Surah 49: The Walls (Al-Hujurat)

يٰأَيُّهَا الَّذينَ ءامَنوا لا تُقَدِّموا بَينَ يَدَىِ اللَّهِ وَرَسولِهِ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَميعٌ عَليمٌ

O you who believe, do not place your opinion above that of God and His messenger. You shall reverence God. God is Hearer, Omniscient.

يٰأَيُّهَا الَّذينَ ءامَنوا لا تَرفَعوا أَصوٰتَكُم فَوقَ صَوتِ النَّبِىِّ وَلا تَجهَروا لَهُ بِالقَولِ كَجَهرِ بَعضِكُم لِبَعضٍ أَن تَحبَطَ أَعمٰلُكُم وَأَنتُم لا تَشعُرونَ

O you who believe, do not raise your voices above the voice of the prophet,* nor shall you shout at him as you shout at each other, lest your works become nullified while you do not perceive.

*49:2 Whenever the word ``prophet'' (Nabi) is used in reference to Muhammad, it invariably refers to him during his life, not after his death. Obviously, we cannot possibly raise our voices above Muhammad's voice, now that he is dead. See also 33:56.

إِنَّ الَّذينَ يَغُضّونَ أَصوٰتَهُم عِندَ رَسولِ اللَّهِ أُولٰئِكَ الَّذينَ امتَحَنَ اللَّهُ قُلوبَهُم لِلتَّقوىٰ لَهُم مَغفِرَةٌ وَأَجرٌ عَظيمٌ

Surely, those who lower their voices at the messenger of God are the ones whose hearts are prepared by God to become righteous.* They have deserved forgiveness and a great recompense.

*49:3 Respecting the messenger helps outsiders and visitors in coming to God's message.

إِنَّ الَّذينَ يُنادونَكَ مِن وَراءِ الحُجُرٰتِ أَكثَرُهُم لا يَعقِلونَ

As for those who call on you from outside the walls, most of them do not understand.

وَلَو أَنَّهُم صَبَروا حَتّىٰ تَخرُجَ إِلَيهِم لَكانَ خَيرًا لَهُم وَاللَّهُ غَفورٌ رَحيمٌ

Had they been patient until you came out to them, it would have been better for them. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful.

يٰأَيُّهَا الَّذينَ ءامَنوا إِن جاءَكُم فاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنوا أَن تُصيبوا قَومًا بِجَهٰلَةٍ فَتُصبِحوا عَلىٰ ما فَعَلتُم نٰدِمينَ

O you who believe, if a wicked person brings any news to you, you shall first investigate, lest you commit injustice towards some people, out of ignorance, then become sorry and remorseful for what you have done.

وَاعلَموا أَنَّ فيكُم رَسولَ اللَّهِ لَو يُطيعُكُم فى كَثيرٍ مِنَ الأَمرِ لَعَنِتُّم وَلٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ حَبَّبَ إِلَيكُمُ الإيمٰنَ وَزَيَّنَهُ فى قُلوبِكُم وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيكُمُ الكُفرَ وَالفُسوقَ وَالعِصيانَ أُولٰئِكَ هُمُ الرّٰشِدونَ

And know that God's messenger has come in your midst. Had he listened to you in many things, you would have made things difficult for yourselves. But God made you love faith and adorned it in your hearts, and He made you abhor disbelief, wickedness, and disobedience. These are the guided ones.

فَضلًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَنِعمَةً وَاللَّهُ عَليمٌ حَكيمٌ

Such is grace from God and His blessings. God is Omniscient, Most Wise.

وَإِن طائِفَتانِ مِنَ المُؤمِنينَ اقتَتَلوا فَأَصلِحوا بَينَهُما فَإِن بَغَت إِحدىٰهُما عَلَى الأُخرىٰ فَقٰتِلُوا الَّتى تَبغى حَتّىٰ تَفىءَ إِلىٰ أَمرِ اللَّهِ فَإِن فاءَت فَأَصلِحوا بَينَهُما بِالعَدلِ وَأَقسِطوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ المُقسِطينَ

If two groups of believers fought with each other, you shall reconcile them. If one group aggresses against the other, you shall fight the aggressing group until they submit to God's command. Once they submit, you shall reconcile the two groups equitably. You shall maintain justice; God loves those who are just.

إِنَّمَا المُؤمِنونَ إِخوَةٌ فَأَصلِحوا بَينَ أَخَوَيكُم وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُم تُرحَمونَ

The believers are members of one family; you shall keep the peace within your family and reverence God, that you may attain mercy.

يٰأَيُّهَا الَّذينَ ءامَنوا لا يَسخَر قَومٌ مِن قَومٍ عَسىٰ أَن يَكونوا خَيرًا مِنهُم وَلا نِساءٌ مِن نِساءٍ عَسىٰ أَن يَكُنَّ خَيرًا مِنهُنَّ وَلا تَلمِزوا أَنفُسَكُم وَلا تَنابَزوا بِالأَلقٰبِ بِئسَ الِاسمُ الفُسوقُ بَعدَ الإيمٰنِ وَمَن لَم يَتُب فَأُولٰئِكَ هُمُ الظّٰلِمونَ

O you who believe, no people shall ridicule other people, for they may be better than they. Nor shall any women ridicule other women, for they may be better than they. Nor shall you mock one another, or make fun of your names. Evil indeed is the reversion to wickedness after attaining faith. Anyone who does not repent after this, these are the transgressors.

يٰأَيُّهَا الَّذينَ ءامَنُوا اجتَنِبوا كَثيرًا مِنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعضَ الظَّنِّ إِثمٌ وَلا تَجَسَّسوا وَلا يَغتَب بَعضُكُم بَعضًا أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُم أَن يَأكُلَ لَحمَ أَخيهِ مَيتًا فَكَرِهتُموهُ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوّابٌ رَحيمٌ

O you who believe, you shall avoid any suspicion, for even a little bit of suspicion is sinful. You shall not spy on one another, nor shall you backbite one another; this is as abominable as eating the flesh of your dead brother. You certainly abhor this. You shall observe God. God is Redeemer, Most Merciful.

يٰأَيُّهَا النّاسُ إِنّا خَلَقنٰكُم مِن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثىٰ وَجَعَلنٰكُم شُعوبًا وَقَبائِلَ لِتَعارَفوا إِنَّ أَكرَمَكُم عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتقىٰكُم إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَليمٌ خَبيرٌ

O people, we created you from the same male and female, and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes, that you may recognize one another. The best among you in the sight of God is the most righteous. God is Omniscient, Cognizant.

قالَتِ الأَعرابُ ءامَنّا قُل لَم تُؤمِنوا وَلٰكِن قولوا أَسلَمنا وَلَمّا يَدخُلِ الإيمٰنُ فى قُلوبِكُم وَإِن تُطيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسولَهُ لا يَلِتكُم مِن أَعمٰلِكُم شَيـًٔا إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفورٌ رَحيمٌ

The Arabs said, "We are Mu'mens (believers)." Say, "You have not believed; what you should say is, `We are Muslims (submitters),' until belief is established in your hearts." If you obey God and His messenger, He will not put any of your works to waste. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful.

إِنَّمَا المُؤمِنونَ الَّذينَ ءامَنوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسولِهِ ثُمَّ لَم يَرتابوا وَجٰهَدوا بِأَموٰلِهِم وَأَنفُسِهِم فى سَبيلِ اللَّهِ أُولٰئِكَ هُمُ الصّٰدِقونَ

Mu'mens (believers) are those who believe in God and His messenger, then attain the status of having no doubt whatsoever, and strive with their money and their lives in the cause of God. These are the truthful ones.

قُل أَتُعَلِّمونَ اللَّهَ بِدينِكُم وَاللَّهُ يَعلَمُ ما فِى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَما فِى الأَرضِ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىءٍ عَليمٌ

Say, "Are you informing God about your religion? God knows everything in the heavens and the earth. God is Omniscient."

يَمُنّونَ عَلَيكَ أَن أَسلَموا قُل لا تَمُنّوا عَلَىَّ إِسلٰمَكُم بَلِ اللَّهُ يَمُنُّ عَلَيكُم أَن هَدىٰكُم لِلإيمٰنِ إِن كُنتُم صٰدِقينَ

They act as if they are doing you a favor by embracing Submission! Say, "You are not doing me any favors by embracing Submission. God is the One who is doing you a great favor by guiding you to the faith, if you are sincere."

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعلَمُ غَيبَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالأَرضِ وَاللَّهُ بَصيرٌ بِما تَعمَلونَ

God knows all the secrets in the heavens and the earth; God is Seer of everything you do.