Translation:
O believers! Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak loudly to him as you do to one another,1 or your deeds will become void while you are unaware.
O believers! Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak loudly to him as you do to one another,1 or your deeds will become void while you are unaware.
Translation:
O you who believe! Raise not your voices 4920 above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak aloud to him in talk, as you may speak aloud to one another, lest your deeds become 4921 vain and you perceive not.
O you who believe! Raise not your voices 4920 above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak aloud to him in talk, as you may speak aloud to one another, lest your deeds become 4921 vain and you perceive not.
Commentary:
4920 It is bad manners to talk loudly before your Leader. Some ill-mannered people so raise their voices as to drown the voice of their Leader, in conversation or in Council.
4921 Such rudeness may even destroy the value of such services as they may otherwise have been able to render, and all this without their even realising the harm they were doing to the Cause.
Translation:
O you who have attained to faith! Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, 2 and neither speak loudly to him, as you would speak loudly to one another, 3 lest all your [good] deeds come to nought without your perceiving it.
O you who have attained to faith! Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, 2 and neither speak loudly to him, as you would speak loudly to one another, 3 lest all your [good] deeds come to nought without your perceiving it.
Commentary:
2 This has both a literal and a figurative meaning: literal in the case of the Prophet’s Companions, and figurative for them as well as for believers of later times - implying that one’s personal opinions and predilections must not be allowed to overrule the clear-cut legal ordinances and/or moral stipulations promulgated by the Prophet (cf. 4:65 and the corresponding note 84).
3 I.e., address him, or (in later times) speak of him, with unbecoming familiarity.
2 This has both a literal and a figurative meaning: literal in the case of the Prophet’s Companions, and figurative for them as well as for believers of later times - implying that one’s personal opinions and predilections must not be allowed to overrule the clear-cut legal ordinances and/or moral stipulations promulgated by the Prophet (cf. 4:65 and the corresponding note 84).
3 I.e., address him, or (in later times) speak of him, with unbecoming familiarity.
1 There is also a different interpretation: “… nor call him ˹by his name˺ as you call one another.” In other words, Do not say, ‘O Muḥammad.’ Rather, say, ‘O Prophet.’