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Al-Hujurat (The Rooms)

Verse 12of 18

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِثْمٌۭ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا۟ وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًۭا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ﴿١٢

Translation (Sahih International)

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 Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.

Word-by-word meaning

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَاyāayyuhāO you who believe
ٱلَّذِينَalladhīnaO you who believe
ءَامَنُوا۟āmanūO you who believe
ٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ij'tanibūAvoid
كَثِيرًۭاkathīranmuch
مِّنَminaof
ٱلظَّنِّl-ẓanithe assumption
إِنَّinnaIndeed
بَعْضَbaʿḍasome
ٱلظَّنِّl-ẓaniassumption
إِثْمٌۭ ۖith'mun(is) sin
وَلَاwalāAnd (do) not
تَجَسَّسُوا۟tajassasūspy
وَلَاwalāand (do) not
يَغْتَبyaghtabbackbite
بَّعْضُكُمbaʿḍukumsome of you
بَعْضًا ۚbaʿḍan(to) others
أَيُحِبُّayuḥibbuWould like
أَحَدُكُمْaḥadukumone of you
أَنanto
يَأْكُلَyakulaeat
لَحْمَlaḥma(the) flesh
أَخِيهِakhīhi(of) his brother
مَيْتًۭاmaytandead
فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚfakarih'tumūhuNay, you would hate it
وَٱتَّقُوا۟wa-ittaqūAnd fear Allah
ٱللَّهَ ۚl-lahaAnd fear Allah
إِنَّinnaindeed
ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
تَوَّابٌۭtawwābun(is) Oft-Returning
رَّحِيمٌۭraḥīmunMost Merciful

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

The Prohibition of Unfounded SuspicionAllah the Exalted forbids His faithful servants from being suspicious, which includes having doubts and suspicions about the conduct of one's family, relatives and other people in general. Therefore, Muslims are to avoid suspicion without foundation. The Leader of the faithful `Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "Never think ill of the word that comes out of your believing brother's mouth, as long as you can find a good excuse for it.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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