Al-Hujurat: (2) O you who have believed...

(O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet.) This is the initiation of the prohibition against transgressing in the manner of speech in the presence of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), following the prohibition against transgressing in the speech and action themselves. The repetition of the call, despite the recent occurrence of the first, is for the sake of emphasis, awakening, and alerting, and to signify that each of the two statements possesses an independence that demands attention to its importance. It means: do not let your voices reach a limit beyond that which he (peace and blessings be upon him) reaches with his voice. Ibn Mas‘ud recited: "Do not raise [your voices] with your voices" (la tarfa‘u bi-aswatikum), with an intensive tarfa‘u and the addition of the letter ba’. Al-A‘lam al-Hudhali emphasized this in his statement: "I raised my eyes with effort to the people of high standing." The emphasis here is for intensity, like the addition of the ba’ in the recitation. However, the meaning is not that they were forbidden from "intense raising" while imagining that anything less than intense was permissible for them; rather, the meaning is a prohibition against the clamor they were accustomed to and their coarseness in what they used to do. This is similar to the Almighty’s saying: "O you who have believed, do not consume usury, doubled and multiplied."

(And do not speak aloud to him as you speak aloud to one another.) That is, a loudness that is like the loudness occurring among yourselves. The first part is a prohibition against raising one's voice above his voice (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), while this is a prohibition against making their loudness equal to his loudness (peace and blessings be upon him), for that is the custom in addressing peers and equals. It is understood from this that it is obligatory to lower one's voice so that their voices remain below his voice (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). It has been said that the first is specific to his speaking to them, and this is regarding their speaking to him; as if it were said: Do not raise your voices above his voice when he speaks and you speak, and do not speak loudly to him when he is silent and you are speaking. It is also understood that it is obligatory for their voices to be below his voice (peace and blessings be upon him). In any case, the conclusion is: make your voices lower than his voice (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and observe in addressing him a softness approaching a whisper, as is the habit when addressing the majestic and venerated. Maintain the observance of the majesty of Prophethood and the grandeur of its rank. Because of this, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said after the revelation of the verse, as recorded by ‘Abd bin Humayd and al-Hakim (who authenticated it) via Abu Salamah from Abu Hurayrah: "By the One who revealed the Book to you, O Messenger of Allah, I will not speak to you except as a person speaks to a confidant, until I meet Allah Almighty."

In another narration, he said: "O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, I will not speak to you except as a confidant or as one speaking to a confidant, until I meet Allah Almighty." When delegations arrived at the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he would send someone to teach them how to offer greetings and command them to maintain tranquility and dignity in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), as recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari and others from Ibn al-Zubayr, would speak in the presence of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in such a way that his words could not be heard until he asked him to repeat them. It has also been said that the meaning of "do not speak aloud to him" is: do not address him by his name or his kunyah (agnomen) as you address one another; rather, address him as "Prophet" and "Messenger." This interpretation is further from the assumption of redundancy, yet it contradicts the apparent meaning, because there is no evident reason for the mention of "loudness" in that case. It would have been more appropriate to say, for example: "Do not make your address to him like your address to one another."

(Lest your deeds become worthless) is a justification for what preceded it, regarding the prohibition on the basis of causality, by assuming a genitive noun; that is, "fearing that your deeds might become worthless." The meaning is: I forbid you from what has been mentioned for fear that your deeds might become worthless by committing it. Or, it is a justification for the prohibited act—the raising of the voice and speaking loudly—by assuming the lam of causality; that is, "so that [your deeds] do not become worthless." The meaning is: your doing what has been mentioned is forbidden because of the worthlessness resulting from it. The assumed lam of causality is used metaphorically for the consequence to which the action leads, because raising the voice and speaking loudly are not for the sake of worthlessness, but they lead to it, as you shall learn, if Allah wills. There is a difference between them, the essence of which is that the prohibited action is justified in the first, while the justified action is prohibited in the second. Whichever it is, the essence of the meaning returns to the fact that both raising the voice and speaking loudly are explicitly stated to lead to the worthlessness of deeds. The recitation of Ibn Mas‘ud and Zayd bin ‘Ali (fa-tahbata with a fa’) is clearer in specifying its leading to worthlessness, because what follows the fa’ cannot be anything but a consequence of what precedes it. And His saying, the Almighty: (while you perceive not)

(is a circumstantial clause [hal] relating to the subject of tahbata [become worthless], and the object of tash‘urun [you perceive] is omitted due to the context of what precedes it; that is: "while you do not perceive that they [your deeds] are rendered worthless." The apparent meaning of the verse suggests that sins, in an absolute sense, might render righteous deeds worthless. The doctrine of the Sunnis is that it is only disbelief [kufr] that renders them worthless, and nothing else. The former is the doctrine of the Mu'tazilah, and this is why al-Zamakhshari said: The verse has indicated two momentous matters: first, that among the sins committed are those that render the believer's work worthless; second, that among his deeds are those he does not know to be worthless, yet perhaps in the sight of Allah Almighty they are. Ibn al-Munir (may Allah have mercy on him) responded to this by saying that the intent of the verse is the prohibition of raising the voice absolutely. It is known that the ruling of prohibition is a caution against what is expected therefrom in terms of harming the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). The chosen principle is that harming him (peace and blessings be upon him) reaches the level of disbelief that renders deeds worthless, by consensus. Thus, the prohibition came concerning what is a suspected cause for harming the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), whether this meaning is found or not, as a protection of the means and a cutting off of the source. Then, since this prohibited act is divided into that which reaches the level of disbelief—which is what harms him (peace and blessings be upon him)—and that which does not reach that level, and there is no evidence to distinguish one of the two parts from the other, the accountable person is required to refrain from it absolutely for fear of falling into what is worthless-inducing, which is that which reaches the limit of harm, since there is no clear evidence to distinguish it, or if there is, it is often not perceived. To the confusion of one part with the other, the Almighty points with His saying: "Lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not." Otherwise, if it were as al-Zamakhshari believed, the saying of the Almighty "while you perceive not" would have no place, since the matter would be limited to either raising the voice being harmful—making it disbelief that is certainly worthless-inducing—or it being harmless—making it a major sin that is certainly worthless-inducing according to his opinion. Thus, in both cases, the worthlessness is certain, so there would be no room for the clause "while you perceive not," especially since the perception is established absolutely. Then he said (may Allah have mercy on him): This estimation revolves around two premises, both of which are true. One is that raising the voice is of the type that results in harm, and this is a matter to which transmission and observation testify; even a teacher is harmed by a student raising his voice in his presence, so how much more so for the rank of Prophethood and what it deserves of veneration and glorification? The second is that harming the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is disbelief. This has been explicitly stated by our Imams, and they have issued fatwas for the execution of whoever exposes himself to that, as it is disbelief, and his repentance is not accepted; so how much greater and larger is it in the sight of Allah Almighty? End quote. The essence of the answer is that there is no evidence in the verse for what al-Zamakhshari went to, because it might lead to worthlessness if it is by way of harm or belittlement, so He (Exalted be He) forbade them from it and justified it by saying it might render deeds worthless while they are unaware. It has been said: It is possible, considering the context, that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) intends a raising of the voice, it is placed in the position of disbelief as an aggravation out of veneration for his gathering (may the blessings and peace of Allah the Almighty be upon him), and then what is associated with true disbelief regarding worthlessness is associated with it, just as in the saying of the Almighty: "And to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House," up to His saying: "And whoever disbelieves, then indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds." The meaning of "while you perceive not" according to this is: "while you do not perceive that this is in the position of disbelief that renders deeds worthless, and is not like other sins." This does not hold without the first [premise]. It is permissible, as in al-Kashshaf, that the intent is what contains belittlement, and it is of the category of "And never be an assistant to the disbelievers," the purpose of which is allusion. How can it not be so, when it is a statement reported from al-Hasan as he narrated in al-Kashshaf? Abu Hayyan said: If the verse concerns someone who does that out of scorn, that is disbelief that renders deeds worthless in reality. If it is for a believer who does it out of overpowering [nature] and following his habit, then his "righteous deeds" are rendered worthless in terms of the veneration of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and lowering the gaze in his presence, if he were to do so. As if it were said: "for fear that the deeds which you are prepared to do and be rewarded for might become worthless." The coldness of the effort in the second interpretation is not hidden. Furthermore, there is some loudness that is not covered by the prohibition by consensus, which is that which they used in war, or debating an obstinate person, or intimidating an enemy, or what is similar to that from which harm or belittlement is not imagined. In the hadith, it is said that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to al-‘Abbas bin ‘Abd al-Muttalib when the Muslims turned back on the day of Hunayn: "Call the Companions of the Tree!" So he called with his loudest voice: "Where are the Companions of the Tree?" He was a man with a loud voice. It is narrated that when a raid came upon them one day, al-‘Abbas shouted: "O morning danger!" [yā ṣabāḥāh]—and pregnant women miscarried due to the intensity of his voice. Of him, al-Nabigha of Banu Ja‘dah says: "The shouting of Abu ‘Urwah the wild beasts / when he feared they would mix with the sheep." The narrators claimed he used to shout at the wild beasts away from the sheep, tearing the gallbladder of the beast inside its body. They mentioned that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) was asked: "How then does it not tear the gallbladder of the sheep?" He replied: "Because they were accustomed to his voice." Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Anas that when this verse was revealed, Thabit bin Qays sat in his house and said: "I am of the people of the Fire," and he secluded himself. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) asked Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh: "O Abu ‘Amr, what is the matter with Thabit? Is he ill?" Sa‘d said: "He is my neighbor, and I have not known him to have any illness." So Sa‘d came to him and said: "This verse has been revealed, and you know that I am the loudest of you in voice to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), so I am of the people of the Fire." Sa‘d mentioned that to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "Rather, he is of the people of Paradise." In another narration: when it was revealed, he entered his house, locked his door, and began to weep. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) missed him and said: "What is the matter with Thabit?" They said: "O Messenger of Allah, we do not know, except that he locked his door and is weeping inside." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) sent for him and asked him: "What is the matter with you?" He said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah revealed this verse to you, and I am a loud-voiced man, so I fear that my deeds have become worthless." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You are not one of them; rather, you will live in goodness, die in goodness, and enter Paradise." It is apparent that this [fear] on his part (may Allah be pleased with him) was out of overpowering fear; otherwise, there was no prohibition before the revelation. He is also too noble to be someone who intended belittlement and harm to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) by raising his voice—those being the hypocrites, whom the verse was revealed about according to what is reported from al-Hasan. The raising [of the voice] from him was a natural trait, as he had deafness in his ear, and the habit of many who have that is to raise the voice. It is apparent that after its revelation, he abandoned this habit, for al-Tabarani and al-Hakim (who authenticated it) recorded that ‘Asim bin ‘Adi bin al-‘Ajlan informed the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) of his condition, so he sent him to him. When he came, he said: "What makes you weep, O Thabit?" He said: "I am loud-voiced, and I fear that this verse was revealed about me." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Are you not pleased to live a life of praise, be killed as a martyr, and enter Paradise?" He said: "I am pleased, and I will never raise my voice over the voice of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)."

Scholars have used the verse as evidence for the prohibition of raising the voice at his noble grave (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and during the reading of his hadith (peace and blessings be upon him), because his sanctity in death is like his sanctity in life. Abu Hayyan mentioned the disapproval of raising the voice also in the presence of a scholar. It is not far-fetched that its sanctity remains with the intention of harm and belittlement for whoever it is forbidden to harm or belittle in an absolute sense, but sanctity has varying levels, as is not hidden.

And His saying, the Almighty: << >>