Tafsir of Al-Hujurat 49:3

"Indeed, those who lower their voices in the presence of the Messenger of Allah..." (to the end of the verse). This is an incitement to desist from that which they were forbidden from, following the intimidation against violating the prohibition. Meaning: They lower them out of observance of etiquette or out of fear of violating the prohibition.

"Those..." is a demonstrative pronoun referring to the relative noun (al-ladhina) based on its being characterized by what is within the relative clause. The remoteness indicated by the demonstrative, despite the proximity of the reference, serves to glorify their status, as has been mentioned repeatedly. It is a subject (mubtada') whose predicate (khabar) is: "Those whom Allah has tested their hearts for piety."

The sentence is the predicate of "Indeed" (Inna). The primary meaning of "testing" (imtiḥān) is trial and examination. What is intended here—given the impossibility of attributing it to Him, the Exalted—is the state of becoming accustomed to it through the relationship of necessity. Meaning: Allah, the Exalted, has accustomed their hearts to piety.

In al-Kashshaf, "testing" is a metonymy (kināyah) implying their patience in piety, their steadfastness therein, and their endurance of its hardships; for one who is tested is tried, and the action is expected from him time after time. Thus, it indicates the training that necessitates proficiency. Attributing it to Allah, the Exalted, signifies enabling (tamkīn). Therefore, according to some, in addition to the metonymy, there is a figurative attribution (tajjawuz fi al-isnād). The original meaning is: "They tested their own hearts for piety through Allah's enabling of them."

It seems this consideration was adopted because it is not permissible to intend the literal meaning here; thus, it would not be valid as a metonymy for those who require the possibility of the literal meaning. Those who are content with the possibility of the meaning—even if it is impossible in the context of usage—do not require such a consideration.

Al-Shihab opted for "testing" being a metaphor for patience based on the relationship of necessity. The essence of the meaning according to him, as it is with the metonymy, is that they are patient with piety and strong against its hardships. Alternatively, "testing" may mean "knowledge," as reported from al-Jubba'i, as a metaphor via the naming of the cause to refer to the effect; the meaning being: Allah has made their hearts know piety. Attributing knowledge to Him, the Mighty and Majestic, without using the word itself is not impossible, and it is common in the Noble Quran.

Regarding the claim that the attribution is absolutely permissible, there is a precedent in Nahj al-Balagha where the term "Knower" (al-ʿārif) is applied to Him, the Exalted. The narration also supports this, according to some prominent scholars.

The lam (preposition) is connected to an omitted element acting as a state (ḥāl) for "their hearts," meaning: "existing for piety, devoted to it." It is similar to the lam in the statement: "And a fine poem that you composed, I praise you for it above all mankind," or the saying: "Enemies of those who work on the rugged ground," and "Night guests who stayed for the arrival." Or, it is connected to "tested" considering the meaning of habituation.

Another interpretation is: Allah, the Exalted, struck their hearts with various trials and burdensome obligations for the sake of piety; meaning, so that it may appear and it may be known that they are the righteous, for the reality of piety is not known except during trials and the endurance thereof. According to this, "testing" is the act of striking with trials, and the lam is for causation, in the sense that the manifestation of piety is the purpose and cause. Otherwise, patience in trial is derived from piety, not the other way around.

Another interpretation is: "He purified them for piety," meaning He made them pure for the sake of piety, or He refined them for it so that nothing else has a share in them—as if the hearts have become the exclusive property of piety. This is more eloquent; it is a metaphor derived from the testing and melting of gold to purify it, bringing it forth from its dross and filth.

Or it is a simile and an interpretation of "tested" as "purified." Ibn Jarir and a group reported this from Mujahid, and it was also reported from al-Ka'bi and Abu Muslim. Al-Wahidi said: "The estimation of the speech is: 'Allah tested their hearts and purified them for piety,' so he omitted the purification because the word 'test' indicates it." This is not very strong.

The author of al-Kashshaf chose what was first reported from him, saying: "The first is the most preferred of interpretations due to its abundant benefit from the metonymy, the attribution, and the indication that such lowering [of voices] only comes from one who is trained for piety and patient with it." So contemplate this.

"For them in the Hereafter is forgiveness" for their sins, "and a great reward" for their lowering of their voices in the presence of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and for all their other acts of obedience. The indefiniteness of "forgiveness" and "reward" serves to denote magnification. Describing the reward as "great" is a hyperbole in its greatness; for it is that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and has not occurred to the heart of any human.

The sentence "For them..." and so on is an initiation to explain the recompense of those who lower [their voices], praising their state. Just as he informed about them with a sentence composed of two definite nouns, the subject being the demonstrative pronoun which includes what was made a title for them, and the predicate being the relative noun with a clause that indicates their attainment of the utmost perfection—a hyperbole in counting their lowering [of voices] as a virtue and being pleased with it, and a suggestion of the ugliness of raising [the voice] and shouting, and that the state of one who commits those acts is the opposite of that.

It is said that the sentence is a second predicate for "Indeed."

It is said that the verse was revealed regarding the two Shaykhs (Abu Bakr and Umar), may Allah be pleased with them, because of their lowering of their voices and reaching the level of whispering after the revelation of the previous verse. In the narration of al-Hakim and others from Muhammad bin Thabit bin Qais, he said after recounting the story of his father and his statement: "I will never raise my voice above the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him," and Allah the Exalted revealed: "Indeed, those who lower their voices..." (the verse).

You know that its ruling is general, and the two Shaykhs are included in its generality, as is Thabit bin Qais. Ibn Mardawayh recorded from Abu Huraira who said: When Allah the Exalted revealed, "Those are the ones whose hearts Allah has tested for piety," the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Among them is Thabit bin Qais bin Shammas."