Fear Allah and let every soul know what it has sent ahead for tomorrow

Qur'an is a book of guidance for the mankind. It abounds in directives and commandments for man to walk on the straight path and never ever to disorientate itself for all disorientations are due to machinations of evil forces. Time and again it has been reminded to fear Allah, for those who fear Allah remain steady and do not lend ears to evil whispers. 

Qur'an also reminds man to review his conduct sheet much too often to see what he has sent forward for the Day of Resurrection, which is any day tomorrow. If we keep track of our actions and ensure that these are in accordance with the teachings of Qur'an and Sunnah, we shall never have to worry about our fate tomorrow. But if we have not been fearing Allah and are engrossed in merrymaking, the 18th verse of Surah 59 Al Hashr (The Banishment) draws our attention to be cautioned lest it is too late to even review our actions.

Note: The entire section of Surah Al Hashr from verses 18-24 is cautions to warn men and cautiones them that there is still time to review what they have sent forward and seek forgiveness of Allah lest the angel of death knocks at their door and there is no time to repent. Please read the exegesis / tafsir of Surah Al Hashr already posted to connect to the following verses correctly:

يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا اتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ وَلۡتَـنۡظُرۡ نَـفۡسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتۡ لِغَدٍ​ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ​ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ خَبِيۡرٌۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ‏  

(18) O you who have believed, fear Allah. And let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow - and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.

It is a rule of the Qur'an that whenever the hypocritical Muslims are taken to task for their hypocrisy, they are given admonition also so that whoever of them has some life left in his conscience, may feel remorse for his conduct and attitude and may make an effort, out of the fear of Allah, to come out of the pit into which his worship of the self has thrown him. 

" Fear Allah and let every person look to what he sends forward for the morrow " "For the morrow": for the Hereafter. That is, this whole worldly life is "today", whose "tomorrow" is the Day of Resurrection, which is going to follow it. Adopting this style Allah has, in a wise manner, made man understand the truth that just as that person is highly foolish, who gambles away his all for the enjoyment of today and does not realize whether tomorrow he would be left with anything to eat and a place of shelter or not, so is that person also only working for his own doom, who is too absorbed in making; his world to pay heed to the Hereafter, whereas the Hereafter is to follow this world just as today is to be followed by tomorrow, and there he would find nothing if he has sent nothing ahead for the morrow. Besides, the other wise point here is that every person has been appointed his own censor. Unless a person develops in himself the sense of what is good for him and what is evil, he cannot appreciate whether what he is doing will make his future in the Hereafter or mar it. And when this sense becomes active in himself, he will have to calculate and see for himself whether the way in which he is expending his time, his wealth, his energies and capabilities leads to Heaven or Hell. To do so is in his own interest; for if he does not do so he will ruin his own future itself.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: The "fear of Allah" is akin to love; for it means the fear of offending Him or doing anything wrong that will forfeit His Good Pleasure. This is Taqwa, which implies self-restraint, guarding ourselves from all sin, wrong, and injustice, and the positive doing of good. See ii. 2:

(ii:2) This is the Book; in it is guidance sure without doubt to those who fear Allah. 

Taqwa and the verbs and nouns connected with the root, signify: (1) the fear of God which according to the writer of Proverbs (i.7) in the Old Testament is the beginning of Wisdom; (2) restraint, or guarding one's tongue, hand, and heart from evil; (3) hence righteousness, piety good conduct. All these ideas are implied; in the translation, only one or other of these ideas can be indicated according to the context. See also xivii 17; and ixxiv 56.

The positive side of Taqwa, or "fear of Allah" (see last note) is here emphasized. It is not merely a feeling or an emotion: it is an act, a doing of things which become a preparation and provision for the Hereafter, - the next life, which may be described as "the morrow" in relation to the present Life, which is "to-day". A) The repetition emphasizes both sides of Taqwa: "let your soul fear to do wrong and let it do every act of righteousness; for Allah observes both your inner motives and your acts, and in His scheme of things everything will have its due consequences."

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation: This refers to what he has done for the Day of Judgement. It is referred to by the word “tomorrow.” The purpose is to direct attention to its proximity as well as to its certainty.

The words اِتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ (fear God) are repeated so that the importance of the matter is driven in the minds of the addressees.

Having asked man to fear Allah and take a look at one's past which has been already recorded, there comes another caution in the next verse, the number 19, which tells man the fate ofthose who did not fear Allah and were forgotten by Allah:

وَلَا تَكُوۡنُوۡا كَالَّذِيۡنَ نَسُوا اللّٰهَ فَاَنۡسٰٮهُمۡ اَنۡفُسَهُمۡ​ؕ اُولٰٓـئِكَ هُمُ الۡفٰسِقُوۡنَ‏ 

(19) And be not like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves. Those are definitely disobedient.

That is, forgetfulness of God inevitably leads to forgetfulness of one's own self. When man forgets that he is slave to the Almighty, he will inevitably form a wrong view of his position in the world, and his whole life will go wrong because of this basic error. Likewise, when he forgets that he is slave to nobody except Allah, he does not serve the one whose slave actually he is not. This also is a grave and all-pervading misunderstanding, which corrupts his whole life. Man's real position in the world is that of a slave; he is not free and self-sufficient; and he is slave of only One God, and is no one else's slave beside Him. The person who, in not know this truth, does not in fact know himself. And the person who in spite of knowing this, forgets it at any moment, may commit an act at that very moment, which a disbeliever, or a polytheist or a man forgetful of God only would commit. Man's remaining firm and steadfast on the right path entirely depends on his remembering God at all times. For as soon as he, becomes heedless of Him. he becomes heedless of himself and this very heedlessness turns him into sinfulness. 

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation: This is a reference to the Jews from whom the Hypocrites received guidance and with whom they would connive to oppose Islam and the Muslims. The words فَاَنۡسٰہُمۡ اَنۡفُسَہُمۡ used for them point to a very important reality. 

Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi has explained it thus: … Those who forget God become indifferent to their own good and evil and to their fate. All value, significance and majesty of life depends on understanding the reality that the Almighty has not given it to us to indulge in a few days of luxury; He has given it to us so that we spend it in obedience to Him and earn the eternal kingdom of heaven. This pinnacle can of course be achieved by someone who always keeps in mind that he has not been given life by chance; on the contrary, it is a blessing of a Gracious being and He has given it with a special purpose. If a person leads his life in accordance with this special purpose, it will be a great eternal reward for him, and if he forgets this, it will automatically become an eternal curse for him.(Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, vol. 8, 308)

Having explained the above said verse in detail, you may now listen to explanation of the Ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

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 refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 59 Al Al-Ḥashr (The Gathering),  already published. You may also refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.

For more DOs and Don'ts, please refer to our reference page: Important DOs and DON'Ts from Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages: Understanding Al Qur'an and  Selected Verses from the Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 

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, 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.

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Are we really returning to religion?

To some of my readers, the topic may seem confusing for many people are returning to religion these days.  Yes, they are, but are all of them returning to religion as a right or as a duty, or in other words is their approach of returning to religion positive or negative?

Before we listen to a lecture by one of the eminent scholars of Muslim world, let me begin with a small premise. There were times when believers were attracted to religion taking as their scared duty. Those were the times when wants of people were less and everyone ran to the masjid as a duty with no worldly needs in mind. But then things started to become difficult and it is now becoming very difficult every day to make one's ends meet. Now people seek their rights, want baraka in their earnings and promotions in the office as rewards for their hard work. The focus from duty-oriented return to religion has turned into a right oriented approach.  Most people are now asking for an increase in wealth, means of sustenance, and very few really stick to the rope of Allah and exhibit sabr / tolerance or patience for they know they will be rewarded for their duty oriented positive approach to religion.

Please note that this post may be more pertinent to the born Muslims rather than the reverts.

Which mode should be adopted: The duty oriented or the right oriented? Listen to an enlightening lecture by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan on this important subject:

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan (1 January 1925 – 21 April 2021) was an Islamic scholar and peace activist known for having written a commentary on the Quran and having translated it into contemporary English and talking on issues related to Islam.

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

That is our duty to convey only 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.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. 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. 

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

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. 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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For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

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

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Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: Rights of the Neighbour

The essence of human relation in Islam is based on love, affection and cooperation. It is expected of Muslims to be show compassion to their brethren and take care of them in times of need. Other than one's close relatives, the close neighbours too assume an added importance and Muslims are advised to look after their neighbours so as to establish a brotherly bondage with each other.

Allah has specially advised Muslims to be kind to their neighbours as it appears in the Qur'an (سورة النساء, An-Nisaa, Chapter #4, Verse #36):

وَاعۡبُدُوا اللّٰهَ وَلَا تُشۡرِكُوۡا بِهٖ شَيۡـئًـا​ ؕ وَّبِالۡوَالِدَيۡنِ اِحۡسَانًا وَّبِذِى الۡقُرۡبٰى وَالۡيَتٰمٰى وَ الۡمَسٰكِيۡنِ وَالۡجَـارِ ذِى الۡقُرۡبٰى وَالۡجَـارِ الۡجُـنُبِ وَالصَّاحِبِ بِالۡجَـنۡۢبِ وَابۡنِ السَّبِيۡلِ ۙ وَمَا مَلَـكَتۡ اَيۡمَانُكُمۡ​ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَنۡ كَانَ مُخۡتَالًا فَخُوۡرَا ۙ‏ 

(4:36) Serve Allah and ascribe no partner to Him. Do good to your parents, to near of kin, to orphans, and to the needy, and to the neighbour who is of kin and to the neighbour who is a stranger, and to the companion by your side, and to the wayfarer, and to those whom your right hands possess. Allah does not love the arrogant and the boastful,

The above quoted verse from Qur'an clearly spells out who is a neighbour: A neighbour who physically occupies a house next door, a companion during a journey or any wayfarer that one may come across.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has on many occasions advised his companions and others to look after their neighbours and after the close relatives, a share of charity must go to Neighbours if they are in need. \\

In Sahih al-Bukhari Book 78 (Good Manners and Form (Al-Adab) - كتاب الأدب /Chapter 28 (To recommend to be kind to one's neighbour) / Hadith 6014, beloved wife of Aisha has been quoted as saying:

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِي أُوَيْسٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ عَمْرَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَا زَالَ يُوصِينِي جِبْرِيلُ بِالْجَارِ حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيُوَرِّثُهُ ‏"‏‏.‏

The Prophet (ﷺ) said "Gabriel continued to recommend me about treating the neighbors Kindly and politely so much so that I thought he would order me to make them as my heirs."

The above quoted Hadith is very clearly lays down the importance of neighbours and our rights towards them. In case one neighbour is rich and other is poor, struggling for life, the former bears the responsibility to look after him.  In another Hadith, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said that a man whose neighbour is not safe from his misdeeds, is not a believer in Islam.

Again, he says that a person who enjoys a full meal while his neighbour is starving really has no faith in Islam. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was once informed of a woman who used to offer prayers regularly and would often keep fasts and give alms frequently, but her neighbours were sick of her abusive tongue. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said that such a woman deserved only the fire of Hell. He was then told of another woman who did not possess these virtues but did not trouble her neighbours and the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said that she might be rewarded with a place in Heaven.

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has laid so much emphasis on rights of neighbours that he has advised that whenever a Muslim brings fruits for his children, he should either send some to his neighbours as a gift or at least not throw the peelings outside his house. This would prevent the neighbour from feeling deprived. On one occasion, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said that a man is really good if his neighbours regard him as such and he is bad if they consider him so.

However, this does not mean that it is an Islamic virtue to be partial or unduly lenient towards one’s relations. Such support or partiality towards one’s relations as may result in injustice, is repugnant to Islam, which condemns it as an act of Jahiliya (ignorance). 

On the authority of Abi Hurairah, may God be pleased with him, on the authority of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, who said: Whoever believes in God and the Last Day will say, and whoever believes in Allah and Last Day, blessed be He. And those who believe in Allah and the Last Day will be rewarded.

A lot more can be added to the importance of looking for the welfare of one's neighbours, but the essence has been presented to apprise our brothers and sisters not to forget about the wellbeing of our neighbours.

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 to make 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.

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

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.

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.

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one 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.

Photo | References: | Khaleej Times | Ghamdi |

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

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Prophetic Supplication to seek refuge from helplessness and being overpowered unjustly

It has been narrated by Anas bin Malik that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ oftenly used to recite the following supplication: 

 اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ ‏

"O Allah! I seek refuge with You from, having worries sadness, helplessness, laziness, miserliness, cowardice, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by other persons unjustly."

The wording of the supplication shows that this supplication was made by the revered Prophet of Allah when under stress or duress or when fearing being overpowered by his enemies. We should also make this supplication much too often and invoke countless mercies of Allah to be our Guardian and Protector when dark clouds tend to overshadow us.

Note: This is the selected portion of Hadith number 5425 taken from Sahih al-Bukhari Book number 70 on Food, Meals - كتاب الأطعمة » / Chapter number 28: Al-Hais "باب الْحَيْسِ" (dish prepared from dried yoghourt, butter and dates). Complete hadith may be read from here which also makes a mention of preparation of meal Al Hais which was one of the favourites of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

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.

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

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.

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.

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. 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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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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Do not squander your wealth wastefully

The distribution of wealth has never been equal to every man since time immemorial. The philosophy behind this unequal distribution of wealth is based on Divine Test which is given to both the HAVEs and HAVE NOTs. In fact, those who have wealth beyond their needs are tested more for they are tested whether they squander their wealth for own comforts and spend it wastefully or do they give charities to the HAVE NOTs to help balance out the equation between those who have and those who do not have.

Likewise, there is a test for the poor: Whether they remain patient and continue to await the Divine help and till that they remain contended and pass the test. While there are others who get disheartened by limited means and choose evil ways to rob, cheat and embazzle to make ends meet.

The 26th verse of Surah 17 Al Israa (The Night Journey) is about taking care of near and dear ones and not to be wasteful in spending their wealth for it is needed by those around us, trying hard to sustain their lives:

وَاٰتِ ذَا الۡقُرۡبٰى حَقَّهٗ وَالۡمِسۡكِيۡنَ وَابۡنَ السَّبِيۡلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرۡ تَبۡذِيۡرًا‏ 

(17:26) Give to the near of kin his due, and also to the needy and the wayfarer. (iv) Do not squander your wealth wastefully,

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

In the Jewish Decalogue, which was given to a primitive and hard-hearted people, this refinement of Kindness, -to those in want and to wayfarers (i.e., total strangers whom you come across) finds no place. Nor was there much danger of their wasting their substance out of exuberance. Even the command "to honour thy father and mother" comes after the ceremonial observance of the Sabbath. With us, the worship of Allah is linked with kindness-to parents, kindred, those in want, those who are far from their homes though they may be total strangers to us. It is not mere verbal kindness. They have certain rights which must be fulfilled.

All charity, kindness, and help are conditioned by our own resources. There is no merit if we merely spend out of bravado or for idle show. How many families are ruined by extravagant expenses at weddings, funerals, etc., or (as they may call it) to "obliged friends or relatives", or to give to able-bodied beggars? To no one was this command more necessary than it is to Muslims of the present day.

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

(And give his due to the near of kin) In this instance, "his due" evidently refers to the loving consideration due to one's relatives (Zamakhsharl and Razi); those of them who are in a state of want are included in the subsequent mention of "the needy" (al-miskin).

(as well as to the needy and the wayfarer) Regarding this expression, see surah {2}, note [145].

(But do not squander [thy substance] senselessly) Lit., "with [utter] squandering" (tabdhiran) i.e., senselessly and to no good purpose. It is to be borne in mind that the term tabdhir does not relate to the quantity but, rather, to the purpose of one's spending. Thus, Ibn'Abbas and Ibn Mas'ud (both of them quoted by Tabari) defined tabdhlr as "spending without a righteous purpose" or "in a frivolous (batil) cause": and Mujahid is reported (ibid.) to have said, "If a man were to spend all that he possesses in a righteous cause, it could not be termed squandering; but if he spends even a small amount in a frivolous cause, it is squandering."

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The implication is that just as a person spends on himself the blessings bestowed upon him by God, he should also spend them on his fellow brethren after fulfilling his personal and business needs. It is evident from the Qur’ān that two things are required for a person if he is to become a true servant of God: Firstly, one’s relationship with God should be established on the right footing. Secondly, this relationship with other human beings should also be established the same way. The first thing is achieved through the prayer which is the foremost expression of one’s love for God, and the second through spending in the way of God for this is the foremost expression of one’s love for one’s fellow human beings. The reward for this spending is also God’s love because whatever one spends he has it saved in the heavens, and in the words of the Prophet Jesus (sws), his heart too remains occupied at this place, (Matthew, 6:19-21). In this verse, it is said that spending in the way of God is the right of one’s relatives, orphans and the needy which must necessarily be fulfilled. It is evident from this mention that any slackness in fulfilling this right can make a person a criminal who extorts the rights of people. Thus, at another instance, the Qur’ān (9:34-35) has clearly stated that if a person starts amassing wealth while remaining indifferent to these rights, then this is hoarding and its punishment is the fire of Hell – from which every believer should seek refuge with the Almighty.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

The Sūrah proceeds to include all relatives and the need to be kind to them, adding also the needy and travelers who may find themselves in difficulty. It expands on family relations so as to include all human bonds in their broadest sense:

Give the near kin their due, and also to the needy and the travelers in need. Do not squander your substance wastefully, for the wasteful squanderers are Satan’s brothers, and Satan has always been ungrateful to his Lord. But if you must turn aside from them in pursuit of an act of kindness you hope to receive from your Lord, then at least speak to them kindly. (Verses 26-28)

The Qur’ān makes it clear that the near of kin, the needy and stranded travelers have a right against us which may only be discharged by financial assistance. This does not come as a favour which one person does to another; it is rather a duty imposed by God and associated with worshipping Him alone. When we fulfil this duty, we are only discharging our responsibility, and cultivating a close relationship between ourselves and those to whom we give. The giver has no favour against the recipient, because he is only fulfilling a duty towards God.

Having explained the above said verse in detail, you may now listen to explanation of the Ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

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.

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

Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

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

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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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Prophetic Supplication: How to beg to our Lord (Etiquette of supplication)

Man's needs are innumerous and are never ending. Wealth and resources on the other hand are always a constraining factor in the realization of our needs. And when nothing works out, we turn toward our Creator and invoke His blessings for the fulfillment of our needs. But is there a simple, yet powerful supplication, that could address all our woes? Well yes. Read on:

Abu Malik reported on the authority of his father that he heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying to the person who had come to him and asked him as to how he should beg his Lord, that he should utter these words:

حَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ أَقُولُ حِينَ أَسْأَلُ رَبِّي قَالَ ‏"‏ قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَعَافِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَيَجْمَعُ أَصَابِعَهُ إِلاَّ الإِبْهَامَ ‏"‏ فَإِنَّ هَؤُلاَءِ تَجْمَعُ لَكَ دُنْيَاكَ وَآخِرَتَكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

" O Allah, grant me pardon, have mercy upon me, protect me, provide me sustenance," and he collected his fingers together except his thumb and said: It is in these words (that there is supplication) which sums up for you (the good) of this world and that of the Hereafter.

Reference: Sahi Muslim (Book #48 Pertaining to the Remembrance of Allah, Supplication, Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness " كتاب الذكر والدعاء والتوبة والاستغفار "/ Chapter 10: The Virtue Of Tahlil (Saying La Ilaha Ill-Allah), Tasbih (Saying Subhan Allah) And (Du'a) Supplication " باب فَضْلِ التَّهْلِيلِ وَالتَّسْبِيحِ وَالدُّعَاءِ " Hadith number 2697c.

The hadith provides a comprehensive and concise supplication that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) recommended to seek the well-being of both this world and the Hereafter. The supplication encompasses asking for pardon, mercy, protection, and sustenance. Let’s break down the meaning and implications of this hadith:

Explanation

• O Allah, grant me pardon (اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي - Allahumma ighfir li): This part of the supplication asks for Allah's forgiveness. Seeking pardon from Allah is crucial because it cleanses one from sins and brings spiritual purity, which is essential for a successful life in both worlds.
• Have mercy upon me (وَارْحَمْنِي - warhamni): Asking for Allah's mercy encompasses both His compassion and kindness. Mercy from Allah means receiving His blessings, being shielded from hardships, and having ease in all affairs.
• Protect me (وَعَافِنِي - wa 'afini): Protection here can mean protection from illnesses, calamities, and any form of harm. It includes physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, ensuring that one is healthy and safe from afflictions.
• Provide me sustenance (وَارْزُقْنِي - warzuqni): This is a request for provision and sustenance. It encompasses all forms of sustenance—material (like food, wealth, and resources) and immaterial (like knowledge, guidance, and contentment).

Context and Importance

The Prophet (ﷺ) emphasized that this supplication covers the good of both this world and the Hereafter. By asking for forgiveness, mercy, protection, and sustenance, a believer is seeking comprehensive well-being and divine support in all aspects of life.

Implications

• Comprehensive Well-being: This supplication is holistic, covering spiritual, physical, and material aspects of life. It seeks Allah’s help in all critical areas that contribute to a person’s overall well-being.
• Balance Between Worldly Life and Hereafter: The supplication balances the needs of this world and the Hereafter. It acknowledges the importance of being forgiven and guided (which has implications for the Hereafter) while also seeking protection and sustenance (which are essential for this worldly life).
• Concise and Effective: The Prophet (ﷺ) indicated that this short supplication is very powerful and comprehensive. It is a simple yet profound way for believers to regularly ask for Allah’s assistance in the most important areas of their lives.

Practical Application

• Daily Recitation: Believers can incorporate this supplication into their daily prayers and routines. It is concise, making it easy to remember and repeat frequently.
• In Times of Need: This supplication can be especially useful in times of need or difficulty when one seeks comprehensive divine support.

The supplication is a powerful and comprehensive prayer that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) recommended for covering the essential needs of both this life and the Hereafter. It emphasizes seeking Allah’s forgiveness, mercy, protection, and provision, making it a holistic prayer for overall well-being. Regularly reciting this supplication can help believers maintain a balanced and spiritually fulfilling life.

Just ponder over each of the four things mentioned in the supplication: One must begin by confessing his sins and pleading for pardon, and then asking for continued mercy of Allah Almighty. He should then seek protection from all the evils that surround him so that he is not deterred from walking on Sirat e Mustaqeem. And then in the last comes request for means of sustenance. This simple yet very powerful supplication provides us with a format as to plead to our Lord and ask for His countless favours on us.

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 to make 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.

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

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.

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.

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one 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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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

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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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(Believers) Do not Spy nor Backbite one another

Surah 49 Al-Hujurat (Private Chambers) is one of the many Surahs of the Qur'an which lay stress on social etiquette and contain some of the very important DOs and DONTs. We have already shared some and are sharing yet another DONT which forbids believers from spying and backbiting fellow brethren. 

Most kinds of suspicion are baseless and to be avoided, and some are crimes in themselves: for they do cruel injustice to innocent men and women. Spying, or enquiring too curiously into other people's affairs, means either idle curiosity, and is therefore futile, or suspicion carried a stage further, which almost amounts to sin. Back-biting also is a brood of the same genus. It may be either futile but all the same mischievous, or it may be poisoned with malice, in which case it is a sin added to sin. [1] 

This is the 12th verse of the Surah explained as herein under:

يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوا اجۡتَنِبُوۡا كَثِيۡرًا مِّنَ الظَّنِّ اِنَّ بَعۡضَ الظَّنِّ اِثۡمٌ​ وَّلَا تَجَسَّسُوۡا وَلَا يَغۡتَبْ بَّعۡضُكُمۡ بَعۡضًا​ ؕ اَ يُحِبُّ اَحَدُكُمۡ اَنۡ يَّاۡكُلَ لَحۡمَ اَخِيۡهِ مَيۡتًا فَكَرِهۡتُمُوۡهُ​ ؕ وَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ​ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ‏ 

(49:12) Believers, avoid being excessively suspicious, for some suspicion is a sin.24 Do not spy,25 nor backbite one another.26 Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother?27 You would surely detest it. Have fear of Allah. Surely Allah is much more prone to accept repentance, is Most Compassionate.

What is forbidden is not conjecture as such but excessive conjecture and following every kind of conjecture, and the reason given is that some conjectures are sins. In order to understand this Command, we should analyze and see what are the kinds of conjecture and what is the moral position of each.

• One kind of conjecture is that which is morally approved and laudable, and desirable and praiseworthy from a religious point of view, e.g. a good conjecture in respect of Allah and His Messenger and the believers and those people with whom one comes in common contact daily and concerning whom there may be no rational ground for having an evil conjecture.
• The second kind of conjecture is that which one cannot do without in practical life, e.g. in a law court a judge has to consider the evidence placed before him and give his decision on the basis of the most probable conjecture, for he cannot have direct knowledge of the facts of the matter, and the opinion that is based on evidence is mostly based on the most probable conjecture and not on certainty. Likewise, in most cases when one or the other decision has to be taken, and the knowledge of the reality cannot possibly be attained, there is no way oat for men but to form an opinion on the basis of a conjecture.
• The third kind of conjecture, which is although a suspicion, is permissible in nature, and it cannot be regarded as a sin. For instance, if there are clear signs and pointers in the character of a person (or persons), or in his dealings and conduct, on the basis of which he may not deserve to enjoy one's good conjecture, and there are rational grounds for having suspicions against him, the Shari `ah does not demand that one should behave like a simpleton and continue to have a good conjecture about him. The last limit of this lawful conjecture, however, is that one should conduct oneself cautiously in order to ward off any possible mischief from him; it is not right to take an action against him only on the basis of a conjecture.
• The fourth kind of conjecture which is, in fact, a sin is that one should entertain a suspicion in respect of a person without any ground, or should start with suspicion in forming an opinion about others, or should entertain a suspicion about the people whose apparent conditions show that they are good and noble. Likewise, this also is a sin that when there is an equal chance of the evil and goodness in the word or deed of a person, one should regard it as only evil out of suspicion. For instance, if a gentleman while leaving a place of assembly picks up another one's shoes, instead of his own, and we form the opinion that he has done so with the intention of stealing the shoes, whereas this could be possible because of oversight as well, there is no reason for adopting the evil opinion instead of the good opinion except the suspicion.

This analysis makes it plain that conjecture by itself is not anything forbidden; rather in some cases and situations it is commendable, in some situations inevitable, in some permissible up to a certain extent and un-permissible beyond it, and in some cases absolutely unlawful. That is why it has not been enjoined that one should refrain from conjecture or suspicion altogether but what is enjoined is that one should refrain from much suspicion. Then, to make the intention of the Command explicit, it has been said that some conjectures are sinful. From this warning it follows automatically that whenever a person is forming an opinion on the basis of conjecture, or is about to take an action, he should examine the case and see whether the conjecture he is entertaining is not a sin, whether the conjecture is really necessary, whether there arc sound reasons for the conjecture, and whether the conduct one is adopting on the basis of the conjecture is permissible. Everyone who fears God will certainly take these precautions. To make one's conjecture free and independent of every such care and consideration is the pastime of only those people who are fearless of God and thoughtless of the accountability -of the Hereafter.  

"Do not spy" Do not grope after the secrets of the people: do not search for their defects and weaknesses: do not pry into their conditions and affairs. Whether this is done because of suspicion, or for causing harm to somebody with an evil intention, or for satisfying one's own curiosity, it is forbidden by the Shari 'ah in every case. It does not behoove a believer that he should spy on the hidden affairs of other people, and should try to peep at them from behind curtains to find out their defects and their weaknesses. This also includes reading other people's private letters, listening secretly to private conversation, peeping into the neighbor's house, and trying to get information in different ways about the domestic life or private affairs of others. This is grave immorality which causes serious mischief in society. That is why the Holy Prophet once said in an address about those who pry into other people's affairs:

"O people, who have professed belief verbally, but faith has not yet entered your hearts: Do not pry into the affairs of the Muslims, for he who will pry into the affairs of the Muslims, Allah will pry into his affairs, and he whom Allah follows inquisitively, is disgraced by Him in his own house. " (Abu Da'ud).

Hadrat Mu'awiyah says that he himself heard the Holy Prophet say; `If you start prying into the secret affairs of the people, you will corrupt them, or at least drive them very near corruption. " (Abu Da'ud).

In another Hadith he said: "When you happen to form an evil opinion about somebody, do not pry about it. " (AI-Jassas, Ahkam al-Qur'an).

According to still another Hadith, the Holy Prophet said: "The one who saw a secret affair of somebody and then concealed it is as though he saved a girl who had been buried alive." (AI-Jassas).

This prohibition of spying is not only applicable to the individuals but also to the Islamic government. The duty of forbidding the people to do evil that the Shari`ah has entrusted to the government does not require that it should establish a system of spying to inquire too curiously into the people's secret evils and then punish them, but it should use force only against those evils which are manifested openly. As for the hidden evils, spying is not the way to reform them but it is education, preaching and counseling, collective training of the people and trying to create a pure social environment. In this connection, an incident concerning Hadrat `Umar is very instructive. Once at night he heard the voice of a person who was singing in his house. He became curious and climbed the wall. There he saw wine as well as a woman present. He shouted at the man, saying: "O enemy of God, do you think you will disobey Allah, and Allah will not expose your secret?" The man replied: “Do not make haste, O Commander of the Faithful: if I have committed one sin, you have committed three sins: Allah has forbidden spying, and you have spied; Allah has commanded that one should enter the houses by the doors, and you have entered it by climbing over the wall; Allah has commanded that one should avoid entering the other people's houses without permission, and you have entered my house without my permission. " Hearing this reply Hadrat `Umar confessed his error, and did not take any action against the man, but made him to promise that he would follow the right way in future. (Abi Bakr Muhammad bin Ja`far al-Khara'iti, Makarim al-Akhlaq). This shows that it is not only forbidden for the individuals but also for the Islamic government itself to pry into the secrets of the people and discover their sins and errors and then seize them for punishment. The same thing has been said in a Hadith in which the Holy Prophet has said: `When the ruler starts searching for the causes of suspicions among the people he corrupts them" (Abu Da'ud).

The only exception from this Command are the special cases and situations in which spying is actually needed. For instance, if in the conduct of a person (or persons) some signs of corruption are visible and there is the apprehension that he is about to commit a crime, the government can inquire into his affairs; or, for instance, if somebody sends a proposal of marriage in the house of a person, or wants to enter into business with him, the other person can, inquire and investigate into his affairs for his own satisfaction.  

Ghibat (back-biting) has been defined thus: "It is saying on the back of a person something which would hurt him if he came to know of it. " This definition has been reported from the Holy Prophet himself. According to a tradition which Muslim, Abu Da'ud, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i and others have related on the authority of Hadrat Abu Hurairah, the Holy Prophet defined ghibat as follows:

"It is talking of your brother in a way irksome to him." It was asked: "What if the defect being talked about is present in my brother?" The Holy Prophet replied: "If it is present in him, it would be ghibat; if it is not there, it would be slandering him. "

In another tradition which Imam Malik has related in Mu'watta, on the authority of Hadrat Muttalib bin `Abdullah, "A person asked the Holy Prophet: What is ghibat? The Holy Prophet replied: It is talking of your brother in a way that was irksome to him. He asked: Even if it is true, O Messenger of Allah? He replied: If what you said was false, it would then be a calumny."

These traditions make it plain that uttering a false accusation against a person in his absence is calumny and describing a real defect in him ghibat; whether this is done in express words or by reference and allusion, in every case it is forbidden. Likewise, whether this is done in the lifetime of a person, or after his death, it is forbidden in both cases. According to Abu Da'ud, when Ma`iz bin Malik Aslami had been stoned to death for committing adultery, the Holy Prophet on his way back heard a man saying to his companion: "Look at this man: Allah had concealed his secret, but he did not leave himself alone till he was killed like a dog!" A little further on the way there was the dead body of an ass lying rotting. The Holy Prophet stopped, called the two men and said: "Come down and cat this dead ass." They submitted: "Who will eat it, O Messenger of Allah?" The Holy Prophet said: "A little before this you were attacking the honor of your brother: that was much worse than eating this dead ass."

The only exceptions to this prohibition are the cases in which there may be a genuine need of speaking in of a person on his back, or after his death, and This may not be fulfilled without resort to backbiting, and if it was not resorted to, a greater evil might result than backbiting itself. The Holy Prophet has described this exception as a principle, thus: "The worst excess is to attack the honour of a Muslim unjustly." (Abu Da'ud).

In this saying the condition of `unjustly" points out that doing so "with justice" is permissible. Then, in the practice of the Holy Prophet himself we find some precedents which show what is implied by "justice" and in what conditions and cases backbiting may be lawful to the extent as necessary.

Once a desert Arab came and offered his Prayer under the leadership of the Holy Prophet, and as soon as the Prayer was concluded, walked away saying: "O God, have mercy on me and on Muhammad, and make no one else a partner in this mercy beside the two of us." The Holy Prophet said to the Companions: `What do you say: who is more ignorant: this person or his camel? Didn't you hear what he said?" (Abu Da`ud). The Holy Prophet had to say this in his absence, for he had left soon after the Prayer was over. Since he had uttered a wrong thing in the presence of the Holy Prophet, his remaining quiet at it could cause the misunderstanding that saying such a thing might in some degree be lawful; therefore, it was necessary that he should contradict it.

Two of the Companions, Hadrat Mu`awiyah and Hadrat Abu Jahm, sent the proposal of marriage to a lady, Fatimah bint Qais. She came to the Holy Prophet and asked for his advice. He said: "Mu`awiyah is a poor man and Abu Jahm beats his wives much." (Bukhari, Muslim). In this case, as there was the question of the lady's future and she had consulted the Holy Prophet for his advice, he deemed it necessary to inform her of the two men's weaknesses.

One day when the Holy Prophet was present in the apartment of Hadrat 'A'ishah, a man came and sought permission to see him. The Holy Prophet remarked that he was a very bad man of his tribe. Then he went out and talked to him politely. When he came back into the house, Hadrat `A'ishah asked: "You have talked to him politely, whereas when you went out you said something different about him. " The Holy Prophet said, "On the day of Resurrection the worst abode in the sight of Allah will be of the person whom the people start avoiding because of his abusive language." (Bukhari, Muslim). A study of this incident will show that the Holy Prophet in spite of having a bad opinion about the person talked to him politely because that was the demand of his morals; but he had the apprehension lest the people of his house should consider the person to be his friend when they would see him treating him kindly, and then the person might use this impression to his own advantage later. Therefore, the Holy Prophet warned Hadrat `A'ishah telling her that he was a had man of his tribe. Once Hind bint 'Utbah, wife of Hadrat Abu Sufyan, came to the Holy Prophet and said: "Abu Sufyan is a miserly person: he does not provide enough for me and my children's needs. " (Bukhari, Muslim). Although this complaint from the wife in the absence of the husband was backbiting, the Holy Prophet permitted it, for the oppressed one' has a right that he or she may take the complaint of injustice to a person who has the power to get it removed.

From these precedents of the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet, the jurists and traditionists have deduced this principle: 'Ghibat (backbiting) is permissible only in case it is needed for a real and genuine (genuine from the Shari'ah point of view) necessity and the necessity may not be satisfied without having resort to it". Then on the basis of the same principle the scholars have declared that ghibat is permissible in the following cases:

1. Complaining by an oppressed person against the oppressor before every such person who he thinks can do something to save him from the injustice.
2. To make mention of the evils of a person (or persons) with the intention of reform before those who can do expected to help remove the evils.
3. To state the facts of a case before a legal expert for the purpose of seeking a religious or legal ruling regarding an unlawful act committed by a person.
4. To warn the people of the mischiefs of a person (or persons) so that they may ward off evil, e g. it is not only permissible but obligatory to mention the weaknesses of the reporters, witnesses and writers, for without it, it is not possible to safeguard the Shari ah against the propagation of false reports, the courts against injustices and the common people or the students against errors and misunderstandings. Or, for instance, if a person wants to have the relationship of marriage with somebody, or wishes to rent a house in the neighborhood of somebody, of wants to give something into the custody of somebody, and consults another person, it is obligatory for him to apprise him of all aspects so that he is not deceived because of ignorance.
5. To raise ' voice against and criticize the evils of the people who may be spreading sin and immorality and error, or corrupting the people's faith and persecuting them.
6. To use nicknames for the people who may have become well known by those names, but this should be done for the purpose of their recognition and not with a view to condemning them. (For details, see Fat-h al-Bani, vol. X, p. 362; Sharh Muslim by An-Nawawi; Riyad us-Salihin; al-Jassas, Ahkam al-Qur'an; Ruh al-Ma ani commentary on verse wa a yaghtab ba 'dukum ba 'dan).

Apart from these exceptions it is absolutely forbidden to speak ill of a person behind his back. If what is spoken is true, it is ghibat; if it is false, it is calumny; and if it is meant to make two persons quarrel, it is slander. The Shari 'ah has declared all these as forbidden. In the Islamic society it is incumbent on every Muslim to refute a false charge made against a person in his presence and not to listen to it quietly, and to tell those who are speaking ill of somebody, without a genuine religious need, to fear God and desist from the sin. The Holy Prophet has said: If a person does not support and help a Muslim when he is being disgraced and his honor being attacked, Allah also does not support and help him when he stands in need of His help; and if a person helps and supports a Muslim when his honor is being attacked and he is being disgraced, Allah Almighty also helps him when he wants that Allah should help him. (Abu Da'ud).

As for the backbiter, as soon as he realizes that he is committing this sin, or has committed it, his first duty is to offer repentance before Allah and restrain himself from this forbidden act. His second duty is that he should compensate for it as far as possible. If he has backbitten a dead person, he should ask Allah's forgiveness for the person as often as he can. If he has backbitten a living person, and what he said was also false, he should refute it before the people before whom he had made the calumny. And if what he said was true, he should never speak ill of him in future, and should ask pardon of the person whom he had backbitten. A section of the scholars has expressed the opinion that pardon should be asked only in case the other person has come to know of it; otherwise one should only offer repentance, for if the person concerned is unaware and the backbiter in order to ask pardon goes and tells him that he had backbitten him, he would certainly feel hurt.

"Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother?" In this sentence Allah, by likening backbiting to eating the dead brother's flesh, has given the idea of its being an abomination. Eating the dead flesh is by itself abhorrent; and when the flesh is not of an animal, but of a man, and that too of one's own dead brother, abomination would be added to abomination. Then, by presenting the simile in the interrogative tone it has been made all the more impressive, so that every person may ask his own conscience and decide whether he would like to eat the flesh of his dead brother. If he would not, and he abhors it by nature, how he would like that he should attack the honor of his brother-in-faith in his absence, when he cannot defend himself and when he is wholly unaware that he is being disgraced. This shows that the basic reason of forbidding backbiting is not that the person being backbitten is being hurt but speaking ill of a person in his absence is by itself unlawful and forbidden whether he is aware of it, or not, and whether he feels hurt by it or not. Obviously, eating the flesh of a dead man is not forbidden because it hurts the dead man; the dead person is wholly unaware that somebody is eating of his body, but because this act by itself is an abomination. Likewise, if the person who is ` backbitten also does not come to know of it through any means, he will retrain unaware throughout his life that somebody had attacked his honor at a particular time before some particular people and on that account he had stood disgraced in the eyes of those people. Because of this unawareness he will not feel at all hurt by this backbiting, but his honor would in any case be sullied. Therefore, this act in its nature is not any different from eating the flesh of a dead brother.

Having explained the above said verse in detail, you may now listen to explanation of the Ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

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 refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 49. Al-Ḥujurāt  - The Chambers / Private Apartments already published

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

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

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.

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