an evildoer with news, verify it,” and so on. This verse was revealed concerning al-Walīd ibn ‘Uqbah, who had lied in his report.
The exegetes said:
“This verse was revealed concerning al-Walīd ibn ‘Uqbah. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent him to Banū al-Mustaliq to collect their zakat. There had been enmity between him and them in the pre-Islamic period. He travelled part of the way, then returned to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saying, ‘They have withheld the zakat and wanted to kill me.’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then mobilized a force against them, whereupon this verse was revealed.”
This account is well known through numerous chains of transmission. Allah Most High then said in the continuation of the passage:
“And know that among you is the Messenger of Allah. If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would surely suffer hardship.”
Allah Most High also said:
“If two groups of believers fight, make peace between them. But if one of them transgresses against the other,” and so on.
He then forbade them to ridicule one another, to disparage one another, and to call one another offensive names. He said:
“Wretched is the designation of sinful disobedience after faith.”
It has been said that this means: do not call someone an evildoer or a disbeliever after he has come to faith. This interpretation, however, is weak. Rather, the meaning is: what an evil designation it is for you to be evildoers after having believed. Likewise, Allah Most High said concerning the man who lied:
“If an evildoer comes to you with news, verify it.”
Thus, He called him an evildoer. In the two Sahīh collections, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is reported to have said:
“Reviling a Muslim is sinful disobedience, and fighting him is disbelief.”
That is, if you revile a Muslim, ridicule him, and disparage him, you deserve to be called evildoers. In the verse concerning accusations of unchastity, He said:
“And never accept their testimony, for it is they who are the evildoers.”
That is, if you commit these acts for which you deserve to be called