Surah 49
The Chambers
1. O you who believe, talk no nonsense [we read “تفدّموا"] between the hands of God and His messenger, and take refuge in God, that God is All hearing All knowing,
2. O you who believe, raise not your voices above the prophet’s voice and make not your talk loud to him, like the loud talk of some of you to some of you, that your deeds may not be frustrated while you don’t know,
3. That those who lower their voices before God’s messenger, those are them whose hearts God has tested for refuge, they have forgiveness and a great reward,
4. That those who call you from behind the chambers: most of them do not reason,
5. And if they were patient until you’ve come out to them: it would’ve been better form them, and God is Forgiving Compassionate,
[Basic courtesy is being taught again, to a people who seem to have none, as other Surahs also show …
The custom of calling others from outside their houses though, has persisted in the Middle East, despite the clear call to end it …
In crowded cities, any time of the day, or in the middle of the night, when families, their children and elderly need quietness and peace: not only loud calls are unceasing, but also cars’ horns …
With total disregard to the entire occupants of hundreds of homes who are disturbed by it …
This is not a small issue, and one would wonder why would a Book that has descended to guide to a path of enlightenment …: would dedicate its verses to such small matter …
But if you’ve not lived in those parts of the world: you wouldn’t realise how important this is …
Civility and respect of others: are not an issue on the agendas of the religious or political leaders of those countries …
Religious preachers, particularly, are too keen to threaten their followers with the suffering of hell: if their rituals aren’t observed, and if they don’t harbour enough hatred to their neighbours who happen to follow another religious preacher …
But the concept of living cooperatively and respectfully with one another, and the concepts of civility and social cohesion: are not on their lists of rituals and or in the shariah,
As for the so-called secular parties: those aren’t any different: their main concern is to spread hatred and division …
But all sides of politics and all religions and their branches agree on one thing: and that is their backwardness is the result of conspiracies which go back hundreds or thousands of years …: with each religion or party blaming the other religions or parties for being a ploy in the hands of the conspirators …
So when we say that religions have reduced their thinking capability, and as verse 4 clearly says: we don’t exaggerate one bit …
Waste is another issue that bogs that part of the world,
Although personal hygiene is strongly prescribed in the Judaic and the Islamic traditions: there’s no mention of waste management in the Books and no recommendation to keep streets and public places clean: for the simple reason that these were not issues in the past …
But when the mind is restricted to the literality of the Books: the new vices that humans invent will go unnoticed …]
6. O you who believe, if an ill-intent person comes to you with news: check out, that you might strike a people ignorantly, so you become, about what you’ve done, contrite,
7. And do know that amongst you is God’s messenger, if he obeyed you in a matter, you would’ve been corrupted, but God has made you love faith, and ornated it He in your hearts, and made He you dislike darkness and aberration and disobedience, those are the directed ones,
[The fabrication of false news and the spreading of rumours are ills that have corrupted the Islamic world, and now they are spreading to the once rational world …
The evil of such deeds can have long term consequences. The fabricators of news and the spreaders of rumours want a quick gain of money or political power, and are prepared to do anything for that aim,
And despite that they themselves become victims of such tactics: the lessons are never learnt, and many, including pious religious people, believe that this is how the world is meant to be …
They bring upon themselves a chain of endless suffering, and upon others …]
8. [This is] elevation from God and providence, and God is Omniscient Sovereign,
9. And if two sects/groups of believing people are at conflict, do reform between the two of them, so if one of the two offends/attacks the other, fight the one which has offended, until it returns to God’s Aim, so if it returns, do reform between the two by equality, and be just, God loves just people,
[The points to be noted:
The sects or groups of believing people: does not refer to only the Muslims, but indeed any sects of people who have a Book, and who believe in God and his messenger, in one name or another,
The purpose of the intervention is to stop the conflict, rather than taking sides in it, so that the offender is stopped, to pave the way for normal relations,
Equality and justice: this is people’s duty to uphold, and this does not imply final judgement, this one is not for the people to give it,
On this basis: equality and justice apply to all, despite ideological differences,
The Books have not given any group of people the upper hand in worldly matters, and no one has more rights and entitlements than others,
This is a lesson that is yet to be learned by all Abrahamic religions, before they destroy one another in the name of heavenly justice …]
10. That so, the believers are brothers, do reform between your two brothers and take refuge in God, may you be mercified,
11. O you who believe, no people are to ridicule other people, perhaps they [the ridiculed ones] are better than them, and nor women [are to ridicule] women, perhaps they [the ridiculed] are better than them, do not wink, and do not call each other derogatory names, bad is a name of aberration after faith, and he who refrains not: those are wrong-doers,
[Such commandments are badly needed at the present, when the cultures of the religions of the world are constantly calling each other derogatory names … and judging others on behalf of their god,
And when one looks at the deeds and conduct of the namer, one can easily see that the namer often have the same ills that they name in others …
The winking behind someone’s back, or any gesture for that matter, that is meant to hide disrespect or ill-intent … and this often goes hand in hand with pretend niceness and a great deal of dishonesty: is a very bad habit,
It is practised in all cultures and all religions. Only very few are aware of its ugliness and do not get engaged in doing it …]
12. O you who believe, avoid a lot of suspicion, that some suspicion is sin, spy not, and speak no ill: some of you behind the backs of some of you, would one of you like to eat his brother’s flesh dead until you detest it? and take refuge in God, that God is Bestower of repentance, Compassionate,
[Indeed, people are often contrite about speaking ill of someone after misfortune has struck them or after they’ve died,
And a sense of guilt accompanies the contrition, and as if the ill speaking was a contributor to bringing about the misfortune …!
People’s lives and destinies are so intricately tied up to one another, even between the worst of enemies …
The tiniest degree of compassion and a sense of oneness can diffuse centuries of hatred and ill wishes and intents.]
13. O people, We have created you male and female, and made you nations and tribes so you may know one another, that the noblest in God is the most refuging [in Him], that God is Omniscient Knower of all,
14. The Arabs say “we’ve believed”, say: “you have not believed, but say that you’ve surrendered/became Muslims, and faith has not entered your hearts yet, and if you obey God and His messenger makes you bear none of the consequences of your deeds [we read “يُليكم"]”, God is Forgiving Compassionate,
[A hefty say (قول ثقيل) indeed, on the ears of the followers of all Abrahamic religions,
If they want to read “يلتكم", which translates to “He won’t diminish”, that's fine, and it's their choice,
They hence become captives of their deeds and their measured consequences,
Even the most virtuous of deeds have consequences,
If they see those as good, they are good, but they belong in the religion of reward and punishment,
Forgiveness and Compassion is the Realm where deeds and their consequences vanish, even if they are still being carried out …
This has been taught in the Ghita, in the Dharma and in the Books of Abrahamic religions, as we’ve shown you …
There’s no difference, except in the deeds and their consequences, for anyone who discern …]
15. That so, the believers are those who have trusted God and His messenger, then they were not confused, and they strove by their money and their selves in the Way of God, those are the honest ones,
16. Say [addressing the messenger]: “are you teaching God your religion? and God knows what’s in the heavens and what’s in the earth, and God is Knower of everything”,
[This is the answer to those who say: “do you know better than god?”, when they express their limited understanding of their limited learning of the limited books written by limited people like themselves …]
17. They oblige you [the messenger] that they embraced Islam, say: “oblige me not by your Islam, rather God obliges you that He guided you to faith, if you were honest”,
18. That God knows the Unseen of the heavens and the earth, and God is Seer of what you do
