Overview (Verse 114)

Useless Secret Talking
 
No good comes out of much of their secret talks; except for one who enjoins charity, or justice, or setting things right between people. To him who does this out of a longing for God’s goodly acceptance We shall in time grant a rich reward. (Verse 114)
 
The order to refrain from secret talks is repeated more than once in the Qur’ān. Here, it is a group of people who meet away from the rest of the Muslim community and leadership in order to decide on a certain matter in secret. The Islamic method of education and organisation in the Muslim community was such that any person could put his question or problem to the Prophet, either in private if the matter was personal, or in public, if it was of common interest. The aim was that no “pockets” should be formed within the Muslim community and that no groups be isolated by concepts, interests, ideas or aims different from the rest of the Muslim community. No group within the Muslim community should decide on any matter under the cover of darkness, and then either confront the community with it as a fait accompli, or conceal it. Whatever such a group may do, it cannot conceal its action from God who remains present in all situations. The prohibition of secret talks in this case is only one of several Qur’ānic references objecting to such clandestine dealings, away from the rest of the Muslim community.
 
It was in the mosque that the Muslim community usually met to offer worship and to conduct its life affairs. The whole community was an open one, dealing with all its problems publicly, unless these pertained to military engagements with the enemy, or were of a highly personal and private nature. Hence, this open society remained clean, maintaining a pure atmosphere. None but conspiring enemies, harbouring ill intentions or trying to subvert Islam’s guiding principles, isolated themselves in such a community. Furthermore, these were most likely to be hypocrites. Hence, secret talks by small groups have been linked in most cases to hypocrisy and the hypocrites.
 
This fact is very useful to us. A Muslim community must be free of such actions. Individuals in the Muslim community should refer to their leadership with whatever thoughts they may have or what occurs to them of ideas or problems.
 
The sūrah excludes types of secret talks that do not exactly belong to this category, but which may take the same form: “Except for one who enjoins charity, or justice, or setting things right between people.” (Verse 114) This means that one good person meets another and says, “Let us give something in charity to this or that person, for I have come to know from private sources that he is in need.” Or he may urge him to do something good to maintain fairness between people, or invite him to work with him in order to bring reconciliation between two Muslims who are involved in a dispute. Such good people may collaborate to fulfil any of these objectives and they may decide in private on their line of action. This sort of thing is neither plotting nor conspiracy. Hence, the Qur’ān uses the word “enjoin” to describe it, even though its apparent form is the same as clandestine talking, as it involves one good person speaking to others in private, urging them to collaborate in some good action.
 
It is important, however, that the overriding motive is to earn God’s pleasure: “To him who does this out of a longing for God’s goodly acceptance We shall in time grant a rich reward.” (Verse 114) There must he no element of holding favour against someone, or favouring a particular person with charity, or mending relations between favoured individuals. A person who enjoins such actions must not do so in pursuit of earning a good reputation for himself as one who loves charity and works hard to mend relations between people. Indeed, there must be no element of motive behind such good actions other than seeking God’s pleasure. This is the determining factor which makes one good action easy to please God and earn a rich reward from Him, and one that incurs God’s displeasure and is recorded by Him as a bad deed. The latter action may have the same appearance or form, but the difference is that it is undertaken for the wrong motives.

Overview (Verse 114)

Useless Secret Talking
 
No good comes out of much of their secret talks; except for one who enjoins charity, or justice, or setting things right between people. To him who does this out of a longing for God’s goodly acceptance We shall in time grant a rich reward. (Verse 114)
 
The order to refrain from secret talks is repeated more than once in the Qur’ān. Here, it is a group of people who meet away from the rest of the Muslim community and leadership in order to decide on a certain matter in secret. The Islamic method of education and organisation in the Muslim community was such that any person could put his question or problem to the Prophet, either in private if the matter was personal, or in public, if it was of common interest. The aim was that no “pockets” should be formed within the Muslim community and that no groups be isolated by concepts, interests, ideas or aims different from the rest of the Muslim community. No group within the Muslim community should decide on any matter under the cover of darkness, and then either confront the community with it as a fait accompli, or conceal it. Whatever such a group may do, it cannot conceal its action from God who remains present in all situations. The prohibition of secret talks in this case is only one of several Qur’ānic references objecting to such clandestine dealings, away from the rest of the Muslim community.
 
It was in the mosque that the Muslim community usually met to offer worship and to conduct its life affairs. The whole community was an open one, dealing with all its problems publicly, unless these pertained to military engagements with the enemy, or were of a highly personal and private nature. Hence, this open society remained clean, maintaining a pure atmosphere. None but conspiring enemies, harbouring ill intentions or trying to subvert Islam’s guiding principles, isolated themselves in such a community. Furthermore, these were most likely to be hypocrites. Hence, secret talks by small groups have been linked in most cases to hypocrisy and the hypocrites.
 
This fact is very useful to us. A Muslim community must be free of such actions. Individuals in the Muslim community should refer to their leadership with whatever thoughts they may have or what occurs to them of ideas or problems.
 
The sūrah excludes types of secret talks that do not exactly belong to this category, but which may take the same form: “Except for one who enjoins charity, or justice, or setting things right between people.” (Verse 114) This means that one good person meets another and says, “Let us give something in charity to this or that person, for I have come to know from private sources that he is in need.” Or he may urge him to do something good to maintain fairness between people, or invite him to work with him in order to bring reconciliation between two Muslims who are involved in a dispute. Such good people may collaborate to fulfil any of these objectives and they may decide in private on their line of action. This sort of thing is neither plotting nor conspiracy. Hence, the Qur’ān uses the word “enjoin” to describe it, even though its apparent form is the same as clandestine talking, as it involves one good person speaking to others in private, urging them to collaborate in some good action.
 
It is important, however, that the overriding motive is to earn God’s pleasure: “To him who does this out of a longing for God’s goodly acceptance We shall in time grant a rich reward.” (Verse 114) There must he no element of holding favour against someone, or favouring a particular person with charity, or mending relations between favoured individuals. A person who enjoins such actions must not do so in pursuit of earning a good reputation for himself as one who loves charity and works hard to mend relations between people. Indeed, there must be no element of motive behind such good actions other than seeking God’s pleasure. This is the determining factor which makes one good action easy to please God and earn a rich reward from Him, and one that incurs God’s displeasure and is recorded by Him as a bad deed. The latter action may have the same appearance or form, but the difference is that it is undertaken for the wrong motives.