49. Al-Hujurat

O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before Allāh and His Messenger1 but fear Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.

Believers, do not push yourselves forward in the presence of God and His Messenger. Fear God -- God hears all and knows all

O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! Be not forward in the presence of Allah and His Messenger, and be mindful of Allah. Verily, Allah is Hearer, Knower. (Desist from holding your opinions above that which Allah has revealed to His Messenger)

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.

Believers, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, and do not speak as loudly when speaking to him as you do when speaking to one another, lest your actions come to nothing without your realizing it

O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor shall you speak loudly to him, as you would speak loudly to one another, lest your works be rendered vain while you perceive not. (In my opinion, this verse applies today as well. We must be respectful whenever we speak of or even think of him)

Indeed, those who lower their voices before the Messenger of Allāh - they are the ones whose hearts Allāh has tested for righteousness. For them is forgiveness and great reward.

Those who lower their voices in the presence of God's Messenger are men whose hearts God has tested for piety, they shall have forgiveness and a great reward

Behold, they who lower their voices in the presence of the Messenger of Allah, - it is they whose hearts Allah has primed to become righteous. Theirs will be the protection of forgiveness and a Supreme Reward

Indeed, those who call you, [O Muḥammad], from behind the chambers - most of them do not use reason.

those who call out to you from outside your apartments are lacking in understanding

Verily, as for those who call out to you from outside the private apartments, most of them lack understanding

And if they had been patient until you [could] come out to them, it would have been better for them. But Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.

If they waited patiently until you came out to see them, it would be better for them. But God is forgiving and merciful

For, if they only had patience until you came forth unto them, it would certainly be better for them. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful

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.

Believers, if an evil-doer brings you news, ascertain the correctness of the report fully, lest you unwittingly harm others, and then regret what you have done

O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! If a person, who is known to drift away from Moral Values, comes to you with any news, verify it, lest you hurt some folk in ignorance and then regret what you have done

And know that among you is the Messenger of Allāh. If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would be in difficulty, but Allāh has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. Those are the [rightly] guided.

and know that the Messenger of God is among you. If he were to obey you in many things, you would suffer for it. However, God has endeared the faith to you, and beautified it in your hearts, and has made denial of the truth, wickedness, and disobedience hateful to you. People such as these are rightly guided

And be constantly aware that in your midst is Allah's Messenger. If he were to obey you in much of the governance, you will certainly be in chaos. But as it is, Allah has made belief dear to you and has beautified it in your hearts. And He has made disbelief, immoral conduct and disobedience detestable unto you. Such indeed are they who are rightly guided

[It is] as bounty from Allāh and favor. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.

through God's bounty and favour; God is all knowing, and wise

A Bounty and Bliss from Allah, and Allah is Knower, Wise

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 Allāh. And if it returns, then make settlement between them in justice and act justly. Indeed, Allāh loves those who act justly.

If two parties of believers fight against each other, make peace between them; then if after that one of them transgresses against the other, fight the party that transgresses until it submits to the command of God. Then if it complies, make peace between them with equity, and act justly. Truly, God loves the just

And if two groups of believers fall into a fight, then make peace between them. But then, if one of the two wrongs the other, fight the one that wrongs until it reverts to Allah's Command (the decision that was made by the Central Authority). Once they revert, make peace between them with justice, and act equitably. Verily, Allah loves the equitable

The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allāh that you may receive mercy.

Surely all believers are brothers. So make peace between your brothers, and fear God, so that mercy may be shown to you

The believers are but a single Brotherhood. (They are members of one family, brothers and sisters unto one another). Hence, make peace between your brothers and be mindful of Allah so that you may attain Mercy

O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name [i.e., mention] of disobedience after [one's] faith. And whoever does not repent - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.

Believers, let not some men among you ridicule others: it may be that the latter are better than the former: nor should some women laugh at others: it may be that the latter are better than the former: do not defame or be sarcastic to each other, or call each other by [offensive] nicknames. How bad it is to earn an evil reputation after accepting the faith! Those who do not repent are evil-doers

O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! No folk shall make mockery of other folk, for they may be better than they are. Nor shall any women ridicule other women, for they may be better than they are. And neither shall you defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the immoral name after attaining faith. And whoever turns not, such are the wrongdoers

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 Allāh; indeed, Allāh is Accepting of Repentance and Merciful.

Believers, avoid much suspicion. Indeed some suspicion is a sin. And do not spy on one another and do not backbite. Would any of you like to eat his dead brother's flesh? No, you would hate it. Fear God, God is ever forgiving and most merciful

O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! Avoid much suspicion and guesswork. For, behold, some of such suspicion and guesswork deplete your communal energy. And spy not upon one another, nor shall you backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, you would detest it! Be mindful of Allah. Verily, Allah is Relenting, Merciful

O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allāh is the most righteous1 of you. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing and Aware.

Mankind! We have created you from a male and female, and made you into peoples and tribes, so that you might come to know each other. The noblest of you in God's sight is the one who fears God most. God is all knowing and all-aware

O Mankind! Behold, We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes so that you might (affectionately) come to know one another. Verily, the most honored among you, in the Sight of Allah, is the one who lives most upright. Behold, Allah is Knower, Aware. ('Min zakarinwwa untha' = Of a kind that is male, and of a kind that is female = Male and female = Some of you are men and some of you are women. On this note I find myself in agreement with M. Pickthall)

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 Allāh and His Messenger, He will not deprive you from your deeds1 of anything. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful."

The Arabs of the desert say, "We have believed." Say to them, "You have not believed yet; say rather, "We have submitted," for faith has not yet entered into your hearts. But if you will obey God and His Messenger, He will not detract anything from your good deeds. God is most forgiving and ever merciful

The Bedouins say, "We have attained belief." Say (O Prophet), "You have not yet attained belief, but rather say, 'We have submitted (to the System)', for the Faith has not yet entered your hearts. Yet, if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not diminish (the reward of) any of your works. Verily, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful

The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allāh and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allāh. It is those who are the truthful.

The believers are only those who have faith in God and His Messenger and then doubt not, but strive, hard with their wealth and their persons for the cause of God. Such are the truthful ones

The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, and then, have left behind all doubt, and who strive with their belongings and their persons in the Cause of Allah. It is they, they who confirm their word with action

Say, "Would you acquaint Allāh with your religion while Allāh knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and Allāh is Knowing of all things?"

Say, "Do you presume to teach God your religion when God knows everything in the heavens and earth? God has knowledge of all things

Say, "Do you inform Allah of your religiousness when Allah knows all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth?" And Allah is Knower of all things

They consider it a favor to you that they have accepted Islām. Say, "Do not consider your Islām a favor to me. Rather, Allāh has conferred favor upon you that He has guided you to the faith, if you should be truthful."

They think they have done you a favour by becoming Muslims! Say, "Do not consider your Islam a favour to me. No indeed! It is God who bestowed a favour on you by guiding you to the true faith. [Admit this], if you are telling the truth

Some people act as if they are doing you a favor by embracing Islam. Say, "Deem not that your Islam is a favor upon me. Nay, it is Allah Who bestows a favor upon you as He has led you to the Faith, if you be true and sincere

Indeed, Allāh knows the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth. And Allāh is Seeing of what you do.

God knows the unseen things of the heavens and the earth. God sees all that you do

Verily, Allah knows the Unseen of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is Seer of all that you do