Surah Al Hujuraat states in verse 10:
- The believers are nothing else than brothers. So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy.
In this verse, Allah makes it evident and establishes the strong bond between the believers, and says, ‘Certainly, the believers are brothers’. It means that the bond of Imaan (faith) has joined them together and made them into one brotherhood. Therefore, they must show respect and regard to this sacred bond by maintaining this brotherhood and strengthening it. At the same time, they must refrain from fighting each other, and avoid enmity, hatred, ill feelings and rancor from entering their hearts for each other.
While expounding on the above verse, the Mufassireen (commentators of the Holy Quran) have explained that based on the words of the verse, انما المؤمنون اخوة (Innamal Muminoona Ikhwah), which literally means ‘Only the believers are brothers’, it is as if Allah is saying that ‘there is no true/real brotherhood except that which is between the believers, and there is no true brotherhood between an unbeliever and a believer’.
The commentators have further stated that the verse shows that the brotherhood through Islam is stronger than the brotherhood through lineage, since no consideration is given to the brotherhood through lineage if it lacks the brotherhood of Islam. (Safwah At Tafaseer vol.3 pg. 218 Maktaba Tawfiqiyah Dar As Sabooni 2017)
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has spoken extensively about the brotherhood which exists among the believers, and has exhorted them to maintain this sacred bond to the best of their abilities. In this regard, he is reported to have said, ‘The Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He is not unjust to him, nor does he forsake him’. (Sahih Al Bukhari)
In another narration, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘The Muslim is a brother to another Muslim. He does not wrong him, nor surrender him. Whoever fulfills the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs. Whoever relieves a Muslim from distress, Allah will relieve him from distress on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults on the Day of Resurrection’. (Sahih Bukhari Hadith No. 2422)
Abu Hurairah (R.A) also narrates that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘Do not envy each other, do not outbid each other, do not hate each other, do not turn away from each other, and do not outsell each other. Rather, be servants of Allah as brothers. The Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He does not wrong him, nor humiliate him, nor look down upon him. Righteousness is here’, and he pointed to his chest three times. He (the Prophet ﷺ) then said, ‘It is enough evil for a man to look down upon his Muslim brother. Every Muslim is sacred to another Muslim, his life, his wealth and his honour/reputation’. (Sahih Muslim Hadith No. 2564)
The verse further states, ‘So make peace/reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy’.
Having identified at the beginning of the verse that all believers are brothers, Allah goes further to instruct them that at all times an effort must be made to make peace among themselves and others. As such, if fights, disputes and conflicts arise between two groups, then the other Muslims must intervene in an effort to make peace between those who are fighting. The believers are further exhorted to fear Allah by being obedient to Him and doing that which He has ordered to do by making peace between the believers.
While explaining this, Hafiz Ibn Jareer At Tabari mentions that it means, ‘And fear Allah O people, by fulfilling His commands upon you with respect to making peace/reconciliation among those who fight each other from the believers. Fear with respect to His other commands also, and refrain from His disobedience, so that your Lord may have mercy on you’. (Tafseer At Tabari vol.26 pg. 150 Dar Ihya At Turath Al Arabi Beirut 2001)
Through reconciliation and encouraging peace among people, it is hoped and expected that they (the believers) will receive Allah’s mercy. It means that if they remain firm upon Taqwa and obey Allah by living in peace, unity and harmony, and by showing love and compassion to each other, then in return, Allah will shower His Kindness and Mercy upon them. In this way, Taqwa will be the cause of receiving Allah’s mercy since living together with love and kindness attracts the ‘Rahmah’ (mercy) of Allah.
It is mentioned in a tradition that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘Those who are merciful will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Be merciful to those on the earth, and the One in the heavens will have mercy upon you’. (Sunan At Tirmidhi Hadith No. 1924)
The Prophet (ﷺ) also said, ‘Whoever is not merciful to those on the earth, then the One who is in Heaven will not be merciful to him’. (Al Mu’jam Al Kabeer Hadith No. 2496)
The above verse of Surah Al Hujuraat (v.10) shows that making peace and reconciliation among the believers is extremely important since it is the way of maintaining unity and harmony among them. It is to show this importance, Allah issued this order immediately after saying that ‘All believers are brothers’.
In the verse, Allah said, ‘Certainly all believers are brothers’. Then straightaway He stated, ‘So make peace/reconciliation between your brothers’. The act of making peace and reconciling between people is extremely important since without it, the brotherhood of the believers (in Islam) will be negatively affected. It is for this reason, the Prophet (ﷺ) encouraged the believers to become ‘peace makers’ and those who will reconcile between others.
Regarding this, Abu Darda (R.A) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) once said to them, ‘Should I not inform you of something that is more virtuous than optional fast, charity and optional Salaah?’ They (the companions) said, ‘Yes’. He said, ‘It is to reconcile between people, for grudges and disputes are the razor (that shaves Imaan- faith)’. (Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood)
In the Holy Quran itself, Allah promises to give a great reward to those who reconcile between people thereby bringing peace and goodness among them. Regarding this, Allah says, ‘There is no good in most of their private/secret conversation, except for those who enjoin charity, a good deed or reconcile between people. And whoever does that seeking Allah’s pleasure, then We shall give him a great reward’. (Surah An Nisa (4) verse 114)
Surah Al Hujuraat states in verse 11:
- O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group, it may be that the latter are better than the former; nor let (some) women scoff at other women, it may be that the latter are better than the former, nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad is it, to insult one’s brother after having Faith. And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed Dhâlimûn (wrong-doers, etc.)
In the above verse, Allah has outlined a number of important and beautiful traits that are connected to the social conduct of the believers.
At the beginning of the verse, Allah says, ‘O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group, it may be that the latter are better than the former’. Here, Allah has prohibited the believers from mocking or ridiculing one another. A believer must not make fun of, or belittle another believer. He should not humiliate him nor make him an object of mockery and scorn, and must not laugh at him in derision.
Mocking others is a sign of pride and arrogance since the person who mocks, considers himself to be better than others. It is narrated in a hadith that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘Pride (arrogance) is to disregard the truth and to belittle and despise people’. (Sahih Muslim)
In another Hadith, Abu Hurairah (R.A) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘Do not quarrel with your brother, do not mock him (make fun of him/joke excessively with him), and do not make a promise to him that you cannot fulfil’. (Sunan At Tirmidhi Hadith No. 1995)
In another tradition, Wathila bin Al Asqa narrates that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘Do not rejoice over the misfortune of your brother, lest Allah have mercy upon him and afflict you with trials’. (Sunan At Tirmidhi Hadith No. 2506)
After prohibiting the believers from mocking one another, Allah says, ‘it may be that the latter are better than the former’. It means that it is possible that those who are mocked or laughed at, are more honored and superior in Allah’s sight than the mockers. They may be more beloved and dearer to Allah than those who mock them. As such, a believer must not mock or laugh at another believer, since no one knows the status/rank a believer has in the sight of Allah.
Allah further states in the above verse, ‘Nor let some women scoff at other women’. Having given the general prohibition to all believers at the beginning (of the verse), Allah now gives a direct instruction to women and says to them that they must not mock, scoff at, make fun of or laugh at other women.
He then states that it may be that these (women) who are mocked at are far better than the women who mock them. Therefore, those who mock others from among men or women must give consideration to what Allah has stated and refrain from mocking others.
Verse 11 further states: ‘Nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames’.
This is the second prohibition which Allah has given to the believers and He orders them to refrain from defaming one another. The verse in Arabic states: و لا تلمزوا انفسكم
(Wa Laa Talmizu Anfusakum) which is translated as ‘and do not defame yourselves’.
In the Arabic Language, the word ‘Talmizu’ comes from ‘Al Lamz’ which means to speak ill, to find fault, to criticize, to blame, to defame. Therefore, the real message and meaning of the above part of the verse is that:
(i) A believer must not speak ill of another believer.
(ii) A believer must not find faults or pick out/search for faults in another believer.
(iii) A believer must not criticize/censure another believer.
(iv) A believer must not blame another believer wrongfully.
(v) A believer must not harm the reputation of another believer through false statements, accusations, slander etc. This amounts to defamation of character which is totally Haram (forbidden) in Islam.
While explaining the above verse, Hafiz Ibn Katheer (A.R) writes, ‘Nor defame yourselves’ means that Allah Has forbiden the believers from defaming one another. He among men who is a slanderer and a backbiter is cursed and condemned. About them, Allah says, ويل لكل همزة لمزة
‘Wailul Li Kulli Humazatil Lumazah’ (‘Woe to every Humazah, Lumazah (slanderer, backbiter) (Surah Humazah (104) verse 1)
Humazah is from the word ‘Al Hamz’ which is defamation by action, and Lumazah is from the word ‘Al Lamz’ which is defamation by words.
While speaking about the transgressor and sinful person, Allah says, ‘He is a defamer (Hammaz), going about with slander’. (Surah Al Qalam (68) verse 11). It means that the sinner is one who belittles people and defames them, spreading slander among them. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer vol. 5 pg. 588 Dar Al Kitab Al Arabiy Beirut 2013)
While warning the believers about seeking the faults of others, the Prophet (ﷺ) is reported to have said, ‘The one who seeks the faults of his Muslim brother, Allah will reveal his faults; and the one whose fault Allah makes apparent, he shall be disgraced even if he sits at home’.(Sunan At Tirmidhi Hadith No. 2039)
In another tradition, Abu Hurairah (R.A) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘One of you sees the speck in his brother’s eye, while he forgets (leaves) the log in his own eye’. (Sahih Ibn Hibban Hadith No. 5761).
The understanding of this Hadith is that it is quite coming among people to seek the faults of others, but they are totally unmindful of their own. They also become very interested in correcting the faults of others, but are disinterested in rectifying their own.
Thus, if a person keeps his eyes on his own faults and shortcomings, he will find no time to seek out the faults of others. In fact, when a person is attentive to his own faults, it brings goodness to him. Regarding this, the pious scholars of the past have stated, ‘From the good fortune and happiness of a person is that he becomes occupied with correcting his own faults rather than looking at the faults of others’. (Tafseer Al Qurtubi vol.16 pg. 279 Maktaba Rasheediya)
The scholars have further explained that one should not disclose physical defects of another person since this may amount to fault-finding which is prohibited. Imitating other people with certain handicaps to highlight these as defects is also totally prohibited.
The verse further states, ‘nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad it is, to insult one’s brother after having Faith. And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed Dhâlimûn (wrong-doers, etc.)’
Here, Allah prohibits the believers from calling one another by offensive names, and He informs them that after having faith, it is unbecoming of a believer to call another believer by a bad name.
The statement ‘Nor insult one another by nicknames’, means that it is not permissible to use such nicknames for a person which is meant to insult, take out a fault, make fun of, or refer to a sin which one committed in the past.
While explaining the above, the commentators of the Holy Quran have stated, ‘Nor insult one another by nicknames’ means you should not address people by nicknames that they dislike. It is recorded in a narration that the companion (Sahabi), Abu Jubairah bin Adh Dhahak (R.A) said, ‘This verse (which states, ‘Nor insult one another by nicknames’) was revealed about us, the Banu Salmah. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) migrated to Madinah, every man among us had two or three nicknames. When the Prophet (ﷺ) called a man by one of these nicknames, people would say, ‘O Allah’s Messenger! This person becomes angry with that nickname’. On account of this, the verse was revealed’.(Tafseer Ibn Katheer vol.5 pg. 588 Dar Al Kitab Al Arabi, Beirut 2013; Tafseer Al Qurtubi vol.16 pg. 279, 280 Maktaba Rasheediya Queta).
They (the commentators of the Holy Quran) have further explained that the above verse was revealed to correct other situations also where people were called by nicknames which they detested. In this regard, Ikrimah (A.R) and Qatada (A.R) narrated that a man would sometimes call another one ‘Ya Fasiq’ (O Sinner), ‘Ya Munafiq’ (O Hypocrite) or ‘Ya Kafir’ (O Unbeliever). The verse prohibited the believers from this. Hasan Basri (A.R) states that when some Jews and Christians accepted Islam, some people used to address them as, ‘O Jew’, ‘O Christian’ (even after they accepted Islam). The above verse instructed people not to address them in this manner since they already accepted Islam.
Ata (A.R) states that insulting a person with a nickname also refers to addressing him with a derogatory slur like dog, donkey, or swine etc. Addressing people with such demeaning names is totally prohibited in Islam.
It is narrated from the great companion, Abdullah bin Abbas (R.A) that he said, ‘Insulting one with a nickname refers to addressing (calling) a person with such a name which indicates to a sin which he committed in the past and already repented for. Allah, in this verse, has prohibited the believers from reviling one another with such nicknames which point to a sin, evil or wrongdoing which they previously committed and then repented for’. (Tafseer At Tabari vol.26 pg. 152, 153 Dar Ihya At Turath Al Arabi Beirut 2001; Tafseer Al Baghwi vol.4 pg. 215 Idara Taleefaat Ashrafiya Multan Pakistan; Tafseer Al Qurtubi – Al Jami’ Li Ahkam Al Quran vol. 16 pg. 280 Maktaba Rasheediya Queta)
From the above authentic and accepted explanations of the verse, it becomes well established in the Holy Quran that it is not permissible for a Muslim to address another Muslim as a sinner, hypocrite or an unbeliever. It is also not permissible to call a person by a nickname which is meant to insult/abuse or point out to a defect in him, or to make fun of him. Similarly, it is not permissible to call a person by a nickname which hints to a sin which he committed previously and then repented for.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has prohibited the believers from addressing (calling) one another with offensive nicknames as mentioned above. In this regard, it is narrated that he (the Prophet ﷺ) said, ‘Whoever reviles a believer of a sin from which he repented, then it is a right upon Allah that He afflicts the reviler with that sin and humiliates him with it, in this world and the hereafter’. (Sunan At Tirmidhi Hadith No. 2505, Tafseer Al Qutubi, Ibid).
In another Hadith, it is narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘If a man says to his (believing) brother, ‘Ya Kafir (O Disbeliever)’. Then surely one of them is such’ (i.e. a Kafir). (Sahih Al Bukhari Hadith No. 6103).
While explaining the above Hadith, Imam Al Qurtubi says, ‘It means that if the accused person is indeed a Kafir according to the Shariah, then the sayer has said the truth and the accused bears it. But if the accused is not a Kafir, then the sin of the accusation bounces back to the accuser’. (Tafseer Al Qurtubi vol. 16 pg. 280 Maktaba Rasheediya Queta)
The verse further states, ‘How bad is it, to insult one’s brother after having Faith (Imaan)’. It means that it is extremely sinful for a person to be called by a bad nickname like ‘O sinner’ after he has become a believer. It also means that after a person has become a believer in Allah, then it is sinful for him to insult/revile other believers by addressing/calling them by offensive nicknames.
While explaining the above, the great commentator of the Holy Quran, Imam Al Baghwi (A.R) writes, ‘It is an evil/sinful name that one says when he addresses a person as ‘O Jew’, or ‘O sinner’ after that person has accepted Imaan (faith) and repented to Allah. Some scholars have also stated that whoever does what Allah has prohibited by mocking others, seeking their faults and addressing them by offensive nicknames, is indeed sinful (Fasiq), and this is certainly an evil name to be given especially when one has already accepted Imaan. Therefore, one must refrain from these prohibited actions, less one becomes deserving of being called a ‘Fasiq’ (sinful) in the sight of Allah’. (Tafseer Al Baghwi vol.4 pg. 215 Idara Taleefaat Ashrafiya Multan Pakistan)
The verse concludes by saying, ‘And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed wrong-doers’. It means that those who do not repent from using such offensive names for others, they are wrongdoers who have transgressed their souls in the sight of Allah.(Tafseer Al Qurtubi vol. 16 pg. 281 Maktaba Rasheediya Queta)
It also means that those who do not repent from calling others by offensive names which Allah has prohibited, or do not refrain from defaming them or making a mockery of them, then they have wronged themselves and have earned Allah’s punishment by doing those actions which Allah has prohibited. (Tafseer At Tabari vol.26 pg. 154 Dar Ihya At Turath Al Arabi Beirut 2001).
With respect to the above verse which speaks about using nicknames for one another, the scholars have stated that what has been condemned and prohibited is a nickname which is meant to insult, ridicule or taunt a person. In this situation, the one addressed by such a nickname feels offended and humiliated, and dislikes being called by it. As for a nickname which becomes famous for a person to the extent that he is mainly known and recognized by that nickname (and not other names), which in itself may indicate to a defect/flaw in the person, then it will be permissible to address the person by it when one does not intend to insult, ridicule or humiliate that person, and the person himself does not feel offended by being addressed/called by that nickname.(Tafseer Al Qurtubi vol. 16 pg. 280, 281 Maktaba Rasheediya Queta).
In general, believers are instructed to address each other with good names and nicknames which bear good meanings and are also liked by the person. Regarding this, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘From the rights that one believer has over another believer, is that he names him (i.e. he addresses/calls him) with a name/nickname which is most beloved to him’. (Shu’ab Al Imaan – Baihaqi – Tafseer Al Qurtubi Ibid).