Tafsir of Al-Hujurat 49:12

"O you who have believed..."

It is said: janabahu al-sharr (he averted evil from him) if he kept it away from him. Its reality is: placing it on one side (janib) away from him, and thus it takes two objects. Allah the Almighty said: "And keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols" (Ibrahim: 35). Then, in its reflexive form (mutawa'ah), one says: ijtannaba al-sharr (he avoided evil), where the reflexive form loses one object.

The object commanded to be avoided is "some" (ba'd) of suspicion, and that portion is described as being "much" (kathiran). Do you not see His saying: "Indeed, some suspicion is sin"?

If you ask: What is the difference between mentioning "much" as an indefinite noun versus if it had come as a definite noun? I say: Its coming as an indefinite noun conveys the meaning of "partitive" (ba'diyyah), implying that there are suspicions that must be avoided without specifying or determining which ones. This is so that no one dares to harbor suspicion except after reflection, contemplation, and distinguishing between truth and falsehood through clear evidence, while maintaining piety and caution. If it were definite, the command to avoid suspicion would be tied only to that which is "much" and not that which is "little," making every suspicion characterized by "much" forbidden, while that characterized by "little" would be permitted.

What distinguishes the suspicions that must be avoided from others is this: whatever lacks a valid sign or an apparent cause is forbidden and must be avoided. This applies when the person suspected is someone whose veil of modesty and righteousness has been witnessed, and whose integrity is apparent. To suspect such a person of corruption or treachery is forbidden, unlike one whom people know to engage in suspicious behavior and open wickedness.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Indeed, Allah has made sacred the blood and honor of a Muslim, and that one should harbor evil suspicion toward him."

Al-Hasan said: "We were in a time when suspecting people was forbidden, but today you are in a time where you should act, remain silent, and suspect people as you wish." He also said: "There is no sanctity for a profligate." And: "If a sinner reveals his sin and tears his veil, Allah tears it; but if he remains hidden, Allah does not expose him, perhaps he may repent." It is narrated: "Whoever casts off the cloak of modesty has no ghibah (backbiting)."

Al-ithm (sin) is the offense for which the perpetrator deserves punishment. From this, punishment is called al-athām, a noun form like al-nakāl (chastisement), al-'adhāb (torment), and al-wabāl (burden).

Al-tajassus (spying) and al-tahassus (prying): The two meanings are close. Tajassus is to seek out a matter and search for it; it is a tafa''ul form from al-jass (touching/feeling), just as al-talammus (groping) means seeking through touch. Al-tahassus is to gain knowledge through the senses (al-hiss). Because of their proximity, human perceptions are called al-hawāss. The intent is to forbid tracking the faults and defects of Muslims and prying into what they have concealed.

Mujahid said: "Take what is apparent and leave what Allah has concealed." The Prophet (ﷺ) once addressed the people, raising his voice so that the women in their private quarters could hear: "O you who have believed with your tongues while faith has not entered your hearts, do not track the faults of the Muslims; for whoever tracks the faults of the Muslims, Allah will track his faults until He exposes him, even if he is in the interior of his house."

Ghabahu and ightābahu are like ghalahu and ightalahu. Ghibah (backbiting) is from ightiyāb, like ghīlah (assassination) is from ightiyāl: it is mentioning evil in one's absence. The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked about ghibah and said: "It is to mention your brother with what he dislikes." It was said: "What if it is in him?" He replied: "If it is in him, you have backbitten him; if it is not in him, you have slandered him." Ibn Abbas said: "Backbiting is the condiment of the dogs of the people."

"Would one of you like..." This is a parable and a depiction of the state of the backbiter regarding the honor of the one backbitten in the most hideous and repulsive way. It contains various rhetorical intensifications: the interrogative for confirmation; linking what is at the peak of hatred to "liking"; attributing the action to "one of you" to imply that no one would like this; not limiting the comparison to eating human flesh, but making that human a "brother"; and not limiting it to eating a brother, but making him "dead."

Qatadah said: "Just as you would hate to eat from a maggot-infested carcass if you found one, so too hate the flesh of your brother while he is alive."

"...then you would hate it." This means: you have already hated it, and this is established. It carries the meaning of a condition: if this is true, then you hate it. It is the fa of logical consequence (al-fasiha), meaning: since it is established that you must admit this and cannot deny it—because human nature prevents you from denying your hatred and disgust for it—then let it be established that you must also hate its equivalent: backbiting and attacking the honor of Muslims.

The exaggeration in al-Tawwāb (The Oft-Returning) indicates the multitude of those He turns toward among His servants, or that there is no sin committed by a sinner that is not pardoned through repentance, or that He is eloquent in accepting repentance, placing the repentant in the position of one who has never sinned due to the vastness of His generosity.

The meaning is: Fear Allah by abandoning what you have been commanded to avoid and by repenting for what has occurred from you of it. For if you fear Him, Allah will accept your repentance and bestow upon you the reward of the pious who repent.

Ibn Abbas narrated: Salman used to serve two of the Companions and prepare their food. One day he fell asleep and did not prepare it. They sent him to the Prophet (ﷺ) to ask for food. Osama was in charge of the Prophet's food, and he said: "I have nothing." Salman informed them, and they said: "If we had sent him to the well of Sumayhah, its water would have dried up." When they went to the Prophet (ﷺ), he said: "Why do I see the greenness of meat in your mouths?" They said: "We have not eaten meat." He said: "You have backbitten," and this verse was revealed.