: “O you who believe, do not put yourselves forward before Allah and His Messenger, and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. O you who believe, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak loudly to him as you speak loudly to one another, lest your deeds come to nothing without your realizing it.” [Al-Hujurāt: 1]

Then He—glorious and mighty—promised forgiveness and a tremendous reward to those who accepted what Allah—glorified and exalted is He—had commanded them concerning His Messenger: that they lower their voices and conduct themselves with due solemnity before him. He—exalted is His remembrance—said:

“Indeed, those who lower their voices in the presence of Allah’s Messenger are the ones whose hearts Allah has tested for piety. For them is forgiveness and a tremendous reward.” [Al-Hujurāt: 3]

Then He—glorified and exalted is He—said:

“Do not make your calling of the Messenger among yourselves like your calling of one another.” [Al-Nūr: 63]

And He—glorified and exalted is He—said:

“O you who believe, respond to Allah and the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life.” [Al-Anfāl: 24] —to the end of the verse.

Through all of this, He warns His servants against opposing His Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and thereby magnifies his standing in their eyes. Then He—exalted is His remembrance—commanded His creation that, whenever they wished to consult the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—privately about a matter of concern to them, they were not to do so until they had first offered charity before their private consultation. Thus, whenever a man wished