Surah 49. Al-Hujurat

O you who have attained to faith! Do not put yourselves forward¹ in the presence of [what] God and His Apostle [may have ordained], but remain conscious of God: for, verily, God is all-hearing, all-knowing!

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "do not allow your own desires to have precedence".

O believers! Do not put yourselves ahead of Allah and His Rasool. Fear Allah; surely Allah hears all and knows all.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O ye who believe! Be not forward in the presence of Allah and His messenger, and keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Hearer, Knower.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

O you who have attained to faith! Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet,² and neither speak loudly to him, as you would speak loudly to one another,³ lest all your [good] deeds come to nought without your perceiving it.

  - Mohammad Asad

This has both a literal and a figurative meaning: literal in the case of the Prophet's Companions, and figurative for them as well as for believers of later times - implying that one's personal opinions and predilections must not be allowed to overrule the clear-cut legal ordinances and/or moral stipulations promulgated by the Prophet (cf. 4:65 and the corresponding note [84]).

I.e., address him, or (in later times) speak of him, with unbecoming familiarity.

O believers! Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak aloud when talking to him as you speak aloud to one another, lest your deeds should come to nothing while you do not even perceive it.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O ye who believe! Lift not up your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor shout when speaking to him as ye shout one to another, lest your works be rendered vain while ye perceive not.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Behold, they who lower their voices in the presence of God's Apostle - it is they whose hearts God has tested [and opened] to consciousness of Himself; [and] theirs shall be forgiveness and a reward supreme.

  - Mohammad Asad

Those who lower their voices and speak softly in the presence of Allah's Rasool are the ones whose hearts Allah has tested for piety; they shall have forgiveness and a great reward.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! they who subdue their voices in the presence of the messenger of Allah, those are they whose hearts Allah hath proven unto righteousness. Theirs will be forgiveness and immense reward.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Verily, [O Prophet,] as for those who call thee from without thy private apartments⁴ most of them do not use their reason:

  - Mohammad Asad

While this relates in the first instance to the Prophet, it may also be taken to apply to any supreme leader of the community (amir al-mu'minin) who acts as the Prophet's successor (khalifah) and rules in his name, i.e., under the aegis of Islamic Law. (As regards the Prophet himself, the above exhortation to reverent behaviour implies, in the view of many outstanding Islamic thinkers, a prohibition to "call out to him" when visiting his tomb.)

Those who call out to you, O Muhammad, from outside the private apartments, most of them lack common sense.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! those who call thee from behind the private apartment, most of them have no sense.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

for, if they had the patience [to wait] until thou come forth to them [of thine own accord], it would be for their own good. Still, God is much forgiving, a dispenser of grace.

  - Mohammad Asad

If only they had patience until you could come out to them, it would certainly be better for them. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And if they had patience till thou camest forth unto them, it had been better for them. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

O YOU who have attained to faith! If any iniquitous person comes to you with a [slanderous] tale, use your discernment,⁵ lest you hurt people unwittingly and afterwards be filled with remorse for what you have done.⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., verify the truth before giving credence to any such report or rumour. The tale-bearer is characterized as "iniquitous" because the very act of spreading unsubstantiated rumours affecting the reputation of other persons constitutes a spiritual offence.

Thus, after laying stress in the preceding verses on the reverence due to God's messagebearer - and, by implication, to every righteous leader of the community - the discourse turns to the moral imperative of safeguarding the honour and reputation of every member of the community, man and woman alike. This principle is taken up, more explicitly, in verse {12}.

O believers, if an evildoer comes to you with some news, verify it (investigate to ascertain the truth), lest you should harm others unwittingly and then regret what you have done.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O ye who believe! If an evil liver bring you tidings, verify it, lest ye smite some folk in ignorance and afterward repent of what ye did.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And know that God's Apostle is among you:⁷ were he to comply with your inclinations in each and every case,⁸ you would be bound to come to harm [as a community]. But as it is, God has caused [your] faith to be dear to you, and has given it beauty in your hearts, and has made hateful to you all denial of the truth, and all iniquity, and all rebellion [against what is good]. Such indeed are they who follow the right course

  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "and he ought to be an example for you as regards your behaviour towards one another": i.e., he would not accept rashly a hearsay tale affecting the honour of third persons, but would either refuse to listen to it altogether or, should a clarification become necessary in the interests of the community, would insist on ascertaining the truth objectively.

Lit., "in many a case (amr)": the implication being that, more often than not, man is prone to give credence to malicious rumours devoid of any real evidence.

And know that Allah's Rasool is among you. If he were to follow you in most affairs, you would certainly be in trouble. Allah has endeared this faith to you and beautified it in your hearts, making unbelief, wrongdoing, and disobedience abhorrent to you. It is they who are rightly guided

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And know that the messenger of Allah is among you. If he were to obey you in much of the government, ye would surely be in trouble; but Allah hath endeared the faith to you and hath beautified it in your hearts, and hath made disbelief and lewdness and rebellion hateful unto you. Such are they who are rightly guided.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

through God's bounty and favour; and God is all-knowing, truly wise.

  - Mohammad Asad

through Allah's grace and blessing. Allah is Knowledgeable, Wise.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

(It is) a bounty and a grace from Allah; and Allah is Knower, Wise.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Hence, if two groups of believers fall to fighting,⁹ make peace between them; but then, if one of the two [groups] goes on acting wrongfully towards the other, fight against the one that acts wrongfully until it reverts to God's commandment;¹⁰ and if they revert, make peace between them with justice, and deal equitably [with them]: for verily, God loves those who act equitably!

  - Mohammad Asad

The expression "fighting" comprises in this context all modes of discord and contention, both in word and deed, evidently as a consequence of the slanderous rumours spoken of in verse {6} above.

I.e., that the believers should act as brethren (see next verse).

If two parties among the believers fall into mutual fighting, make peace between them. Then if one of them transgresses against the other, fight the one who has transgressed until he returns to the commands of Allah. Then, if he returns, make peace between them with justice and be fair; for Allah loves those who are fair and just.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And if two parties of believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them. And if one party of them doeth wrong to the other, fight ye that which doeth wrong till it return unto the ordinance of Allah; then, if it return, make peace between them justly, and act equitably. Lo! Allah loveth the equitable.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

All believers are but brethren.¹¹ Hence, [whenever they are at odds,] make peace between your two brethren, and remain conscious of God, so that you might be graced with His mercy.

  - Mohammad Asad

The plural noun ikhwah ("brethren" or "brotherhood") has here, of course, a purely ideological connotation, comprising men and women alike; the same applies to the subsequent mention of "your two brethren".

The believers are brothers to one another, therefore, make reconciliation between your brothers and fear Allah, so that you may be shown mercy.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The believers are naught else than brothers. Therefore make peace between your brethren and observe your duty to Allah that haply ye may obtain mercy.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall