The people who have true faith are also commanded that when...

The people who have true faith are also commanded that when they are given news or testimony about another person from one who commits sins in the open, is known for his wicked ways or is not scared of his transgressions (against the laws of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He), that they must not accept such a testimony from him and must stay away from all forms of rumours and gossip.

The general thoughts and opinions of the people have absolutely no value when compared to the orders and directives of the infallible Prophet (blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny). Each and every person possesses an ethical conscience. It is incumbent upon every Muslim that he strives for peace, and to attain this goal he must stand up against the oppressors so that he would be able to uphold the truth and maintain the rights of the oppressed.

All Muslims are brothers (and sisters) of and equal to one another and it is incumbent that they all endeavour to ensure that peace and happiness are established amongst themselves. A Muslim does not have the right to make fun of another Muslim. It is forbidden to find or pick faults in other people according to the teachings of Islam. A true believer does not have the right to call his brother in faith by a nickname or bad name.

It is forbidden (haram) to think bad thoughts about a believing brother (or sister). It is expressly forbidden to spy on or pry into the secrets and private life and affairs of other people. It is a major sin to speak bad things behind the back of another Muslim.

In this Surah, the issue of racial superiority has also been brought to an end and the only criteria for judging who is better (than another person) is one’s merit, piety and abstinence from those things which Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has forbidden and by keeping away from all sins. After these fourteen commandments have been explained, there is another series of issues that are discussed which will be explained in their own section.

When glancing over these commandments, is the superiority and dominance of the ethical Qur’anic teachings over all other ethical teachings of the world not clear and obvious for all to see? This Surah was Revealed in Madinah, Not Makkah We are able to discern which Surahs were revealed in Makkah and which were revealed in Madinah by keeping the following two points in mind: The narrations and traditions which mention to us the place of revelation of a specific Surah.