Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nisa Verse 148

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Allah does not like the evil words to be said openly except from anyone wronged. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Allah does not like negative thoughts to be voiced—except by those who have been wronged.[[ i.e., Allah does not like talking about people behind their backs—except when someone who has been wronged seeks counselling or assistance from authorities. ]] Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Allah does not like offensive words to be said in public except by one who has been wronged. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

A. J. Arberry

God likes not the shouting of evil words unless a man has been wronged; God is All-hearing, All-knowing.

Abdul Haleem

God does not like bad words to be made public unless someone has been wronged: He is all hearing and all knowing.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Allah approveth not the publishment of evil speech, unless by one who hath been wronged; and Allah is ever Hearing, Knowing.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah loveth not that evil should be noised abroad in public speech, except where injustice hath been done; for Allah is He who heareth and knoweth all things.

Abul Ala Maududi

Allah does not like speaking evil publicly unless one has been wronged. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

Ahmed Ali

God does not like ill (of others) spoken about, except by him who has been wronged. For God hears all and knows everything.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Allah does not like disclosure of evil matters except by the oppressed; and Allah is All Hearing, All Knowing.

Ali Quli Qarai

Allah does not like the disclosure of [anyone’s] evil [conduct] in speech except by someone who has been wronged, and Allah is all-hearing, all-knowing.

Ali Ünal

God does not like any harsh speech to be uttered save by one who has been wronged (and therefore has the right to express that in appropriate language). God is indeed All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Allâh does not like the public utterance of the hurtful speech, except (it is by) one who has been done injustice to. And Allâh is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

English Literal

God does not love/like the publicity/declaration/loudness with the evil from the saying, except who was caused injustice to/oppressed, and God was/is hearing/listening, knowledgeable.

Faridul Haque

Allah does not like disclosure of evil matters except by the oppressed; and Allah is All Hearing, All Knowing.

Hamid S. Aziz

Verily, those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers and desire to make a distinction between Allah and His messengers, and say, "We believe in some and disbelieve in others," and desire to take a midway course between the two,

Hilali & Khan

Allah does not like that the evil should be uttered in public except by him who has been wronged. And Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Knower.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Why should Allah chastise you if you are grateful and believe? And Allah is ever Multiplier of rewards, Knowing.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Allah does not love the public utterance of hurtful speech unless (it be) by one to whom injustice has been done; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Allah loveth not the utterance of harsh speech save by one who hath been wronged. Allah is ever Hearer, Knower.

Muhammad Sarwar

God does not love public accusation unless one is truly wronged. God is All-hearing and All-knowing.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Allah does not love the shouting of evil words, except by he who has been wronged. He is the Hearer, the Knower.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Allah does not like that the evil should be uttered in public except by him who has been wronged. And Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Knower.

Wahiduddin Khan

God does not love the utterance of evil words except in the case of someone who has been wronged. God hears all and knows all.

Talal Itani

God does not like the public uttering of bad language, unless someone was wronged. God is Hearing and Knowing.

Tafsir jalalayn

God does not like the utterance of evil words out loud, by any person, that is to say, He will punish him for it, unless a person has been wronged, in which case He would not punish him for uttering it out loud, when he is informing [others] of the wrong done to him by the wrong-doer or summoning [them] against him. God is ever Hearer, of what is said, Knower, of what is done.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Permission to Utter Evil in Public, For One Who Was Wronged

Allah says;

لااَّ يُحِبُّ اللّهُ الْجَهْرَ بِالسُّوَءِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ إِلااَّ مَن ظُلِمَ وَكَانَ اللّهُ سَمِيعًا عَلِيمًا



Allah does not like that the evil should be uttered in public except by him who has been wronged. And Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Knower.

Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn Abbas commented on the Ayah,
لااَّ يُحِبُّ اللّهُ الْجَهْرَ بِالسُّوَءِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ
(Allah does not like that the evil should be uttered in public),

"Allah does not like that any one should invoke Him against anyone else, unless one was wronged. In this case, Allah allows one to invoke Him against whoever wronged him. Hence Allah's statement,
إِلاَّ مَن ظُلِمَ
(except by him who has been wronged). Yet, it is better for one if he observes patience."

Al-Hasan Al-Basri commented,

"One should not invoke Allah (for curses) against whoever wronged him. Rather, he should supplicate, `O Allah! Help me against him and take my right from him."'

In another narration, Al-Hasan said,

"Allah has allowed one to invoke Him against whoever wronged him without transgressing the limits."

Abdul-Karim bin Malik Al-Jazari said about this Ayah;

"When a man curses you, you could curse him in retaliation. But if he lies about you, you may not lie about him.

وَلَمَنِ انتَصَرَ بَعْدَ ظُلْمِهِ فَأُوْلَـيِكَ مَا عَلَيْهِمْ مِّن سَبِيلٍ

And indeed whosoever takes revenge after he has suffered wrong, for such there is no way (of blame) against them." (42;41)

Abu Dawud recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

المُسْتَبَّانِ مَا قَالَا فَعَلَى الْبَادِي مِنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَعْتَدِ الْمَظْلُوم

Whatever words are uttered by those who curse each other, then he who started it will carry the burden thereof, unless the one who was wronged transgresses the limit.

Allah said,

إِن تُبْدُواْ خَيْرًا أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ أَوْ تَعْفُواْ عَن سُوَءٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا قَدِيرًا