[0:03]I seek the protection of Allah from the accursed Satan. In the name of Allah, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful. ALL PRAISE BELONGS TO ALLAH, LORD OF ALL THE WORLDS, TO THE EXTENT OF ALL THINGS CONTAINED IN HIS KNOWLEDGE. O ALLAH, SEND BLESSINGS UPON MUHAMMAD AND THE FAMILY OF MUHAMMAD. O ALLAH, MAKE OUR SPEECH BE GUIDANCE AND MAY YOU INSPIRE PIETY IN US. WE ARE WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH THE QURAN. THE VERSES ARE RECITED ONE- BY-ONE AND I AM GIVING A COMMENTARY, A FLUENT, SIMPLE COMMENTARY. WE STARTED FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE QURAN AND ARE AT THE 26TH JUZ, SURAH AL-HUJURAT. WE ARE NOW AT VERSE 11. LISTEN TO THE VERSE: "O YOU WHO HAVE FAITH! LET NOT ANY PEOPLE RIDICULE ANOTHER PEOPLE: IT MAY BE THAT THEY ARE BETTER THAN THEY ARE; NOR LET WOMEN [RIDICULE] WOMEN: IT MAY BE THAT THEY ARE BETTER THAN THEY ARE. AND DO NOT DEFAME ONE ANOTHER, NOR INSULT ONE ANOTHER BY [CALLING] NICKNAMES. HOW EVIL ARE PROFANE NAMES SUBSEQUENT TO FAITH! AND WHOEVER IS NOT PENITENT—SUCH ARE THE WRONGDOERS. "O YOU WHO HAVE FAITH!" - O PEOPLE WHO HAVE BELIEVED! DON'T LET A GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM YOU MAKE FUN OF ANOTHER GROUP OF PEOPLE, AS MANY TIMES THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MADE FUN OF ARE BETTER THAN THE ONES MAKING FUN OF THEM. WOMEN SHOULD ALSO NOT MAKE FUN OF EACH OTHER, MAYBE THE ONE BEING MADE FUN OF IS BETTER THAN THE WOMAN MAKING FUN OF HER. DON'T PICK FAULTS AMONG YOURSELVES; DON'T CALL EACH OTHER BY INSULTING NICKNAMES, BECAUSE PROFANE NAMES AFTER FAITH IS VERY EVIL; IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR YOU. WHOEVER ARE NOT PENITENT AFTER COMMITTING THESE ACTIONS ARE WRONGDOERS. OKAY, LET'S GET INTO WHAT THE VERSE STATES. "O YOU WHO HAVE FAITH! LET NOT ANY PEOPLE RIDICULE ANOTHER PEOPLE". THE FAITHFUL SHOULD NOT RIDICULE OTHERS: FAITH AND RIDICULING DO NOT FIT TOGETHER. IT DOES NOT SUIT A PERSON WHO HAS FAITH TO RIDICULE OTHERS. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO HAVE THE SCENT OF THE FAITHFUL WHILE RIDICULING OTHERS. IT STATES "ANY PEOPLE": WHICHEVER PEOPLE - A GROUP CANNOT SAY THEY ARE ARAB, AND SO THEY ARE DISTINGUISHED, I AM PERSIAN, I AM TURKISH, I AM WESTERN, I AM EASTERN, I AM WHITE; WHOEVER IT IS. NO PERSON HAS THE RIGHT TO RIDICULE ANOTHER PERSON. AFTER, IT STATES THAT THE ROOT OF RIDICULING IS THAT YOU REGARD YOURSELVES TO BE BETTER; BECAUSE YOU REGARD YOURSELVES TO BE BETTER YOU RIDICULE OTHERS. HOWEVER, MAYBE THE OTHERS ARE BETTER THAN YOU. THEN, IT STATES: "NOR LET WOMEN [RIDICULE] WOMEN", ALTHOUGH WOMEN ARE A PART OF PEOPLE. WHERE IT STATES: "LET NOT ANY PEOPLE RIDICULE ANOTHER PEOPLE", THIS "PEOPLE" INCLUDES WOMEN, BUT BECAUSE IT IS A SENSITIVE ISSUE IT HAS SEPARATED THEM OUT SO THAT IT WOULD BE CLEARER. SOMETIMES I SAY "I AM TALKING TO YOU", IN THE PLURAL SENSE, AND SOMETIMES I SAY "I AM TALKING TO YOU", "I AM TALKING TO YOU", AND "I AM TALKING TO YOU" IN A SINGULAR SENSE; THIS SEPARATING OUT GIVES MORE EMPHASIS THAT I AM TALKING TO YOU, YOU AND YOU. OTHERWISE, YOU SHOULDN'T RIDICULE ANY PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY ARE MALE OR FEMALE. IT HAS THE THE POINT IN TWO STAGES: "NOR LET WOMEN [RIDICULE] WOMEN". THIS IS BECAUSE, EITHER, THAT BELITTLEMENT IS MORE COMMON AMONG WOMEN, OR BECAUSE OF ITS SENSITIVITY, BY SEPARATING OUT WOMEN, IT GAINS MORE ATTENTION. "IT MAY BE THAT THEY ARE BETTER THAN THEY ARE". MADAM, WHY DID YOU RIDICULE HER? IS HER ACCENT ABNORMAL? HER FACE ABNORMAL? HE SHAPE IS SUCH A WAY? HER CLOTHES WAY? HER JOB IS SUCH-AND-SUCH? WHAT DO YOU KNOW, MAYBE SHE IS BETTER THAN YOU? "AND DO NOT DEFAME ONE ANOTHER" THE ARABIC 'LAMZ', WHICH 'TALMIZU' (DEFAME) IS DERIVED FORMED FROM, MEANS 'FAULTFINDING'. THE ARABIC 'HAMZ' MEANS FAULTFINDING BEHIND SOMEONE'S BACK; WHEREAS 'LAMZ' IS IN FRONT OF THEM. IN THE QURAN, WE HAVE A VERSE: "WOE TO EVERY SCANDAL-MONGER AND SLANDERER" (104:1). 'HUMAZAH' MEANS FAULTFINDING BEHIND SOMEONE'S BACK; 'LUMAZAH' MEANS FAULTFINDING IN FRONT OF SOMEONE. YOU SHOULDN'T FIND FAULTS IN FRONT OF, OR BEHIND SOMEONE. "AND DO NOT DEFAME ONE ANOTHER" - MEANING, DON'T FIND FAULTS IN EACH OTHER. "NOR INSULT ONE ANOTHER BY [CALLING] NICKNAMES" - DON'T CALL EACH OTHER BY UNPLEASANT NAMES, BECAUSE IT REMOVES BROTHERHOOD. WE ARE AT VERSE 11, VERSE 10 STATED: "THE FAITHFUL ARE INDEED BROTHERS". MUSLIMS ARE BROTHERS WITH ONE ANOTHER; IF DISCORD OCCURRED BETWEEN THEM, YOU SHOULD QUICKLY RECONCILE THEM. ONE THING THAT DESTROYS BROTHERHOOD IS MOCKERY. TWO PEOPLE ARE BROTHERS TO ONE ANOTHER; IF ONE MAKES A MOCKERY OF THE OTHER, THE OTHER WILL DEVELOP A GRUDGE AND THEIR BROTHERHOOD WILL BE DAMAGED. VERSE 10 STATED THAT THE FAITHFUL ARE BROTHERS TO ONE ANOTHER; VERSE 11 STATES THAT THE CAUSES THAT RUIN BROTHERHOOD ARE CALLING ONE ANOTHER BY PROFANE NAMES, FAULTFINDING IN FRONT OF SOMEONE AND BEHIND THEIR BACK, AND RIDICULING. RIDICULE IS ONE APPARENT SIN, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL WITHIN IT, MEANING THAT IF A PERSON'S RIDICULES ANOTHER, THEY HAVE NOT JUST COMMITTED ONE SIN. FIRST, THERE IS THE SIN OF HUMILIATING A BELIEVER; SECOND, YOU ARE REVEAL THEIR FAULTS AND THIS IS ANOTHER SIN; THIRD, YOU ARE CREATING DIVISION, YOU ARE FRIENDS AND WITH YOUR RIDICULING YOU ARE CREATING DIVISION, WHICH IS ANOTHER SIN; YOU ARE BACKBITING; HATRED IS CREATED; DIVISION IS CREATED; YOU ARE STIMULATING THE FEELING OF VENGEANCE BECAUSE THE OTHER PERSON WILL WANT TO TAKE REVENGE; YOU ARE TAUNTING SOMEBODY. IN RIDICULING, ALL OF THESE ARE INCLUDED. ALL OF THESE ARE INCLUDED. WHEN YOU WASH CLOTHES, WHAT IS APPARENT IS THAT YOU ARE WASHING CLOTHES, BUT YOU ARE ALSO EXERCISING, YOUR FOOD ALSO GETS DIGESTED, YOUR BODY SWEATS - THESE ARE ALL INCLUDED IN THE ACT OF WASHING CLOTHES - YOUR HANDS ARE ALSO CLEANED, AS WELL AS THE CLOTHES BEING CLEANED. A PERSON WHO RIDICULES COMMITS THE SINS OF HUMILIATING A PERSON, UNCOVERING A PERSON'S FAULTS, CREATION OF DIVISION, BACKBITING, CAUSING HATRED, STIMULATING VENGEANCE AND TAUNTING - THEY ARE ALL INCLUDED IN THE SIN OF RIDICULING. THEREFORE, RIDICULING IS A VERY BAD SIN. NOW, WHY WOULD PEOPLE RIDICULE EACH OTHER? THE QURAN HAS STATED WHY. THE QURAN STATES THAT SOME RIDICULE OTHERS BECAUSE THERE IS MONEY IN IT. IT STATES: "WOE TO EVERY SCANDAL-MONGER AND SLANDERER, WHO AMASSES WEALTH AND COUNTS IT OVER" (104:2). THEY RIDICULE BECAUSE OF WEALTH; THEIR CAR IS BEAUTIFUL AND THEY GO BEHIND PEOPLE AND BLOW THE CAR'S HORN IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM JUMP AND THEN LAUGH AT THEM, BECAUSE THEIR CAR IS BEAUTIFUL. OR, SOMEONE HAS LONG HAIR AND SHOWS IT OFF, RIDICULING OTHERS WHO DON'T. SOMEONE IS PROUD OF, FOR EXAMPLE, THEIR HAIR, OR THEIR CAR; "WHO AMASSES WEALTH AND COUNTS IT OVER". SOME RIDICULE BECAUSE OF ARROGANCE DUE TO THEIR WEALTH. SOME RIDICULE OTHERS BECAUSE OF ARROGANCE DUE TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE: FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAVE STUDIED A LITTLE BIT AND NOW THEY THINK THEY ARE GREAT. THE QURAN STATES: "THEY EXULTED IN THE KNOWLEDGE THEY POSSESSED, AND THEY WERE BESIEGED BY WHAT THEY USED TO DERIDE." (40:83) BECAUSE SOMEONE IS EDUCATED, THEY RIDICULE THE UNEDUCATED, BUT ON THE DAY OF RESURRECTION THIS RIDICULING WILL AFFLICT THEM. SOMETIMES PEOPLE RIDICULE BECAUSE OF WEALTH AND SOMETIMES THEY RIDICULE BECAUSE OF QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, OR EDUCATION. FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEONE CAN RECITE THE QURAN WELL AND THEY LAUGH AT AND MAKE FUN OF SOMEONE WHO CANNOT RECITE WELL. SOMETIMES PEOPLE RIDICULE OTHERS DUE TO THEIR POWER: "WHO IS MORE POWERFUL THAN US?" (41:15) SOMETIMES BECAUSE OF A PERSON'S TITLE, THEY SAY THEY HAVE A HIGH SOCIAL POSITION. THEY MOCKED THE PROPHET AND SAID THOSE WHO ARE AROUND THE PROPHET ARE LOWLY PEOPLE - "A HIGH PERSON WOULDN'T HAVE FAITH - THOSE WHO HAVE FAITH ARE STUPID". THE QURAN REPLIES TO THEM THAT THEY
[8:49]THEMSELVES ARE STUPID. SOMETIMES PEOPLE RIDICULE OTHERS JUST FOR ENTERTAINMENT, RIDICULING AN ACCENT, OR THE PEOPLE OF A CITY, REGION, OR TRIBE. ALL ARE SINS. SOMETIMES IT IS DUE TO GREED FOR WEALTH. THE QURAN STATES THAT SOME NITPICK THE PROPHET: "THERE ARE SOME OF THEM WHO BLAME YOU REGARDING [THE DISTRIBUTION OF] THE CHARITIES" (9:58). REGARDING THE DISTRIBUTION OF SADAQAT, ZAKAT AND TAXES, THEY NITPICK, ASKING THE PROPHET WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING, WHAT HE IS DOING WITH THE KHUMS AND ZAKAT. IT STATES THAT THEY NITPICK THE PROPHET, LAYING BLAME AT HIM, BUT, IT CONTINUES: "IF THEY ARE GIVEN FROM THEM, THEY ARE PLEASED". THOSE WHO NITPICK, ASKING WHERE MONEY HAS GONE, ACCUSE OTHERS OF TAKING AND EATING IT ALL; HOWEVER IF THEY ARE ASKED WHO TOOK IT OR WHO ATE IT, THEY HAVE NO PROOF FOR WHAT THEY SAY, THEY JUST
[9:44]SWEAR AT OTHERS. SOMETIMES, RIDICULING IS RELATED TO WEALTH, "...WHO AMASSES WEALTH AND COUNTS IT OVER". SOMETIMES IT IS RELATED TO HAVING QUALIFICATIONS, "THEY EXULTED IN THE KNOWLEDGE THEY POSSESSED". SOMETIMES IT IS RELATED TO DESIRING FAME. SOMETIMES IT IS CONNECTED TO IGNORANCE. PROPHET MOSES SAID: "I SEEK ALLAH'S PROTECTION LEST I SHOULD BE ONE OF THE IGNORANT" (2:67). THE PEOPLE SAID TO MOSES: "DO YOU TAKE US IN DERISION?" A JEWISH PERSON CAME AND SAID TO MOSES: "THERE IS A DEAD PERSON AND WE DON'T KNOW WHO KILLED HIM. ASK GOD WHO THE KILLER IS."
[10:17]ALLAH SAID, KILL A COW AND PLACE ITS DEAD BODY NEXT TO THE DEAD PERSON, WHEN THEIR BODIES TOUCH, THE DEAD PERSON WILL COME ALIVE AND SAY WHO KILLED HIM." MOSES TOLD THE PEOPLE THAT GOD SAID TO KILL A COW. THEY SAID TO HIM: "DO YOU TAKE US IN DERISION?" MOSES ANSWERED: "I SEEK ALLAH'S PROTECTION LEST I SHOULD BE ONE OF THE IGNORANT!" WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? IT MEANS DERIDING IS AN ACT OF A IGNORANT PERSON, BECAUSE THEY ASKED IF MOSES WAS DERIDING THEM, BY TELLING THEM TO KILL A COW AND SAYING THAT TWO DEAD BODIES WOULD MAKE ONE COME ALIVE. WHEN THEY SAID "DO YOU TAKE US IN DERISION?" MOSES ANSWERED: "I SEEK ALLAH'S PROTECTION LEST I SHOULD BE ONE OF THE IGNORANT!" MEANING THAT AN IGNORANT PERSON DERIDES OTHERS. OKAY, ONE OF THE GOOD ACTIONS OF THE PROPHET WAS TO CHANGE THE NAMES OF PEOPLE WHO CAME FROM AREAS THAT HAD AN UGLY NAMES; "NOR INSULT ONE ANOTHER BY [CALLING] NICKNAMES". HE CHANGED UGLY NAMES. OKAY, FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF THE VERSE. FAITH IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH RIDICULING - EVEN THE WAY IT IS MENTIONED IS RESPECTABILITY, IT DOESN'T SAY "DON'T RIDICULE". IF IT SAID "DON'T RIDICULE" IT WOULD MEAN YOU RIDICULE OTHERS - IT SAYS "LET NOT ANY PEOPLE RIDICULE ANOTHER" - IT ALLUDES, AVOIDING ADDRESSING THE RECITER/LISTENER DIRECTLY. RIDICULE IS THE KEY TO DIVISION, HATRED AND ENMITY. IT MENTIONS WOMEN SEPARATELY TO PROVIDE SENSITIVITY. WE ARE NOT AWARE OF THE INNER DIMENSION OF PEOPLE, WE SHOULD NOT JUST SEE THE SURFACE, OR SEE THINGS ONLY HOW THEY ARE TODAY. PERHAPS SOMEONE IS BAD TODAY BUT TOMORROW BECOMES GOOD, AND IF YOU ARE GOOD TODAY YOU MAY BECOME BAD - WE DON'T HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE FUTURE. THEY WANTED TO RIDICULE SALMAN AL-FARSI, AND SO ASKED HIM: "IS YOUR BEARD BETTER, OR THE TAIL OF A DOG?" THEY WANTED TO RIDICULE HIM. HE ANSWERED: WHICHEVER PASSES THE SIRAT BRIDGE. SPEAKING BADLY ABOUT SOMEONE DOESN'T REMAIN ONE-WAY, IF YOU SPEAK BADLY ABOUT SOMEONE THEY WILL ALSO SPEAK BADLY ABOUT YOU. IF YOU HAVE RIDICULED SOMEONE OR CALLED THEM BY AN INSULTING NAME, YOU WILL NEED TO REPENT. "AND WHOEVER IS NOT PENITENT - SUCH ARE THE WRONGDOERS". A PERSON WHO HAS RIDICULED SOMEONE, OR CALLED THEM BY AN INSULTING NAME, WILL NEED TO REPENT. IF THEY DON'T REPENT THEY WILL BE AN OPPRESSOR AND WILL BE PUNISHED. O ALLAH! KEEP US AWAY FROM UGLY TALK, UGLY NAMES, RIDICULING OTHERS AND SEEING OURSELVES AS SUPERIOR. AS- SALAM ALAYKUM WA RAHMATULLAH.
