سُبْحَانَ ٱللَّٰهِ
Holy Qur'an
Al-Qur'an
Kids Qur'an
I.e., "do not allow your own desires to have precedence".
This has both a literal and a figurative meaning: literal in the case of the Prophet's Companions, and figurative for them as well as for believers of later times - implying that one's personal opinions and predilections must not be allowed to overrule the clear-cut legal ordinances and/or moral stipulations promulgated by the Prophet (cf. 4:65 and the corresponding note [84]).
I.e., address him, or (in later times) speak of him, with unbecoming familiarity.
While this relates in the first instance to the Prophet, it may also be taken to apply to any supreme leader of the community (amir al-mu'minin) who acts as the Prophet's successor (khalifah) and rules in his name, i.e., under the aegis of Islamic Law. (As regards the Prophet himself, the above exhortation to reverent behaviour implies, in the view of many outstanding Islamic thinkers, a prohibition to "call out to him" when visiting his tomb.)
I.e., verify the truth before giving credence to any such report or rumour. The tale-bearer is characterized as "iniquitous" because the very act of spreading unsubstantiated rumours affecting the reputation of other persons constitutes a spiritual offence.
Thus, after laying stress in the preceding verses on the reverence due to God's messagebearer - and, by implication, to every righteous leader of the community - the discourse turns to the moral imperative of safeguarding the honour and reputation of every member of the community, man and woman alike. This principle is taken up, more explicitly, in verse {12}.
Sc., "and he ought to be an example for you as regards your behaviour towards one another": i.e., he would not accept rashly a hearsay tale affecting the honour of third persons, but would either refuse to listen to it altogether or, should a clarification become necessary in the interests of the community, would insist on ascertaining the truth objectively.
Lit., "in many a case (amr)": the implication being that, more often than not, man is prone to give credence to malicious rumours devoid of any real evidence.
The expression "fighting" comprises in this context all modes of discord and contention, both in word and deed, evidently as a consequence of the slanderous rumours spoken of in verse {6} above.
I.e., that the believers should act as brethren (see next verse).
The plural noun ikhwah ("brethren" or "brotherhood") has here, of course, a purely ideological connotation, comprising men and women alike; the same applies to the subsequent mention of "your two brethren".
The implication is that believers, whether men or women, shall never deride one another (Zamakhshari, Baydawi).
This applies no less to the faith of the one who insults than to that of the insulted (Razi): cf. 6:82 - "[those] who have not obscured their faith by wrongdoing".
I.e., guesswork that may lead to unfounded suspicion of another person's motives: see note [22] on 24:19 .
I.e., "We have created every one of you out of a father and a mother" (Zamakhshari, Razi, Baydawi) - implying that this equality of biological origin is reflected in the equality of the human dignity common to all.
I.e., know that all belong to one human family, without any inherent s uperiority of one over another (Zamakhshari). This connects with the exhortation, in the preceding two verses, to respect and safeguard each other's dignity. In other words, men's evolution into "nations and tribes" is meant to foster rather than to diminish their mutual desire to understand and appreciate the essential human oneness underlying their outward differentiations; and, correspondingly, all racial, national or tribal prejudice ('asabiyyah) is condemned - implicitly in the Qur'an, and most explicitly by the Prophet (see second half of note [15] on 28:15 ). In addition, speaking of people's boasting of their national or tribal past, the Prophet said: "Behold, God has removed from you the arrogance of pagan ignorance (jahiliyyah) with its boast of ancestral glories. Man is but a God-conscious believer or an unfortunate sinner. All people are children of Adam, and Adam was created out of dust." (Fragment of a hadith quoted by Tirmidhi and Abu Da'ud, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah.)
Inasmuch as this is evidently an allusion to the intense tribalism of the bedouin and their "pride of descent" (Razi), the above verse connects with the preceding condemnation of all tribal preferences and prejudices, and with the call for their abandonment as a prerequisite of true faith. Primarily, this relates to the bedouin contemporaries of the Prophet, but its import is general and timeless.
I.e., "your own deeds, in distinction from the supposed 'glorious deeds' of your ancestors, which count for nothing in His sight".
Lit., "and thereafter have had no doubt".
Like the preceding passage, this, too, is addressed in the first instance to certain contemporaries of the Prophet, but its meaning extends to all people, at all times, who think that their mere profession of faith and outward adherence to its formalities makes them "believers".
Lit., "They" (see preceding note).
I.e., "by professing to be thy followers".