Secret counsels

Photo: sharonang, Pixabay licence

نجوى

Najwā

Topic

The Quran forbids plotting in secret for sin and enmity, and allows private counsel for good (58:9).

What it means

“O you who believe, when you confer in private, do not confer for sin and aggression and disobedience to the Messenger, but confer for righteousness and piety” (58:9). It is addressed to the believers of Medina, where a group of hypocrites had held private meetings to plot against the community.