Islamyat Surah Hujuraat

Review of Surah AL-HUJURAAT
Name: Muhammad Usman Afzal Roll No: 15-10395 Section: J 1. Introduction
Surah Al-Hujuraat (The private apartments) is the 49th chapter of Holy Quran. It is the Medinan. It comes after Surah Al-Fath and before Surah Qaf in the order f the Quran. The Surah has taken its title from verse no. 4 in which it states that when some uncultured people come to see you (Muhammad [peace be upon him]) they start shouting you from outside your house. (They ignore the demands of collective discipline and even normal social etiquette). The total number of verse in this Surah is 18 and it has 2 rukus in it. 2. Main theme of the Surah
In the first five verses they have been taught the manners they should observe with regard to Allah and His Messenger.
Then, they have been given the instruction that it is not right to believe in every news blindly and to act according to it, without due thought. If information is received about a person, a group or a community, it should be seen carefully whether the means of the information is reliable or not. If the means is not reliable, it should be tested and examined to see whether the news is authentic or not before taking any action on it.
Then, it has been told what attitude the other Muslims should adopt in case two groups of the Muslims fall to mutual fighting.
Then the Muslims have been exhorted to safeguard against the evils that corrupt collective life and spoil mutual relationships. Mocking and taunting each other, calling others by nicknames, creating suspicions, prying into other people's affairs and back biting are the evils which are not only sins in themselves but they also corrupt society. Allah has mentioned all these evils separately and forbidden them as unlawful.
After this, the national and racial distinctions that cause universal corruption in the world have been condemned. Nations and tribes and families pride of Ancestry and their looking down upon others as inferior to themselves and their pulling down others only for the sake of establishing their own superiority is an important factor that has filled the world with injustices and tyranny. Allah in a brief verse has cut at the root of this evil by stating that all men are descendants of the same one pair and their division into tribes and communities is only for the sake of recognition, not for boasting and pride, and there is no lawful basis of one man's superiority over the other except on the basis of moral excellence. 3. Specific examples of Beliefs worship and Values * Islamic Beliefs;
Surah Al-Hujuraat includes verses on beliefs in God. 15th Surah addresses the Muslim identity. The believers are only those who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then, have never doubted and have struggled with their possession and their persons in the way of Allah. It is they who are truthful. (49:15)
14th verse describes conditions for having belief as some villagers used to say that they had believed. They were not fulfilling the conditions important for believers. Then Allah told us condition of being a believer. The villagers said 'we have believed'. Say, you, 'you believed not, yes, you rather say, we have surrendered', for the belief has not yet entered in your hearts. But if you shall obey Allah ends His Messenger, He will not make you to lose anything of your works. Surely, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (49:14)

Also some people thought of being Muslims as favor on Prophet (PBUH). 17th verse denies this thought and tells the Muslims that it’s not their favor but it is favor of God on them as He guided them to the right path. 'O beloved (prophet)! They take it as a favor to you that they have become Muslims. Say you, 'do not place the favor of your Islam on me; but rather Allah confers a favor upon you in that He has guided you to Islam, if you are truthful. (49:17) * Worship; There is no specific verse in this Surah mentioning Prayer, Fasting or other worships. * Values; Most of the verses in this Surah define the values which are important to follow for a Muslim and a Muslim Society.
In the first verse Allah Almighty warns not to exceed the limits made by Holy Prophet (PBUH) advised by Him. 'O believers! Exceed not over Allah and his Messenger and fear Allah. Undoubtedly Allah Hears, Knows. (49:1)
Second and third verse of this Surah warns Muslims not to raise their voices in presence of Holy Prophet (PBUH). 'O believers! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Communicator of unseen (the Prophet) and speak not aloud in presence of him as you shout to one another, lest your works become vain while you are unaware. (49:2) Undoubtedly, those who lower down their voices in the presence of the messenger of Allah those are they whose hearts Allah has tested for piety. For them is forgiveness and great reward. (49:3)
4th and 5th verses tell Muslims etiquettes to call for Holy Prophet (PBUH).
Undoubtedly, those who call you from behind your private apartments, most of them are stupid. (49:4) And if they had patience, until you yourself come out to them that had been better for them. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (49:5)
6th and 7th verses describe the manner in which Muslims are to behave if some uncultured people come to them with an unauthentic story. They are first to investigate them properly and then to seek guidance from Holy Prophet (PBUH).
'O believers! If any disobedient comes to you with any news make a strict inquiry lest you may hurt any people improperly then remain repenting on what you have done. (49:6) And know that the Messenger of Allah is among you. If he were to do according to your liking in much of the affairs, you would then surely be in trouble, but Allah has endeared the faith to you and has adorned it in your hearts and He has made infidelity, and iniquity and disobedience hateful to you such persons are on the right course. (49:7)
9th and 10th verses of this Surah guide Muslims to the behavior that they are to follow if two groups of Muslims come to fight with each other. And if two groups of the Muslims fight each other, then make peace between them, but if one of them commits excessiveness against the other, then fight the one that has committed excessiveness till it reverts to the command of Allah. Then if it reverts rectify between them with justice and do justice. Verily Allah loves the equitable. (49:9) Muslims are brothers, therefore make peace between the two brothers and fear Allah that the mercy may be shown to you. (49:10)
This Surah states that Muslim men and women are supposed not to make fun of each other to remain successful before God.
'O believers! Let not the men scoff at the men, perchance they may be better than those who scoff, and nor the women at other women, perchance that they may be better than those women who scoff, and do not taunt one another and nor call one another by nicknames. What a bad name is, to be called a disobedient after being a Muslim, and those who repent not, they are the unjust. (49:11)
This Surah also condemns suspicions. Muslims are advised not to find faults in others. Muslims are strongly prohibited of doing backbiting. This resembles to eat the flesh of the dead body of one’s brother for him.
'O believers! Avoid most suspicions, verily some suspicion is a sin and do not look out for faults and do not backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would abominate it. And fear Allah, Verily Allah is often Returning, Merciful. (49:12) 4. Conclusion
In conclusion, the people have been told that the real thing is not the verbal Profession of the Faith but to believe in Allah and His messenger truly, to obey them in practical life and to exert sincerely with one's self and wealth in the cause of Allah. True believers are only those who adopt this attitude. As for those who profess Islam merely orally without affirmation by the heart and then adopt an attitude as if they had done someone a favor by accepting Islam, may be counted among the Muslims in the world, may even be treated as Muslims in society, but they cannot be counted as believers in the sight of Allah.