[4:148] God does not like the utterance of evil words out loud, unless a person has been wronged. God is ever Hearer, Knower.
That which a person who has been wronged says about the one who has wronged him, by the permission of God, is not evil in the true sense of the word, but it is nonetheless a good thing to let the matter drop. As God Most High has said: For the requital of an evil is an evil deed like it (42:40). The requital is itself another evil action.
It is said that anyone who knows that his Protector hears feels shame in speaking freely regarding that to which his lower self calls him.
It is said evil words out loud are what you hear within yourself in your thinking ill thoughts about others. The elect take responsibility in their inward thoughts for that which, when heard [out loud] from ordinary people, might be held against them.
Unless (illā) a person has been wronged: Some say "not even (wa lā) the one who has been wronged". Others say its meaning is: "but (wa-lakinna) a person who has been wronged" has the right to mention the one who has intentionally wronged him.
It is said that those who do not prefer praising the Real over defaming created beings come up empty handed in the present moment.
It is said that those who look to created beings with the eye of connecting to the Real, [seeing] that they are servants of God, will not loose the tongue of blame towards them.
A man says to his companion, "Out of respect for you, I will bear the lowliest service to you, even beyond that which I would bear for my son." When there is commitment like this between human beings, how much more worthy is the servant's regard for this kind of refined behavior (adab) between him and His Protector!
It is said God does not like the utterance of evil words out loud among ordinary people, nor does He like that in the inward thoughts of the elect.
It is said the utterance of evil words out loud among ordinary people is that they describe God without permission or favor.
The utterance of evil words out loud in describing created beings is that you say what the law does not permit and you describe the Real incorrectly, so that you are a liar regarding Him. [And it is what you say] in describing the deficiencies of the elect among created beings, even if there is truth in it.
God is ever Hearer, Knower
Hearer of what you say, knower of your defects. It means you do not say of others that which you know is the same in you.
It is said Hearer of what you say, Knower of the blamelessness of the one you defame. There is a threat in [the verse] to the defamer on behalf of the one who is innocent of what he has been accused.
It is said Hearer, [addressed to] "O you who wrongs", Knower [addressed to] "O you who has been wronged". A threat to these and good news for those.