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CHAPTER 49

Al-ujurt: The Apartments

(REVEALED AT MADNAH: 2 sections ; 18 verses )

The chapter takes its title from v. 4, which enjoins the Muslims not to call out to theProphet from behind the privateapartments . It was revealed to teach good manners aswell as good morals when large masses began to enter Islm and deputation after deputa-tion came to Madnah. The Holy Prophet was not only the spiritual head of a people; hewas also a Prophet who had to direct his people in their religious and temporal affairs. Hehad to decide their cases and to make laws for them; to lead them to prayer, to bow beforeGod and into the eld to ght against a powerful enemy; and, therefore, it was necessarythat the new converts to Islm should appreciate the value of his time. It, however,teaches respect not only for the Prophets privacy but also for each others privacy.

The chapter was revealed at Madnah in the year 9 A.H. The opening verses are unani-mously taken to refer to the time of the visit of the deputation of the Ban Tamm. As theprevious chapter speaks of victories for the Muslims, and as victory brings ease, this chap-ter denounces the vices of a civilized society living in ease and comfort. Opening with aninjunction as to the manners to be observed towards the Holy Prophet, the section isconcluded with a direction requiring the Muslims to make peace between Muslims. Thesecond section teaches the Muslims some of the social virtues, and enjoins them to avoidcertain vices which are the bane of society, showing that brotherhood in Islm is not basedon the distinctions of tribes and families, but on piety and righteousness.

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Part 26] RESPECT FOR MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD 1005

SECTION 1:Respect for the Prophet

In the name of Allh, the Benecent,the Merciful.1 O you who believe, be not for-ward in the presence of Allh andHis Messenger, and keep your dutyto Allh. Surely Allh is Hearing,Knowing.a

2 O you who believe, raise not your

voices above the Prophets voice, norspeak loudly to him as you speak loudly one to another, lest your deedsbecome null, while you perceive not.a

3 Surely those who lower theirvoices before Allhs Messenger arethey whose hearts Allh has provedfor dutifulness. For them is forgive-ness and a great reward.4 Those who call out to thee frombehind the private apartments, mostof them have no sense.a

5 And if they had patience till thoucome out to them, it would be betterfor them. And Allh is Forgiving,

Merciful.6 O you who believe, if an unright-eous man brings you news, look carefully into it, lest you harm a

1a. The presence of Allh means the presence of His commandments . The wordsimply the utmost obedience.

2a. The Qurn not only inculcates high morals but also regulates social conduct,because its teachings are intended for all grades of men. When large numbers of menbegan to enter Islm such directions became necessary, and they will always be neededby the masses in any society. A loud voice is expressive of arrogance or resentment.

4a. As already pointed out, when the masses began to enter Islm many of themwere ignorant even of the ordinary social rules, and they called out to the Prophet withloud voices while he was within his house. The practice is deprecated because it meantdisrespect to the Holy Prophet.

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people in ignorance, then be sorry forwhat you did.a

7 And know that among you isAllhs Messenger. Were he to obeyyou in many a matter, you wouldsurely fall into distress; but Allh hasendeared the faith to you and hasmade it seemly in your hearts, and Hehas made hateful to you disbelief andtransgression and disobedience. Suchare those who are rightly guided 8 A grace from Allh and a favour.And Allh is Knowing, Wise.9 And if two parties of the believersquarrel, make peace between them.Then if one of them does wrong to theother, ght that which does wrong, tillit return to Allhs command. Then, if

it returns, make peace between themwith justice and act equitably. SurelyAllh loves the equitable.a

10 The believers are brethren somake peace between your brethren,and keep your duty to Allh thatmercy may be had on you.

SECTION 2:Respect for Muslim Brotherhood

11 O you who believe, let not peoplelaugh at people, perchance they maybe better than they; nor let women

6a. Such a direction was expedient when a condition of war necessitated promptaction to be taken against the enemy. But even the exigencies of war were to be carriedout with the utmost carefulness, so that friendly people should not suffer loss.

9a. It is related that the occasion of the revelation of this verse was a quarrel betweenthe Aus and the Khazraj, the two chief tribes of Madnah; but this does not mean that theverse is applicable only to that case. The verse, in fact, requires the Muslims not to beindifferent when one party of them quarrels with another. In such cases they must bringevery kind of pressure within their reach to bear upon the party in error. It is the duty of every Muslim to maintain the unity of Islm. An attitude of indifference towards fatwsof kufr , directed against their own brethren by ignorant Mulls, has dealt a fatal blow to

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Part 26] RESPECT FOR MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD 1007

(laugh) at women, perchance they maybe better than they. Neither nd faultwith your own people, nor call oneanother by nick-names. Evil is a badname after faith; and whoso turns not,these it is that are the iniquitous.a

12 O you who believe, avoid mostof suspicion, for surely suspicion insome cases is sin; and spy not nor letsome of you backbite others. Doesone of you like to eat the esh of hisdead brother? You abhor it! And keepyour duty to Allh, surely Allh isOft-returning (to mercy), Merciful.13 O mankind, surely We have cre-ated you from a male and a female,and made you tribes and families thatyou may know each other. Surely thenoblest of you with Allh is the mostdutiful of you. Surely Allh isKnowing, Aware.a

14 The dwellers of the desert say:We believe. Say: You believe not, butsay, We submit; and faith has not yetentered into your hearts. And if youobey Allh and His Messenger, Hewill not diminish aught of your deeds.Surely Allh is Forgiving, Merciful.a

the union of Muslim brotherhood, and, if the Muslims do not raise their voice againstthese fatws , they must never hope to make any progress towards real union.

11a. This verse and those that follow deal with some of the evils which are mostrampant in civilized society, and which corrupt a society to its core. These evils mostlyarise with wealth; for, living in ease, people are most concerned with seeking each othersfaults, and thus mutual hatred takes the place of brotherly love and friendly concord.

13a. The principle of the brotherhood of man laid down here is on the broadest basis.The address here is not to believers, as in the two previous verses, but to men in general,who are told that they are all, as it were, members of one family, and their divisions intonations, tribes and families should not lead to estrangement from, but to a better knowledgeof, each other. Superiority of one over another in this vast brotherhood does not depend onnationality, wealth, or rank, but on the careful observance of duty, or moral greatness.

14a. Here the Muslims are enjoined to deal kindly and leniently, even with those who,being novices, were not yet really grounded in the faith, though they were members of the

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15 The believers are those onlywho believe in Allh and HisMessenger, then they doubt not, andstruggle hard with their wealth andtheir lives in the way of Allh. Suchare the truthful ones.16 Say: Would you apprise Allhof your religion? and Allh knowswhat is in the heavens and what is inthe earth. And Allh is Knower of allthings.17 They presume to lay thee underan obligation by becoming Muslims.Say: Lay me not under an obligationby your Islm; rather Allh lays youunder an obligation by guiding youto the faith, if you are truthful.18 Surely Allh knows the unseen

of the heavens and the earth. AndAllh is Seer of what you do.

Muslim brotherhood. Faith had not yet entered into their hearts, but they were to be regard-ed as Muslims. The solidarity of Islm is being shattered today by narrow-minded Mullswho, on one pretext or another, issue fatws of kufr against this or that party of Muslims.

1008 Ch. 49: THE APARTMENTS [ Al-ujurt