Tafseer of The Clans · Al-Ahzaab · 33:70
O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the word of the Exalted: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلا سَدِيدًا (70) O you who believe, fear Allāh and speak upright words (70)
He, exalted is His mention, says: O you who hold Allāh and His Messenger to be truthful, fear Allāh by not disobeying Him, so that you do not thereby deserve His punishment.
And His word (وَقُولُوا قَوْلا سَدِيدًا) and speak upright words — He says: speak concerning the Messenger of Allāh and the believers an apt word, not an improper one; a true word, not a false one.
As al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: (وَقُولُوا قَوْلا سَدِيدًا) and speak upright words, he said: accuracy (sadād).
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: ʿAnbasa related to us, on the authority of al-Kalbī: (وَقُولُوا قَوْلا سَدِيدًا) and speak upright words, he said: truth.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word (اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلا سَدِيدًا) fear Allāh and speak upright words, that is to say: just. Qatāda said: by it is meant in one's speech and in all one's conduct, and the upright word (al-sadīd) is the truth.
Saʿd ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥakam related to me, saying: Ḥafṣ ibn ʿUmar related to us, on the authority of al-Ḥakam ibn Abān, on the authority of ʿIkrima, concerning the word of Allāh (وَقُولُوا قَوْلا سَدِيدًا) and speak upright words: he says: there is no god but Allāh.
