286. The verses, restraining secret counsels?

In verses (58:8,9) of the Quran Allah queries Prophet Muhammad whether he was aware of those who were restrained from holding secret counsels? 

We need to ponder about what these verses convey.

1.) Secret counselling was entirely forbidden.

2.) Some not only violated this restriction, but carried on to do it for evil doing.

3.) The commandment lifting total ban on secret counselling, and permission to hold secret parleys in doing good was revealed later.

We come to understand the three facts from the above cited verses.

We came to know secret counseling was prohibited from the words “ Are you not aware of those who were banned from holding secret counselling”. These two verses that remove the ban on secret counselling are found in the Quran, and there are no verses that enforce the ban.

There is nothing confusing about them. Allah did not enforce restrictions through the Quran alone. The Almighty also plants ideas of banning in the heart of Prophet Muhammad to be revealed to people. 

It should be understood from these verses, the earlier ban was by Prophet Muhammad.

To know more about obeying the commandments of the Almighty and following the guidance of Prophet Muhammad please refer to explanations in points 18, 36, 39, 50, 55, 56, 57, 60, 67, 72, 105, 125, 127, 128, 132, 154, 164, 184, 244, 255, 256, 258, 318, 350, 352, 358, 430.