English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (2010)

by Maulana Muhammad Ali

Chapter 49: Al-Hujurat — The Apartments (Revealed at Madinah: 2 sections, 18 verses)

Section 1 (Verses 49:1–49:10): Respect for the Prophet

Translation:

بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تُقَدِّمُوۡا بَیۡنَ یَدَیِ اللّٰہِ وَ رَسُوۡلِہٖ وَ اتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ سَمِیۡعٌ عَلِیۡمٌ ﴿۱﴾

49:1 O you who believe, do not be forward in the presence of Allah and His Messenger,¹ and keep your duty to Allah. Surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing.

یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَرۡفَعُوۡۤا اَصۡوَاتَکُمۡ فَوۡقَ صَوۡتِ النَّبِیِّ وَ لَا تَجۡہَرُوۡا لَہٗ بِالۡقَوۡلِ کَجَہۡرِ بَعۡضِکُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ اَنۡ تَحۡبَطَ اَعۡمَالُکُمۡ وَ اَنۡتُمۡ لَا تَشۡعُرُوۡنَ ﴿۲﴾

49:2 O you who believe, do not raise your voices above the Prophet’s voice, nor speak loudly to him as you speak loudly to one another, in case your deeds become fruitless, while you do not perceive.²

اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ یَغُضُّوۡنَ اَصۡوَاتَہُمۡ عِنۡدَ رَسُوۡلِ اللّٰہِ اُولٰٓئِکَ الَّذِیۡنَ امۡتَحَنَ اللّٰہُ قُلُوۡبَہُمۡ لِلتَّقۡوٰی ؕ لَہُمۡ مَّغۡفِرَۃٌ وَّ اَجۡرٌ عَظِیۡمٌ ﴿۳﴾

49:3 Surely those who lower their voices before Allah’s Messenger are they whose hearts Allah has proved for dutifulness. For them is forgiveness and a great reward.

اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ یُنَادُوۡنَکَ مِنۡ وَّرَآءِ الۡحُجُرٰتِ اَکۡثَرُہُمۡ لَا یَعۡقِلُوۡنَ ﴿۴﴾

49:4 Those who call out to you from behind the private apartments, most of them have no sense.³

وَ لَوۡ اَنَّہُمۡ صَبَرُوۡا حَتّٰی تَخۡرُجَ اِلَیۡہِمۡ لَکَانَ خَیۡرًا لَّہُمۡ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِیۡمٌ ﴿۵﴾

49:5 And if they had patience till you come out to them, it would be better for them. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِنۡ جَآءَکُمۡ فَاسِقٌۢ بِنَبَاٍ فَتَبَیَّنُوۡۤا اَنۡ تُصِیۡبُوۡا قَوۡمًۢا بِجَہَالَۃٍ فَتُصۡبِحُوۡا عَلٰی مَا فَعَلۡتُمۡ نٰدِمِیۡنَ ﴿۶﴾

49:6 O you who believe, if an unrighteous person brings you news, look carefully into it, in case you harm a people in ignorance, then be sorry for what you did.⁴

وَ اعۡلَمُوۡۤا اَنَّ فِیۡکُمۡ رَسُوۡلَ اللّٰہِ ؕ لَوۡ یُطِیۡعُکُمۡ فِیۡ کَثِیۡرٍ مِّنَ الۡاَمۡرِ لَعَنِتُّمۡ وَ لٰکِنَّ اللّٰہَ حَبَّبَ اِلَیۡکُمُ الۡاِیۡمَانَ وَ زَیَّنَہٗ فِیۡ قُلُوۡبِکُمۡ وَ کَرَّہَ اِلَیۡکُمُ الۡکُفۡرَ وَ الۡفُسُوۡقَ وَ الۡعِصۡیَانَ ؕ اُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الرّٰشِدُوۡنَ ۙ﴿۷﴾

49:7 And know that among you is Allah’s Messenger. If he were to obey you in many a matter, you would surely fall into distress; but Allah has endeared the faith to you and has made it attractive in your hearts, and He has made hateful to you disbelief and transgression and disobedience. Such are those who are rightly guided —

فَضۡلًا مِّنَ اللّٰہِ وَ نِعۡمَۃً ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ عَلِیۡمٌ حَکِیۡمٌ ﴿۸﴾

49:8 a grace from Allah and a favour. And Allah is Knowing, Wise.

وَ اِنۡ طَآئِفَتٰنِ مِنَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ اقۡتَتَلُوۡا فَاَصۡلِحُوۡا بَیۡنَہُمَا ۚ فَاِنۡۢ بَغَتۡ اِحۡدٰىہُمَا عَلَی الۡاُخۡرٰی فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِیۡ تَبۡغِیۡ حَتّٰی تَفِیۡٓءَ اِلٰۤی اَمۡرِ اللّٰہِ ۚ فَاِنۡ فَآءَتۡ فَاَصۡلِحُوۡا بَیۡنَہُمَا بِالۡعَدۡلِ وَ اَقۡسِطُوۡا ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ یُحِبُّ الۡمُقۡسِطِیۡنَ ﴿۹﴾

49:9 And if two groups of the believers quarrel, make peace between them. Then if one of them does wrong to the other, fight the one which does wrong, till it returns to Allah’s command. Then, if it returns, make peace between them with justice and act equitably. Surely Allah loves the equitable.⁵

اِنَّمَا الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ اِخۡوَۃٌ فَاَصۡلِحُوۡا بَیۡنَ اَخَوَیۡکُمۡ وَ اتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ لَعَلَّکُمۡ تُرۡحَمُوۡنَ ﴿٪۱۰﴾

49:10 The believers are brethren so make peace between your brethren, and keep your duty to Allah that mercy may be shown to you.

Commentary:

1. The presence of Allah means the presence of His commandments. The words imply the utmost obedience. ↩
2. The Quran not only inculcates high morals but also regulates social conduct, because its teachings are intended for all grades of people. When large numbers of people began to enter Islam such directions became necessary. A loud voice is expressive of arrogance or resentment. ↩
3. When masses of people began to enter Islam many of them were igno­rant even of the ordinary social rules, and they called out to the Prophet with loud voices while he was within his house. The practice is deprecated because it meant disrespect to the Holy Prophet. ↩
4. Such a direction was expedient when a condition of war necessitated prompt action to be taken against the enemy. But even the exigencies of war were to be carried out with the utmost carefulness, so that friendly people should not suffer loss. ↩
5. This verse requires Muslims not to be indifferent when one group of them quarrels with another. They must bring every kind of pressure to bear upon the party in error. It is the duty of every Muslim to maintain the unity of Islam. An attitude of indifference towards fatwas of kufr (heresy), directed against their own brethren by ignorant Mullas (clerics), has dealt a fatal blow to the union of Muslim brotherhood, and, if Muslims do not raise their voice against these fatwas, they must never hope to make any progress towards real union. ↩

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