Lessons from Surah 49 Al Hujaraat (The Private Apartments) - The Surah of Manners

Every Surah / Chapter of Qur'an is based on a particular theme for the guidance of believers or even anyone including non Muslims reading Qur'an. These themes provide an insight to Divine Guidance and how to live in a society as per dictates of our Creator, Allah All Mighty.

Today we share the lessons we learn from Surah 45 AL Hujarat (The Private Chambers). This Surah contains instructions, manners and etiquettes to live a complete, clean and humble life in utter humility. That is why this Surah is also known as the Surah of Manners for it provides profound guidance on ethical behavior, social conduct, and interpersonal relations, particularly among Muslims. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining social harmony, treating others with respect, and fostering unity within the Muslim community.

Before we list down the lessons, let us understand what does the word Hujarat mean:

The word "Hujurat" (الحجرات) in Surah Al-Hujurat literally means "the rooms" or "chambers." It refers to the private rooms or apartments of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his wives. These chambers were part of the Prophet's mosque in Madinah, where his family lived.

The title of the surah, Al-Hujurat, is derived from verse 4, where the term "hujurat" is mentioned: "Indeed, those who call you, [O Muhammad], from behind the chambers (hujurat) - most of them do not use reason." (Qur'an 49:4)

This surah thus beside giving out some extremely useful lessons for our social life, it also mentions why this surah was revealed. In the pre-Islamic period, the coarse and rugged Bedouins of Arabia followed no etiquettes, specially when visiting someone's home. They would even barge into someone's house without seeking permission or would keep calling the name of the master of the house till he came out. The same happened to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as well. Therefore through this surah etiquettes of visiting the house of the Prophet ﷺ have been given out in the initial verses.

Hereinunder are key lessons we can learn from Surah Al-Hujurat:

* Note: We have given these lessons in jist form. For detailed exegesis of the surah, please read our earlier post: Surah Al Hujuraat الۡحُجُرٰتِ  (The Private Apartments): Exegesis of 49th chapter of Qur'an

Respect for Authority and the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)

Verses 1-5 teach Muslims to approach matters involving Allah and His Messenger with utmost respect and care. They should not act impulsively or raise their voices above the Prophet’s voice, demonstrating reverence for the Prophet's authority.

Lesson: Respect for leadership and religious authority is crucial. Today, we can apply this to respecting scholars and leaders who guide us in religious matters.

"O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before Allah and His Messenger but fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing." (49:1)

Respecting Privacy

As mentioned in the premise above, etiquettes are taught how to visit the house of a Prophet of Allah or anyone, as mentioned in the following two verses:

(49:4) Surely most of those who call out to you, (O Prophet), from behind the apartments, are devoid of understanding.

(49:5) If they were patient until you went out to them, that would have been better for them. Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Verify Information Before Acting

Verse 6 warns against blindly accepting information from unreliable sources. It stresses the importance of verifying news to prevent harm and misjudgment.

Lesson: In today’s world of fast communication and social media, this verse reminds us to avoid spreading rumors or misinformation. Always verify facts before reacting or passing judgment.

"O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful." (49:6)

Promoting Reconciliation and Peace

Verses 9-10 emphasize the importance of resolving disputes and conflicts within the Muslim community. Believers should act as mediators and strive for peace and reconciliation.

Lesson: Muslims are encouraged to act as peacemakers, ensuring that disputes among fellow Muslims are resolved in a just and peaceful manner, and not to allow divisions to fester.

"The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy." (49:10)

Avoid Mockery, Defamation, and Slander

Verse 11 prohibits mocking or ridiculing others, as well as using offensive names or labels. It also cautions against defaming others, which destroys trust and respect within the community.

Lesson: We should treat others with dignity and refrain from insulting, mocking, or making fun of anyone, regardless of their social or ethnic background.

"O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them..." (49:11)

Avoid Suspicion, Spying, and Backbiting

Verse 12 strongly discourages believers from being suspicious of others, engaging in spying, or gossiping and backbiting, which are all destructive behaviors in relationships.

Lesson: These actions harm the social fabric and lead to mistrust and hatred. In daily life, we should avoid these negative habits and instead focus on building trust and respect.

"O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other..." (49:12)

Human Equality and the Dangers of Racism

Verse 13 is one of the most powerful statements on human equality in the Qur'an. It asserts that all people are equal regardless of race, ethnicity, or social status. The only measure of superiority is one's righteousness and piety (taqwa).

Lesson: This verse speaks against racism and tribalism. In the eyes of Allah, everyone is equal, and the only criterion that distinguishes people is their consciousness of Allah and good deeds.

"O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted." (49:13)

True Faith Requires Obedience to Allah

Verses 14-18 clarify that faith (iman) is more than just words; it requires sincere belief and action. True believers follow Allah’s commands and live according to His guidance, not merely claim to have faith.

Lesson: Claiming to be a believer is not enough; actions and sincerity matter. True faith manifests in behavior, such as fulfilling religious obligations and adhering to Islamic morals.

"The Bedouins say, 'We have believed.' Say, 'You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], 'We have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts." (49:14)

Surah Al-Hujurat provides timeless guidance on how to cultivate an ethical and harmonious society based on mutual respect, equality, and social justice. Its teachings are applicable in everyday life, urging believers to be conscious of their behavior toward others, foster unity, and maintain the integrity of their faith through sincere actions.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎)  help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may also refer to our reference pages: Understanding Al Qur'an  and Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

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Difference between Believing and Submitting to Allah

Today we share a very important verse from Qur'an which is about believing in Allah or submitting to Allah. Although this verse was revealed specifically to some Bedouin tribes of the time of advent of Islam, yet it is as relevant today for many Muslims and we must understand the implications by understanding the Qur'an better.

This verse is the 14th verse of Surah 49. Al Hujaraat (The Private Apartments) given herein under:

قَالَتِ الۡاَعۡرَابُ اٰمَنَّا​ ؕ قُلْ لَّمۡ تُؤۡمِنُوۡا وَلٰـكِنۡ قُوۡلُوۡۤا اَسۡلَمۡنَا وَلَمَّا يَدۡخُلِ الۡاِيۡمَانُ فِىۡ قُلُوۡبِكُمۡ​ ۚ وَاِنۡ تُطِيۡعُوا اللّٰهَ وَرَسُوۡلَهٗ لَا يَلِتۡكُمۡ مِّنۡ اَعۡمَالِكُمۡ شَيۡـئًـا​ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ‏ 

(49:14) The Bedouins say: “We believe.”(O Prophet), say to them: “You do not believe; you should rather say: 'We have submitted'”;31 for belief has not yet entered your hearts. If you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not diminish anything from the reward of any of your deeds. Surely Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Compassionate.

This does not imply all the desert Arabs but only a few particular groups of the Bedouins who had become Muslims, seeing the increasing power of Islam, thinking that they would not only remain safe from any attack by the Muslims but would also gain materially from the Islamic conquests. These people had not embraced Islam sincerely but had professed faith only verbally in order to be counted among the Muslims, and their this inner state became exposed whenever they would come before the Holy Prophet with different sorts of demands and would enumerate and mention their rights as if they had done him a great favor by accepting Islam. Traditions mention several of such tribal groups, e.g. Muzainah, Juhainah, Aslam, Ashja', Ghifar, etc. About the Bani Asad bin Khuzaimah in particular, Ibn 'Abbas and Said bin Jubair have stated that once during a drought they came to Madinah and making a demand for financial help they said to the Holy Prophet again and again: "We became Muslims without any conflict: we did not fight against you as have such and such other tribes fought." By this they clearly meant to point out that their refraining from fighting against the Messenger of Allah and their accepting Islam was a favour for which they must be rewarded by the Messenger and the Muslims. It was this same attitude and conduct of the Bedouin group living around Madinah, which has been commented upon in these verses. One can understand this appraisal better if one reads it together with vv. 90-110 of At-Taubah and vv. 11-17 of AI-Fat-h. 

Another translation of the words qulu aslamna can be; "Say: we have become Muslims. " From these words some people have concluded that in the language of the Qur'an, "Mu 'min" and "Muslim" are two opposite terms. A "Mu'min" is he who has believed sincerely and a "Muslim" he who might have accepted Islam only verbally without true faith. But, in fact, this is an absolutely wrong idea. No doubt the word iman here has been used for sincere affirmation by the heart and the word Islam for only outward and external submission but to understand them as two independent and mutually contradictory terms of the Qur'an is not correct. A study of the Qur'anic verses in which the words Islam and Muslim have been used, shows that in the Qur'anic terminology "Islam " is the name of the the Faith, which Allah has sent down for mankind; it comprehends the faith and obedience both, and a ¦MuslIm " is he who believes with a sincere heart and obeys the Commands practically. This is borne out by the following verses:

"Indeed, Islam is the only right way of life in the sight of Allah." (Al 'Imran: 19)

"And whoever adopts any other than this way of submission (Islam), that way shall not be accepted from him," (Al-'Imran: 85)

And I have approved Islam as the way of life for you." (Al-Ma'idah: 3)

`Whomever Allah wills to guide aright, He makes his breast wide open to Islam." (Al-An'am: 125)

Obviously, in these verses Islam " does not imply obedience without the Faith. Here are some other verses:

'Say (O Prophet): I have been enjoined to be the first one to affirm (faith in) Islam. "(AI-An'am: 14) '

"If they have surrendered (to Islam), they are rightly guided." (AI-'Imran: 20)

All the Prophets, who were Muslims, judged the cases according to the Torah." (AI-Ma'idah: 44)

Here, and at scores of other places, acceptance of Islam cannot mean adopting obedience without the faith. Likewise, here are a few verses in which the word "Muslim" has occurred signifying the meaning in which it has been used repeatedly in the Qur'an:

"O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should truly be feared and see that you do not die save as true Muslim. " (AI-`Imran: 102)

`Allah had called you "Muslims" before this and has called you (by the same name) in this Qur'an, too." (AI-Hajj: 78)

"Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a Muslim, sound in the faith." (AI-i-'Imran: 67)

`And remember that when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the walls of this House, they prayed: ... Lord, make us Thy Muslims and also raise from our offspring a community which should be Muslim. " (AI-Baqarah: 128)

(The Prophet Jacob's will for his children:) "O my children, Allah has chosen the same way of life for you Hence remain Muslims up to your last breath. (AI-Baqarah: 132)

After a study of these verses who can say that in these the word "Muslim" implies a person who does not believe sincerely but has accepted Islam only outwardly? Therefore, to make the claim that in the Qur'anic terminology "Islam" implies obedience without the faith and the "Muslim" in the language of the Qur'an is he who accepts Islam only outwardly is absolutely wrong. Likewise, this claim also is wrong that the words iman and mu'min have been used in the Qur'an necessarily in the sense of believing sincerely. No doubt, at most places these words have occurred to express the same meaning, but there are many places where these words have also been used for outward affirmation of the faith, and all those who might have entered the Muslim Community with verbal profession have been addressed with. "O you who have believed", no matter whether they arc the true believers, or people with a weak faith, or mere hypocrites. For a few instances of this, see Al-i-`Imran: 156, An-Nisa' :13t5, AI-Ma'idah: 54, Al-Anfal: 20-27, At-Taubah: 38, Al-Hadid: 28, As-Saff: 2.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

There is a Difference between a Believer and a Muslim - Allah chastises the bedouins who, when they embraced Islam, claimed for themselves the grade of faithful believers. However, Faith had not yet firmly entered their hearts,

This honorable Ayah provides proof that Faith is a higher grade than Islam, according to the scholars of the Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah. This is also demonstrated in the Hadith of Jibril, peace be upon him, when he questioned the Prophet about Islam, then Iman then Ihsan. Thus moving the general matter to one more specific, then even more specific. 

Imam Ahmad recorded that `Amir bin Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas said, "The Messenger of Allah gave (something to) some men and did not give one of them. Sa`d said, `O Allah's Messenger, you gave to so-and-so and so-and-so. However, you gave nothing to so-and-so, even though he is a believer.' 

The Prophet said, (I might give some men and give nothing to others, even though the latter are dearer to me than the former. I do not give them things for fear that they might be thrown on their faces in the Fire.)'' This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs. Therefore, the Prophet made a distinction between the grade of believer and the grade of Muslim, indicating that Iman is a more exclusive grade than Islam. I mentioned this subject in detail supported by evidence, in the beginning of the explanation of the chapter on Iman in Sahih Al-Bukhari, all praise is due to Allah and all the favors are from Him. So this proves that the Bedouins whom the Ayah mentioned were not hypocrites, rather they were Muslims in whose hearts Faith was not yet firmly established. They claimed a higher grade for themselves than the grade that they earned, and they were taught a lesson as a consequence. 

This meaning agrees with the meaning given by Ibn `Abbas, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Qatadah and that preferred by Ibn Jarir. These bedouins were taught a lesson, (Say: "You do not believe, but say `We are Muslims,' for Faith has not yet entered your hearts...'') meaning, `you have not yet achieved the reality of Faith.' Allah the Exalted said, (But if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not decrease anything in reward for your deeds...) `He will not decrease any of your rewards,' as Allah said; (We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in anything.) (52:21) Allah said: (Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) for those who repent and return to Him.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The actual word is: اَسْلَمْنَا. Here it refers to outward obedience. It occurs in the Arabic language in this meaning also. The implication is that it is not befitting for them to lay claim to faith; what they can say is that when they saw that Islam had become a political force, they submitted to its authority. This too is a form of subservience and how can they term it as a favour?

True faith which when enters a person, grasps the mind and heart in such a way that nothing from his thinking and deeds remains unaffected and uninfluenced by it.

Qur'an Wiki:

As the Surah draws to its end, it fittingly explains the truth of faith in reply to those Bedouins who claimed to be believers when they did not even understand the nature of faith. This also serves as a reply to those who tried to press their acceptance of Islam as a favour they thought they did for the Prophet. In essence, they do not appreciate that it is only through God's favour that people believe.

The first of these verses is said to have been revealed in relation to the Bedouins of the Asad tribe who, as soon as they accepted Islam, boasted saying, 'We have attained to faith.' They even counted this as a favour they performed for the Prophet. They said to him: "Messenger of God! We have become Muslims. Other Arabs have fought you, but we have not." God wanted to show them the truth of what was in their hearts when they said this, stating that they only embraced Islam in submission while the truth of faith had not touched their hearts or souls. "Say [to them]: 'Believers you are not. Rather say, "We have submitted ourselves', for true faith has not entered your hearts." (Verse 14)

Nevertheless, God's grace has dictated that they will be rewarded for every good action they do, letting nothing go to waste. Even the outward manifestation of Islam, which has not yet penetrated into people's hearts to become genuine faith, is sufficient to make their good deeds count and be recorded. Thus, their deeds are not wasted like those of unbelievers. No part of their reward is wasted as long as they continue to obey: " If you truly pay heed to God and His Messenger, He will let nothing of your deeds go to waste." (Verse 14) This is because God is quick to grant forgiveness and bestow His mercy. He accepts from His servant the first step and rewards him for submission and obedience while waiting until faith settles in his heart: "God is indeed much-forgiving, merciful." (Verse 14)

Please listen to explanation of the ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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