Introduction to Surah
49. Al-Hujurât

In the Name of Allâh, the Most
Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

1. O you who believe! Do not put (yourselves) forward^[] before Allâh and His Messenger (SAW), and fear Allâh. Verily! Allâh is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

2. O you who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet (SAW), nor speak aloud to him in talk as you speak aloud to one another, lest your deeds may be rendered fruitless while you perceive not.

3. Verily! Those who lower their voices in the presence of Allâh's Messenger (SAW), they are the ones whose hearts Allâh has tested for piety. For them is forgiveness and a great reward.

4. Verily! Those who call you from behind the dwellings, most of them have no sense.

5. And if they had patience till you could come out to them, it would have been better for them. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

6. O you who believe! If a rebellious evil person comes to you with a news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful to what you have done.

7. And know that, among you there is the Messenger of Allâh (SAW). If he were to obey you (i.e. follow your opinions and desires) in much of the matter, you would surely be in trouble, but Allâh has endeared the Faith to you and has beautified it in your hearts, and has made disbelief, wickedness and disobedience (to Allâh and His Messenger SAW) hateful to you. These! They are the rightly guided ones,

8. (This is) a Grace from Allâh and His Favour. And Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

9. And if two parties or groups among the believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them both, but if one of them rebels against the other, then fight you (all) against the one that which rebels till it complies with the Command of Allâh; then if it complies, then make reconciliation between them justly, and be equitable. Verily! Allâh loves those who are equitable.

10. The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islâmic religion). So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allâh, that you may receive mercy.

11. O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group, it may be that the latter are better than the former; nor let (some) women scoff at other women, it may be that the latter are better than the former, nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad is it, to insult one's brother after having Faith [i.e. to call your Muslim brother (a faithful believer) as: "O sinner", or "O wicked", etc.]. And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed Zâlimûn (wrong-doers, etc.).

12. O you who believe! Avoid much suspicions, indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting)^[] . And fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful.

13. O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allâh is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. one of the Muttaqûn (pious - see V.2:2). Verily, Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Aware.

14.  The bedouins say: "We believe." Say: "You believe not but you only say, 'We have surrendered (in Islâm),' for Faith has not yet entered your hearts. But if you obey Allâh and His Messenger (SAW), He will not decrease anything in reward for your deeds. Verily, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

15. Only those are the believers who have believed in Allâh and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives for the Cause of Allâh. Those! They are the truthful.

16. Say: "Will you inform Allâh about your religion? While Allâh knows all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and Allâh is All-Aware of everything.

17. They regard as favour upon you (O Muhammad SAW) that they have embraced Islâm. Say: "Count not your Islâm as a favour upon me. Nay, but Allâh has conferred a favour upon you, that He has guided you to the Faith, if you indeed are true.

18. Verily, Allâh knows the unseen of the heavens and the earth. And Allâh is the All-Seer of what you do.