سُوْرَةُ الْحُجُراتِ
Surah Al-Hujuraat (49) — Ayah 12
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا۟ وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿12﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion; indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you who believe
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
O you who believe
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
O you who believe
ٱجْتَنِبُوا۟
ij'tanibū
Avoid
كَثِيرًۭا
kathīran
much
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلظَّنِّ
l-ẓani
the assumption
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
بَعْضَ
baʿḍa
some
ٱلظَّنِّ
l-ẓani
assumption
إِثْمٌۭ ۖ
ith'mun
(is) sin
وَلَا
walā
And (do) not
تَجَسَّسُوا۟
tajassasū
spy
وَلَا
walā
and (do) not
يَغْتَب
yaghtab
backbite
بَّعْضُكُم
baʿḍukum
some of you
بَعْضًا ۚ
baʿḍan
(to) others
أَيُحِبُّ
ayuḥibbu
Would like
أَحَدُكُمْ
aḥadukum
one of you
أَن
an
to
يَأْكُلَ
yakula
eat
لَحْمَ
laḥma
(the) flesh
أَخِيهِ
akhīhi
(of) his brother
مَيْتًۭا
maytan
dead
فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ
fakarih'tumūhu
Nay, you would hate it
وَٱتَّقُوا۟
wa-ittaqū
And fear Allah
ٱللَّهَ ۚ
l-laha
And fear Allah
إِنَّ
inna
indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
تَوَّابٌۭ
tawwābun
(is) Oft-Returning
رَّحِيمٌۭ
raḥīmun
Most Merciful
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
12. 1. The meaning of "ظن" is to assume or suspect. The implication is to hold such assumptions about the people of goodness, reform, and piety that are baseless and fall under slander and accusation. That is why it is translated as "bad suspicion," and in the hadith, it has been called the greatest lie, "اکذب الحدیث," and there is an emphasis on avoiding it: "ایاکم والظن" (Bukhari, Kitab al-Adab, Bab "یا ایھا الذین امنو اجتنبو امنو اجتنبوا کثیرا من الظن," Sahih Muslim). Otherwise, to have bad suspicion about people involved in sin and immorality due to their sins is not the kind of suspicion that is called a sin here and from which avoidance is emphasized. "ان الظن القبیح بمن ظاہرہ الخیر لا یجوز وانہ لا حرج فی الظن القبیح بمن ظاہرہ القبیح." (Qurtubi)
12. 2. That is, to be on the lookout for some flaw or defect so that it can be exposed and the person can be defamed—this is "تجسس" (spying), which is prohibited. It is also forbidden in the hadith, and rather, it is commanded that if you become aware of someone's flaw or shortcoming, you should conceal it, not go around telling people about it, nor should you search for faults. Nowadays, there is much talk of liberty and freedom. Islam, too, by prohibiting spying, has acknowledged human liberty and freedom, but only as long as a person does not openly commit indecency or become a cause of harm to others. The West, by teaching absolute freedom, has given people license for widespread corruption, which has destroyed all peace and tranquility in society.
12. 3. The meaning of "غیبت" (backbiting) is to mention someone's faults and sins in front of others in a way that the person would dislike. And if things are attributed to him that are not present in him, then that is slander. Both are major crimes in their own right.
12. 4. That is, mentioning a Muslim brother's faults in front of someone is just like eating the flesh of a dead brother—you would not like it. But backbiting has become a highly favored food among people.
12. 2. That is, to be on the lookout for some flaw or defect so that it can be exposed and the person can be defamed—this is "تجسس" (spying), which is prohibited. It is also forbidden in the hadith, and rather, it is commanded that if you become aware of someone's flaw or shortcoming, you should conceal it, not go around telling people about it, nor should you search for faults. Nowadays, there is much talk of liberty and freedom. Islam, too, by prohibiting spying, has acknowledged human liberty and freedom, but only as long as a person does not openly commit indecency or become a cause of harm to others. The West, by teaching absolute freedom, has given people license for widespread corruption, which has destroyed all peace and tranquility in society.
12. 3. The meaning of "غیبت" (backbiting) is to mention someone's faults and sins in front of others in a way that the person would dislike. And if things are attributed to him that are not present in him, then that is slander. Both are major crimes in their own right.
12. 4. That is, mentioning a Muslim brother's faults in front of someone is just like eating the flesh of a dead brother—you would not like it. But backbiting has become a highly favored food among people.
