Derived from the lecture series of Nokounam, (Session 1686)
Surah Al-Hujurat, one of the intellectual treasures of the Noble Qur'an, contains verses that, like a brilliant lamp, guide social ethics and human relations within the Islamic society. This Surah, by emphasising moral principles such as refraining from suspicion, spying, and backbiting, and also by illustrating the bond of religious brotherhood among the believers, provides a solid foundation for constructing a society based on piety and unity. In this treatise, through reflection on verses 10 and 12 of this Surah and analysis of the content of religious scholars lectures, these concepts are examined profoundly. The objective is to elucidate these Qur'anic principles and their connection to the challenges of the Islamic Ummah, as well as a comparison with national and religious traditions, so as to illuminate the path towards realising unity and ethics within society.
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
O you who have believed, avoid much suspicion indeed some suspicions are sin; and do not spy nor backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of Repentance and Merciful.
Verse 12 of Surah Al-Hujurat, like a mirror revealing hidden flaws, prohibits three undesirable behaviours: suspicion, spying, and backbiting. Suspicion is an unfounded negative assumption that, like a poison, penetrates the soul of social trust. Spying is the secret curiosity into the faults of others, which violates privacy and is like a thief lurking in the solitude of individuals. Backbiting, speaking about the faults of others in their absence, is like a dagger wounding reputation and honour.
The Noble Qur'an in this verse likens backbiting to eating the flesh of ones dead brother, a simile that strikes the soul like lightning and makes the ugliness of this act manifest. This imagery not only reveals the abhorrence of backbiting but also, by referring to the brother, reminds us of the emotional and religious bond among the believers. This simile is like a vivid painting that, with intense colours, depicts the natural aversion of humans to an inhumane act.
Subsequently, the verse calls for piety, indicating the path of salvation from these sins. Piety acts as a shield protecting the heart from transgressions and facilitates the return towards God. The emphasis on Gods acceptance of repentance and mercy provides hope for those seeking self-reform.
In the lectures of religious scholars, reference is made to a narration that considers backbiting, from the perspective of its consequential effects, more severe than adultery. This statement resonates as a wake-up bell summoning ears to hear the truth. Adultery is a hidden and limited sin, but backbiting is like a fire rapidly spreading within society, burning individuals reputations and sometimes leading to discord and bloodshed. The prevalence of backbiting, its public visibility, and widespread effects make it a major sin whose repercussions, like a destructive wave, destabilise the foundations of society.
This sin, especially when habitual, is like a chronic disease that erodes the human soul. Habitual backbiting renders sin sweet and normal to the individual, as if one has grown accustomed to eating the flesh of ones own brother. This habit is like a chain that keeps a person captive in ignorance and sin.
Spying is the secret search for others faults, an act that, like a dark shadow, threatens individuals safe sanctuaries. In contrast, seeking information refers to acquiring knowledge of apparent matters, akin to a person enquiring about news in broad daylight. The Noble Qur'an prohibits spying in this verse because it is performed with ill intent to find others weaknesses. This prohibition is like a wall that protects privacy from intrusion.
Backbiting acts like a wind that scatters the seeds of sin throughout society and is a manifestation of the propagation of immorality. Surah An-Nur, verse 19, condemns the propagation of immorality and threatens the perpetrators with painful punishment:
Indeed, those who like that immorality should be spread among those who have believed will have a painful punishment.
Backbiting, by transmitting others faults, diminishes the shame of sin in society and normalises it. This act is like water loosening the soil of sin and preparing the ground for the expansion of corruption. Psychologically, the propagation of immorality stems from personality deficiencies and psychological complexes. Those unable to reform themselves justify their own faults by destroying others, as if by diminishing others they elevate themselves.
Modern media, like a flowing current, sometimes, instead of enlightenment, promote backbiting and the dissemination of faults. These tools, by focusing on negative news and individuals defects, reduce the stigma of backbiting and assist in normalising it. This is like a thorn piercing the core of ethical and religious values, diverting society from the path of piety.
Verse 12 of Surah Al-Hujurat, by forbidding suspicion, spying, and backbiting, provides a roadmap for building an ethical society. This verse, likening backbiting to eating the flesh of ones dead brother, illustrates the ugliness of this act and, by calling for piety, shows the path of reformation. Backbiting, due to its damaging social and psychological effects, is a major sin that can destabilise societys foundations. Media, if misused, become tools for propagating immorality. This section emphasises the necessity of avoiding these sins and strengthening piety as a shield against transgressions.
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
Indeed, the believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy.
Verse 10 of Surah Al-Hujurat considers the believers as members of one body, brothers to one another, and emphasises reconciliation among them. Religious brotherhood is like a thread that connects the scattered beads of the Ummah, yet this bond, in practice, has not been institutionalised as firmly as kinship brotherhood. Kinship brotherhood, due to blood and emotional ties, has naturally taken root like a deeply rooted tree in the soil of cultures. However, religious brotherhood, rooted in faith and piety, is sometimes overshadowed by ethnic and racial prejudices.
The Noble Qur'an, in another verse from Surah At-Tawbah, also emphasises this brotherhood:
But if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers in religion.
This verse makes religious brotherhood conditional upon adherence to divine commands, implying that faith and righteous deeds are the key to unlocking the doors of brotherhood.
The concept of a unified Ummah, beautifully depicted in Surah Al-Anbiya, verse 92, is an ideal that shines like a star in the Islamic sky but faces numerous obstacles in reality:
Indeed this, your religion, is one religion, and I am your Lord,
