By the one who is denoted by the name Allah (who created my being with His Names in accord with the meaning of the letter ‘B’), the Rahman, the Rahim.

 

1. O believers... Do not forge ahead of Allah and His Rasul (with your identity based thoughts, comments and interpretations), and protect yourselves from Allah (for He will subject you to the consequences of your conditioned value judgments)! Indeed, Allah is the Sami, the Aleem.

2. O believers... Do not raise your voices (ideas and thoughts) over the voice (the teachings) of the Nabi! Do not address him loudly like the way you (recklessly) address each other! Or your deeds will become worthless without you even realizing!

3. Those who lower their voices in the presence of the Rasul of Allah, they are the ones whose level of understanding Allah has revealed... There is forgiveness for them and a great reward.

4. As for those who call out to you from (outside) your house, most of them cannot use their intellects! (Note that calling him out is looked upon as an unintellectual act. A noteworthy topic!)

5. Had they been patient until you went out to them, it would surely have been better for them. Allah is the Ghafur, the Rahim.

6. O believers... If someone with corrupt faith brings information to you, investigate it well... Lest you maltreat a people without knowing the truth of the matter and then become regretful over what you have done!

7. Understand well that the Rasul of Allah is within you! If he was to follow you in most affairs, surely you would be distressed! But Allah endeared faith (experiencing your essence) to you and made it pleasing to your perception and made denial (of the reality), defiance (acts that go against faith and which blind one’s consciousness) and rebellion (ego-based ambitions) unpleasing to you... Those are the ones who have attained maturity!

8. As bounty and favor from Allah... Allah is the Aleem, the Hakim.

9. And if two groups among the believers fight against each other, make peace between them... If one goes to excess and oppresses the other, fight the oppressors until they return to the command of Allah! If they return, then make reconciliation between them with justice. Indeed, Allah likes those who give all things their due right.

10. Indeed, the believers are brothers! So, make peace between the two brothers and protect yourselves from Allah so that you may attain grace.

11. O believers... Let not one group mock the other! They (who they mock) may be better than them! And let not the women (ridicule) the women! Perhaps they (the others) are better than them! And do not criticize one another and do not call each other by offensive names! What a terrible label it is when faith gives way to non-belief. And whoever has not repented, they are the very wrongdoers!

12. O you who have believed, avoid most assumptions (guesswork about things of which you have no certain knowledge). Indeed, certain assumptions are an offence (lead to or are an outcome of duality). And do not spy on others (do not inspect or inquire into the private matters of others out of curiosity), and do not backbite. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would detest it! So, protect yourselves from Allah, the Tawwab, the Rahim.

13. O people... Indeed, We have (always) created you from a male and a female (no stated exception for Adam here); and made you into races-nations and communities so that you may come to know (and acquire different qualities and virtues from) each other... Indeed, the noblest of you in the sight of Allah are those who are true to themselves (their essential reality)! Indeed, Allah is the Aleem, the Habir.

14. The Bedouins (those who lived in ignorance as tribes and clans) said, “We have believed”... Say, “You did not believe! Say ‘We have submitted (become Muslims)’! For faith is not yet clarified and established in your consciousness! If you obey Allah and His Rasul, (Allah) will not detract anything from your work... Indeed, Allah is the Ghafur, the Rahim.”

15. The believers are those who have believed in Allah, who has created their being with His Names, and His Rasul, and did not fall into doubt thereof and fought in the way of Allah with their wealth and their very beings (lives)! They are the truthful ones (who conform the reality with their very lives)!

16. Say, “Are you attempting to teach your understanding of religion to Allah! Allah knows what is in the heavens and the earth... Allah is Aleem over all things.”

17. Do they think they are doing you a favor by becoming Muslims! Say, “Do not consider your Islam a favor to me (it is for your own sake)! On the contrary, it is Allah’s favor to you that He has directed you to faith! If you are truthful (to your faith, you will know this is true).”

18. Indeed, Allah knows the unperceivable within the heavens and the earth... Allah (within your very being) is Basir over what you do.