Basic
Al-Maidah
Surah: Al-Hujurat (13)
We Made You Nations and Tribes to Know One Another — Diversity Is Mercy Not Conflict
إِنَّ أَكۡرَمَكُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتۡقَىٰكُمۡ
— الحجرات الآية 13
Verse: "And We made you nations and tribes so that you may know one another — indeed the most honored of you before Allah is the most righteous." (49:13)
"To know one another": The purpose of diversity: mutual recognition and knowledge exchange, not boasting and war. Diversity is a blessing to learn from, not a crime to fight over.
"Most honored is the most righteous": The only criterion with Allah is taqwa — not color, gender, or lineage.
Civilizational lesson: Human diversity is one of Allah's signs — and the Quran establishes mutual recognition, not survival of the strongest.
"To know one another": The purpose of diversity: mutual recognition and knowledge exchange, not boasting and war. Diversity is a blessing to learn from, not a crime to fight over.
"Most honored is the most righteous": The only criterion with Allah is taqwa — not color, gender, or lineage.
Civilizational lesson: Human diversity is one of Allah's signs — and the Quran establishes mutual recognition, not survival of the strongest.
Source: Ibn Kathir (7/374); Al-Sadi; Al-Qurtubi (16/343)
Test Yourself
What is the purpose of diversity among nations and tribes according to the verse?
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