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49. THE PRIVATE APARTMENTS

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

1. O you who believe! Do not precede Allah and His messenger and fear Allah, Allah is certainly Hearing, Knowing. 2. O you who believe! Do not raise your voices above the voice of the prophet and do not speak aloud to him while talking (to him) as you speak aloud to each other, lest your deeds become fruitless while you do not perceive. 3. Those who lower their voices in the presence of the messenger of Allah, are certainly those whose hearts Allah has cleared for (receiving the quality of) guarding (against evil), for them there is protective forgiveness and a great reward. 4. Those who call you from behind the private apartments, most of them have no sense. 5. And had they remained patient till you had come out to them, it would have been better for them, and Allah is Protectively Forgiving, Merciful. 6. O you who believe! If a transgressor comes to you with (some) news, then verify it, lest you harm a people in ignorance then become sorry for what you did. 7. And know that among you is the messenger of Allah, if he were to obey you in many an affair, you would be in difficulty, but Allah has made the belief (an item of) love for you and He has beautified it in your hearts, and He has made infidelity and transgression and disobedience (items of) dislike to you, those are the persons on the right way, 8. a grace from Allah and (His) favour and Allah is Knowing, Wise. 9. And if two groups from among the believers fight, effect reconciliation between them, but if one of them wrongfully

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oppresses the other then fight against the one which has wrongfully oppressed, till it returns to Allahs command, then if it returns effect reconciliation between them with justice and act equitably, Allah certainly likes those who are equitable. 10. The believers are but brothers, so effect reconciliation between your brothers and fear Allah that you may be dealt with mercifully. (R l, P 25 )

11. O you who believe! Do not let (some) people consider (other) people lower than (themselves), it may be that (the other people) are better than them, nor let (some) women, (consider other)women (lower than themselves), it may be that (the other women) are better than them. And do not find fault (among) yourselves, nor call (one another) by nicknames, (even taking) the name of transgression is an evil after (having) believed, and those who do not repent, then those are the persons who are unjust.

12. O you who believe! Avoid much of suspicion, (because) suspicion in some (cases) is certainly a sin, and do not spy (being inquisitive about the secrets of others) and do not backbite one another, would anyone of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You dislike it! And fear Allah, Allah is certainly the Accepter of repentance, Merciful.

13. O mankind! We created you from a male and a female and made you nations and tribes that you may recognize each other (as to who belongs to which nationality or tribe. But) the most honoured of you with Allah is certainly the one who guards most (against evil), Allah is certainly Knowing, Informed. 14. The desert Arabs say, We have believed. Say, You have not (yet) believed (in the real sense of the word), therefore say, we have submitted, and belief has not yet entered into your hearts, and if you obey Allah and His messenger, He

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will not reduce anything from (the reward of) your deeds, Allah is certainly Protectively Forgiving, Merciful. 15. The (true) believers are only those who believe in Allah and His messenger then they do not doubt, and they strive with their wealth and their persons in the way of Allah, those are the persons who are truthful. 16. Say, Would you make Allah know your religion when Allah knows whatever is in the skies and whatever is in the earth and (when) Allah is the Knower of everything? 17. They consider it their favor on you that they have accepted Islam. Say, Do not consider your accepting Islam as a favor on me, no, Allah confers a favour on you by guiding you towards belief, if you are truthful.

18. Allah certainly knows the unseen of the skies and the earth and Allah is a Seer of what you do. (R2)

Summarized Commentary
Chapter 49 (Revealed at Madina)

Vs 15 Muslims are ordered to pay the due respect to Prophet Muhammed (PBH) Vs 6 Action should not be taken or rumors, which should be verified by those in authority to avoid harming the innocent. Vs 78 If the messenger (PBH) were to follow the opinions of all his companions it would have caused confusion. Belief is beautified when it is exposed as action in the form of Islam. It is Allah (SWT) who also makes believers dislike infidelity, transgression, disobedience etc. Vs 910 Believers should not fight with each other but live as brothers.

Vs 1112 Instructions regarding social behavior are given. Vs 13 All human beings are related to each other, nations and tribes have been made for identification. Vs 1416 Belief resides in the heart, some important qualities of believers are described. Vs 17 Islam is a favour conferred by Allah (SWT) on Muslims. Vs 18 Allah (SWT) knows everything.

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