O YOU who have attained to faith! No men shall deride [other] men: it may well be that those [whom they deride] are better than themselves; and no women [shall deride other] women: it may well be that those [whom they deride] are better than themselves. And neither shall you defame one another, nor insult one another by [opprobrious] epithets: evil is all imputation of iniquity after [one has attained to] faith; and they who [become guilty thereof and] do not repent - it is they, they who are evildoers! 11 O ye who believe! avoid much suspicion; verily some suspicion is a sin. And espy not, nor backbite one another: would any of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Ye detest that. And fear Allah verily Allah is Relenting, 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 Arabs declare: 'We believe' Say: 'You do not', rather, say: 'we submit' because belief has not yet found its way into your hearts. If you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not reduce a thing from your deeds. Allah is the Forgiving and the Most Merciful. 14 The believers are those who believe in God and His Messenger, then have not doubted, and have struggled with their possessions and their selves in the way of God; those -- they are the truthful ones. 15 Say: 'Would you teach Allah what your religion is, when Allah knows all that is in the heavens and the earth' Allah has knowledge of all things. 16 (The bedouins tell you that) you owe them (a great deal) for their embracing Islam. Tell them, "You are not doing me any favors by embracing Islam. In fact, it is God who has done you a great favor by guiding you to the faith. (Think about this) if you are people of truth. 17 Verily God knows the unknown of the heavens and the earth; and God perceives all you do. 18