NAME: الحجرات, Al-Hujurat.
Name taken from Verse 4 where there is a mention of the word “Hujurat”.
٤ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُنَادُونَكَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْحُجُرَاتِ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
4 Indeed, those who call you, [O Muhammad], from behind the chambers – most of them do not use reason.
But It does not mean that this name is the actual topic discussed in the whole Surah. It is just a reference and mark/symbol to distinguish this Surah from others as is with most other Surahs of Quran. While there are diversified topics discussed in these Surahs.
ENGLISH NAME: The Private Chambers.
CHAPTER NUMBER: 49
SURAH HUJURAT TOTAL VERSES: 18
SURAH HUJURAT TOTAL WORDS: 353
TOTAL UNIQUE WORDS WITHOUT REPETITION: 217
TOTAL LETTERS: 1,533
REVELATION PERIOD:
Medinan, Approx. 629 – 632 AD.
MAIN CHARACTERS:
God, Prophet Muhammad, Believers, Bedouins/Wandering Arabs.
SURAH HUJURAT MAIN TOPICS:
Etiquettes Of Calling And Meeting Prophet, Investigate On News And Rumors, What to Do In Case of Fight Between Muslims, Etiquettes Of Moral Behavior, Bedouins/Wandering Arabs Say We Believed, Infect They Only Submitted.
SURAH HUJURAT KEY VERSES:
٢ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَرْفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَكُمْ فَوْقَ صَوْتِ النَّبِيِّ وَلَا تَجْهَرُوا لَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ كَجَهْرِ بَعْضِكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ أَنْ تَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ
2 O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of some of you to others, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not.
٦ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا أَنْ تُصِيبُوا قَوْمًا بِجَهَالَةٍ فَتُصْبِحُوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلْتُمْ نَادِمِينَ
6 O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful.
٩ وَإِنْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ فَإِنْ بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَىٰ فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّىٰ تَفِيءَ إِلَىٰ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ ۚ فَإِنْ فَاءَتْ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا بِالْعَدْلِ وَأَقْسِطُوا ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ
9 And if two factions among the believers should fight, then make settlement between the two. But if one of them oppresses the other, then fight against the one that oppresses until it returns to the ordinance of Allah. And if it returns, then make settlement between them in justice and act justly. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.
١٢ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَبْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَحِيمٌ
12 O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.
١٤ قَالَتِ الْأَعْرَابُ آمَنَّا ۖ قُلْ لَمْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَلَٰكِنْ قُولُوا أَسْلَمْنَا وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ الْإِيمَانُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ ۖ وَإِنْ تُطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ لَا يَلِتْكُمْ مِنْ أَعْمَالِكُمْ شَيْئًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
14 The bedouins say, “We have believed.” Say, “You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], ‘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.”
SUMMARY OF TOPICS
1-3(Commandment Not To Speak Loud In Front Of Prophet), 4-5(Etiquettes Of Calling And Meeting Prophet When He Is In Private Life), 6-7( Investigate On News And Rumors, Lest You Harm A People Out Of Ignorance), 9(In Case Of Fight Among Believers, Make Peace, Then Fight Against The One That Oppresses), 11-13(Etiquettes Of Moral Behavior: Do not Ridicule, Insult, Call By Bad Names, Avoid Much Assumption, Also Do not Spy Or Backbite Like Eating Flesh Of Dead Brother), 13-14(God Created You From One Soul, The Most Noble Is The Most Righteous, Bedouins/Wandering Arabs Say We Believed, Infect They Only Submitted), 17(No Ihsan/ Favor On Prophet If You Have Accepted Islam)
SURAH HUJURAT BRIEF COMMENTARY & BACK GROUND:
This Surah has 18 verses divided into 2 Rukus/Sections. This is a Madni Surah revealed around nine years after Hijrah. Name of the Surah taken from verse# 4: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُنَادُونَكَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْحُجُرَاتِ in which the word “الْحُجُرَاتِ” comes meaning Private Rooms/apartments (of Prophet Muhammad’s wives). This name is not only its name but also the title and topic of the Surah as it deals with the etiquettes of meeting and calling Prophet Muhammad outside and during his private life and also how to socially interact with each other.
There are traditions that tell that this Surah revealed at a time when in a letter stage of Prophet’s life in Madina, the Muslim community had grown and nearby tribes were accepting and entering in Islam. At this time it is narrated that a deputation from Bani Tamim tribe arrived in Madina and their people started calling Prophet outside of his private chambers when he was with his wives. The purpose of this Surah is to teach Muslim community the manners concerning Allah and His Prophet and also to teach them the basic principals for their social life especially as we can see in verse 6 that Muslims are instructed to investigate any news or rumors they get and not accept it without thorough analysis. Creating suspicions, entering into other people’s affairs and backbiting are the evils they should refrain from. They were also told that what should be their reaction in case there would be a fight or quarrel between two parties among themselves.
