الحجرات

See 1:1.

Commentary:

See 1:1.

Commentary:

Mecca had fallen. The whole of Arabia lay prostrate at the Prophet’s feet. Life had become quite safe and secure for Muslims and wealth and great riches had come into their possession. A life of ease and comfort generally follows in the wake of riches, resulting in lack of discipline and other very serious social evils. Therefore rules of conduct have been revealed in this Surah to safeguard the Muslim Community against these evils. They are told to show proper respect and regard for the Holy Prophet and to give him unqualified obedience and not to anticipate his commands or to prefer their own wishes to his.

Commentary:

The verse lays great stress on observing an attitude of utmost respectfulness towards the Holy Prophet. The Muslims should not talk loudly in his presence or address him aloud. This is not only bad manners but is calculated to do moral injury to one so rude as not to show respect due to the Leader.

Important Words:

امتحن is derived from محن. They say, محن فلانا i.e. he tried or put to the test such a one. محنه عشرین سوطا means, he flogged him with twenty stripes. محن الفضة means, he purified the silver by putting it in the fire. محن البئر means, he took out the earth from the well and cleared it (Taj & Raghib).

Commentary:

To speak in low tones in the presence of the Prophet is indicative of respect for him and of one’s own humility of heart which is a good moral quality; while unnecessarily raising of voice smacks of conceit and arrogance.

Commentary:

Calling out to the Prophet in a loud voice from outside his house amounts to intruding upon his privacy and shows lack of respect for his person and for his valuable time; and only an ill-mannered person would be guilty of such foolish behaviour.

4:95.

Commentary:

Though after the Fall of Mecca, at the time when this Surah was revealed, almost the whole of Arabia had entered the fold of Islam. Some tribes still refused to accept the new order of things and were determined upon fighting the Muslims to the bitter end. Moreover, the neighbouring Byzantine and Persian Empires were awakening to a realization of the challenge to their power which they thought had arisen in Arabia, and war with Islam seemed inevitable. So the direction embodied in the verse under comment was necessary. The Muslims are told that even when the exigencies of war necessitate prompt action to forestall a military move on the enemy’s part, rumours which are naturally very much rife in time of war should not be given ready credence. They should be tested and their correctness ascertained before action is taken upon them.

6:109.

Commentary:

The verse continues the general theme of the Surah, the immediately preceding verse constituting a necessary parenthesis. In the earlier verses the Muslims were enjoined to give unquestioning obedience to the Holy Prophet and to show respect to him which befitted his station as God’s great Prophet. In this verse they are told that the Prophet would seek their counsel in matters concerning them but he should not be expected to follow their advice as he received guidance from on high and because also his was the final responsibility, and their judgement, at best, might be defective. It was enough for them that God, through His Grace, "has endeared faith to you."

8:2.

Commentary:

The central theme of the Surah is the solidarity of Islam. Directions and rules of conduct which are calculated to achieve and maintain this solidarity have been laid down in it in some detail. Some of these rules have been mentioned in the preceding verses, others follow in the verses that come later. A great danger to the security and solidarity of the Muslim State or Community are the disputes and quarrels that haply might arise between different Muslim groups or parties. The verse under comment provides a most effective remedy to compose these quarrels. Primarily, the verse deals with the settlement of disputes between Muslim parties, but it equally embodies a sound basis on which a really effective "League of Nations" or a "United Nations Organisation" can be built. The verse lays down the following principles for the maintenance of international peace.

As soon as there are indications of disagreement between two nations, the other nations, instead of taking sides with one or the other, should at once serve notice upon them, calling upon them to submit their differences for settlement to a "League of Nations" or "United Nations Organisation", as the case may be. If they agree, the dispute will be amicably settled. But if one of them refuses to submit to the "League", or having submitted refuses to accept the award of the "League" and prepares to make war, the other nations should all fight it. It is evident that one nation, however strong, cannot withstand the united might of all other nations and is bound to make a speedy submission. In that event, terms of peace should be settled between the two original parties to the dispute. The other nations should act merely as mediators and not as parties to the dispute, and should not put forward new claims arising out of the conflict with the refractory nation, for that would lay the foundation of fresh disputes and quarrels. The terms of peace should be just and equitable with reference to the merits of the dispute; they should be confined to the original dispute between the parties and should not be allowed to travel beyond it.

It is only such a "League" or "Organisation" which can safely be entrusted with the maintenance of international peace, not a League or Organisation whose very existence is dependent upon the goodwill of others.

Commentary:

The verse lays special stress on Islamic brotherhood. Islam tolerates no discord or dissensions between brothers. If there happens to arise a quarrel or dispute between two Muslim individuals or groups, other Muslims are bound at once to bring about reconciliation between the quarrelling parties. Islam’s real strength lies in this ideal of brotherhood which transcends all barriers of caste, colour or clime.

68:12; 104:2.

Important Words:

لا تلمزوا (defame not) is derived from لمز. They say لمزہ i.e. he made a sign to him with the eye, or the like, as the head, and the lip, with low speech. This is the original signification; according to some other authorities the primary signification of the expression is: (1) he pushed him or impelled him or repelled him or he struck or beat him; (2) he blamed, upbraided, or reproached him; he found fault with him; or he did so in his face; or he spoke evil of him; or spoke of him in a manner that he disliked, mentioning vices or faults as chargeable to him, either behind his back or in his face, though it might be with truth (Lane, Aqrab & Raghib). See also 104:2.

لا تنابزوا (call not by nicknames) is derived from نبز which means, he called him by a surname or nick-name and is syn. with لقبه (laqqaba), mostly signifying, he called him by a nickname, or a name of reproach or an opprobrious appellation. It also signifies, he upbraided or reproached him; or the like, being syn. with لمزہ (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

See next verse.

10:67; 53:29.

Commentary:

As stated above the principal theme of the Surah is the establishment of concord, amity and goodwill between Muslim individuals and groups and therefore it has mentioned some of those social evils which cause discord, dissensions and differences, and corrode, corrupt and contaminate a society, eating into its vitals, and enjoins Muslims to be on their guard against them. Ridiculing and taunting others, spying, and calling by nick-names, and suspicion and backbiting are some of these social evils. Women have been particularly mentioned here in that they are more prone to fall a victim to these evils. The main cause, which lies at the root of these evils, is conceit and a false sense of superiority, which the next verse expressly deals with. By removing the basic causes of disharmony and disagreement among Muslims the Surah has laid the foundation of a firm and solid brotherhood of Islam.

Important Words:

شعوباً (tribes) is the plural of شعب (sha‘bun) which is inf. noun from شعب (sha‘ba) which means, he collected, brought together or united; or he separated, put asunder; divided or separated. شعب means, a great tribe; the parent of the tribes called قبائل, to which they refer their origin and which comprises them; a nation; a people; a cleft or crack (Lane & Aqrab).

قبائل (subtribes) is the plural of قبیلة which is derived from قبل which means, he accepted; he took or received willingly. قبیلةmeans, a tribe; a subtribe; a family; a body of men from one father or mother (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

From the subject of Islamic brotherhood to which reference has been made in the preceding two verses, the Surahproceeds to lay down, in the verse under comment, the basis of an all-comprehensive, all-pervading brotherhood of man. The verse, in fact, constitutes the Magna Carta of human fraternity and equality. It has firmly laid the axe at the false and foolish notions of superiority, born of racial arrogance or national conceit. All men having been "created from a male and a female" as human beings have been declared equal in the sight of God. The worth of a man is not to be judged by the pigment of his skin, the amount of wealth he possesses or by his rank or social status, descent or pedigree, but by his moral greatness and the way in which he discharges his obligations to God and man. The whole human race is but one family. Division into tribes, nations, and races is meant to give them a better knowledge of one another, in order that they might benefit from one another’s national characteristics and good qualities. This, according to Islam, is the criterion of a person’s greatness and this is the only true and real criterion. The Holy Prophet explained the beautiful idea of the

brotherhood of man inculcated in this verse in his own inimitable way on the occasion of the Last Pilgrimage at Mecca, a short time before his death. Addressing a vast concourse of Muslims the Prophet said, "O ye men! Your God is One and your ancestor is one. An Arab possesses no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab over an Arab. A white is in no way superior to a red, nor, for that matter, a red to a white, but only to the extent to which he discharges his duty to God and man. The most honoured among you in the sight of God is the one who is most righteous" (Baihaqi). These noble words spoken by the Prophet during his Farewell Pilgrimage which have resounded through the centuries epitomize one of Islam’s loftiest ideals and strongest principles. It goes to the credit of the Holy Prophet that in a society riven with class distinction, he preached a message intensely democratic.

Important Words:

لا یلت (will not detract) is derived from ألت which means, it (a thing) decreased, diminished, lessened; it became defective or deficient; incomplete or imperfect. ألته او ولته حقه means, he diminished to him his right or due or defrauded him of a portion of it (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

All Muslims form an integral part of Islamic brotherhood. Islam confers equal rights on the unlettered and uncultured sons of the desert as it does on the civilized and cultured dwellers of cities and towns; only it exhorts the former to make greater efforts to learn and assimilate the teachings of Islam and make them the rule of their lives.

9:20; 61:12.

Commentary:

True and sincere belief to which reference has been made in the preceding verse consists of three important ingredients—strong and firm faith in Allah, absolute freedom from doubt and misgiving as to the truth of Islam and striving with all means within one’s power in the cause of God. It is only those sincere and steadfast Muslims who possess these qualifications who are entitled to be called "the truthful ones" i.e. those who have fulfilled their pledged word to God.

10:19.

20:8; 22:71; 27:66.

3:165.

Commentary:

True and sincere faith is the most precious possession of a Muslim. By accepting Islam he does no favour to anybody; on the contrary, it is a favour of God that one is guided to the Truth.

11:124; 16:78.