O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: It may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some women laugh at others: It may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness, (to be used of one) after he has believed: And those who do not desist are (indeed) doing wrong. 11 O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful. 12 O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. one of the Muttaqun (pious - see V. 2:2). Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. 13 ۞ The ignorant said, “We have accepted faith”; say, (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “You have surely not accepted faith, but you should say ‘We have submitted’, for faith has not yet entered your hearts; and if you obey* Allah and His Noble Messenger, He will not reduce the reward of any of your deeds; indeed Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (* By accepting faith and then obeying the commands). 14 The believers are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger and have not doubted, and who struggled in His Way with their possessions and themselves. Such are those who are truthful. 15 Say thou: Would ye appraise Allah of your religion, whereas Allah knoweth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and Allah is of everything Aware! 16 They portray that they are doing a great favour to you (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) by having become Muslims; say, “Do not think that you have done me a favour by accepting Islam; in fact Allah has bestowed a favour upon you, for He guided you to Islam, if you are truthful.” 17 Verily, God knows the hidden reality of the heavens and the earth; and God sees all that you do. 18