Al-Hujurat: (11) O you who believe...
(O you who believe, let not a people ridicule [another] people) — meaning from among you — (perhaps they may be better than them) — also from among you.
The use of the indefinite form (nakirah) in both instances signifies partiality (tab'id). Al-Sakhar (ridicule) is mockery, as stated in the Qamus. In al-Zawajir, it is described as looking at the one being ridiculed with an eye of deficiency. Al-Qurtubi said: "Ridicule is belittling, holding in contempt, and pointing out flaws and defects in a manner that causes laughter." It can be done through imitation—whether in action, speech, gesture, signaling, or laughing at the speech of the ridiculed person if they stammer or make a mistake, or at their profession or the ugliness of their appearance. Some said: "It is mentioning a person in a way they dislike, in a mocking manner, in their presence." The preferred view is that it is the belittlement of a person in their presence through speech or action, in the aforementioned manner. Based on this, the meaning is: Let not some believers belittle others.
The verse, as narrated from Muqatil, was revealed regarding a group from the Banu Tamim who ridiculed Bilal, Salman, Ammar, Khabbab, Suhayb, Ibn Fuhayra, and Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with them all). It does not invalidate this interpretation that the verse includes a prohibition for women against ridicule, just as it does not invalidate its inclusion of men, as narrated that Aisha and Hafsa saw Umm Salamah tie her waist with a white garment and let its edge trail behind her. Aisha said to Hafsa, gesturing toward what was trailing behind her: "It is like the tongue of a dog." So the verse was revealed. It is also narrated that Aisha used to ridicule Zaynab bint Khuzayma al-Hilaliyyah because she was short, so the verse was revealed. It is also said that it was revealed because of Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl; when he was walking in Medina, some people said to him, "This is the son of the Pharaoh of this nation," which distressed him, and he complained to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and the verse was revealed. Other accounts exist as well.
His saying, the Almighty: (Perhaps they may be better than them) is a justification for the prohibition or for its cause; meaning, perhaps those who are ridiculed are better in the sight of Allah, the Almighty, than the ones ridiculing them. For how many a disheveled, dusty person, clothed in two worn-out garments, whom no one pays attention to, would, if he were to swear by Allah, be honored by Him in fulfilling it. It is also possible that the meaning is: "Do not belittle one another; perhaps the one who is belittled might become dear [honorable], and the one who belittled might become humiliated, thus [the former] takes revenge upon him." It is akin to the saying: "Do not demean the poor, for you might kneel one day while time has elevated them."
Al-Qawm refers to a group of men, which is why the Almighty said: (Nor women [ridicule] other women) — meaning, nor let women from among the believers ridicule women from among them — (perhaps they may be better than them) — meaning than those [ridiculing] women. According to this, the saying of Zuhayr is understood: "And I do not know—though I think I know—is the tribe of the people of Hisn, or women [the correct classification]."
As for Qawm, it is either a verbal noun, as in the saying of some Arabs: "If you eat food, you will love sleep, and you will hate qawman [standing, i.e., rising]," meaning it is used as an adjective for the group of men. Or, it is a collective noun for qa'im [standing], like sawm for sa'im [fasting] and zawr for za'ir [visitor]. Some applied the term "plural" to it, intending the linguistic meaning; otherwise, fa'l is not a pattern for plurals due to its predominance in singulars. The reason for the specification of men is that dealing with matters is their duty, as the Almighty said: (Men are the maintainers of women). Sometimes it is intended to include both men and women as a generalization, just as it is said regarding the "people of 'Ad" and "people of Pharaoh" that it refers to both males and females. It is also said that it refers to males, and the females are indicated by customary implication because they are never separated from them usually.
"Women" (al-nisa), according to al-Raghib and others—and likewise al-niswan and al-niswah—is the plural of "woman" (mar'ah), but not from the same root. The reason for using words that denote the plural in both places rather than the singular (i.e., not saying "let no man ridicule a man, nor a woman a woman," even though that is more comprehensive and general) is said to be based on the common occurrence of ridicule in public gatherings. How many are those who take pleasure in it, and how many are those who are pained by it! Thus, it is made as if there is a plurality of the ridiculer and the ridiculed. It is also said: because the prohibition came regarding a situation occurring between a group, like His saying, the Almighty: (Do not consume usury, doubled and multiplied). The generality of the ruling is due to the generality of its cause.
In this construction, where 'asa [perhaps] is attributed to "an" and the verb, it is tammah [complete] and does not require a predicate; an and what follows it are in the place of the nominative as the subject. It is also said that it is naqisah [incomplete], and what follows it fills the place of both parts [the subject and predicate].
** (And do not insult one another)** — meaning, do not find fault with one another through speech or gesture, because the believers are like one soul; so when a believer finds fault with a believer, it is as if he found fault with himself. Talmazu is for the plural, implying a hidden addition. Anfusakum [yourselves] refers to another part of the same genus as the addressees, namely the believers; he made those who are of their same kind as if they were themselves, and he applied "souls" to the genus as a metaphor, as in His saying, the Almighty: (There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves), and His saying, the Almighty: (And do not kill your own souls).
This is different from the previous prohibition, even if both are specifically for believers, based on the fact that ridicule is the belittlement of a person in general in a mocking manner in their presence, while lamz (insulting) is pointing out their flaws, whether it is mockingly or not, and whether it is in their presence or not, as was said in its interpretation. The conjunction of it to the previous one is of the type of adding the general to the specific to indicate inclusiveness, as in "The drinker of wine is a sinner, condemned," which is only true if the aforementioned pointing out of flaws is considered belittlement. Some say: Ridicule is belittlement, and lamz is pointing out or tracking flaws, and the conjunction is of the type of adding the cause to the effect. It is also said that lamz is specifically that which is done by way of ridicule in secret, like gesturing; thus it is of the type of adding the specific to the general to make the specific seem like another genus for the sake of hyperbole.
Al-Zamakhshari chose the meaning: "Specifically restrain yourselves, O believers, from finding fault with them [each other] and criticizing them, and there is no blame on you if you find fault with others who do not follow your religion and do not walk your path." In the hadith: "Mention the wicked person by what is in him, so that people may be wary of him." This was countered by the claim that there is no evidence for this specification. Al-Tayyibi said: "It is an implication of the address," but this face seems forced. The other face—meaning the aforementioned one—is more appropriate because of its agreement with (Let not a people ridicule a people, and the believers are only brothers, and do not backbite one another). In al-Kashf, it is noted that the specification is taken from the departure from the original, which would be "let not some of you insult others." It is as if it were said: "Do not insult those who share your quality of faith and obedience," making it a case of the ruling being tied to the description. Al-Tayyibi's statement was countered by saying that the discourse here implies both causality and specification, so it agrees with what preceded it and alerts one to the difference between ridicule and lamz, which is desirable in itself. It is as if it were said: Do not insult the believers because they are yourselves... and so on. In truth, what is most apparent is what was mentioned earlier. It is said: The meaning is, do not do that for which you would be insulted, for whoever does what deserves lamz has insulted himself. Thus, anfusakum is on its literal meaning, and the figurative aspect is in talmazu, where the effect is mentioned while the cause is meant; meaning: do not commit a matter for which you would be criticized. This is far from the context and not suitable for His saying, the Almighty: (And do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames).
** (And do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames)** — meaning, do not call one another by a nickname. It is said in the Qamus: al-Tanabuz is mutual reproach and calling each other by nicknames. It is said nabazahu and yanbuzuhu, nabzan (with the fatha and sukun), he gave him a nickname, like nabaza with the harakah. Al-laqab [nickname] is specifically, in common parlance, what a person dislikes of nicknames.
It is said that in the past, the term laqab was more famous in condemnation than in praise, and nabz was specifically for condemnation. The interpretation of tanabuz as "calling each other by nicknames" makes the word redundant in the verse, lest the mention of nicknames be a correction. It is strange that it is said al-tanabuz is "throwing at each other," meaning: do not throw nicknames at each other. The prohibited action is nicknaming in a way that includes something the person called dislikes, because it is demeaning, defamatory, and a shame to them.
Al-Nawawi said: The scholars agreed on the prohibition of nicknaming a person with what they dislike, whether it is a description of them, their father, their mother, or others. It is reported that the verse was revealed regarding Thabit ibn Qays, who was hard of hearing; people used to make room for him in the sitting of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) so he could hear. One day he came, saying, "Move aside, move aside," until he reached the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). He said to a man, "Move," but he did not. Thabit said, "Who is this?" The man said, "I am so-and-so." Thabit said, "Rather, you are the son of so-and-so," referring to his mother, for whom he was reproached in the pre-Islamic era. The man was ashamed, and the verse was revealed. Thabit said, "I will never boast over anyone regarding lineage after this, ever."
Al-Bukhari, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, and a group narrated from Ibn Jubayrah ibn al-Dahhak that he said: "It was revealed regarding us, the Banu Salamah: (And do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames). The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came to Medina, and there was not a man among us who did not have two or three names. If he called one of them by one of those names, they would say: 'O Messenger of Allah, he dislikes it,' so (And do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames) was revealed."
Ibn Jarir narrated from Ibn Abbas that he said: Tanabuz with nicknames is when a man has committed evil deeds, then repents and returns to the truth, and Allah, the Almighty, forbids that he be reproached for his past actions. From Ibn Mas'ud: It is saying to a Jew, Christian, or Magian, if they accept Islam, "O Jew," or "O Christian," or "O Magian." The same is narrated from al-Hasan. Perhaps its basis is what is reported that it was revealed regarding Safiyyah bint Huyayy; she came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: "The women say to me, 'O Jewess, daughter of two Jews.'" He said to her: "Why did you not say, 'My father is Aaron, my uncle is Moses, and my husband is Muhammad (peace be upon him)?'"
You know that the prohibition of what was mentioned is included in the generality of (And do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames) based on what you have heard, so it is not specific to saying "O Jew" or "O wicked one" and the like.
The meaning of His saying, the Almighty: (Wretched is the name of disobedience after [one has attained] faith) — meaning, wretched is the mention that rises for the believers due to the commission of tanabuz—that they be mentioned with disobedience after they have been characterized by faith. This is a censure for the combination of disobedience—which is committing tanabuz—and faith, in the sense that they should not be combined. For faith and disobedience are like saying: "Wretched is the state of youth after having reached old age," meaning to indicate the ugliness of combining youthfulness and what occurs in the state of youth—such as the inclination toward ignorance—with old age.
Al-ism [the name] here means the mention, from their saying: "His name flew among the people for generosity or vice." Thus, this verse does not forbid taking what preceded as a prohibition of tanabuz absolutely. It contains naming it "disobedience." It is said that "(after faith)" means "in exchange for it," as in your saying to someone who switched from trade to farming: "Wretched is the profession of farming after trade." This contains severity by making tanabuz a disobedience that removes one from faith, and this is against the apparent meaning. Al-Zamakhshari's mention of it is based on his doctrine that the perpetrator of a major sin is a sinner, not a believer in reality. It is said: The meaning of the previous prohibition is "Let no one of you attribute to another a disobedience he had after he was characterized by its opposite," and the meaning of this is "Wretched is the publicizing of people and mentioning them with a disobedience they had after they were characterized by its opposite." Thus, the discourse is a prohibition of saying to a Jew who accepted Islam, "O Jew," or the like. The first is more apparent in wording, context, and emphasis.
The sentence, as a whole, is related to the prohibition of tanabuz, which is the apparent meaning. It is also said that it relates to His saying, the Almighty: (And do not insult one another), or to all the preceding prohibitions. Ibn Hajar limited himself to this in al-Zawajir.
Exempted from the last prohibition is a person calling another by a nickname that is ugly in itself, not for the purpose of belittling or harming them, such as when necessity demands it for the sake of identification, like the saying of the hadith scholars: "Sulayman al-A'mash [the bleary-eyed]" and "Wasil al-Ahadab [the hunchback]." What is narrated from Ibn Mas'ud that he said to 'Alqamah, "Are you saying that, O one-eyed?" is evidence that the exemption does not depend on the necessity of identification, as there was no necessity in the situation of him addressing 'Alqamah to call him "O one-eyed." Perhaps notoriety without being offended and without the intention of belittlement is sufficient for permissibility. It is said that what was from Ibn Mas'ud was of that nature. It is better to say regarding the narration about those who became famous for such things, like the aforementioned Sulayman: "It is narrated about Sulayman who is called al-A'mash..."
A distinction was made between the forms talmazu and tanabuzu because the one being insulted might not be able at the moment to find a flaw to insult the insulter with, so he needs to track his affairs until he finds some of his flaws. Unlike the nickname, for one who is nicknamed with what he dislikes is able to nickname the other with a similar thing instantly; thus the reciprocal form (tafa'ul) was used. Such is in al-Zawajir. It is said: Tanabuzu was used because the prohibition came regarding the situation occurring between the people. From the verse, it is known that nicknaming is not prohibited absolutely; rather, what is prohibited is what is done with a bad nickname. They have explicitly stated that nicknaming with good nicknames is something whose permissibility there is no disagreement over. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was nicknamed al-'Atiq [the Freed One] because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to him: "You are Allah's freed one from the fire." 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was nicknamed al-Faruq [the Distinguisher] because of the manifestation of Islam on the day he embraced it. Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him) was nicknamed Asad Allah [Lion of Allah] because his Islam was out of zeal, and Islam became strengthened by him. Khalid was nicknamed Sayfullah [Sword of Allah] because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Excellent is the servant of Allah, Khalid ibn al-Walid, a sword from the swords of Allah," and other good nicknames. The nicknames of Ali (may Allah's countenance be honored) are more famous than to be mentioned. Good nicknames have always existed in all nations, among Arabs and non-Arabs, in their communications and correspondences, without mention of the ugly and disliked among them. The prohibited is forbidden, and the meaning is to be observed, unlike in proper names. Thus, the poet said: "Rarely do your eyes see a person with a nickname / Except that its meaning is found if you investigate it."
And regarding their inclusion in "but," the common usage in other than that is in the hadith: "Use kunyahs [patronymics] for your children." 'Ata said: "For fear of [bad] nicknames." 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Spread the use of kunyahs, for it is a sunnah." We have precious words on kunyahs mentioned in al-Tiraz al-Mudhahhab, so let whoever wants them refer to them.
(And whoever does not repent) from what he was forbidden from regarding tanabuz or from the three aforementioned matters, or absolutely, and what was mentioned is included, (then it is those who are the wrongdoers).
(By putting disobedience in the place of obedience and exposing the self to punishment. The use of the singular first and the plural second is to observe the wording and the meaning.)
