Exegesis of Surat al-Hujurat, verse (11), and other selected verses, and what is derived from the verses.
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The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
As for what follows:
We will speak briefly about this noble verse in this gathering, or rather in this meeting that takes place every week on every Thursday, and today is Thursday, the eighteenth of Shawwal in the year 1416.
Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says, among the many etiquettes and noble morals that Allah has revealed to His servants:[Al-Hujurat 49:11]
Mockery: It is ridicule and contempt. It is well known that Allah the Exalted has placed people in this worldly life in different strata. Allah the Exalted said:[Az-Zukhruf 43:32] meaning: so that some may mock others in matters of benefit, and the intended meaning here is not ridicule. And Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Isra 17:21].
Once this distinction among people is established, they differ in knowledge; some are more knowledgeable than others in the sciences of the Shari'ah and the sciences that are means to the sciences of the Shari'ah, such as the sciences of the Arabic language, including grammar, rhetoric, and others.
They also differ in sustenance; some have had their sustenance expanded, while others have had their sustenance restricted.
They also differ in morals; some possess noble, high morals, while others are below that.
They also differ in physical constitution; some have a sound constitution, while others are below that. The important point is that they differ.
They also differ in lineage; some have noble lineage and ancestry, while others are below that.
Is it permissible for anyone to mock someone below them? In this verse, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:[Al-Hujurat 49:11] He addresses us with the attribute of faith and forbids us from mocking one another. For who is the One who distinguishes? The One who distinguishes is Allah, Mighty and Majestic. And if it is He, then your mocking of this person who is below you necessitates that you are mocking the decree of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. This is what is indicated by the saying of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him: Sahih Muslim 2246e And in the Qudsi Hadith: Sunan Abi Dawud 5274Sahih (Al-Albani) Why do you mock this man who is below you in knowledge, or in wealth, or in character, or in constitution, or in lineage, or in ancestry? Why do you mock him? Is not the One who gave you the distinction Allah, and the One who deprived him of this, in your view, Allah, Mighty and Majestic? Why then? For this reason, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: [Al-Hujurat 49:11] Perhaps one who mocks today will be mocked tomorrow, and perhaps one who is inferior today will be superior tomorrow. This is a tested reality. In some narrations, it is reported from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that he said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2505Da'if (Darussalam) And in the narrations also: "Do not show schadenfreude over your brother, for perhaps Allah will cure him and test you."
Therefore, it is obligatory for a person to be well-mannered with what Allah has taught him, so he does not mock others.
[Al-Hujurat 49:11] He specified women and men in detail so that no one would say: "This is specific to men if only men were mentioned, or to women if only women were mentioned." By this, we know the difference between "qawm" (people) and "women." When "qawm" and "women" are mentioned together, "qawm" refers to the men and "women" refers to the females. If "qawm" is mentioned alone, it includes both men and women, just as it is mentioned regarding the messengers, peace be upon them, that they were sent to their "qawm," which includes males and females. But when "qawm" and "women" are mentioned, "women" refers to the females and "qawm" refers to the males. [Al-Hujurat 49:11] He, the Exalted, said: [Al-Hujurat 49:11] And we will limit ourselves to what has been mentioned because time is short, and perhaps the questions will be more numerous than the time allows. So we will begin with the questions and ask Allah the Exalted to grant us success in correctness, and that we not say about Him what we do not know, for He is All-Able over all things. Please proceed.
The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. May Allah guide you, O honorable Shaykh, to what He loves and is pleased with.
As for what follows:
We will speak briefly about this noble verse in this gathering, or rather in this meeting that takes place every week on every Thursday, and today is Thursday, the eighteenth of Shawwal in the year 1416.
Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says, among the many etiquettes and noble morals that Allah has revealed to His servants:
O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِنْ قَوْمٍ عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونُوا خَيْراً مِنْهُمْMockery: It is ridicule and contempt. It is well known that Allah the Exalted has placed people in this worldly life in different strata. Allah the Exalted said:
Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world and have raised some of them above others in degrees [of rank] that they may make use of one another for service
أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَتَ رَبِّكَ نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ مَعِيشَتَهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضاً سُخْرِيّاًLook how We have favored [in provision] some of them over others. But the Hereafter is greater in degrees [of difference] and greater in distinction.
انْظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَلَلْآخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجَاتٍ وَأَكْبَرُ تَفْضِيلاًOnce this distinction among people is established, they differ in knowledge; some are more knowledgeable than others in the sciences of the Shari'ah and the sciences that are means to the sciences of the Shari'ah, such as the sciences of the Arabic language, including grammar, rhetoric, and others.
They also differ in sustenance; some have had their sustenance expanded, while others have had their sustenance restricted.
They also differ in morals; some possess noble, high morals, while others are below that.
They also differ in physical constitution; some have a sound constitution, while others are below that. The important point is that they differ.
They also differ in lineage; some have noble lineage and ancestry, while others are below that.
Is it permissible for anyone to mock someone below them? In this verse, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:
O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِنْ قَوْمٍDo not curse Time, for it is Allah Who is Time.
لا تسبوا الدهر فإن الله هو الدهرThe son of Adam injures me by abusing time, whereas I am time. Authority is in my hand. I alternate the night and the day
يؤذيني ابن آدم يسب الدهر وأنا الدهر، بيدي الأمر أقلب الليل والنهارperhaps they may be better than them
عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونُوا خَيْراً مِنْهُمْWhoever shames his brother for a sin, he shall not die until he (himself) commits it.
من عير أخاه بذنب لم يمت حتى يعملهTherefore, it is obligatory for a person to be well-mannered with what Allah has taught him, so he does not mock others.
perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them
عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونُوا خَيْراً مِنْهُمْ وَلا نِسَاءٌ مِنْ نِسَاءٍ عَسَى أَنْ يَكُنَّ خَيْراً مِنْهُنَّnor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them
وَلا نِسَاءٌ مِنْ نِسَاءٍ عَسَى أَنْ يَكُنَّ خَيْراً مِنْهُنَّAnd do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames
وَلا تَلْمِزُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَلا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِThe questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. May Allah guide you, O honorable Shaykh, to what He loves and is pleased with.