Quran chapter: Chapter 24: Light (Al-Noor)‎

(How to Deal With Rumors and Unproven Accusations)

A gang among you produced a big lie.* Do not think that it was bad for you; instead, it was good for you. Meanwhile, each one of them has earned his share of the guilt. As for the one who initiated the whole incident, he has incurred a terrible retribution.

إِنَّ الَّذينَ جاءو بِالإِفكِ عُصبَةٌ مِنكُم لا تَحسَبوهُ شَرًّا لَكُم بَل هُوَ خَيرٌ لَكُم لِكُلِّ امرِئٍ مِنهُم مَا اكتَسَبَ مِنَ الإِثمِ وَالَّذى تَوَلّىٰ كِبرَهُ مِنهُم لَهُ عَذابٌ عَظيمٌ

innal lazeena jaaa’oo bilifki ‘usbatum minkum; laa tahsaboohu sharral lakum bal huwa khairul lakum; likul limri’im minhum mak tasaba minal-ism; wallazee tawallaa kibrahoo minhum lahoo ‘azaabun ‘azeem

*24:11 This refers to a historical incident where the Prophet Muhammad’s wife Aysha was left in the desert by mistake, and later found by a young man who helped her catch up with the Prophet’s caravan. This triggered the famous `Big Lie’ against Aysha.

When you heard it, the believing men and the believing women should have had better thoughts about themselves, and should have said, “This is obviously a big lie.”

لَولا إِذ سَمِعتُموهُ ظَنَّ المُؤمِنونَ وَالمُؤمِنٰتُ بِأَنفُسِهِم خَيرًا وَقالوا هٰذا إِفكٌ مُبينٌ

law laaa iz sami’tumoohu zannal mu’minoona walmu’minaatu bi anfusihim khairanw wa qaaloo haazaaa ifkum mubeen

Only if they produced four witnesses (you may believe them). If they fail to produce the witnesses, then they are, according to God, liars.

لَولا جاءو عَلَيهِ بِأَربَعَةِ شُهَداءَ فَإِذ لَم يَأتوا بِالشُّهَداءِ فَأُولٰئِكَ عِندَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الكٰذِبونَ

law laa jaaa’oo ‘alaihi bi-arba’ati shuhadaaa’; fa iz lam yaatoo bishshuhadaaa’i fa ulaaa ‘ika ‘indal laahi humul kaaziboon

If it were not for God’s grace towards you, and His mercy in this world and in the Hereafter, you would have suffered a great retribution because of this incident.

وَلَولا فَضلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيكُم وَرَحمَتُهُ فِى الدُّنيا وَالـٔاخِرَةِ لَمَسَّكُم فى ما أَفَضتُم فيهِ عَذابٌ عَظيمٌ

wa law laa fadlul laahi ‘alaikum wa rahmatuhoo fiddunyaa wal aakhirati lamassakum fee maaa afadtum feehi ‘azaabun ‘azeem

You fabricated it with your own tongues, and the rest of you repeated it with your mouths without proof. You thought it was simple, when it was, according to God, gross.

إِذ تَلَقَّونَهُ بِأَلسِنَتِكُم وَتَقولونَ بِأَفواهِكُم ما لَيسَ لَكُم بِهِ عِلمٌ وَتَحسَبونَهُ هَيِّنًا وَهُوَ عِندَ اللَّهِ عَظيمٌ

iz talaqqawnahoo bi alsinatikum wa taqooloona bi afwaahikum maa laisa lakum bihee ‘ilmunw wa tahsaboo nahoo haiyinanw wa huwa ‘indal laahi ‘azeem

(What to Do)

When you heard it, you should have said, “We will not repeat this. Glory be to You. This is a gross falsehood.”

وَلَولا إِذ سَمِعتُموهُ قُلتُم ما يَكونُ لَنا أَن نَتَكَلَّمَ بِهٰذا سُبحٰنَكَ هٰذا بُهتٰنٌ عَظيمٌ

wa law laaa iz sami’tu moohu qultum maa yakoonu lanaaa an natakallama bihaazaa Subhaanaka haaza buhtaanun ‘azeem

God admonishes you that you shall never do it again, if you are believers.

يَعِظُكُمُ اللَّهُ أَن تَعودوا لِمِثلِهِ أَبَدًا إِن كُنتُم مُؤمِنينَ

ya’izukumul laahu an ta’oodoo limisliheee abadan in kuntum mu’mineen

God thus explains the revelations for you. God is Omniscient, Wise.

وَيُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الـٔايٰتِ وَاللَّهُ عَليمٌ حَكيمٌ

wa yubaiyinul laahu lakumul Aayaat; wallaahu ‘Aleemun Hakeem

Those who love to see immorality spread among the believers have incurred a painful retribution in this life and in the Hereafter. God knows, while you do not know.

إِنَّ الَّذينَ يُحِبّونَ أَن تَشيعَ الفٰحِشَةُ فِى الَّذينَ ءامَنوا لَهُم عَذابٌ أَليمٌ فِى الدُّنيا وَالـٔاخِرَةِ وَاللَّهُ يَعلَمُ وَأَنتُم لا تَعلَمونَ

innal lazeena yuhibboona an tashee’al faahishatu fil lazeena aamanoo lahum ‘azaabun aleemun fid dunyaa wal Aakhirah; wallaahu ya’lamu wa antum laa ta’lamoon

God showers you with His grace and mercy. God is Most Kind towards the believers, Most Merciful.

وَلَولا فَضلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيكُم وَرَحمَتُهُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ رَءوفٌ رَحيمٌ

wa law laa fadlul laahi ‘alaikum wa rahmatuhoo wa annal laaha Ra’oofur Raheem