The Influence of the Character of Prophet Muhammad (s) on the Spread of Islam during the Meccan Period
Dr. Asghar Muntazir Qa’im
Translated by Jabir Chandoo
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03 June 2026 / 17. Zil-Hajj 1447
Day Six Feed Your Soul Allah is the only Judge
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Day Six
Allah (swt) is the Only Judge
يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِنْ قَوْمٍ عَسى أَنْ يَكُونُوا خَيْراً مِنْهُمْ وَ لا نِساءٌ مِنْ نِساءٍ عَسى أَنْ يَكُنَّ خَيْراً مِنْهُنَّ وَ لا تَلْمِزُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَ لا تَنابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقابِ بِئْسَ الِاسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الْإِيمانِ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَتُبْ فَأُولئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ (الحجرات: 11)
"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! 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.
The word 'sikhriyya' which is the root of the verb 'yaskhar' mentioned in the verse, means to ridicule; to ridicule and mock someone is to consider another to be lowly and inferior. This can be through words or through indication and actions or to practically imitating someone in such a way that the spectators and listeners laugh at those words, actions or imitation.
That which is understood from the context of the verse is that: do not ridicule anyone because it is possible that he/she is better than you in the eyes of Allah. The point to note is that because usually men ridicule men and women ridicule women the verse says that no man should ridicule and no woman another woman otherwise it is possible that sometimes men ridicule women or vice versa.
The Quran is giving a warning to all to stay away from this ugly act as the root of ridicule and mockery is a sense of self-superiority, arrogance, and pride which is the cause of many a bloody war in the course of history.
This self-superiority usually arises from material and apparent values, for example, one considers himself to be more wealthy, more beautiful or from a better lineage than another and sometimes that he is better than others in terms of knowledge, worship and spirituality and this is what causes him to mock others whereas the criterion for value in the eyes of Allah is taqwa and piety and this is in relation to the purity of one's heart and intention and to humility, morals, and manners. No one can say that he is better than another in the eyes of Allah and that is why ridiculing others and considering one's self to be better than others is one of the worst acts and ugliest moral faults, the repercussions of which might manifest themselves in all of one's life.
Although apparently ridiculing and mocking others is one sin, in reality, it encompasses many sins, like belittlement, humiliation (of others), finding faults in others, division between others, backbiting, enmity, provocation, revenge and jeering at others.
There can be many reasons why people ridicule others: it could be due having wealth or knowledge and an educational degree; physical strength; for amusement and enjoyment; due to greed for wealth and position; due to ignorance or it could be due to hypocrisy or a desire to humiliate others etc.
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Updated 17 July 2013
This is the 10th issue of the MCE mailshot. When we sent the first issue, we explained that the purpose of the newsletter was to:
1. Update you on the progress made by MCE and its activities
2. Share good practices that are happening in other madrasah around the world
3. Share news of important developments in the field of madrasah education
4. Listen to you and take your feedback, suggestions and new ideas.
The World Federation is pleased to introduce a series of videos to help us acquire closeness to Allah (swt). The first 5 videos will be an Introduction to Shahr Ramadan and for the rest of the Holy month we will focus on Akhlaq. Click here to watch Day 15.
