O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of some of you to others, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not.
Indeed, those who lower their voices before the Messenger of Allāh - they are the ones whose hearts Allāh has tested for righteousness. For them is forgiveness and great reward.
4
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inna alladhīna yunādūnaka min warāi l-ḥujurāti aktharuhum lā yaʿqilūna
Indeed, those who call you, [O Muḥammad], from behind the chambers - most of them do not use reason.
And if they had been patient until you [could] come out to them, it would have been better for them. But Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
6
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yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū in jāakum fāsiqun binaba-in fatabayyanū an tuṣībū qawman bijahālatin fatuṣ'biḥū ʿalā mā faʿaltum nādimīna
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.
7
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wa-iʿ'lamū anna fīkum rasūla l-lahi law yuṭīʿukum fī kathīrin mina l-amri laʿanittum walākinna l-laha ḥabbaba ilaykumu l-īmāna wazayyanahu fī qulūbikum wakarraha ilaykumu l-kuf'ra wal-fusūqa wal-ʿiṣ'yāna ulāika humu l-rāshidūna
And know that among you is the Messenger of Allāh. If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would be in difficulty, but Allāh has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. Those are the [rightly] guided.
8
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faḍlan mina l-lahi waniʿ'matan wal-lahu ʿalīmun ḥakīmun
[It is] as bounty from Allāh and favor. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
And if two factions among the believers should fight, then make settlement between the two. But if one of them oppresses the other, then fight against the one that oppresses until it returns to the ordinance of Allāh. And if it returns, then make settlement between them in justice and act justly. Indeed, Allāh loves those who act justly.
The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allāh that you may receive mercy.
11
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yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū lā yaskhar qawmun min qawmin ʿasā an yakūnū khayran min'hum walā nisāon min nisāin ʿasā an yakunna khayran min'hunna walā talmizū anfusakum walā tanābazū bil-alqābi bi'sa l-s'mu l-fusūqu baʿda l-īmāni waman lam yatub fa-ulāika humu l-ẓālimūna
O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name [i.e., mention] of disobedience after [one's] faith. And whoever does not repent - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allāh; indeed, Allāh is Accepting of Repentance and Merciful.
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 Allāh is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing and Aware.
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. And if you obey Allāh and His Messenger, He will not deprive you from your deeds of anything. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful."
The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allāh and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allāh. It is those who are the truthful.
Say, "Would you acquaint Allāh with your religion while Allāh knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and Allāh is Knowing of all things?"
17
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yamunnūna ʿalayka an aslamū qul lā tamunnū ʿalayya is'lāmakum bali l-lahu yamunnu ʿalaykum an hadākum lil'īmāni in kuntum ṣādiqīna
They consider it a favor to you that they have accepted Islām. Say, "Do not consider your Islām a favor to me. Rather, Allāh has conferred favor upon you that He has guided you to the faith, if you should be truthful."
O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before Allāh and His Messenger1 but fear Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.
This ayah sets the tone for the entire surah right from the start — it's about knowing your place in relation to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. "Do not put yourselves forward before Allah and His Messenger" means don't rush ahead in making decisions, issuing judgments, or forming opinions before checking what divine guidance says. Think of it like this: in any organization, you don't override the CEO's directives with your own preferences, and this is infinitely more significant. The Companions were being taught that their personal opinions — no matter how well-intentioned — should never take precedence over revelation. And the closing reminder that Allah is All-Hearing and All-Knowing? That's a subtle warning that He's fully aware of even the inner attitudes we carry, not just our outward actions.
O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of some of you to others, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not.
This verse came down because some Companions had gotten a bit too casual in how they spoke around the Prophet ﷺ — raising their voices, talking over him, treating conversations with him the way they'd chat with a buddy at the marketplace. Allah is correcting that, establishing that the Prophet ﷺ deserves a level of reverence that goes beyond ordinary social norms. The truly sobering part is the ending: your good deeds could be rendered worthless and you wouldn't even realize it. Imagine fasting, praying, giving charity — and all of it quietly erased because of a lack of adab, of proper conduct. It's a powerful reminder that how we carry ourselves matters just as much as what we do, and that spiritual damage can happen without us feeling a thing.
Indeed, those who lower their voices before the Messenger of Allāh - they are the ones whose hearts Allāh has tested for righteousness. For them is forgiveness and great reward.
After the warning in the previous verse, this one offers the beautiful flip side — those who naturally lower their voices in the Prophet's ﷺ presence are praised as people whose hearts Allah has tested and refined for taqwa. The word used for "tested" here carries the meaning of purifying, like gold refined in fire. These are people who've internalized respect so deeply it shows up in the smallest details of their behavior. And their reward? Forgiveness and something described as "great" — when Allah calls a reward great, it's beyond anything we can quantify. Scholars like Abu Bakr and Umar were reportedly so moved by the earlier verse that they began speaking in near-whispers around the Prophet ﷺ, and this verse is essentially Allah honoring that sensitivity.
Indeed, those who call you, [O Muḥammad], from behind the chambers - most of them do not use reason.
This verse refers to a specific incident where some Bedouin delegates came to Medina and, rather than waiting respectfully, started shouting for the Prophet ﷺ from outside his private quarters — "O Muhammad! Come out to us!" They were treating him like a tribal chief you could summon at will, not the Messenger of the Creator of the universe. Allah's assessment is blunt: most of them simply don't understand. They lacked the awareness of who they were addressing and what basic decorum required. It's a lesson that extends far beyond that moment — how we approach sacred things, sacred spaces, and people of knowledge says a lot about our understanding of what we claim to believe.
And if they had been patient until you [could] come out to them, it would have been better for them. But Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
Here Allah gently points out what the Bedouins should have done — just waited. Patience, even in something as simple as waiting for someone to come to the door, would have been better for them spiritually. It's almost striking how such a small act of restraint is highlighted by the Creator Himself as being consequential. And then comes the merciful closing: Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Even after calling out their rudeness, the door to forgiveness is left wide open. This pairing of correction with mercy is one of the defining features of this surah — Allah addresses bad behavior directly but never slams the door shut on those willing to improve.
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.
This is one of the most practically relevant verses in the entire Quran for everyday life. It was revealed when al-Walid ibn Uqba brought back a false report about the Banu al-Mustaliq tribe, claiming they had refused to pay their zakat and were preparing to fight — when in reality they had done no such thing. Had the Muslims acted on that unverified report, it could have led to bloodshed against innocent people. The principle laid down here is timeless: when someone brings you news — especially alarming news — verify it before you act. In our age of social media, forwarded messages, and viral outrage, this verse feels almost prophetically tailored. How many reputations have been destroyed, how many relationships shattered, because someone believed a fasiq — a person of questionable integrity — without checking the facts? Allah is teaching us that the responsibility lies not only with the one who spreads misinformation but equally with the one who accepts it uncritically.
And know that among you is the Messenger of Allāh. If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would be in difficulty, but Allāh has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. Those are the [rightly] guided.
This verse reveals something fascinating about the dynamics in Medina — some people were apparently trying to get the Prophet ﷺ to follow their opinions and preferences rather than the other way around. Allah steps in to say: if he listened to you in most matters, you'd end up in serious trouble because human judgment is often flawed and self-serving. Then comes a beautiful description of what true faith looks like — Allah has made iman beloved in your hearts, made it feel like home, and simultaneously made disbelief, moral corruption, and disobedience feel repulsive. That internal compass, where good feels good and wrong feels wrong, isn't something you manufactured on your own. It's a gift from Allah, a kind of spiritual calibration that the sincere believer should be deeply grateful for.
[It is] as bounty from Allāh and favor. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
Short but loaded with meaning, this verse clarifies that the faith mentioned in the previous ayah — the love of iman, the aversion to sin — is a bounty and favor from Allah. It's not something earned through sheer willpower or intellectual achievement. This is a humbling realization: the very fact that your heart inclines toward good is itself a gift. And the closing names — All-Knower, All-Wise — remind us that Allah distributes this gift with perfect knowledge and wisdom, placing guidance in the hearts He knows are ready for it. It's a verse that should make a believer pause and simply say alhamdulillah.
And if two factions among the believers should fight, then make settlement between the two. But if one of them oppresses the other, then fight against the one that oppresses until it returns to the ordinance of Allāh. And if it returns, then make settlement between them in justice and act justly. Indeed, Allāh loves those who act justly.
Now the surah turns to conflict resolution within the Muslim community, and the guidance here is remarkably balanced and pragmatic. If two groups of believers are fighting, the first step is peacemaking — try to reconcile them. But if one side is clearly the aggressor and refuses to stop, then the community has an obligation to stand against the oppressor, not remain neutral. This isn't a call to vigilante justice — it's about collective responsibility to uphold what's right. And once the aggressor comes back in line, the instruction shifts immediately back to making peace with justice, not punishment or revenge. The emphasis on justice appearing twice in this verse is deliberate — even when you have the upper hand, even when you're in the right, fairness must govern your actions. Allah loves those who act justly, and that's the ultimate standard.
The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allāh that you may receive mercy.
"The believers are but brothers" — this is one of the most quoted phrases in Islamic tradition, and for good reason. It establishes that the bond of faith creates a family-like connection that transcends tribe, race, nationality, and social class. And just like in any family, disagreements will happen — which is why the verse immediately follows with "so make peace between your brothers." The realistic expectation isn't that Muslims will never fight, but that when they do, reconciliation must be pursued actively. The closing call to taqwa — consciousness of Allah — ties it together: your brotherhood isn't just a social club, it carries spiritual weight, and how you treat that bond has consequences for whether you receive Allah's mercy.
O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name [i.e., mention] of disobedience after [one's] faith. And whoever does not repent - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
This verse tackles something painfully common in human societies — mockery, ridicule, and name-calling. Allah directly forbids men from mocking other men and women from mocking other women, and the reason given is striking: the ones you're laughing at might actually be better than you in Allah's eyes. That person you think is beneath you — less educated, less attractive, less successful — might have a spiritual rank you can't even fathom. The verse also prohibits insulting one another and using offensive nicknames, those cruel labels that reduce a person to their worst moment or most visible flaw. And then comes a line that should make anyone pause: "Wretched is the name of disobedience after faith." Meaning, once you've accepted Islam, engaging in this kind of behavior is a regression, a step backward into the ugliness faith was supposed to cure. The call to repentance at the end, though, keeps the door open — change is always possible, but refusing to change makes you a wrongdoer.
O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allāh; indeed, Allāh is Accepting of Repentance and Merciful.
If the previous verse addressed outward behavior, this one goes after the inner diseases that fuel it — suspicion, spying, and backbiting. "Avoid much assumption" is remarkably nuanced; it doesn't say avoid all assumption, because some degree of caution and discernment is necessary in life. But excessive suspicion — always assuming the worst about people, reading sinister motives into innocent actions — that's explicitly called sinful. Then comes the prohibition against spying, digging into people's private affairs and secrets, followed by the prohibition against backbiting. And here Allah uses one of the most visceral metaphors in the entire Quran: talking about someone behind their back is like eating the flesh of your dead brother. The image is intentionally revolting — it's meant to trigger the same disgust toward gossip that you'd feel toward cannibalism. The verse closes with mercy again, because Allah knows this is a struggle for almost everyone, and He's reminding us that turning back to Him in repentance is always an option.
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 Allāh is the most righteous1 of you. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing and Aware.
This is arguably one of the most revolutionary verses ever revealed to humanity. In a world — both then and now — obsessed with racial hierarchies, tribal superiority, and ethnic nationalism, Allah addresses not just the believers but all of mankind and declares that the diversity of nations and tribes exists so that you may know one another, not so that you may rank one another. The only criterion of superiority near Allah is taqwa — righteousness, God-consciousness — and that's something no one can see or measure from the outside. This verse was a direct challenge to the deeply entrenched Arab tribalism of the 7th century, and the Prophet ﷺ echoed its message powerfully during his Farewell Sermon. It remains equally radical today in a world still plagued by racism, classism, and xenophobia. Your lineage, your passport, your skin color — none of it registers on the scale that actually matters.
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. And if you obey Allāh and His Messenger, He will not deprive you from your deeds1 of anything. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful."
This verse draws a crucial distinction between Islam — outward submission — and iman — deep, internalized faith. Some Bedouin tribes had come to the Prophet ﷺ declaring "we believe," and Allah corrects them: don't say you believe, say you have submitted, because true faith hasn't yet settled into your hearts. This isn't necessarily a condemnation — it's a diagnosis. Many people begin their journey with outward compliance before inner transformation catches up, and that's a normal part of spiritual growth. The reassurance at the end is key: if you obey Allah and His Messenger sincerely, nothing from your deeds will be lost. So the message isn't "you're hopeless" but rather "be honest about where you are and keep striving." It's a distinction every believer should reflect on — are we people of mere Islam, going through the motions, or has iman truly penetrated our hearts?
The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allāh and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allāh. It is those who are the truthful.
After distinguishing between surface-level submission and genuine faith in the previous verse, this one defines what real believers look like. They believe in Allah and His Messenger, and then — critically — they do not doubt. That certainty isn't blind stubbornness; it's a settled conviction that has weathered questions and emerged stronger. But belief alone isn't enough to earn the title either — they back it up by striving with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah. Faith here isn't a passive label you carry; it's an active, costly commitment that shows up in how you spend your money and how you spend your days. These, Allah says, are the truthful ones — the sādiqūn. It's a high standard, and it's meant to be aspirational, giving every believer a clear picture of what they're working toward.
Say, "Would you acquaint Allāh with your religion while Allāh knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and Allāh is Knowing of all things?"
There's almost a tone of divine incredulity in this verse — are you really going to inform Allah about your religion? Are you going to lecture the One who knows everything in the heavens and the earth about how devout you are? It's directed at those who were making a show of their faith, broadcasting their Islam as if Allah needed their announcement. The reality is that Allah already knows what's in every heart, behind every closed door, in every private thought. No amount of public proclamation changes what He already sees. This is a humbling check against the very human tendency to perform religiosity for an audience rather than cultivating it for the One who actually matters.
They consider it a favor to you that they have accepted Islām. Say, "Do not consider your Islām a favor to me. Rather, Allāh has conferred favor upon you that He has guided you to the faith, if you should be truthful."
Some of the Bedouin tribes were essentially saying to the Prophet ﷺ: "You should be grateful we became Muslim — we're doing you a favor." Allah flips this completely on its head. Don't act like your Islam is a gift to the Prophet or to Allah — rather, it is Allah who has conferred the favor upon you by guiding you to faith. This is a profound reorientation of perspective. Every time we pray, fast, or do any act of worship, we're not doing Allah a favor — we're the ones benefiting. He is free of all need. The closing phrase "if you are truthful" adds a pointed edge, questioning whether their claim of faith was even genuine to begin with. It's a verse that should recalibrate our entire relationship with worship — from entitlement to gratitude.
Indeed, Allāh knows the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth. And Allāh is Seeing of what you do.
The surah closes with a powerful reminder that brings everything full circle. Allah knows the unseen of the heavens and the earth — every secret, every hidden motive, every whispered conversation, every private thought. And He is All-Seer of what you do. After an entire surah dealing with how we speak, how we treat each other, what assumptions we carry, whether our faith is genuine or performative — this ending serves as the ultimate accountability statement. You can fool other people, you can even fool yourself, but you cannot fool Allah. It's both a warning and, for the sincere believer, a comfort — because it means that every quiet struggle, every unseen act of goodness, every private moment of genuine devotion is fully witnessed and will never be lost.