way above given to those who regarded him to be lowly.
In the verse, women are emphatically mentioned with men even though apparently there was no
need for it. The general words ‫ﻗﻮم‬ ٌ ۡ <Ò‫ﻳﺴ‬
ۡ ‫ﻗﻮم‬
ٍ ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ۡ ۡ ‫ ﻵﻹ‬were enough for them as well. However, in the
mention of both morality and immorality, the Almighty has specially mentioned women where
they are emphatically urged to strive to gain high reward or to save them from some trial. Here it
is this second case. The evil from which men are stopped here is found if not more in women then
certainly not less than in men. Women who are conceited because they regard their family,
lineage, financial situation or apparent looks to be superior, speak in very humiliating tones to
women whom they regard inferior to themselves.
The things which have been forbidden here have a special inner aspect, and the purpose, in fact,
is to uproot it. The verse which is coming up at the end of this section points to this inner aspect.
Among the various evils invented by Satan to mislead man is the trial of superiority of one’s race,
creed, family and tribe. Those who are inflicted with this evil (and few are the fortunate who are
able to safeguard themselves from it) obviously regard others to be inferior to themselves and
when they do so, their words and attitude necessarily reflect this. A stage is reached when this air
of superiority becomes a tradition to them and, in fact, wherever they can they even regard it to be
part of religion. Thus the Brahmans in the Hindus, the Levites in the Israelites and the Quraysh in
the Arabs had acquired a holy status for themselves which was difficult for others to challenge.
This is what happened to every nation and in spite of its tall claims to human equality, this evil
persists even today. So much so, Muslims who were supposed to uproot this evil have themselves
succumbed to it and are now divided into countless tribes and clans and each regards itself to be
superior to the other. An expression to this air of superiority can be witnessed every now and then
in the statements and slogans of every race and tribe. As a natural result of this, hate and spite
arise for one another which then assume the shape of enmity and envy and the stage is reached
when they end up fighting and severing ties with one another.
Here the Qur’ān, in order to protect Muslims from this evil, has reminded them that the
Almighty by His grace took them out from the darkness of ignorance and brought them forth into
light. They should also remember that their society has been established on the principle of
ٌ ۡ ۡ& ۡ&ۡ & &
mutual brotherhood (‫ﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﻮن ﺧﻮة‬ ‫ ) ﻧﻤﺎ‬and that they have been made merciful for one another ( ‫رﺣﻤﺂء‬
17. Believers! Let not one group of men make fun of another; it is possible that they may fare better than
them. And let not women make fun of other women who may perhaps turn out to be better than themselves.
And do not defame one another, nor call one another by bad names. Even the name of defiance is bad after
faith. And those who do not repent are the ones who are unjust to their souls.
ْ & ْ ). So they must not consider some of their brothers to be inferior or ridicule and make fun of
‫ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻢ‬
them and in this manner& distort the whole set up of the society.
ۡ & ۡ AB‫ﺧ‬ &ۡ ۡ »
ً ۡ ۡ‫ﻳﻜﻮﻧﻮ‬
The words ‫ﻣﻨﻬﻢ‬ ‫ ن‬y×‫ ﻋ‬state the real wisdom in this regard: the basis of honour and respect
is not race, clan, family, tribe and nation or riches; the real basis is a person’s faith and piety, and
on the Day of Judgement it will be decided as to who in the sight of God is more noble and who in
spite of his tall claims to lineage and ancestry and vanity in his status has no significance before
the Almighty.
Consider next the expression: ‫‹ﻔﺴﻜﻢ‬ ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﺗﻠﻤﺰو‬
ۤۡ & ۡ
‫و ﻵﻹ‬.The word ‫ ﻟﻤﺰ‬means to blame someone and to say
something sarcastic to someone while gesturing towards him with the eye. Thus, for example, in
ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ& ۡ ۡ
Sūrah al-Tawbah, the words used for the hypocrites are: (٧٩:٩) .•B‫• ﻣﻦ &ﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨ‬B‫ﻠﻤﺰون &ﻟﻤﻄﻮﻋ‬ ‫( ﻟﺬﻳﻦ ﻳ‬as for
those who taunt the believers, (9:79)) i.e. when poor and indigent Muslims would spend in the way
of God from their hard-earned money, the hypocrites in order to discourage them ridiculed them to
demean them. They would typically remark: “Look at these! They are trying to become examples
of generosity.” Such statements not only reflect hate but also their arrogance. They are meant to
dishearten others or to create envy for them – and both these things spread poison in the society.
ۡ & & ۡ is used in this verse the way it is in: (٢٩:٤) ‫‹ﻔﺴﻜﻢ‬
The word ‫‹ﻔﺴﻜﻢ‬ ۡ & & ۡ ۤ‫ﻘﺘﻠﻮ‬L
ۡ & & ۡ ‫( و ﻵﻹ‬do not kill yourselves,
(4:29)). It is evident from this usage that a Muslim who censures another Muslim in fact censures
ٌ ۡ ۡ& ۡ&ۡ
his own self because all Muslims on the principle of ‫ﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﻮن ﺧﻮة‬ ‫ ﻧﻤﺎ‬are brothers to one another. In
other words, a brother who ridicules and censures another brother is as if he aimed his arrow at
his own chest and thereby wounded it.
ۡ ۡ ۡ&
The words ‫ﺗﻨﺎﺑﺰو ﺑﺎﻵﻹﻟﻘﺎب‬ mean “to call others with bad names.” Just as calling a person or a
nation with good names is to show respect and honour, calling someone with bad names is to
demean and disrespect him. Derogatory names come to the tongue very easily and their effect is
very far-reaching and permanent. The ill-will created by them remains for generations and a
nation in which this tendency increases so much that poets, literary writers, editors and leaders
spend all their intelligence in inventing bad names for their adversaries, should only pray for its
well-being; its unity is bound to get divided. It needs to be kept in consideration that this tendency
was at its peak among the Arabs. A poet and orator would be considered as the greatest in his
nation if he was unrivalled in eulogizing the superiority of his nation and in censuring and
humiliating others. If their satirical poetry is read, one can see how prominent a status they had in
this regard. This proclivity of theirs never allowed them to unite as one nation. They would
continue to try to overthrow and vanquish one another. For the first time in their history, Islam
introduced unity and the brotherhood of faith in them as a result of which they became worthy of
leading and guiding the world. The Qur’ān here has informed them of these evils of the age of
jāhiliyyah: the Almighty has blessed them with faith and Islam and hence they should value and
honour it and must not be lured away by Satan and not plunge into the abyss from which the
Almighty has saved them.
ۡ ۡ ‫ﻌﺪ‬X &ۡ & &ۡ & ۡ
ۡ ‫ﻟﻔﺴﻮق‬ ۡ ۡ ْ are
Consider the next the part of the verse: ‫ﻵﻹﻳﻤﺎن‬ ‫ﺑﺌﺲ ﻵﻹﺳﻢ‬. The words ‫ ﺑﺌﺲ‬and ‫‹ﻌﻢ‬
hyperbolic in nature. The exact meaningful translation of this sentence would be: “very evil is the
name of fisq after faith.” It is like saying: ‫ﺄﺳﻤﻪ‬c ‫( ﻟ–<ﻳﺮ‬even the word naughty is bad, let alone the
badness of being naughty). Even in our language we say: “Sir! Even the name of it stinks.”
The addition ‫ﻵﻹﻳﻤﺎن‬ ۡ ۡ ‫ﻌﺪ‬X
ۡ (after faith) is pointing to the fact that if a person had not been introduced
to faith and committed something of the nature of fisq (defiance), then this was not something
odd at all; however, once the Almighty has made someone aware of the fragrance of faith and as
& &&
ۡ ۡ IJ u ‫ﻵﻹﻳﻤﺎن و‬
ۡ ‫زﻳﻨﻪ‬ ۡ &
ۡ ‫ﻟﻴﻜﻢ‬ ٰ
& ۡ ‫( و ٰﻟﻜﻦ ﷲ ﺣﺒﺐ‬but God has endeared faith to you and
is evident from the words ‫ﻗﻠﻮﺑﻜﻢ‬
ingrained it in your hearts), then even the name of fisq should be abhorrent to him let alone fisq
being committed by him.
It is evident from the above sentence of the verse that whatever things have been prohibited in
the previous verses are of the category of fisq and the sensitivity of believers should be so sharp
& ٰ & the& very
that they hate and detest
ۡ &
name of fisq, let alone committing something of the sort.
ۡ & ° ۡ
The words: ‫ﻣﻦ ﻟﻢ ﻳﺘﺐ ﻓﺎوﻟ†ﻚ ﻫﻢ ﻟﻈﻠﻤﻮن‬ ۡ ‫ و‬very sternly warn people who even after this explanation
commit some fisq of the sort specified above. The verse means that people who do not repent on
these things should remember that they are wrong-doers. In other words, the Almighty has
delineated the blessings of faith to them and also informed them of the consequences of disbelief
and fisq. The responsibility is now on the people themselves. Those who, even after this
conclusive communication of the truth, do not desist will definitely face the consequences and
this will not be an act of injustice on the part of God; they themselves are the ones responsible for
committing this injustice unto themselves.
&ۡ ۡ ۡ& & & & ً ۡ ۡ & & ۡ ۡ ۡ ٌ ۡ ‫ﻌﺾ ﻟﻈﻦ‬X ً ۡ ‫ﺟﺘﻨﺒﻮ‬
ۡ ‫ ن‬Á ‫ ﻣﻦ ﻟﻈﻦ‬AB‫ﻛﺜ‬ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻣﻨﻮ‬ & ٰ ۡ &
ۡ ‫ﻞ‬c‫ﻳﺎ‬
‫ﻟﺤﻢ‬ ۡ & ‫ﺛﻢ و ﻵﻹ ﺗﺠ‬
‫ﻌﻀﺎ ) ﻳﺤﺐ ﺣﺪ•ﻢ ن‬X ‫ﻌﻀﻜﻢ‬X ‫ﻐﺘﺐ‬P ‫ﺴﺴﻮ و ﻵﻹ‬ ‫»ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ ﻟﺬﻳﻦ‬
18 ٌ ۡ ‫ﻘﻮ ﷲ ٰ ) ن ﷲ ٰ ﺗﻮ ٌب‬L
﴾١٢﴿ ‫رﺣﻴﻢ‬
& & ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻣﻴﺘﺎ‬
‫<ﻫﺘﻤﻮه ) و‬Ð‫ﻓ‬ ً ۡ ‫ﺧﻴﻪ‬
ۡ
Here the believers are addressed afresh and stopped from certain things which though apparently
seem trivial, yet can potentially damage the heart of a person so much that it does not remain
conducive to taqwā. Thus, people who hold faith dear must necessarily protect themselves from
such evils. The first thing mentioned is that a person should not nurture ill-founded thoughts about
others in his heart. He should not harbour whatever evil thoughts that arise in him or others. It is
but natural for good or bad thoughts to arise in one’s heart about people whom one encounters in
life. These thoughts establish or sever a person’s relationship with another. Viewed thus, it is these
thoughts which make and break relationships in a society. On the basis of the importance which
thoughts occupy, a person should not carelessly accept or reject them; on the contrary, he should
be very sharp and alive to them. In this regard, the guidance provided by Islam to its followers is
that a Muslim must always think well of others unless it is proven to him that someone is not
worthy of this. Thinking well of a person is an obvious requirement of the brotherhood of faith on
which Islam has founded its society and which has been explained earlier. On the other hand, if a
person adopts the attitude of entertaining and harbouring all sorts of ill-founded thoughts that come
to his mind, then the example of such a person is that of a hunter who becomes so blind in his
obsession for catching fish that he also catches snakes. Obviously, it is quite possible that a person
who becomes blind in his obsession for catching fish ends up losing his own life one day as a
result. The Qur’ān has stopped Muslims from this danger in that one must not start conjecturing
too much because certain conjectures are blatant sins which may ruin a person. The guidance
which emerges from this directive is that a person should not become so mentally sick as to think
ill of others; on the contrary, he should always think well of others. If the deed or words of a
person induce him to think ill of him, he should try as far as he can to make a good justification, if
18. Believers! Avoid being overly speculative, for some speculations are a blatant sin and do not pry on
one another. And no one among you should indulge in backbiting others. Would any of you like to eat the
flesh of his dead brother? So you regarded this to be abhorrent. And keep fearing God. Indeed, God is ever
inclined to accepting repentance and is Ever-Merciful.
it can be made. He should only think to the contrary when he is unable to make any sound
justification. It is better to think positively of a person who deserves to be thought of negatively
than to think negatively of a person who deserves to be thought of positively. In Ḥadīth narratives,
ٌ & ْ&ْ
a believer is eulogized as: ‫ﻟﻤﺆﻣﻦ < —<ﻳٌْﻢ‬ (a believer is noble and innocent).19 In these times, the
favourite principle of people is that they should harbour ill-thoughts for others except if they prove
themselves to be thought of otherwise; people regard this attitude to be one reflecting political
&ۡ
acumen and think that this cleverness is necessary
&
to deal with enemies. I have already explained
this under the previous sūrah’s verse: ‫ ﻟﻜﻔﺎر‬Ir‫ﺷﺪآء ﻋ‬ . However, how can this political acumen be
ۡ ۡ ۡ
true for believers when they have been directed by the Qur’ān to be •B‫ &ﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨ‬Ir‫ذﻟﺔ ﻋ‬ ٍ (polite to the
ۡ & ۡ & &
believers, (5:54)) and ‫( رﺣﻤﺂء ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻢ‬merciful to one another, (48:29)).
The second thing mentioned in the verse is ‫ﺗﺠﺴﺴﻮ‬ ۡ& ‫( وﻵﻹ‬and do not be inquisitive). Just as in the
above part positive speculation is not forbidden but negative is, here also the prohibition actually
relates to being inquisitive for an evil purpose. In other words, here the intention of a person is to
try to find some fault or mistake in the private life of another person and have access to the
secrets of his family and family life. Sometimes, the motive of this probing is jealousy for it
soothes a person to find out such facts about someone he considers his rival. At other times, the
motive is hatred and animosity: he wants to humiliate another person by informing others of his
faults. This latter tendency has now become a profession to which newspaper journalism has
given a great impetus. Some journalists are in perpetual search of scandals and the journalist who
is considered to be the most successful is the one who is able to lay his hands on a scandal in the
private life of a famous person which makes his newspaper or journal sell like hot cakes. Such
spying and probing is counter to mutual sympathy and brotherhood which are the foundations of
an Islamic society; for this reason, Muslims have been stopped from indulging in them. On the
other hand, probing which a Muslim does to find out the circumstances of another person so that
he can help him in his difficulties and needs or the spying and probing which an Islamic state
does to be fully informed about the circumstances of its citizens, is neither implied here nor is it
prohibited. On the contrary, such spying is a very virtuous act on the part of a neighbour so that
he is aware of the circumstances and problems which his neighbour is encountering and is able to
help him out. Similarly, for a state, this attitude is not just an act of virtue, it is in fact its
responsibility to arrange to be informed of the good or bad circumstances of its citizens so that it
is able to properly discharge its duties. &
ًۡ ۡ &ۡ ۡ ۡ
The third directive mentioned is ‫ﻌﻀﺎ‬X ‫ﻌﻀﻜﻢ‬X ‫ﻐﺘﺐ‬P ‫( و ﻵﻹ‬and do not indulge in backbiting). Backbiting
means speaking about the flaws of a person in his absence. The fact that this is done in his
absence incorporates in the very meaning of backbiting the aspect that the targeted person does
not get to know of it. In pursuance of keeping it secret, a backbiter gives his statements before
people who hold the same opinion and are his confidants in sharing the objective with him or at
least are people about whom he is sure that they are not ones who sympathize with the person he
is targeting and will not reveal this secret to him. It is this aspect of backbiting which makes it a
detestable and despicable act because through it neither is the objective of supporting the cause
of the truth achieved nor is there any hope of reforming anyone through it. Through it, a coward
is only able to vent his emotions.
There are some “positive-minded” people who think that every form of mentioning evil is
backbiting. They think that the jarḥ of the Ḥadīth scholars on the narrators, bearing witness against
19. Abū Dā’ūd Sulymān ibn al-Ash‘ath al-Sajistānī, Sunan, vol. 4 (n.p.: Dār al-fikr, n.d.), 251, (no. 4790).
someone in the court, censuring someone on an evil, reporting someone to the police, divulging a
bad habit of a person to someone who wants to seek advice about him and other similar things all
come under the head of backbiting; however, they have been deemed permissible because of
“strategy.” From here, they enunciate a legal precept: all the prohibitions of the sharī‘ah are not
eternal; hence they have the right to make them permissible if their strategy deems so. In my
opinion, this is a great evil against religion and can lead to several other evils. Thus I have written
independent articles to refute this view,20 and here in this exegesis too, I will, in a succeeding
section, throw light on some of itsۡ aspects.
& ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻣﻴﺘﺎ‬
ً ۡ ‫ﺧﻴﻪ‬ & ۡ ۡ& & & &
ۡ ‫ﻞ‬c‫ﻳﺎ‬
ۡ ‫ﻟﺤﻢ‬
The words ‫<ﻫﺘﻤﻮه‬Ð‫ﻓ‬ ‫ ﻳﺤﺐ ﺣﺪ•ﻢ ن‬are meant to explain the horrific nature of backbiting
with an example: a person who speaks ill of his brother in his absence is as if he is eating his flesh
while he is dead and is unable to defend himself in any way. No one will like this; so when no one
can tolerate it, why do people indulge in a similar despicable act of backbiting? The word ‫ﻣﻴﺘﺎ‬
ً ۡ is an
ۡ
accusative of state from the muḍāf found in ‫ ﺧﻴﻪ‬. This is a portrayal of his helplessness in
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻘﻮ ﷲ ٰ ) ن ﷲ ٰ ﺗﻮ ٌب‬L
defending himself.
&
The words ‫رﺣﻴﻢ‬ ‫ و‬sound a warning as well as urge people to repent and reform
themselves. The verse says: Fear God; those who become used to consuming the meat of their
brother without any cost start cherishing this so much that they end up losing their faith. God has
sounded a timely warning to them that they should try to protect themselves from this danger
through repentance and self-reformation. If they repent, God is very eager to forgive them and to
show mercy to them.
There are six things from which a person is stopped in these two verses (11 and 12). A little
deliberation shows that the first of these three: making fun, defaming others and calling others by
bad names are evils which a person commits openly; the other three evils: making bad estimations,
being inquisitive and backbiting relate to the private lives of people and are done in the absence of
the discussed person among close associates. Both these types of evil are forbidden on the basis of
ۡ
the Islamic principle of tazkiyah (self-purification) which is mentioned in the Qur’ān by the words:
u
(١٢٠:٦) ‫ﺑﺎﻃﻨﻪ‬ ‫ذرو ﻇﺎﻫﺮ ﻵ ۡﻹﺛﻢ و‬
ۡ & ‫( و‬and leave the hidden and the apparent aspect of a sin, (6:120)). Until a
person cleanses himself of the evils which relate to his inner-self, the awareness of the fact that
God knows what is hidden is not fully grounded in him. Without this, there is no responsibility of
taqwā nurturing in a person’s heart.
ٌ ۡ ٰ ‫ﻘﻜﻢ ) ن ﷲ‬L
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻢ‬ ۡ ۡ& ۡ
ۡ & ٰ ۡ ٰ ‫ﻋﻨﺪ ﷲ‬ ۡ& ۡ & ٰ ۡ ‫ و‬yÌ‫ﻣﻦ ذ—< و & ۡ ٰﻧ‬
ً ۡ & & ‫ﺟﻌﻠﻨﻜﻢ‬ ۡ & ٰ ۡ ‫ﻟﻨﺎس ﻧﺎ‬
ۡ ‫ﺧﻠﻘﻨﻜﻢ‬ & »
& ‫ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ‬
21
﴾١٣﴿ AB‫ﺧﺒ‬ ‫ﻟﺘﻌﺎرﻓﻮ ) ن —<ﻣﻜﻢ‬ ‫ﺷﻌﻮﺑﺎ و ﻗﺒﺂ•ﻞ‬ ٍ
By means of this general address, the evil of showing pride and vanity on one’s lineage, family
and tribe is uprooted in one stroke! People are told to fully keep in mind the fact that they are the
progeny of one man and woman: all mankind was created from Adam and Eve; for this reason, no
one holds superiority to others as far as his species is concerned. People have been divided into
families and tribes only for identification and introduction. The Almighty has not granted superior
status to any special family so that those belonging to it become more respectful in His eyes and
they start regarding themselves to be superior to others. Just as the Almighty has made people
distinct as far as their looks, colour and physiques are concerned so that people can identify one
20. See: Amīn, Aḥsan, Iṣlāḥī, Maqālāt-i Iṣlāḥī, 1st ed. (Lahore Faran Foundation, 1991), 79-189. (Translator)
21. People! We have created you from one man and one woman and divided you into tribes and clans
that you might get to know one another. The noblest of you in God’s sight is he who is the most God-
conscious. Indeed, God is All-knowing and Wise.
another, in the same manner he has created the divisions of families and tribes so that people can
recognize one another. It has no significance beyond this. Thus the people of a family and clan
should not think, in conceit, that they are more respectful in the sight of God and that they have
been granted superiority to others. The basis of respect in the sight of God is taqwā. The most
respectful in the sight of God is he who fears Him the most and is the most vigilant in abiding by
ٌ ۡ ٰ ‫ ن ﷲ‬imply that the Almighty will not be bothered the slightest in judging
the bounds and limits set by Him.
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻢ‬
The words AB‫ﺧﺒ‬
people on the basis of this standard. He knows everything and has knowledge of each and every
word and deed of every person. He who is worthy of respect shall certainly gain a place of respect
however unknown and of lowly origin he may be. And he who is not worthy of it, will be flung
by the Almighty into a pit he deserves even though he may belong to a family as noble as the
Quraysh and the Hashimites.
Some Guidance provided by the Previous Section of Verses
The guidance provided by the previous section of verses has been explained below them as far
as was required; however, the evils of inquisitiveness and backbiting need further explanation
which follows.
Since in these times the concept of freedom of an individual is so prevalent, some people think
that just as Islam has stopped people from prying into the affairs of others, it has also stopped
governments from prying into the affairs of its citizens. It should hold them accountable only in
matters which openly come to their notice. As far as household affairs are concerned, they are
beyond its jurisdiction of accountability. In support of this view, some people have cited the
incident of the caliph ‘Umar (rta)22 in which one night he heard a person who was singing in his
house. Being suspicious, he climbed the wall; he saw that liquor as well as a woman was present.
He called out: “O Enemy of God! Do you think that you will disobey God and God will not
reveal your secret?” The person responded by saying: “O Caliph of the Believers! Be not in haste;
if I have sinned, you have committed three sins at the same time: God has forbidden
inquisitiveness and you have done it; God has directed us to enter houses through their doors and
you have entered by climbing the wall; God has directed not to enter a house without seeking
permission and you have entered my house without my permission.” At this, ‘Umar (rta)
acknowledged his mistake and did not proceed against that person; however, he did take a
promise from him to adopt the way of righteousness.
Some people have recorded this narrative in books which relate to high morals and which urge
and warn people to adopt good. However, neither is it reliable with regard to its chain of narration
nor with regard to its content. As far as the weakness of the chain of narration is concerned, it
suffices to say that many, especially the proponents of taṣawwuf do not, in principle, give any
importance to investigation of chain of narration in matters of morality and exhortation. If a story
carries an effective message, they readily cite it in their books without assessing its content and
chain of narration.
As far as the text of the narrative which reports this incident is concerned, deliberation on it
will show that it makes little sense.
22. See, for example: Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ghazālī, Iḥyā’ ‘ulūm al-Dīn, vol. 2
(Beirut: Dār al-ma‘rifah, n.d.), 201.
Firstly, it is quite improbable that a person in Madīnah and that too in the times of the caliph
‘Umar (rta) indulge in such merry-making in such a loud manner that he was overheard by ‘Umar
(rta) who chanced by and who thus had to interfere in this indecency. If right in the centre of the
empire Satan was so bold in his practices of luring people, then it has to be conceded that even
‘Umar (rta) could not over-awe Satan even though the Prophet (sws) is reported to have said that
Satan coils away from the path treaded by ‘Umar (rta).
Secondly, if this incident is true, it will have to be conceded that ‘Umar (rta) was not even
aware of the directives of the Qur’ān and Ḥadīth as per which one was not allowed to enter
houses by scaling walls and it was necessary to seek permission by offering salutations from
outside; if permission was granted, one was to enter otherwise the person was to silently return
after offering the salutations thrice. Can any sane person believe that a merry-maker for the first
time informed ‘Umar (rta) of these explicit directives of the Qur’ān and Ḥadīth. ‘Umar (rta) never
got a chance, God forbid, to recite Sūrah al-Nūr and Sūrah al-Ḥujurāt.
Thirdly, if ‘Umar (sws) so obediently accepted these three mistakes, why did he not direct his
governors and administrators to stop prying in the houses of people by confessing that till then he
was at fault and that now he had realized his mistake? His act at the same time contains three
practices which are against the sharī‘ah; they should let people create whatever rumpus they want
to create in their houses; if they have any doubt, they should offer the ceremonial salutations at
the door step and seek permission for entry and if they are given permission, only then they
should enter otherwise they should return after thrice offering these salutations. As far as I know,
not only did ‘Umar (rta) not send such a directive, there are numerous incidents recorded in
history which show that his administrators continued to pry and be inquisitive and ‘Umar (rta)
himself indulged in this to the extent that when infants would cry at night, he would try to find
out the reason for this.
Fourthly, if this narrative is accepted, it will have to be conceded that if in an Islamic state
some people consume liquor in the confines of their houses, indulge in lecherous activities with
women of loose character and throw dance and music parties and even accumulate ammunition
like bombs and Sten guns, even then the police has no right to enter their houses and disturb their
merry-making. So much so, even the caliph of the time does not have the authority to dare enter
the houses of people without permission and if ever by mistake he does so, he should only gently
ask the inhabitants to abstain from such an activity.
Though this narrative did not deserve any attention, yet in these times since people who are
trying to establish an Islamic government have very emphatically presented it, I was forced to
write these afore-mentioned paragraphs. Nonetheless, this narrative, in my opinion, is absolutely
unreliable. An Islamic government is not only responsible for the peace, justice and security of a
country, it also looks after the character and conduct of its citizens. Thus it has the right to pry
wherever there is a doubt; however, exercising each right has some moral and legal restrictions
which a government must also keep in consideration. If a government does not abide by these
restrictions and even if there is no one to stop it from this high-handedness it shall be regarded as
a criminal act in the sight of God. This is because it has wrongly exercised a right given to it to
protect the citizens and their peace and justice. Instead of doing so, they harassed innocent
citizens through its means.
As far as general masses are concerned, it is essential that they keep in consideration the
following things:
– inquisitiveness and prying which is for the purpose of good, is based on pious intention and
objective, is not only not forbidden, as has been explained earlier, it is in fact a very virtuous
deed. The Qur’ān has directed believers to look for the self respecting poor and to try to take the
initiative in reaching them; they should not be expected to ardently beg for their needs.
– if there is a doubt about someone that his clandestine activities are a danger to the life, honour
and wealth of innocent people or he wants to harm the peace, justice and security of the country,
then people should not ignore him thinking that his activities are not their business. People should
try to reform him and if it is not possible for them, then help should be sought from those who are
in a position to do so or are able to stop him. This responsibility has been taught to the believers
by giving the example of the passengers of a ship.23
– If a personal mistake of a person which is confined to his own self comes to the notice of
someone, he should try to counsel him if he is in a position to do so. If he is not, he should ignore
his fault and conceal it. God also hides the flaws of people who hide the faults of others.
However, if this fault is contagious in nature, then a person should follow the directive of the
Prophet (sws) which relates to curbing evil.
The dominant reason in people not being able to understand the Qur’ān and Ḥadīth is because
people do not reflect on the occasion and background of Qur’ānic verses and prophetic narratives.
No doubt, there are narratives which mention concealing the sins of a Muslim brother; however,
if a person, merely on the basis of these narratives, passes the verdict that one should not have
any concern regarding the vice and virtue of others and that one must mind one’s own business
and that if some evil comes to one’s notice, one should conceal it so that in the Hereafter God
conceals our sins too, then though there is a narrative to support this verdict, it will cause great
confusion in the minds of people. This is because there are narratives which explicitly state that if
a person sees an evil he should curb it with his hands; if this is not possible, he should try to curb
it through his tongue and if even this is not possible, he should regard it to be evil in his heart;
there is no level of faith below it.24
This confusion obviously has arisen because enough effort has not been expended into
determining the occasion and background of both these narratives. If this is ascertained, no
confusion arises. If a person is urinating while standing, one can ignore him thinking that he
might have some excuse; if the excuse is not evident, one can even earnestly counsel him that
urinating in this manner is against the norms of decency as well as against Islamic etiquette. If
one is not in a position to counsel him, then one should hide this ill-mannered behaviour of his
and not advertise it. Inshā’Allāh, God will reward this act. However, if it is known about a person
that he has set up a liquor manufacturing plant in his house or has stacked hashish or has hidden
arms and ammunition or is running a brothel and one who is in a position to report this to the
authorities covers it up thinking that God will cover his sins on the Day of Judgement, then this,
in my opinion, is mere wishful thinking. People who adopt this attitude might end up losing their
faith, let alone earning reward.
On the issue of backbiting as well, these people have created a similar confusion because of a
lack of deliberation. They have forgotten that just as the Qur’ān and Ḥadīth mention the
prohibition of backbiting they have similarly positively directed Muslims in a very explicit
manner to assess reporting by investigating the narrators, to bear true witness, to curb evil and to
be well-wishers of Muslims. When the question arose of reconciling these two types of directives
23. The parable goes like this: If anyone finds a passenger of a ship chopping a hole in the hull, it is his
duty to take the axe away, however he has to do that, or else everyone will drown.
24. See, for example: Muslim, Al-Jāmi‘ al-ṣaḥīḥ, 42, (no. 177).
and people could not understand how this could be done, they reconciled them by saying that all
these things came under the head of backbiting but they have been declared lawful because of
strategy. This is in spite of the fact that investigation of narrators, bearing witness, curbing evil
and well-wishing of Muslims are not merely allowed in religion; they have in fact been made
obligatory by it. The grace and perfection of the Islamic system depend on them. The discipline
of sharī‘ah is based on investigation of narrators; bearing witness is the responsibility of this
ummah for which it had been instituted in this world. The life and sustenance of this ummah has
been made dependent by God on the responsibility of curbing evil; similarly, being well-wishers
of Muslims is not only a requirement of being in the fraternity it is also a requirement of faith, as
has been mentioned in this sūrah. As far as backbiting is concerned, it has a specific sphere which
I have already explained while discussing the verse. Its prohibition in no way stops or interferes
in religious obligations, nor under a strategy does it need to be legalized to carry them out.
Neither have the scholars of Ḥadīth allowed it nor revivalists nor reformers and nor can ever a
need arise for a Muslim to allow it in order to fulfil certain religious obligations imposed on him.
If ever this need can arise, it can only be for the people who have made the Islamic sharī‘ah a
playground for their strategy.
Section III: Verse (15-18)
Coming up are the closing verses of the sūrah in which the inner personalities of people whose
attitude was condemned in the first five verses are revealed. I had indicated earlier that certain
tribes which lived around Madīnah had entered the fold of the Muslims when they saw the rising
might of Islam; however, since they were far off from the centre, they were lacking in training
and instruction. For this reason, they harboured the conceited notion that they had done a great
favour to the Prophet (sws) and to Islam as they had embraced faith without any war being waged
against them. It is obvious that in such a state of mind how could they have displayed the
manners and etiquette that their faith entailed? Thus they, at times, would do something against
proper etiquette for which they were rebuked in the initial verses. However, the nature of address
was general so that whichever ones were inflicted with these blemishes could reform themselves.
Consequently, the guidance this situation demanded was given. Now, here at the end, they are
addressed by name and their real malady has been exposed so that they turn towards its remedy.
The reason is that in its presence, it is impossible for faith to blossom.
In the light of this background, readers may recite the succeeding verses:
ۡ ‫ﻳﻠﺘﻜﻢ‬
‫ﻣﻦ‬ u ۡ & ‫ﺗﻄﻴﻌﻮ ﷲ ٰ و‬
ۡ & ۡ ‫رﺳﻮﻟﻪ ﻵﻹ‬ ۡ & ۡ & & IJۡ ‫ﻵﻹﻳﻤﺎن‬
& ۡ & ‫ﻗﻠﻮﺑﻜﻢ ) و ۡن‬ & ۡ ۡ ‫ﻳﺪﺧﻞ‬ & ۡ ۡ ۡ ۤ‫ﻗﻮﻟﻮ‬
‫ﺳﻠﻤﻨﺎ و ﻟﻤﺎ‬ ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﻟﻜﻦ‬ ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﻗﻞ ۡﻟﻢ‬
ۡ ٰ ‫ﺗﺆﻣﻨﻮ و‬ ۡ & ) ‫ﻵﻹ¬< &ب ٰ ﻣﻨﺎ‬ ۡ ۡ
‫ﻗﺎﻟﺖ‬
ۡ & ۡ ۡ ‫ﺑﺎﻣﻮ‬ۡ ‫ﺟﻬﺪو‬ۡ & ٰ ‫ﻳﺮﺗﺎﺑﻮ و‬ &
ۡ & ۡ ‫رﺳﻮﻟﻪ ﺛﻢ ۡﻟﻢ‬ ٰ &
ۡ ٰ ‫ﻟﺬﻳﻦ‬ &
ۡ ۡ & ۡ ‫﴾ ﻧﻤﺎ‬١٤﴿ ‫رﺣﻴﻢ‬ ٌۡ & ٰ ًۡ ۡ& ۡ
ۡ IJۡ ‫‹ﻔﺴﻬﻢ‬
‫ﺳﺒﻴﻞ‬ ‫ﻟﻬﻢ و‬ ٖ ۡ & ‫ﻣﻨﻮ ﺑﺎﷲ و‬ ۡ ‫ﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﻮن‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ﻏﻔﻮر‬ ‫ﺷﻴﺌﺎ ) ن ﷲ‬ ‫ﻋﻤﺎﻟﻜﻢ‬
&ۡ & & ٰ ۡ ۡ IJ ‫ﻟﺴﻤﻮت و ﻣﺎ‬ ٰ
& ۡ & ‫ﺑﺪﻳﻨﻜﻢ ) و ﷲ‬
ٰ ٰ IJ ‫ﻌﻠﻢ ﻣﺎ‬P & ٰ & ۡ & ﴾١٥﴿ ‫ﻟﺼﺪﻗﻮن‬ ۡ & ٰ ‫ﻫﻢ‬ & & ‫وﻟ†ﻚ‬° & ) ٰ ‫ﷲ‬
ٌ ۡ ‫ء‬yz
‫﴾ ﻳﻤﻨﻮن‬١٦﴿ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻢ‬ ٍ ۡ ‫ﻵﻹرض ) و ﷲ & ﺑ¯ﻞ‬ ۡ ۡ ۡ & ‫ﻗﻞ‬
‫ﻌﻠﻤﻮن ﷲ‬L
‫ﻏﻴﺐ‬ & ۡ ٰ ‫﴾ ن ﷲ‬١٧﴿ •B‫ﺻﺪﻗ‬
ۡ ‫ﻌﻠﻢ‬P ۡ ٰ ۡ&ۡ& ۡ
‫ﻟﻶﻹﻳﻤﺎن ن ﻛﻨﺘﻢ‬ ۡ & ٰ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻜﻢ ۡن‬
ۡ ۡ ‫ﻜﻢ‬ê‫ﻫﺪ‬ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻳﻤﻦ‬ & & & ٰ ‫ﺳﻶﻹﻣﻜﻢ { ﺑﻞ ﷲ‬
ۡ & ۡ Ir‫ﺗﻤﻨﻮ ﻋ‬ ۡ & & ‫ﻗﻞ ﻵﻹ‬ ۡ & ) ۡ‫ﺳﻠﻤﻮ‬
& ۡ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻚ ۡن‬ ۡ
ۢ ٌ ۡ & ٰ ‫ﻵﻹرض ) و ﷲ‬
ۡ & ۡ ‫ ﺑﻤﺎ‬AB‫ﺑﺼ‬
﴾١٨﴿ ‫ﻌﻤﻠﻮن‬L ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﺴﻤﻮت و‬
ٰٰ
The Bedouins declared: “We have embraced faith.” Tell them: “You have not embraced faith;
rather say: “We have shown obedience,” and faith has not yet found its way into your hearts. And
if you obey God and the Messenger, God will not reduce your deeds the slightest. God is
Forgiving and Merciful. True believers are those who professed faith in God and His Messenger
and then were never inflicted with any doubt, and who fought with their wealth and with their
persons for the cause of God. Such are the truthful. (14-15)
Tell them: “Are you informing God of your religion, even though God knows what is in the
heavens and in the earth and God has knowledge of all things?” (16)
They regard embracing Islam to be a favour to you: Tell them: “Do not regard embracing faith to
be a favour to me; in fact, it is God’s favour to you that He guided you to faith, if you are truthful.
God knows all that is hidden in the heavens and the earth. And God is watching whatever you do.”
(17-18)
Explanation
ۡ ‫ﻳﻠﺘﻜﻢ‬
‫ﻣﻦ‬ u ۡ & ‫ﺗﻄﻴﻌﻮ ﷲ ٰ و‬
ۡ & ۡ ‫رﺳﻮﻟﻪ ﻵﻹ‬ ۡ & ۡ & & IJۡ ‫ﻵﻹﻳﻤﺎن‬
& ۡ & ‫ﻗﻠﻮﺑﻜﻢ ) و ۡن‬ & ۡ
& ۡ ۡ ‫ﻳﺪﺧﻞ‬ ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﻟﻜﻦ‬
ۡ ۡ ۤ‫ﻗﻮﻟﻮ‬
‫ﺳﻠﻤﻨﺎ و ﻟﻤﺎ‬ ۡ ٰ ‫ﺗﺆﻣﻨﻮ و‬ ۡ & ) ‫ﻵﻹ¬< &ب ٰ ﻣﻨﺎ‬
ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﻗﻞ ۡﻟﻢ‬ ۡ ۡ
‫ﻗﺎﻟﺖ‬
ٰ
ٌ ۡ & ‫ﺷﻴﺌﺎ ) ن ﷲ‬
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻏﻔﻮر‬ ًۡ ۡ ۡ&
25
﴾١٤﴿ ‫رﺣﻴﻢ‬ ‫ﻋﻤﺎﻟﻜﻢ‬
The Bedouins alluded to in this verse refer to the villagers who lived in the environs of Madīnah
and who have been mentioned earlier in the sūrah as the ones who, when they conversed with the
Prophet, (sws) addressed him in the manner they would address someone equal to them. When
they went to meet him, their wish would be that the Prophet (sws) meet them without any delay as
soon they arrived. So much so, if he was in his house, they would not care to wait and would start
calling his name from outside his house. This rudeness in their conduct was not only due to lack of
training and instruction but also because they thought that they had done a favour to the Prophet
(sws) by embracing faith without waging war. As a result, they reckoned that they should be
rewarded by the Prophet (sws) considering they had done a favour to him and that he should at all
times pamper them. It is this mentality of theirs which is criticized here.
ۡ ۡ
The words ‫ ﻗﺎﻟﺖ ﻵﻹ¬< &ب ٰ ﻣﻨﺎ‬mean: The Bedouins say: “We have embraced faith.” By this statement
of theirs, they did not merely lay claim to faith but as will become evident from later verses they
said this to express their having done a favour to the Prophet (sws). At every instance, they would
try to communicate to the Prophet (sws) that by embracing faith they had increased his respect
and honour. They also reckoned that they were worthy as a result of that and that the Prophet
(sws) give them due consideration and whole-heartedly accept whatever suggestions they gave.
ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﻟﻜﻦ‬
ۡ ۡ ۤ‫ﻗﻮﻟﻮ‬
The words ‫ﺳﻠﻤﻨﺎ‬ ۡ ٰ ‫ﺗﺆﻣﻨﻮ و‬ ۡ & actually form an answer given to those people through the
ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﻗﻞ ۡﻟﻢ‬
tongue of the Prophet (sws). They are told that their claim to faith is not true; the only claim they
can make is that of obedience. The word ‫ ْﺳﻶﻹم‬is used here in its literal meaning: “outward
obedience.” The real meaning of ‫ ْﺳﻶﻹم‬is to submit totally to God. However, it is also used merely
in the meaning of outward obedience. I have explained both these meanings at an appropriate
place in this exegesis. Here it is used in the second of these meanings. It has been mentioned
earlier that these people had accepted Islam because they were over-awed with its rising political
force and not because of the call itself. For this reason, the spirit of Islam had not yet found its
25. The Bedouins declared: “We have embraced faith.” Tell them: “You have not embraced faith; rather
say: “We have shown obedience,” and faith has not yet found its way into your hearts. And if you obey
God and the Messenger, God will not reduce your deeds the slightest. God is Forgiving and Merciful.
way in their hearts; they had only come into subservience to the political sovereignty of Islam.
Pointing to this reality they are told that it is not correct for them to lay claim to faith; all they can
say is that they have become subservient to the political force of Islam. Concealed in this answer
is the fact that since this is the case, they have done no favour and should not be presented thus;
this too is a form of subservience; the only difference is that they have been made subservient
without waging& any war and this is not something which they can boast about as a favour.
ۡ ۡ & & IJ
The words ‫ﻗﻠﻮﺑﻜﻢ‬ ۡ ‫ﻵﻹﻳﻤﺎن‬ & ۡ
& ۡ ۡ ‫ﻳﺪﺧﻞ‬ ‫ و ﻟﻤﺎ‬express the fact that they should not make tall claims to faith. It
has knocked at the doors of their hearts but has not yet entered them. Such faith is not acceptable
to God. The faith acceptable to God is one which takes strong root and influences one so much
that it becomes difficult
ًۡ ۡ& ۡ ۡ ۡ&ۡ u ۡ & ٰ & ۡor& do
for a person to think
ۡ
something disregarding it.
The words ‫ و ن ﺗﻄﻴﻌﻮ ﷲ و رﺳﻮﻟﻪ ﻵﻹ ﻳﻠﺘﻜﻢ ﻣﻦ ﻋﻤﺎﻟﻜﻢ ﺷﻴﺌﺎ‬sound a warning to them at their attitude of
boastfulness under discussion. Why should they boast about accepting faith and doing some
service to Islam? God is not going to reduce any of their deeds; in fact, he is going to reward
every deed, big or small. They will be rewarded seventy times for a good deed. Each deed of
theirs will be useful only to them and not to God. So when they are doing something to benefit
ٌ ۡ & ٰ ‫ ن ﷲ‬mean that God is forgiving and ever merciful. He will forgive their
their own selves, why should they express this as a favour to God and His Prophet (sws)?
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻏﻔﻮر‬
The words ‫رﺣﻴﻢ‬
blemishes and faults and not reduce their reward to the slightest extent. There should not be the
minutest fear that He will use their small faults as an excuse to reduce the weight of their deeds.
Also implied here is that if till then they had wrongly felt that they had done a favour to God
and His Prophet (sws) by doing some service, they should now reform themselves after this
warning. They should seek forgiveness from God. He will forgive them. He is Most-Forgiving
and Ever-Merciful.
26
﴾١٥﴿ ‫ﻟﺼﺪﻗﻮن‬ & & ‫وﻟ†ﻚ‬° & ) ٰ ‫ﺳﺒﻴﻞ ﷲ‬
ۡ & ٰ ‫ﻫﻢ‬ ۡ IJ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻟﻬﻢ و‬
ۡ ‫‹ﻔﺴﻬﻢ‬ ۡ ‫ﺟﻬﺪو‬
ۡ ‫ﺑﺎﻣﻮ‬ ۡ & ۡ ‫رﺳﻮﻟﻪ &ﺛﻢ ۡﻟﻢ‬
ۡ & ٰ ‫ﻳﺮﺗﺎﺑﻮ و‬ ٰ ۡ& ٰ ۡ
ٖ ۡ & ‫ﻣﻨﻮ ﺑﺎﷲ و‬ ۡ & ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻧﻤﺎ‬
‫ﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﻮن ﻟﺬﻳﻦ‬
It is said that every claimant to faith cannot be regarded as a believer. True believers in the
sight of God are only those who profess faith in God and His Prophet (sws) with their hearts and
then are never inflicted with any doubt; they wage war in the cause of God through both their
persons and their wealth. They spend their wealth for the support of religion and if the need arises
to sacrifice their lives, they never desist from it. The verse says that it is these people who are true
in their claim to faith. Those who make tall claims to faith but because of their hesitancy are
neither ready to bear any loss for the cause nor have the courage to sacrifice their life and wealth
for it are only boastful fanatics. They have noۡ worth in the sight of God.
ۡ & ‫ﻟﻬﻢ و‬
Deliberation will show that the words ‫‹ﻔﺴﻬﻢ‬ ۡ & ٰ ‫ و‬are mentioned to show their clarity and
ۡ ‫ﺟﻬﺪو‬
ۡ ‫ﺑﺎﻣﻮ‬
lack of hesitancy. If a person does not abstain from sacrificing his life and wealth to achieve his
objective, then this is an irrefutable evidence of the fact that he is fully convinced of the veracity of
his objective. If he is neither willing to sacrifice his wealth nor endanger his life, then however
vehemently he declares his love for his objective, his practice shows that he is still not convinced of
it.
26. True believers are those who professed faith in God and His Messenger and then were never inflicted
with any doubt, and who fought with their wealth and with their persons for the cause of God. Such are the
truthful.
& ٰ ۡ ۡ IJ ‫ﻟﺴﻤﻮت و ﻣﺎ‬ & ۡ & ٰ ‫ﺑﺪﻳﻨﻜﻢ ) و ﷲ‬
ٰ ٰ IJ ‫ﻌﻠﻢ ﻣﺎ‬P ۡ & ۡ ٰ ‫ﻌﻠﻤﻮن ﷲ‬L
ۡ & & ‫ﻗﻞ‬
ۡ &
27
﴾١٦﴿ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻢ‬ ٍ ۡ ‫ﻵﻹرض ) و ﷲ & ﺑ¯ﻞ‬
ٌ ۡ ‫ء‬yz
These people very condescendingly say that they have embraced faith. The Prophet (sws) is
told to ask them whether they are trying to inform God of their faith. If this is what they have in
mind, then they he should tell them that He knows whatever is between the heavens and the earth
and is aware of everything. He is both potentially and practically aware of everything. Nothing
can remain hidden from Him. The implication is that if they are very proud of their faith, then
they should boast it before someone who is unaware of it. What use is it of boasting it before
someone who is aware of everything – open or hidden – in this universe? Would He Who knows
everything not know the extent of their faith?
28 ۡ ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﻟﻶﻹﻳﻤﺎن ۡن‬

﴾١٧﴿ •B‫ﻛﻨﺘﻢ ٰﺻﺪﻗ‬ ۡ & ٰ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻜﻢ ۡن‬
ۡ ۡ ‫ﻜﻢ‬ê‫ﻫﺪ‬ & & & ٰ ‫ﻣﻜﻢ { ﺑﻞ ﷲ‬
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻳﻤﻦ‬ ۡ & & ‫ﻗﻞ ﻵﻹ‬
ۡ & ‫ ۡﺳﻶﻹ‬Ir‫ﺗﻤﻨﻮ ﻋ‬ ۡ & ) ‫ﺳﻠﻤﻮ‬
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻚ ۡن‬ ۡ&&
ۡ ‫ﻳﻤﻨﻮن‬
After revealing the reality behind their claim to faith, their claim to Islam is also brought to
light. These people express their favour to the Prophet (sws) in that they have accepted Islam. In
other words, it is their conceited claim that by accepting Islam they have increased his respect and
increased the majesty of Islam. Thus they regard themselves to have done a favour to Islam and
the Prophet (sws) and think that it is the duty of the Prophet (sws) to respect the favour they have
done to him. The verse says that the Prophet (sws) should tell them to not boast of their favour to
him. If they are really truthful in their claim, then they have not done a favour to the Prophet
(sws) rather it is God Who has done them a favour in that He has guided them to faith. The words
ۡ ۡ & ۡ & ‫ ۡن‬should be deliberated upon. They imply that in the very first place, their claim to faith
•B‫ﻛﻨﺘﻢ ٰﺻﺪﻗ‬
is mere bragging and if there is some truth in their claim, then they should be grateful to God that
He has given them the willingness to accept it. The preposition of ‫ ل‬after ‫ ﻫﺪ •ﻢ‬incorporates the
meaning of “urge and willingness” (tawfīq) in this sentence. I have already explained this style at
an appropriate place in this exegesis.
It is evident from this discussion that if a person does a small or great service to religion, he
neither does a favour to God and His Messenger nor to religion; in fact, he does a favour to his
own self because he sows seeds for his own future. It is God Who has actually done him a favour
by giving him the urge and willingness to serve His religion and in this way opened up the way to
eternal success for him. Here it needs to be kept in mind that the answer has not been given by the
tongue of the Prophet (sws) to these people viz. they should not say that they have done a favour
to him; it is his favour to them that he has opened the way of guidance to them. Had his answer
been given, there was a place for it; however, what best a prophet can do is to expend all his
efforts in trying to bring people to the right path; he does not, however, have the authority to grant
them the urge and willingness to accept faith. That comes only by the authority of God and the
whole matter depends on this very urge and willingness.
ٌۢ ۡ ٰ
29 ۡ & ۡ ‫ ﺑﻤﺎ‬AB‫ﺑﺼ‬
﴾١٨﴿ ‫ﻌﻤﻠﻮن‬L ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﺴﻤﻮت و‬
& ‫ﻵﻹرض ) و ﷲ‬ ٰ ٰ ‫ﻏﻴﺐ‬ & ۡ ٰ‫نﷲ‬
ۡ ‫ﻌﻠﻢ‬P
The subject discussed in verse 16 is brought up here in a different style: they should not present
27. Tell them: “Are you informing God of your religion, even though God knows what is in the heavens
and in the earth and God has knowledge of all things?”
28. They regard embracing Islam to be a favour to you: Tell them: “Do not regard embracing faith to be a
favour to me; in fact, it is God’s favour to you that He guided you to faith, if you are truthful.”
29. “God knows all that is hidden in the heavens and the earth. And God is watching whatever you do.”
their faith and religion as means of expressing their favour to the Prophet (sws) and to Islam. God
is fully aware of all the secrets of the heavens and the earth and people should bear in mind that
God is watching all their deeds. The implication is that the real thing is not the claim but to
practice what they claim. If they practice thus, their claim will find weight with God even if they
do not express it and if they do not, then it will have no weight before Him however vociferously
they make this claim.
ٰ ٰ & ْ ْ
With the blessing of God, I come to the end of the exegesis of this group. ‫ ذﻟﻚ‬Ir‫ﻓﺎﻟﺤﻤﺪ ﷲ ﻋ‬ (so
gratitude be to God for this).
Raḥmānābād,
13th December, 1976 AD
20th Dhū al-Ḥijjah, 1396 AH
_______________

49 Surah Hujurat

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49 Surah Hujurat

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Tadabbur i Qur’ān

Sūrah al-Ḥujurāt (49)

Analysis of the Meanings

Section I: Verses (1-10)

Text and Translation

2 ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻧﺘﻢ ﻵﻹ‬

ٌ ۡ ۡ & ٰۡ ۡ & ۡ & & & ٰ

ٌ ۡ & & ٰ ‫ﻟﻬﻢ ) و ﷲ‬

& & ۡ ‫ﻮﺑﻜﻢ و —<ه‬

The Source of Jarḥ and Ta‘dīl in the Qur’ān

Section II: Verses (11-13)

Text and Translation

ۤۡ & ۡ & ۡ AB‫ﺧ‬

Some Guidance provided by the Previous Section of Verses

Section III: Verse (15-18)

Text and Translation

28 ۡ ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﻟﻶﻹﻳﻤﺎن ۡن‬

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