The Occasion of Revelation A group of commentators have said...

The Occasion of Revelation A group of commentators have said that the verses of this Surah were revealed against Walid-ibn-i-Muqayyarah who used to backbite the holy Prophet (S) and made sarcastic remarks and mocked him (S). Some others believe that they are said against some of the chiefs of the pagan Arabs and the known enemies of Islam, such as: Akhnas-ibn-i-Shariq, Umiyat-ibn-i-Khalaf, and 'As-ibn-i-wa'il.

But, even if we accept these occasions of revelation, again the generality of the meaning of the verses remains unchanged, and it covers all those who have these characteristics. Woe to Every Backbiter, Slanderer! This Surah begins with the strongest terms of a threatening nature. It says: "Woe to Every Backbiter, Slanderer!" They are those who sting others with their speech, behaviour, mimicry, or sarcasm at their backs or in front of them. They mock them and defame them with evil motives.

The Arabic terms /humazah/ and /lumazah/, both, are in 'the intensive amplification form’. The term /humazah/ is based on /hamz/ which originally means 'to break', and since backbiters and slanderers break the personality of others, the term /humazah/ is used for them. The term /lumazah/ is derived from /lamz/ with the meaning of 'to backbite' and 'defame'.

Commentators are divided in saying that these two terms refer to one meaning, 'backbiters', and therefore, these two are mentioned for emphasis; or there may be a difference between them. But, some have said that the term /humazah/ means 'backbiter' and /lumazah/ means fault-finder'.

Further, some others believe that the term /humazah/ means 'those who make innuendos with their hands and face when trying to find faults in others', and /lumazah/ is meant for those who do this action with their tongues. Also, some have meant the first term in the sense of 'fault-finding' in the face of people, and the second when done at their backs. Again, some think the first means 'apparent fault-finding' and the second means 'subtle fault-finding done with the eyes and eyebrows'.

And sometimes, both of the terms have been meant 'the one who defames people by using low titles for them'. But, from all of the above ideas it is understood that these two terms are used in the same sense with a vast meaning, so that it includes any fault-finding, defaming, backbiting, sarcasm, and mockery by tongue or mimicry.