Surah 4. An-Nisaa, Ayah 148
| ۞ لَا يُحِبُّ اللَّهُ الْجَهْرَ بِالسُّوءِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ إِلَّا مَنْ ظُلِمَ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ سَمِيعًا عَلِيمًا |
| Transliteration | : | laa yuh.ibb 'allaah al- jahr bi- as- so' min al- qawl 'illaa man z.ulima wa- kaana 'allaah samec(an) calem(an) |
| Pickthall | : | Allah loveth not the utterance of harsh speech save by one who hath been wronged. Allah is ever Nearer, Knower. |
| Asad | : | God does not like any evil to be mentioned openly, unless it be by him who has been wronged [thereby].161 And God is indeed all-hearing, all-knowing, |
| Malik | : | Allah does not like evil words to be uttered except by someone who is truly wronged. Allah hears all and knows all. |
| Yusuf Ali | : | Allah loveth not that evil should be noised abroad in public speech except where injustice hath been done; for Allah is He who heareth and knoweth all things. 654 |
Note - 161As some of the commentators (e.g., Razi) point out, this
may refer to giving currency to earlier sayings or deeds
of the repentant sinners - both hypocrites and outright
deniers of the truth - mentioned in the preceding two
verses: an interpretation which seems to be borne out by
the context. However, the above statement has a general
import as well: it prohibits the public mention of
anybody's evil deeds or sayings, "unless it be by him who
has been wronged [thereby]" - which also implies that
evil behaviour which affects the society as a whole may
be made public if the interests of the wronged party - in
this case, the society as such - demand it.
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Note - 654We can make a public scandal of evil in many ways. (1) It
may be idle sensation-mongering: it often leads to more
evil by imitation, as where criminal deeds are glorified
in a cinema, or talked about shamelessly in a novel or
drama. (2) It may be malicious gossip of a foolish,
personal kind: it does no good, but it hurts people's
feelings. (3) It may be malevolent slander or libel: it
is intended deliberately to cause harm to people's
reputation or injure them in other ways, and is rightly
punishable under all laws. (4) It may be a public rebuke
or correction or remonstrance, without malice. (1), (2)
and (3) are absolutely forbidden. (4) may be by a person
in authority; in which case the exception applies, for
all wrong or injustice must be corrected openly, to
prevent its recurrence. Or (4) may be a person not vested
with authority, but acting either from motives of public
spirit, or in order to help some one who has been
wronged; here again the exception will apply. But if the
motive is different, the exception does not apply. (4)
would also include a public complaint by a person who has
suffered a wrong; he has every right to seek public
redress.
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As some of the commentators (e.g., Razi) point out, this may refer to giving currency to earlier sayings or deeds of the repentant sinners - both hypocrites and outright deniers of the truth - mentioned in the preceding two verses: an interpretation which seems to be borne out by the context. However, the above statement has a general import as well: it prohibits the public mention of anybody's evil deeds or sayings, "unless it be by him who has been wronged [thereby]" - which also implies that evil behaviour which affects the society as a whole may be made public if the interests of the wronged party - in this case, the society as such - demand it. |
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We can make a public scandal of evil in many ways. (1) It may be idle sensation-mongering: it often leads to more evil by imitation, as where criminal deeds are glorified in a cinema, or talked about shamelessly in a novel or drama. (2) It may be malicious gossip of a foolish, personal kind: it does no good, but it hurts people's feelings. (3) It may be malevolent slander or libel: it is intended deliberately to cause harm to people's reputation or injure them in other ways, and is rightly punishable under all laws. (4) It may be a public rebuke or correction or remonstrance, without malice. (1), (2) and (3) are absolutely forbidden. (4) may be by a person in authority; in which case the exception applies, for all wrong or injustice must be corrected openly, to prevent its recurrence. Or (4) may be a person not vested with authority, but acting either from motives of public spirit, or in order to help some one who has been wronged; here again the exception will apply. But if the motive is different, the exception does not apply. (4) would also include a public complaint by a person who has suffered a wrong; he has every right to seek public redress. |
