Tafsir of Al-Hujurat 49:13

{From a male and a female} From Adam and Eve. It is also said: We created each one of you from a father and a mother. Thus, there is no one among you who does not trace his lineage exactly as the other does, so there is no basis for boasting or claiming superiority in lineage.

{And nations (shu‘ub) and tribes (qaba’il)} Al-Sha‘b (the nation) is the first of the six strata of the Arabs: al-sha‘b, al-qabila, al-‘imara, al-batn, al-fakhidh, and al-fasila.

• Al-Sha‘b gathers the tribes.
• Al-Qabila gathers the ‘ama’ir.
• Al-‘Imara gathers the butun.
• Al-Batn gathers the afkhadh.
• Al-Fakhidh gathers the fasa’il.

Example: Khuzaima is a sha‘b, Kinana is a qabila, Quraish is an ‘imara, Qusay is a batn, Hashim is a fakhidh, and al-‘Abbas is a fasila. They are called shu‘ub (nations) because tribes branched out (tasha‘abat) from them.

{That you may know one another} It is read as li-ta‘arafu (that you may know one another) and li-ta‘arafu (with assimilation). It is also read as li-ta‘rifu, meaning: that you may learn how you are related. The meaning is: The wisdom for which He organized you into nations and tribes is so that you may know each other’s lineage, so that no one is attributed to other than his own fathers—not so that you may boast of fathers and ancestors and claim superiority in lineage.

{Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you} Then He clarified the trait by which a person excels over another and gains honor and nobility in the sight of Allah. It is read as anna (with a fatha), as if it were asked: "Why should one not boast of lineage?" The answer is: "Because the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous, not the one with the best lineage."

From the Prophet (ﷺ): He circumambulated the Kaaba on the day of the conquest of Mecca, praised Allah, and said: "Praise be to Allah who has removed from you the arrogance and pride of the Age of Ignorance. O mankind, people are only two types: a believer who is righteous and noble in the sight of Allah, and a wicked person who is wretched and insignificant in the sight of Allah." Then he recited this verse.

And from him (ﷺ): "Whoever is pleased to be the most noble of people, let him fear Allah."

From Ibn Abbas: The nobility of this world is wealth, and the nobility of the Hereafter is righteousness (taqwa).

From Yazid ibn Shajara: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) passed through the market of Medina and saw a black youth saying: "Whoever buys me, the condition is that he does not prevent me from the five prayers behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)." A man bought him, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would see him at every prayer. One day he missed him and asked his owner, who said: "He has a fever." He visited him, then asked about him after three days, and was told: "He is in his final moments." He came to him while he was dying, and he personally took charge of washing and burying him. This became a great matter for the Emigrants and the Helpers, and so this verse was revealed.

{The Bedouins say, "We have believed." Say, "You have not [yet] believed; but say, 'We have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts. And if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not deprive you from your deeds of anything. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."}