Surah Al-Hujurat
Surah 49 · The Rooms · 18 verses · medinan
The Chambers — al-Hujurat, the rooms of the Prophet's ﷺ household, outside which some visitors called out loudly.
The story
This short surah is a list of rules for how to treat people: do not make fun of anyone, do not call people nasty names, do not believe a story until you have checked it, and never talk about someone behind their back. Allah says gossiping is like eating your brother's flesh — horrible!
How it unfolds
AYAH 1-5
Manners with the Prophet ﷺ
Not putting yourself ahead of Allah and His Messenger, and not raising your voice.
AYAH 6-10
Verify, then reconcile
Check news before acting; make peace between believers who fight; "the believers are but brothers."
AYAH 11-12
Six ways to wrong each other
Mockery, insults, nicknames, suspicion, spying, backbiting — each named and forbidden.
AYAH 13
Peoples and tribes
Difference created so people may know one another, with taqwa as the only ranking.
AYAH 14-18
Islam and iman
The difference between submitting outwardly and faith entering the heart.
Verses to carry
- 49:13"We made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. The most noble of you is the most God-conscious."
- 49:12Suspicion, spying and backbiting forbidden — with the image of eating a dead brother's flesh.
- 49:6"If a corrupt person comes to you with information, verify it." The rule for every forwarded message.
- 49:11"Let not a people ridicule another people; perhaps they may be better than them."
Remember this
Allah made people different colours and languages so we could get to know each other, not so we could think we are better.
Talk about it
Allah says the best person is the one closest to Him — not the richest or the strongest. Does that surprise you?