إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ جَآءُو بِٱلْإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِّنكُمْ ۚ لَا تَحْسَبُوهُ شَرًّا لَّكُم ۖ بَلْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۚ لِكُلِّ ٱمْرِئٍ مِّنْهُم مَّا ٱكْتَسَبَ مِنَ ٱلْإِثْمِ ۚ وَٱلَّذِى تَوَلَّىٰ كِبْرَهُۥ مِنْهُمْ لَهُۥ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ 11
Translations
Indeed, those who came with falsehood are a group among you. Do not think it bad for you; rather, it is good for you. For every person among them is what [punishment] he has earned from the sin, and he who took upon himself the greater portion thereof - for him is a great punishment [i.e., Hellfire].
Transliteration
Inna alladhina jaa'u bil-ifki 'ussbatan minkum, la tahsaboohu sharran lakum, bal huwa khayrun lakum, likulla imri'in minhum ma iktasaba min al-ithm, wa-alladhee tawalla kibrahu minhum lahu 'adhabun 'adheem.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses those who spread the false accusation against 'A'ishah (the 'ifk' or slander), instructing believers not to view this trial as harmful, but rather as a test and opportunity for purification and distinguishing the sincere from the hypocrites. Each person involved in spreading the lie bears responsibility for their sin, with the chief instigator (identified by most scholars as 'Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the chief hypocrite) facing severe punishment. Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that Allah turns apparent harm into benefit for the believers through this trial.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the context of the 'Ifk' incident (the great slander) during the 5th year of Hijra, when hypocrites in Medina spread a false accusation of infidelity against 'A'ishah bint Abi Bakr, the Prophet's wife. The incident tested the Muslim community and exposed those whose faith was weak; it occurred after an expedition when 'A'ishah was left behind and rejoined the Prophet's caravan with Safwan ibn al-Mu'attal.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim contain detailed accounts of the Ifk incident narrated by 'A'ishah herself. Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Muslim states: 'The best of you are those who are best to their wives' (Tirmidhi), reflecting the Prophet's defense of 'A'ishah and the importance of protecting family honor.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that apparent calamities can be divine blessings that purify the believers and expose corruption within the community; it also emphasizes personal accountability for spreading rumors and false accusations, reminding us that slander has severe spiritual consequences and that we should not hastily believe or propagate unverified claims about others.
Related Ayahs
وَلْيَسْتَعْفِفِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ نِكَاحًا حَتَّىٰ يُغْنِيَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَبْتَغُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِمَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُمْ فَكَاتِبُوهُمْ إِنْ عَلِمْتُمْ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا ۖ وَءَاتُوهُم مِّن مَّالِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۚ وَلَا تُكْرِهُوا۟ فَتَيَـٰتِكُمْ عَلَى ٱلْبِغَآءِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَ تَحَصُّنًا لِّتَبْتَغُوا۟ عَرَضَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۚ وَمَن يُكْرِههُّنَّ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ إِكْرَٰهِهِنَّ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
But let them who find not [the means for] marriage abstain [from sexual relations] until Allāh enriches them from His bounty. And those who seek a contract [for eventual emancipation] from among whom your right hands possess - then make a contract with them if you know there is within them goodness and give them from the wealth of Allāh which He has given you. And do not compel your slave girls to prostitution, if they desire chastity, to seek [thereby] the temporary interests of worldly life. And if someone should compel them, then indeed, Allāh is [to them], after their compulsion, Forgiving and Merciful.
۞ وَأَقْسَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ لَئِنْ أَمَرْتَهُمْ لَيَخْرُجُنَّ ۖ قُل لَّا تُقْسِمُوا۟ ۖ طَاعَةٌ مَّعْرُوفَةٌ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
And they swear by Allāh their strongest oaths that if you ordered them, they would go forth [in Allāh's cause]. Say, "Do not swear. [Such] obedience is known. Indeed, Allāh is [fully] Aware of that which you do."
وَإِذَا بَلَغَ ٱلْأَطْفَـٰلُ مِنكُمُ ٱلْحُلُمَ فَلْيَسْتَـْٔذِنُوا۟ كَمَا ٱسْتَـْٔذَنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
And when the children among you reach puberty, let them ask permission [at all times] as those before them have done. Thus does Allāh make clear to you His verses; and Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
إِذْ تَلَقَّوْنَهُۥ بِأَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَتَقُولُونَ بِأَفْوَاهِكُم مَّا لَيْسَ لَكُم بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ وَتَحْسَبُونَهُۥ هَيِّنًا وَهُوَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ عَظِيمٌ
When you received it with your tongues and said with your mouths that of which you had no knowledge and thought it was insignificant while it was, in the sight of Allāh, tremendous.