His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "Indeed, the believers are those who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, then did not doubt and strove with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah. Those are the truthful." "Say, 'Do you inform Allah of your religion?' While Allah knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. And Allah is Knowing of all things." "They count it as a favor to you that they have submitted. Say, 'Do not count your Islam as a favor to me. Rather, Allah has conferred a favor upon you that He has guided you to faith, if you should be among the truthful.'" "Indeed, Allah knows the unseen of the heavens and the earth. And Allah is All-Seer of what you do."

"Indeed" in this verse is restrictive, giving that meaning. And His saying, exalted is He: "Then they did not doubt," means: they did not doubt in their faith, and no doubt entered them. They are the truthful since their actions confirm their words. Then Allah, exalted is He, commanded His Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, to reprimand them by saying: "Do you inform Allah of your religion?" That is, by your saying: 'We have believed,' while He knows the opposite of that from you, for He is All-Knowing of all things.

And His saying, exalted is He: "They count it as a favor to you that they have submitted," was revealed about the Banu Asad as well. This is because they said at some times to the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him: 'Indeed, we have believed in you and followed you and did not fight you as the fighters did, like the Muharib, Harsifah, Hawazin, Ghatfan, and others.' So this verse was revealed, as reported by al-Tabari and others. And Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, read: "They count it as a favor to you that they have submitted."

And His saying, exalted is He: "That" may be understood as a purpose for it. And His saying, exalted is He: "Rather, Allah has conferred a favor upon you that He has guided you to faith," means: by your claim when you say: 'We have believed,' it is necessary for you that Allah, exalted is He, has conferred a favor upon you. And this meaning is indicated by His saying, exalted is He: "If you should be among the truthful," thus He has linked the two judgments: they are favored for their truthfulness, and they are worthy to say we have submitted while they are liars.

And Ibn Mas'ud read: "When He has guided you."

And His saying, exalted is He: "He has conferred a favor upon you" may mean: He has bestowed blessings upon you, as you say: 'Allah has conferred a favor upon you.' And it may mean: He mentions His grace, and it comes as equivalent to "They count it as a favor to you." And the people have said long ago: 'When the blessing is denied, the favor becomes good.' And the only favor that invalidates the disliked charity is what occurs short of denying the blessing.

And Abu Ja'far, Nafi', Shaibah, Qatadah, and Ibn Wathab read: "What you do" with the 'ta' in the address. And Ibn Kathir and Asim - in the narration of Abu Bakr - read: "What they do" with the 'ya' for the mention of the absent.

The tafsir of Surah Al-Hujurat is complete, and all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

The tafsir of Al-Hujurat is complete, and all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.