وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ حَكِيمٌ 10
Translations
And if not for the favor of Allāh upon you and His mercy... and because Allāh is Accepting of Repentance and Wise.
Transliteration
Wa law lā faḍlu Allāhi ʿalaykum wa raḥmatuhu wa anna Allāha tawwābun ḥakīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes that without Allah's grace and mercy upon the believers, they would face severe punishment for the false accusations against ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها). Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir note that this verse highlights Allah's clemency and wisdom in not hastening punishment, and His attribute of being the Most Merciful (At-Tawwāb) who accepts repentance. The verse serves as a reminder that divine mercy precedes divine wrath, and that Allah's wisdom encompasses forgiveness for those who repent.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative regarding the incident of the false accusation (ifk) against ʿĀʾishah during the Prophet's ﷺ return from the expedition to Banū al-Muṣṭaliq. The ayah acknowledges that those who participated in spreading this slander were saved from severe punishment only through Allah's grace and mercy, establishing the context for repentance and forgiveness in the broader surah.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim records that ʿĀʾishah narrated the full account of the ifk incident, where the Prophet ﷺ advised that those who spread false accusations should be warned. Additionally, hadith collections emphasize the grave sin of false accusation (qadhf), as mentioned in Surah An-Nur 24:4.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that they survive trials and tribulations through Allah's boundless mercy rather than their own righteousness, encouraging humility and gratitude. It also demonstrates that repentance is always accessible when one turns sincerely to Allah, reinforcing hope and redemption even in moments of grave spiritual transgression.