Halaqah #11 - 2/28/07

Verse 3:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَغُضُّونَ أَصْوَاتَهُمْ عِندَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ امْتَحَنَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ لِلتَّقْوَى لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

Surely, those that lower their voices in the presence of Allah's Messenger,- their hearts has Allah tested for piety: for them is Forgiveness and a great Reward.

Verily	إِنَّ
those who	الَّذِينَ
lower	يَغُضُّونَ
their voices	أَصْوَاتَهُمْ
in the presence of	عِندَ
Messenger of Allah (peace by upon him)	رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
They are	أُوْلَئِكَ
the ones	الَّذِينَ
has tested	امْتَحَنَ
Allah	اللَّهُ
their hearts	قُلُوبَهُمْ
for piety	لِلتَّقْوَى
for them	لَهُم
(is) forgiveness	مَّغْفِرَةٌ
And reward	وَأَجْرٌ
a great	عَظِيمٌ

In verse two, Allah (swt) scolds the Muslims for raising their voices and following after that, Allah offers them repentance if they lower their voices in the Prophet (sallahu alaihyi wa salaam) presence. They will have passed the test of piety which Allah (swt) has given them, thereby, earning His forgiveness and the reward of paradise.

It is said that the verse may have be taken to refer to all who are tempted to commit acts of disobedience and choose to what is right. All such people have passes the test of Taqwaa and become eligible for forgiveness and its reward. The Prophet (sallahu alaihyi wa salaam) described this point by saying that, “Whoever intends to do a bad deed and chooses not to do it will have a good deed recorded for him.” This basically sums up the point that this life is a test; a choice between good and evil.

Between verse two and three, the following four thing need to be learned:

1. One must not raise his/her voice over the Prophet (sallahu alaihyi wa salaam), his grave, his Sunnah, and in the Masjid An-Nawabi.

2. One must address the Prophet (sallahu alaihyi wa salaam) correctly

3. Watch for those nullify ones actions

4. One must be protective of one’s good deeds

“Let him who believes in Allah and the last day either speak good or be silent”

After this verse was revealed, it is said that Abu Bakr was never heard raising his voice when he was around the Prophet (sallahu alaihyi wa salaam). It came to the point that his voice was barely audible and one had to sit close to him in order to hear what he had to say. The Sahabah had learned their lesson and didn’t want to take any chances in hurting the Prophet (sallahu aliahyi wa salaam) or upsetting Allah. They couldn’t afford to have their deeds annulled.

Ibn Abbas’ tafseer states that “Allah’s messenger” refers to his sunnah. Therefore if the believers have habits or ideas that are contrary to the Sunnah and is tested by being confronted by accurate 110hadith which proves these habits wrong, then he should lower his voice and submit to the truth. If he does this, then he will receive the high reward that Allah has promised.