Surat al-Hujurat: Some Commentary (Tafsir)

Al-Hujurat (The Chambers) is the 49th chapter (surah) of the Qur’an with 18 verses (āyāt). The chapter contains etiquette and norms to be observed in the Muslim community, including the proper conduct towards the Prophet Muhammad (S), an injunction against acting on news without verification, a call for peace and reconciliation, as well as injunctions against defamation, suspicion, and backbiting. The chapter also declares a universal brotherhood among Muslims. The thirteenth verse, one of the most famous in the Qur’an, is understood by Muslim scholars to establish equality with regards to race and origin; only God can determine one’s nobility based on his piety.