The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 281
PT. 6 AN-NISA' CH. 4 لَا يُحِبُّ الله الْجَهْرَ بِالسُّوءِ مِنَ Allah likes not the uttering. 149 of unseemly speech in public, الْقَوْلِ إِلَّا مَنْ ظُلِمَ وَكَانَ اللهُ except on the part of one who is سَمِيعًا عَلِيمًا اِنْ تُبْدُوا خَيْرًا اَوْ تُخْفُوهُ اَوْ تَعْفُوا عَنْ Whether you make public. 150 being wronged. Verily, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. 612 a good deed or conceal it, or pardon an evil, Allah is certainly the Effacer of sins, and is All-Powerful. 613 151. Surely, "those disbelieve in Allah and His سُوءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوا قَدِيرًا اِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ who وَيُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ اللهِ وَرُسُلِهِ Messengers and desire to make وَيَقُوْلُوْنَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ a distinction between Allah and His Messengers, and say, 'We وَيُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَتَّخِذُوا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلًا believe in some and disbelieve "4:137. God and render thanks for them both by words of mouth and by action; and on the part of God, it is to give proper rewards to men for their obedience and righteousness. See also 1:2. 612. Commentary: Islam does not allow Muslims to speak ill of a man in public, but he who is wronged may cry aloud when he is actually being transgressed against, so that other men may come to his help. He may as well seek redress in a law court. But he should not go about complaining to all and sundry, because that is calculated to create ill-will and bad blood and may disturb public peace which the Quran in no case countenances. 721 The words, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing, have been added to point out that even for a man who is wronged, it is better to act patiently and refrain from speaking ill of anyone. He may either go to a law court or pray to God and seek justice and solace from Him. 613. Commentary: The verse further enlarges on the idea contained in the preceding verse, at the same time hinting that as far as possible man should try to pardon the wrongs done him by his brethren; for is not God, before Whom all of us will one day stand, the great Pardoner and the Effacer of sins?