Al-Hujurat: 4

Ayah

Word by Word

إِنَّ

Indeed

ٱلَّذِينَ

those who

يُنَادُونَكَ

call you

مِن

from

وَرَآءِ

behind

ٱلۡحُجُرَٰتِ

the private chambers

أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ

most of them

لَا

(do) not

يَعۡقِلُونَ

understand

Translation

Those who shout out to thee from without the inner apartments - most of them lack understanding.

Tafsir

Admonishing Those Who call the Prophet from behind Dwellings

Allah says,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُنَادُونَكَ مِن وَرَاء الۡحُجُرَاتِ

Verily, those who call you from behind the dwellings,

Allah the Exalted and Most Blessed admonished those, such as the uncivilized Bedouins, who used to call to the Prophet from behind the dwellings which belong to his wives,

أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡقِلُونَ

most of them have no sense.

Allah the Exalted and Most Honored then ordains the better behavior in this regard

وَلَوۡ أَنَّهُمۡ صَبَرُوا حَتَّى تَخۡرُجَ إِلَيۡهِمۡ لَكَانَ خَيۡرًا لَّهُمۡ

And if they had patience till you could come out to them, it would have been better for them.

it would have earned them the better benefit of this life and the Hereafter.

Allah, Worthy of all praise, then encourages them to turn to Him in repentance.

وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

And Allah is Forgiving, Most Merciful.

It was reported that this Ayah was revealed about Al-Aqra bin Habis At-Tamimi, may Allah be pleased with him, according to more than one source.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Aqra bin Habis said that

he called the Messenger of Allah from behind his dwellings, saying,

O Muhammad! O Muhammad! O Allah's Messenger!

but the Messenger did not answer him,

according to another narration, Al-Aqra` said,

O Allah's Messenger

Investigating the Reliability of the News conveyed by Wicked People

Allah the Exalted says,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُوا إِن جَاءكُمۡ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَأٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا

أَن تُصِيبُوا قَوۡمًا بِجَهَالَةٍ فَتُصۡبِحُوا عَلَى مَا فَعَلۡتُمۡ نَادِمِينَ

O ye who believe!

if a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done.

Allah the Exalted ordered investigating the news that sinners and the wicked bring, to make sure of its authenticity. Otherwise, if the sinner's word is taken for granted and a decision is based on it, regardless of whether the information is true or not, the authorities will be taking the lead of the sinners. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored forbade taking the path of the corrupted and sinners. This is why groups of the scholars of Hadith refuse to accept narrations from narrators whose reliability is unknown, for they might be from among the wicked people, in reality.

The Prophet's Decision is Better

Allah said

وَاعۡلَمُوا أَنَّ فِيكُمۡ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ

And know that among you there is the Messenger of Allah.

`know that among you is the Messenger of Allah. Therefore, honor and respect him, be polite with him and obey his orders. For he is more knowledgeable about what benefits you and is more concerned with you than you yourselves are. His opinions in such matters are more complete than your own.'

Allah the Exalted and Most Blessed said in another Ayah,

النَّبِىُّ أَوۡلَى بِالۡمُوۡمِنِينَ مِنۡ أَنۡفُسِهِمۡ

The Prophet is closer to the believers than themselves, (33:6).

Then He clarifies that they fall short in overseeing their own benefit;

لَوۡ يُطِيعُكُمۡ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِّنَ الاَۡمۡرِ لَعَنِتُّمۡ

If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would surely be in trouble.

`if he obeys all of your opinions and desires, you will earn trouble and hardship.'

Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said,

وَلَوِ اتَّبَعَ الۡحَقُّ أَهۡوَاءَهُمۡ لَفَسَدَتِ السَّمَـوَتُ وَالاٌّرۡضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ بَلۡ أَتَيۡنَـهُمۡ بِذِكۡرِهِمۡ فَهُمۡ عَن ذِكۡرِهِمۡ مُّعۡرِضُونَ

And if the truth had been in accordance with their desires, verily, the heavens and the earth, and whosoever is therein would have been corrupted!

Nay, We have brought them their reminder, but they turn away from their reminder. (23:71)

Allah's statement,

وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ حَبَّبَ إِلَيۡكُمُ الاِۡيمَانَ وَزَيَّنَهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمۡ

But Allah has endeared the faith to you and has beautified it in your hearts,

`made faith dear to your souls and beautified it in your hearts.'

Allah said,

وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيۡكُمُ الۡكُفۡرَ وَالۡفُسُوقَ وَالۡعِصۡيَانَ

and has made disbelief, Fusuq and `Isyan hateful to you.

`He has made disbelief, sins, whether major or minor, and `Isyan -- all types of sins, hateful to you.'

This statement transfers us from one level to a better level, to perfect Allah's bounty.

Allah's statement next,

أُوۡلَيِكَ هُمُ الرَّاشِدُونَ

Such are they who are the rightly guided.

those who have these qualities are the rightly guided ones whom Allah has granted guidance and correctness.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Rifa`ah Az-Zuraqi said that his father said,

During the battle of Uhud, when the idolators retreated, the Messenger of Allah said,

اسۡتَوُوا حَتۡى أُثۡنِيَ عَلَى رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَل

Stay in straight lines so that I praise my Lord, the Exalted and Most Honored.

They stood behind him in lines and he said,

اللۡهُمَّ لَكَ الۡحَمۡدُ كُلُّهُ

اللۡهُمَّ لَا قَابِضَ لِمَا بَسَطۡتَ وَلَا بَاسِطَ لِمَا قَبَضۡتَ وَلَا هَادِيَ لِمَنۡ أَضۡلَلۡتَ وَلَا مُضِلَّ لِمَنۡ هَدَيۡتَ وَلَا مُعۡطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعۡتَ وَلَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعۡطَيۡتَ وَلَا مُقَرِّبَ لِمَا بَاعَدۡتَ وَلَا مُبَاعِدَ لِمَا قَرَّبۡتَ

اللۡهُمَّ ابۡسُطۡ عَلَيۡنَا مِنۡ بَرَكَاتِكَ وَرَحۡمَتِكَ وَفَضۡلِكَ وَرِزۡقِكَ

اللۡهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسۡأَلُكَ النَّعِيمَ الۡمُقِيمَ الَّذِي لَا يَحُولُ وَلَا يَزُولُ

اللۡهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسۡأَلُكَ النَّعِيمَ يَوۡمَ الۡعَيۡلَةِ وَالاَۡمۡنَ يَوۡمَ الۡخَوۡفِ

اللۡهُمَّ إِنِّي عَايِذٌ بِكَ مِنۡ شَرِّ مَا أَعۡطَيۡتَنَا وَمِنۡ شَرِّ مَا مَنَعۡتَنَا

اللۡهُمَّ حَبِّبۡ إِلَيۡنَا الاۡيمَانَ وَزَيِّنۡهُ فِي قُلُوبِنَا وَكَرِّهۡ إِلَيۡنَا الۡكُفۡرَ وَالۡفُسُوقَ وَالۡعِصۡيَانَ وَاجۡعَلۡنَا مِنَ الرَّاشِدِينَ

اللۡهُمَّ تَوَفَّنَا مُسۡلِمِينَ وَأَحۡيِنَا مُسۡلِمِينَ وَأَلۡحِقۡنَا بِالصَّالِحِينَ غَيۡرَ خَزَايَا وَلَا مَفۡتُونِينَ

اللۡهُمَّ قَاتِلِ الۡكَفَرَةَ الَّذِينَ يُكَذِّبُونَ رُسُلَكَ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَنۡ سَبِيلِكَ وَاجۡعَلۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ رِجۡزَكَ وَعَذَابَكَ

اللۡهُمَّ قَاتِلِ الۡكَفَرَةَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الۡكِتَابَ إِلهَ الۡحَق

O Allah! Your is the praise.

O Allah! There is none who can withhold what You send, or send what You withhold, or guide whom You send astray, or misguide whomever You guide, or give what You deprive, or deprive whom You give, or draw closer whom You cast or cast whom You draw closer.

O Allah! Bestow on us from Your blessings, mercy, grace and provisions.

O Allah! I ask You for the eternal delight that never ends or fades away.

O Allah! I ask You for provisions on the Day of deprivation and safety on the Day of fear.

O Allah! I seek refuge with You from the evil repercussions of what You have given us and from the evil of what You have deprived us of.

O Allah! Make faith dear to us and beatify it in our hearts and make disbelief, Fusuq and `Isyan hateful to us, and make us among the rightly guided.

O Allah! Allow us to die as Muslims, live as Muslims and join us with the ranks of the righteous ones, without tasting humiliation or turmoil.

O Allah! Fight the disbelievers who deny Your Messengers and hinder others from Your path; send on them Your torment and punishment.

O Allah! Fight the disbelievers who were given the Scriptures, the True God.

An-Nasa'i collected this Hadith in `Amal Al-Yawm wal-Laylah.

Allah said

فَضۡلً مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَنِعۡمَةً

(This is) a grace from Allah and His favor.

meaning, this favor that He has bestowed on you is a favor and a bounty from Him to you,

وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

All-Knower in those who deserve guidance and those who deserve misguidance, All-Wise in His statements, actions, legislation and the destiny He appoints.