Surah Nur (2)

Section II: Verses (11-26)

In these verses, while referring to the mischief worked by the hypocrites in the incident of ifk, certain weaknesses are pointed out which manifested themselves in a group of Muslims. They inadvertently had become a part of this mischief and rather rashly started to spread the propaganda the hypocrites wanted to spread. This was in spite of the fact that the Muslims were supposed to base their mutual dealing on trust and give others the benefit of doubt. If a Muslim heard something evil regarding a fellow Muslim, he was not to accept it nor spread it unless the matter has been fully investigated. In this regard, the desire and effort of the hypocrites and their supporters are exposed. Muslims were to stand guard against them because the hypocrites were trying to malign their moral repute by spreading all kinds of rumours. They were not to allow them to achieve this objective. To achieve this end, important directives were also given in this regard. They were also told to forgive those who had inadvertently become a part of that mischief.

Readers may now proceed to study these verses in the light of this background.

Text and Translation

اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ جَآءُوۡ بِالۡاِفۡكِ عُصۡبَةٌ مِّنۡکُمۡ لَا تَحۡسَبُوۡهُ شَرًّا لَّکُمۡ بَلۡ هُوَ خَیۡرٌ لَّکُمۡ  لِکُلِّ امۡرِیًٔ مِّنۡهُمۡ مَّا اکۡتَسَبَ مِنَ الۡاِثۡمِ وَ الَّذِیۡ تَوَلّٰی کِبۡرَهُ مِنۡهُمۡ لَهُ عَذَابٌ عَظِیۡمٌ (١١) لَوۡ لَاۤ اِذۡ سَمِعۡتُمُوۡهُ ظَنَّ الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ وَ الۡمُؤۡمِنٰتُ بِاَنۡفُسِهِمۡ خَیۡرًا وَّ قَالُوۡا هٰذَاۤ اِفۡكٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ (١٢) لَوۡ لَا جَآءُوۡ عَلَیۡهِ بِاَرۡبَعَةِ شُهَدَآءَ فَاِذۡ لَمۡ یَاۡتُوۡا بِالشُّهَدَآءِ فَاُولٰٓئِكَ عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ هُمُ الۡکٰذِبُوۡنَ (١٣) وَ لَوۡ لَا فَضۡلُ اللّٰهِ عَلَیۡکُمۡ وَ رَحۡمَتُهُ فِی الدُّنۡیَا وَ الۡاٰخِرَةِ لَمَسَّکُمۡ فِیۡ مَاۤ اَفَضۡتُمۡ فِیۡهِ عَذَابٌ عَظِیۡمٌ (١٤) اِذۡ تَلَقَّوۡنَهُ بِاَلۡسِنَتِکُمۡ وَ تَقُوۡلُوۡنَ بِاَفۡوَاهِکُمۡ مَّا لَیۡسَ لَکُمۡ بِه عِلۡمٌ وَّ تَحۡسَبُوۡنَهُ هَیِّنًا وَّ هُوَ عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ عَظِیۡمٌ (١٥) وَ لَوۡ لَاۤ اِذۡ سَمِعۡتُمُوۡهُ قُلۡتُمۡ مَّا یَکُوۡنُ لَنَاۤ اَنۡ نَّتَکَلَّمَ بِهٰذَا سُبۡحٰنَكَ هٰذَا بُهۡتَانٌ عَظِیۡمٌ (١٦) یَعِظُکُمُ اللّٰهُ اَنۡ تَعُوۡدُوۡا لِمِثۡلِهِۤ اَبَدًا اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ مُّؤۡمِنِیۡنَ (١٧) وَ یُبَیِّنُ اللّٰهُ لَکُمُ الۡاٰیٰتِ وَ اللّٰهُ عَلِیۡمٌ حَکِیۡمٌ (١٨) اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ یُحِبُّوۡنَ اَنۡ تَشِیۡعَ الۡفَاحِشَةُ فِی الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ اَلِیۡمٌ فِی الدُّنۡیَا وَ الۡاٰخِرَةِ وَ اللّٰهُ یَعۡلَمُ وَ اَنۡتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ (١٩) وَ لَوۡ لَا فَضۡلُ اللّٰهِ عَلَیۡکُمۡ وَ رَحۡمَتُهُ وَ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ رَءُوۡفٌ رَّحِیۡمٌ (٢٠) یٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَتَّبِعُوۡا خُطُوٰتِ الشَّیۡطٰنِ وَ مَنۡ یَّتَّبِعۡ خُطُوٰتِ الشَّیۡطٰنِ فَاِنَّهُ یَاۡمُرُ بِالۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَ الۡمُنۡکَرِ وَ لَوۡ لَا فَضۡلُ اللّٰهِ عَلَیۡکُمۡ وَ رَحۡمَتُهُ مَا زَکٰی مِنۡکُمۡ مِّنۡ اَحَدٍ اَبَدًا وَّ لٰکِنَّ اللّٰهَ یُزَکِّیۡ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ وَ اللّٰهُ سَمِیۡعٌ عَلِیۡمٌ (٢١) وَ لَا یَاۡتَلِ اُولُوا الۡفَضۡلِ مِنۡکُمۡ وَ السَّعَةِ اَنۡ یُّؤۡتُوۡۤا اُولِی الۡقُرۡبٰی وَ الۡمَسٰکِیۡنَ وَ الۡمُهٰجِرِیۡنَ فِیۡ سَبِیۡلِ اللّٰهِ وَ لۡیَعۡفُوۡا وَ لۡیَصۡفَحُوۡا اَلَا تُحِبُّوۡنَ اَنۡ یَّغۡفِرَ اللّٰهُ لَکُمۡ وَ اللّٰهُ غَفُوۡرٌ  رَّحِیۡمٌ (٢٢) اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ یَرۡمُوۡنَ الۡمُحۡصَنٰتِ الۡغٰفِلٰتِ الۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ لُعِنُوۡا فِی الدُّنۡیَا وَ الۡاٰخِرَةِ وَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ عَظِیۡمٌ (٢٣) یَّوۡمَ تَشۡهَدُ عَلَیۡهِمۡ اَلۡسِنَتُهُمۡ وَ اَیۡدِیۡهِمۡ وَ اَرۡجُلُهُمۡ بِمَا کَانُوۡا یَعۡمَلُوۡنَ (٢٤) یَوۡمَئِذٍ یُّوَفِّیۡهِمُ اللّٰهُ دِیۡنَهُمُ الۡحَقَّ وَ یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ هُوَ الۡحَقُّ الۡمُبِیۡنُ (٢٥) اَلۡخَبِیۡثٰتُ لِلۡخَبِیۡثِیۡنَ وَ الۡخَبِیۡثُوۡنَ لِلۡخَبِیۡثٰتِ وَ الطَّیِّبٰتُ لِلطَّیِّبِیۡنَ وَ الطَّیِّبُوۡنَ لِلطَّیِّبٰتِ اُولٰٓئِكَ مُبَرَّءُوۡنَ مِمَّا یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ لَهُمۡ مَّغۡفِرَةٌ وَّ رِزۡقٌ کَرِیۡمٌ (٢٦)

Those who have spread the mischief of ifk are only a group from among you. Do not think this to be bad for you; it is, in fact, better for you. The sin each of them has earned will be placed in his account and for the originator of this mischief, there is a great torment. (11)

Why did this not happen that when you people heard this, believing men and believing women had thought graciously about one another and said: “This is a blatant slander.” (12)

Why did not these people bring forth four witnesses to substantiate their accusation? So, when they did not bring witnesses, then it is definitely they who are liars in the sight of God. (13)

And were it not for God’s grace and mercy upon you in this world and in the Hereafter, a great torment would have visited you because of what you had become entangled in. Just reflect when you were spreading with your tongues and saying with your mouths that which you had no knowledge of. And you were regarding this to be something ordinary; yet it is something very grave to God. Why did this not happen that as soon as you heard it, you had said: “What right do we have to say such a thing? God forbid, this is a great slander.” (14-16)

God counsels you that if you are believers, then you must never do this again. And God profoundly explains His revelations for you and God is All-Knowing and Wise. (17-18)

Indeed, those who want vulgarity to spread among Muslims, for them is a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter. And God knows and you do not know. And were it not for God’s grace and mercy upon you, and had not God been very Gracious and Ever-Merciful, you would have got caught in a calamity. (19-20)

Believers! Do not follow the footsteps of Satan and he who follows the footsteps of Satan should remember that Satan always leads people to lewdness and evil. And had not God’s grace and mercy been upon you, none of you could have ever become pure. In fact, it is God Who purifies whomsoever He wishes and God hears and knows all. (21)

Those among you who are affluent and prosperous should not swear that they will not spend on the kindred, the needy and those who migrate for the cause of God. In fact, they should forgive and forgo. Do you not want God to forgive you? And God is Forgiving, Ever-Merciful. (22)

Indeed, those who accuse chaste upright believing women stand cursed both in this world and in the Hereafter, and for them is a great torment. On the day, when their tongues, hands and feet shall bear witness before them to their deeds. On that day God will give to them in full the retribution they deserve and they shall know that only God is the truth and One Who explains. (23-25)

Evil women shall be for evil men and evil men shall be for evil women. And pure women shall be for pure men and pure men shall be for pure women. These people shall be acquitted from the evil things they say. For them are forgiveness and sustenance of honour. (26)

Explanation

اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ جَآءُوۡ بِالۡاِفۡكِ عُصۡبَةٌ مِّنۡکُمۡ لَا تَحۡسَبُوۡهُ شَرًّا لَّکُمۡ بَلۡ هُوَ خَیۡرٌ لَّکُمۡ  لِکُلِّ امۡرِیًٔ مِّنۡهُمۡ مَّا اکۡتَسَبَ مِنَ الۡاِثۡمِ وَ الَّذِیۡ تَوَلّٰی کِبۡرَهُ مِنۡهُمۡ لَهُ عَذَابٌ عَظِیۡمٌ (١١) 1

The word اِفۡكٌ refers to something that is fabricated, false and against reality. Here, it refers to the mischievous propaganda spread by the hypocrites at the time of the battle of Mustaliq to malign ‘A’ishah (rta). There are certain lies that are not even worthy of being mentioned by the tongue and this was one that was concocted against a mother of the faithful. For this reason, after referring to it by the word اِفۡكٌ, the Qur’an has not spoken about it any further. It has only informed us about those who originated it and spread it so that it becomes evident that the very source of the lie was someone whose words were neither of any significance nor worthy of any investigation. However, the lesson that can be learnt from it is something everyone must understand. Thus, the Qur’an has not referred to the nature of contents of the incident. It is evident from this as far as the incident itself was concerned, Muslims were certain that it was slander and a false accusation. They knew that the hypocrites were behind this mischief; however, when something is spread in the masses to create commotion among them, the naïve start to transmit it without realizing the implications.2

The words عُصۡبَةٌ مِّنۡکُمۡ refer to the group of hypocrites that had infiltrated into the Muslims and had their own evil designs. Their leader was ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy. Since in their outward behaviour they were not different from Muslims, they got the chance to spread their venom and many simpletons were lured by them. Thus, the Qur’an used this expression to point to them and the purpose of this was to warn the Muslims that the propaganda had been worked by a group from among them and that they should beware of them.

Consider next the words “Do not think this to be bad for you; it is, in fact, better for you.”

The greatest good concealed in it was that Muslims were able to fully detect a dissident group that was hiding among them. Had this not been the case, who knows what this cancerous growth could have ended up in and the disorder it could have created.

The second good found in it was that the weaknesses that were concealed among Muslims were fully highlighted as a result of the trial and were reformed at the right time. The importance this had for the spiritual purification of the society is absolutely evident.

The third good found in it is that it created a very appropriate atmosphere for the revelation of many directives for the reformation and organization of the society. Had these directives been revealed without these conducive circumstances, their real significance would not have become evident to many people.

The word کِبۡرٌ means the real or greater part of a sin. The expression الَّذِیۡ تَوَلّٰی کِبۡرَهُ    would mean “the person who is the originator of this mischief.” This reference is to ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy who was a very mean hypocrite. Before this too, he was responsible for creating mischief on many occasions and was solely responsible for the current one.

In the earlier part, Muslims were assured that the mischief would ultimately augur well for them; later it was said that for the miscreants, this mischief would sound their doom. The punishment of each of them would be commensurate to the extent of his share in it, and the person who was actually responsible for it would face a grave punishment in the hereafter.

لَوۡ لَاۤ اِذۡ سَمِعۡتُمُوۡهُ ظَنَّ الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ وَ الۡمُؤۡمِنٰتُ بِاَنۡفُسِهِمۡ خَیۡرًا وَّ قَالُوۡا هٰذَاۤ اِفۡكٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ (١٢)3

It is the right of every Muslim man and woman in an Islamic society that other people think well about them and give them the benefit of doubt. They should continue to do this until it is proven that they are not worthy of this attitude. An obvious requisite of this attitude is that if a Muslim hears something about a fellow Muslim that may dent his estimation about him, he should not start spreading this unless he has solid proof. To remain unconcerned in such matters is also not the right attitude thinking that one should just ignore it if someone is being maligned. The proper attitude in this regard is to defend the honour of every brother because this is a person’s obligation. It is on this moral principle of an Islamic society that Muslims are asked to focus on in this verse.

On the one hand is this moral principle of an Islamic society and on the other if we just survey what is going on in our own society, we will realize that it is based on just the opposite principle. Today the dominant view is that every person must be regarded as a bad person unless we have a vested interest in him of a personal or collective nature, in which case he will be regarded highly. Moreover, spreading rumours about others has today become an art as well as a very successful profession. There are so many journalists and writers in our society whose profession is to spend all their days and nights in trying to find and spread hearsay.

These rumours are published in our newspapers with very bold titles and the most successful newspapers and magazines are those which are the most adept in fabricating such rumours. Such is the extent of moral misconduct of our society that instead of regarding such scandals to be slander, they believe in every part of it and spread it in the society as if it has been divinely revealed. 

لَوۡ لَا جَآءُوۡ عَلَیۡهِ بِاَرۡبَعَةِ شُهَدَآءَ فَاِذۡ لَمۡ یَاۡتُوۡا بِالشُّهَدَآءِ فَاُولٰٓئِكَ عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ هُمُ الۡکٰذِبُوۡنَ (١٣) 4

The implication is that the slander of these slanderers could have been given weight if in accordance with the dictates of the shari‘ah they had produced four witnesses in favour of this accusation. It may be kept in mind that as proof of this crime the law of producing four witnesses had been revealed much earlier in verse 15 of Surah al-Nisa’. The implication is that if they had failed to produce four witnesses, according to the law of God,  those people were liars; so on what basis did they believe in the accusation leveled by those people?

وَ لَوۡ لَا فَضۡلُ اللّٰهِ عَلَیۡکُمۡ وَ رَحۡمَتُهُ فِی الدُّنۡیَا وَ الۡاٰخِرَةِ لَمَسَّکُمۡ فِیۡ مَاۤ اَفَضۡتُمۡ فِیۡهِ عَذَابٌ عَظِیۡمٌ (١٤)5

The expression أفاض في الحديث means that a person makes a mountain of a mole-hill. This is a similar admonition to Muslims as the one sounded in verse 10 earlier. The implication is that people should give due regard to God’s mercy and blessings lest they invite His punishment by once again getting entangled in a similar mischief.

This verse addresses the whole society even though those who were responsible for spreading the mischief or had showed negligence and carelessness were not many. This is because this ailment is contagious. Even if some people are afflicted by it, everyone must be informed of its danger lest it becomes an epidemic that engulfs the whole society.

اِذۡ تَلَقَّوۡنَهُ بِاَلۡسِنَتِکُمۡ وَ تَقُوۡلُوۡنَ بِاَفۡوَاهِکُمۡ مَّا لَیۡسَ لَکُمۡ بِهٖ عِلۡمٌ وَّ تَحۡسَبُوۡنَهُ هَیِّنًا وَّ هُوَ عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ عَظِیۡمٌ (١٥) 6

This verse refers to the gravity of spreading the rumour. Accepting a statement must be an intellectual process not hearsay. The only information worthy of transmission is that based on sound knowledge. If a person refuses to use his intellect and only uses the services of his tongue, he will communicate everything he hears without confirming it. In this manner, he himself will also become involved in the mischief spread by Satan and lure others too in it. It is about this danger that this verse informed the Muslims: some people were using their tongues instead of their intellect to transmit information and were guilty of spreading rumours.

وَ لَوۡ لَاۤ اِذۡ سَمِعۡتُمُوۡهُ قُلۡتُمۡ مَّا یَکُوۡنُ لَنَاۤ اَنۡ نَّتَکَلَّمَ بِهٰذَا سُبۡحٰنَكَ هٰذَا بُهۡتَانٌ عَظِیۡمٌ (١٦)7

The word سُبۡحٰنَكَ here is in exactly the same meaning asمَعَاذَ اللّٰه  (God forbid). The implication is that when a certain piece of information which had no proof came into the knowledge of the Muslims and which related not merely to the honour of a single believing woman but in fact to ‘A’ishah (sws), the mother of the faithful, why did they not say that they had no authority to state something that was unfounded and that maligned a believing woman; it was blatant slander.

The principles that can be derived from these verses regarding the acceptance of a narrative are very important. Were it not for fear of prolonging the discussion, I would have tried to elaborate upon them. Scholars should keep in consideration these aspects though.

یَعِظُکُمُ اللّٰهُ اَنۡ تَعُوۡدُوۡا لِمِثۡلِهِۤ اَبَدًا اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ مُّؤۡمِنِیۡنَ (١٧) وَ یُبَیِّنُ اللّٰهُ لَکُمُ الۡاٰیٰتِ وَ اللّٰهُ عَلِیۡمٌ حَکِیۡمٌ (١٨) 8

The meaning of rebuke and prohibition is found in the word وَعْظٌ. For this reason a particle of negation after it is not needed. These verses also form a warning, the way the three earlier ones do. The directives of God given in this surah are essential to protect oneself from His wrath. For this reason, these warnings are sounded in quick succession.

The first of these verses states that abstaining from such an unbecoming attitude is a requisite of faith. If they do not desist from it, it would mean that their claim to faith is baseless. The second verse states that since God is fully explaining His directives, the responsibility of following these rests on people. Also, since God is wise, they should keep in mind that whatever He has told them is a great source of blessing for them. In other words, these directives have been taught by the all-knowing and wise God, and no one should be foolish enough to think that he knows more than God or is wiser than Him.

اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ یُحِبُّوۡنَ اَنۡ تَشِیۡعَ الۡفَاحِشَةُ فِی الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ اَلِیۡمٌ فِی الدُّنۡیَا وَ الۡاٰخِرَةِ وَ اللّٰهُ یَعۡلَمُ وَ اَنۡتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ (١٩)9

This verse refers to the hypocrites who had instigated the propaganda. As mentioned earlier, they were under the influence of the Jews. It was very discomforting for the Jews that the hearts of their opponents were being overawed by the moral superiority of the Muslims. In the time of jahiliyyah, the Arab society was a society in which the characters of both men and women were besmeared with the filth of misconduct. The situation of the People of the Book, especially the Jews was even worse. When they observed that the filth was being transformed into purity that was enviable, they found themselves in a quandary. Their own meanness became even more prominent to them. To avenge this state of affairs, they chalked out a scheme to spread vulgarity and evil among Muslims. To execute this plan, they employed the services of the hypocrites since they were under their influence and in fact had been nurtured by them. Those hypocrites especially targeted the wives of the Prophet (sws) and reckoned that if their scheme succeeded the moral repute of the Muslims would be severely compromised. However, God’s grace and blessings did not let this conspiracy bear fruit.

It is to those miscreants that the verse under discussion alludes. Its last words “and God knows and you do not know” are a warning to the Muslims who were being lured by the mischief of the hypocrites because they were not fully aware of the machinations of the hidden enemies.

وَ لَوۡ لَا فَضۡلُ اللّٰهِ عَلَیۡکُمۡ وَ رَحۡمَتُهُ وَ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ رَءُوۡفٌ رَّحِیۡمٌ (٢٠)10

This very verse has occurred earlier too. See verse 10. The only difference is that there the attributes of God mentioned were تَوَّابٌ رَّحِیۡمٌ and here they are رَءُوۡفٌ رَّحِیۡمٌ. The answer to the conditional particle لَوْ is suppressed here as well, and this suppression is meant to emphasize the warning. The implication is that it is purely because of the grace and mercy of God that He has not punished Muslims for this huge blunder. Otherwise, the way in which some people among them had become pawns in the hands of the enemy entailed that they be severely chastised. But since God is Gracious and Ever-Merciful, He gave them the opportunity to repent and mend their ways in spite of this mistake.

یٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَتَّبِعُوۡا خُطُوٰتِ الشَّیۡطٰنِ وَ مَنۡ یَّتَّبِعۡ خُطُوٰتِ الشَّیۡطٰنِ فَاِنَّهُ یَاۡمُرُ بِالۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَ الۡمُنۡکَرِ وَ لَوۡ لَا فَضۡلُ اللّٰهِ عَلَیۡکُمۡ وَ رَحۡمَتُهُ مَا زَکٰی مِنۡکُمۡ مِّنۡ اَحَدٍ اَبَدًا وَّ لٰکِنَّ اللّٰهَ یُزَکِّیۡ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ وَ اللّٰهُ سَمِیۡعٌ عَلِیۡمٌ (٢١)11

This verse sounds a similar warning to the Muslims like the ones that have already been sounded before. Though this warning is general, it is meant to stress the directive that has already been mentioned earlier: they should not transmit information whose veracity they are not sure of. What is without proof is mere conjecture and to follow conjecture is to follow Satan.

Consider next the words “And had not God’s grace and mercy been upon you, none of you could have ever become pure. In fact, it is God Who purifies whomsoever He wishes.” This again is another subtle warning. There are people who carelessly accept all kinds of baseless things that relate to the honour and integrity of others and on this basis make evil estimations about them. This attitude of such people shows that they have an excessively good opinion about themselves – in fact, lay claim to spiritual advancement, whether they have any comprehension of their inner selves or not. These people are being informed of this hidden thief – people who accept the rumour spread by the enemies without any condemnation. It is stated that everyone must remember that whoever attains purification does so merely because of God’s grace. If His graciousness is not present, none can be purified. So, no one should show such pride and vanity on his purity and piety that he accepts accusations on others without any investigation.

The words “God hears and knows all” remind people of the fact that a person who gives himself more allowance should not forget that God hears and knows all. He hears and knows the most hidden things of people.

وَ لَا یَاۡتَلِ اُولُوا الۡفَضۡلِ مِنۡکُمۡ وَ السَّعَةِ اَنۡ یُّؤۡتُوۡۤا اُولِی الۡقُرۡبٰی وَ الۡمَسٰکِیۡنَ وَ الۡمُهٰجِرِیۡنَ فِیۡ سَبِیۡلِ اللّٰهِ وَ لۡیَعۡفُوۡا وَ لۡیَصۡفَحُوۡا اَلَا تُحِبُّوۡنَ اَنۡ یَّغۡفِرَ اللّٰهُ لَکُمۡ وَ اللّٰهُ غَفُوۡرٌ  رَّحِیۡمٌ (٢٢)12

This verse is co-ordinated to what is said earlier: believers are directed to forgive and forgo those who were so naive that they could not gauge the severity of the mischief and became involved in narrating it. This directive was essential because once the reality became known, it was feared that many people would refrain from financially helping and patronizing those who played any role in spreading the slander. Narratives mention Misṭah (rta), a needy companion who was a relative of Abu Bakr (rta) and was also being financially supported by him. When it became known that he too had a share in spreading the propaganda, Abu Bakr (rta) was naturally very sad and swore that he would never help him in future. It was feared that other Muslims too would adopt the same attitude.

For this reason, the verse directs the Muslims to refrain from this and forgive such people. Every person can make mistakes but God forgives people. If He starts punishing people for their faults and depriving them of His blessings, who can save himself from His accountability? Those who want God to forgive them for their mistakes should forgive others too for their faults. God is forgiving and ever-merciful and wants to see a reflection of his attributes in His servants.

The words “those among you who are affluent and prosperous” serve as a reminder of a responsibility: those who, in spite of their own shortcomings, have been granted prosperity in their livelihood by God are required by Him to deal generously with others and not withdraw from their help because of some mistake they have made.

The words “the kindred, the needy and those who migrate for the cause of God” express an obligation people owed to those mentioned: they were not to be deprived of help and support merely because they had committed some mistake.

The words “Do you not want God to forgive you?” refer to the subtle reality alluded to by the previous verse. Just as making evil estimations about someone merely on the basis of rumours is evidence to one’s own excessive superiority, in fact a claim to self-purification, in a similar way not forgiving a person for his mistake and absolving oneself in supporting him is tantamount to thinking that one is flawless, even though a person may not be aware of this hidden thought. Viewed thus, a little deliberation shows that with regard to the philosophy of religion both these mistakes belong to the same category. Hence both are adjacently mentioned.

اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ یَرۡمُوۡنَ الۡمُحۡصَنٰتِ الۡغٰفِلٰتِ الۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ لُعِنُوۡا فِی الدُّنۡیَا وَ الۡاٰخِرَةِ وَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ عَظِیۡمٌ (٢٣) یَّوۡمَ تَشۡهَدُ عَلَیۡهِمۡ اَلۡسِنَتُهُمۡ وَ اَیۡدِیۡهِمۡ وَ اَرۡجُلُهُمۡ بِمَا کَانُوۡا یَعۡمَلُوۡنَ (٢٤) یَوۡمَئِذٍ یُّوَفِّیۡهِمُ اللّٰهُ دِیۡنَهُمُ الۡحَقَّ وَ یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ هُوَ الۡحَقُّ الۡمُبِیۡنُ (٢٥)13

The word مُحۡصَنٰتٌ here means chaste upright women and غٰفِلٰتٌ refers to innocent and virtuous women. Though these words are used in a general sense alluding to all decent and upright women of the Muslim society, they contain a subtle reference to ‘A’ishah (rta). She was the most prominent person who could be referred to by these words.

The real meaning of the word رَمْيٌ is to throw an arrow, but it also means to accuse and to slander someone. There is a special eloquence in the use of this word for accusing innocent women. It alludes to the fact that those who do this in fact make such women a target of their arrows while they are sleeping. Such people who do this stand cursed both in this world and in the Hereafter. Neither will they succeed here nor there. In this world too they shall soon be uprooted and in the Hereafter they will nevertheless face a huge torment. Such was this curse of God on these hypocrites that ultimately when Islam became dominant all of them including their leaders were totally destroyed in the land of Arabia.

The day those people face the huge torment of God neither will they be able to present any excuse nor will any external evidence be needed to prove their crime. On that day, their tongues, hands and feet will bear witness against them. Today they can hide their conspiracies and connivances but no misdeed of theirs can remain hidden from their tongues, hands and feet. God will be able to procure the evidence of these witnesses regarding the slander and evil they spread.

The word دِیۡنٌ in یَوۡمَئِذٍ یُّوَفِّیۡهِمُ اللّٰهُ دِیۡنَهُمُ الۡحَقَّ means “retribution.”

The words “they shall know that only God is the truth and One Who explains” refer to the fact that today many things are hidden, as a result of which these people have many misconceptions about God. They do not have conviction that God is truth and justice in entirety which entails that He will definitely make the truth dominant and obliterate evil. They also do not have conviction that He is able to explain everything. These misconceptions had made them very clever in their pranks. However, on that day, it will become fully evident to them that God is a personification of truth and justice and at the same time One Who unveils all facts.

اَلۡخَبِیۡثٰتُ لِلۡخَبِیۡثِیۡنَ وَ الۡخَبِیۡثُوۡنَ لِلۡخَبِیۡثٰتِ وَ الطَّیِّبٰتُ لِلطَّیِّبِیۡنَ وَ الطَّیِّبُوۡنَ لِلطَّیِّبٰتِ اُولٰٓئِكَ مُبَرَّءُوۡنَ مِمَّا یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ لَهُمۡ مَّغۡفِرَةٌ وَّ رِزۡقٌ کَرِیۡمٌ (٢٦)14

The implication of this verse is that in this world the truth is hidden and pebbles and pearls are intermixed. However, when the Day of Reckoning arrives people will be divided into categories on the basis of faith and morality, as is referred to by verse 7 of Surah al-Takwir. Thus, as the above verse says good men and good women, and evil men and evil women will be grouped together. On that day, the good ones will be totally acquitted of the nonsensical things being hatched against them and for them will be forgiveness and an honourable sustenance. At another instance, it has been pointed out that these two things comprehensively cover all the favours of the Hereafter.

__________

3. Why did this not happen that when you people heard this, believing men and believing women had thought graciously about one another and said: “This is a blatant slander.”

4. Why did not these people bring forth four witnesses to substantiate their accusation? So, when they did not bring witnesses, then it is definitely they who are liars in the sight of God.

5. And were it not for God’s grace and mercy upon you in this world and in the Hereafter, a great torment would have visited you because of what you had become entangled in.

6. Just reflect when you were spreading with your tongues and saying with your mouths that which you had no knowledge of. And you were regarding this to be something ordinary; yet it is something very grave to God.

7. Why did this not happen that as soon as you heard it, you had said: “What right do we have to say such a thing? God forbid, this is a great slander.”

8. God counsels you that if you are believers, then you must never do this again. And God profoundly explains His revelations for you and God is All-Knowing and Wise.

9.  Indeed, those who want vulgarity to spread among Muslims, for them is a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter. And God knows and you do not know.

10.  And were it not for God’s grace and mercy upon you, and had not God been very Gracious and Ever-Merciful, you would have got caught in a calamity.

11.  Believers! Do not follow the footsteps of Satan and he who follows the footsteps of Satan should remember that Satan always leads people to lewdness and evil. And had not God’s grace and mercy been upon you, none of you could have ever become pure. In fact, it is God Who purifies whomsoever He wishes and God hears and knows all.

12. Those among you who are affluent and prosperous should not swear that they will not spend on the kindred, the needy and those who migrate for the cause of God. In fact, they should forgive and forgo. Do you not want God to forgive you? And God is Forgiving, Ever-Merciful. 

13.  Indeed, those who accuse chaste upright believing women stand cursed both in this world and in the Hereafter, and for them is a great torment. On the day, when their tongues, hands and feet shall bear witness before them to their deeds. On that day God will give to them in full the retribution they deserve and they shall know that only God is the truth and One Who explains.

14.  Evil women shall be for evil men and evil men shall be for evil women. And pure women shall be for pure men and pure men shall be for pure women. These people shall be acquitted from the evil things they say. For them are forgiveness and sustenance of honour.