Saving Aisha

Those who spread the slander are a group among you. Do not think it bad for you, it is good. Each of them will bear their share of the sin, and the one who took the lead will face a severe punishment.

24:11Lo! they who spread the slander are a gang among you. Deem it not a bad thing for you; nay, it is good for you. Unto every man of them (will be paid) that which he hath earned of the sin; and as for him among them who had the greater share therein, his will be an awful doom.

Why, when you heard it, did believing men and women not think well of one another and say, “This is clearly a lie”?

24:12Why did not the believers, men and women, when ye heard it, think good of their own own folk, and say: It is a manifest untruth?

Why did they not bring four witnesses? If they fail to do so, then in Allah’s sight, they are liars.

24:13Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they produce not witnesses, they verily are liars in the sight of Allah.

Had it not been for Allah’s favour and mercy in this world and the next, you would have been severely punished for what you rushed into.

24:14Had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy unto you in the world and the Hereafter an awful doom had overtaken you for that whereof ye murmured.

You repeated it with your tongues and said with your mouths what you had no knowledge of, thinking it trivial, though in Allah’s sight, it is grave.

24:15When ye welcomed it with your tongues, and uttered with your mouths that whereof ye had no knowledge, ye counted it a trifle. In the sight of Allah it is very great.

Why didn’t you say, when you heard it, “We should not speak of this. Glory be to You, O Lord, this is a terrible slander”?

24:16Wherefor, when ye heard it, said ye not: It is not for us to speak of this. Glory be to Thee (O Allah)! This is awful calumny.

Allah warns you never to repeat such behaviour, if you are true believers.

24:17Allah admonisheth you that ye repeat not the like thereof ever, if ye are (in truth) believers.