Sūrat al-Ḥujurāt

Classification: Medinan. Verses: 18. Chronology: Revealed after al-Mujādilah.

{O you who have believed, do not put yourselves forward before God and His Messenger, and fear God; indeed, God is Hearing, Knowing.}

"Do not put yourselves forward" (lā tuqaddimū): Do not precede Him or His Messenger in any matter, nor speak until they have spoken, nor command until they have commanded. It is a metaphor for refraining from hastening to make a decision or taking action before receiving their instruction.

"Before God and His Messenger" (bayna yaday Allāh wa-rasūlihi): This is an expression denoting being in front of them or in their presence.

"And fear God" (wa-ttaqū Allāh): In what He has commanded you and forbidden you.

"Indeed, God is Hearing, Knowing" (inna Allāha samīʿun ʿalīm): He hears your words and knows your intentions and what you conceal in your hearts.

"Qaddama" (to put forward) and "Aqdamahu": Both are derived—with the doubling of the middle radical and the addition of the hamza—from qadama, meaning to precede, as in the Almighty’s saying: "He will precede his people" (Hud: 98). Similar to them in meaning and derivation are salafahu and aslafahu.

Regarding the Almighty’s saying: "Do not put forward" (la tuqaddimu), there are two views concerning the omitted object:

1. It is omitted to encompass everything that occurs to the soul which one might "put forward."
2. No specific object is intended, nor is it an omission; rather, the prohibition is directed at the act of "putting forward" itself. It is as if it were said: "Do not engage in this act of putting forward, and do not let it be a path for you," similar to the Almighty’s saying: "He is the One who... there is no god" (Ghafir: 68).

It is also possible that it is from qadama in the sense of taqaddama (to advance), like wajh and bayn. From this comes the "vanguard" (muqaddima) of an army, as opposed to its "rear guard" (saqa), meaning the group that advances from it. This is supported by the reading of those who recite la taqaddamu (by omitting one of the two tas of tataqaddamu). However, the first reading is more eloquent, more appropriate for the rhetoric of the Quran, and more accepted by scholars.

It is also read as la tuqdimu (from al-qudum), meaning: Do not rush into any matter of religion before its proper time, and do not be hasty regarding them.

"Between his hands" (bayna yadayhi): The reality of this expression is sitting in the two directions adjacent to one's right and left, close to them. These two directions are called "hands" (yadayn) because they are in the direction of the hands, close to them, by way of metaphorical extension—just as a thing is named by the name of another if it is adjacent or near it. This expression here follows a type of metaphor that rhetoricians call tamthil (allegory).

This usage has a noble benefit not found in plain speech: it depicts the ugliness and shame of what they were forbidden from—rushing into any matter without following the examples of the Book and the Sunnah. The meaning is: Do not decide any matter until He (Allah) and His Messenger have judged it and permitted it, so that you are either acting upon revealed revelation or following the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). This is the pivot of Ibn Abbas’s interpretation. Mujahid said: "Do not act independently of Allah in anything until He narrates it upon the tongue of His Messenger."

It may also function like saying: "Zayd pleased me and his state was good," or "I was impressed by Amr and his generosity." The benefit of this style is to indicate the strength of the connection. Since the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) held a position with Allah that is not hidden, this path was taken for him. This serves as a preamble and preparation for what they were rebuked for regarding raising their voices above his; for whoever Allah has favored with this status and singled out with this strong connection, the least that is required of reverence and majesty toward him is to lower the voice in his presence and speak softly near him.

It is said: (1054) The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sent a detachment of twenty-seven men to Tihama, led by al-Mundhir ibn Amr al-Sa'idi. Banu Amir, led by Amir ibn al-Tufayl, killed them. Three men escaped and met two men from Banu Sulaym near Medina. They identified themselves as being from Banu Amir (because they were more powerful than Sulaym), so they killed them and took their belongings. Then they came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), who said: "What a terrible thing you have done! They were from Sulaym, and the spoils are what you have clothed them with." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) paid their blood money, and this verse was revealed, meaning: Do not do anything on your own initiative until you consult the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).

From Masruq: (1055) I entered upon Aisha on a day of doubt (whether it was Ramadan or Sha'ban). She told her servant girl: "Give him honey to drink." I said: "I am fasting." She said: "Allah has forbidden fasting on this day." It was regarding this that the verse was revealed.

From al-Hasan: (1056) Some people slaughtered their sacrifice on the Day of Adha before the prayer, so this was revealed, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) ordered them to repeat the slaughter. This is the school of Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him), unless the sun has passed its zenith. According to al-Shafi'i, the slaughter is valid if the time equivalent to the prayer has passed.

Also from al-Hasan: When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) settled in Medina, delegations came to him from all horizons and asked him many questions, so they were forbidden from initiating questions until he initiated them.

From Qatada: It was mentioned to us that some people used to say, "If only such-and-such were revealed about this, it would be such-and-such," so Allah disliked that from them and revealed this.

It is said: It is general for every word and deed. This includes that if a matter arises in the assembly of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), they should not precede him with the answer, that they should not walk before him except for a need, and that they should be patient in starting to eat.

"And fear Allah": For if you fear Him, piety will prevent you from the forbidden "putting forward" and from everything that requires the surveillance of Allah to avoid. For the pious person is cautious; he does not approach a matter except with the removal of doubt and the clarity of certainty that he will not be held accountable for it. This is like saying to someone who is committing some vices: "Do not do this, and guard yourself against what brings shame upon you." You forbid him first from the very thing he committed, then you generalize and expand, commanding him to do what, if he followed your command, would prevent him from committing that act and everything that leads to it or relates to its cause.

"Indeed, Allah is Hearing" of what you say, "Knowing" of what you do, and it is right that such a One be feared and watched.

"O you who believe, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor be loud to him in speech as you are loud to one another, lest your deeds become worthless while you do not perceive."