يَعِظُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ أَن تَعُودُوا۟ لِمِثْلِهِۦٓ أَبَدًا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ 17
Translations
Allāh warns you against returning to the likes of this [conduct], ever, if you should be believers.
Transliteration
Ya'izukumu-Allah an ta'ūdū limithlihi abadā in kuntum mu'minīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah admonishes the believers to never return to such false accusations and slander as mentioned in the context of Aisha's incident (the Ifk), emphasizing that this prohibition is conditional upon true faith. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir interpret this as a strong divine warning against spreading lies and accusations, particularly those targeting honor and chastity, with the understanding that a true believer would heed this prohibition as an essential aspect of their faith.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the passage addressing the Incident of Ifk (the slander against Aisha, the Prophet's wife), which occurred during the 5th year of Hijrah. The surah was revealed to establish guidelines for dealing with accusations of immorality and to protect the honor and dignity of believers, particularly women, by prohibiting the spread of unverified claims.
Related Hadiths
1) Sahih Bukhari (2657): The Prophet ﷺ said, 'Whoever accuses a chaste woman of immorality will have the testimony rejected on the Day of Judgment unless they repent.' 2) Sunan An-Nasa'i: The Prophet ﷺ emphasized that spreading false accusations about people's honor is among the gravest of sins.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that genuine faith requires us to guard our tongues from spreading unverified accusations and to protect others' dignity and honor; a practical lesson that demands we verify information before sharing it and refrain from participating in character assassination in our modern age of rapid information spread.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّمَا ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَإِذَا كَانُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ عَلَىٰٓ أَمْرٍ جَامِعٍ لَّمْ يَذْهَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَسْتَـْٔذِنُوهُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْتَـْٔذِنُونَكَ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ ۚ فَإِذَا ٱسْتَـْٔذَنُوكَ لِبَعْضِ شَأْنِهِمْ فَأْذَن لِّمَن شِئْتَ مِنْهُمْ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمُ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
The believers are only those who believe in Allāh and His Messenger and, when they are [meeting] with him for a matter of common interest, do not depart until they have asked his permission. Indeed, those who ask your permission, [O Muḥammad] - those are the ones who believe in Allāh and His Messenger. So when they ask your permission due to something of their affairs, then give permission to whom you will among them and ask forgiveness for them of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
وَٱلْخَـٰمِسَةُ أَنَّ لَعْنَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ
And the fifth [oath will be] that the curse of Allāh be upon him if he should be of the liars.
لَّوْلَا جَآءُو عَلَيْهِ بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَآءَ ۚ فَإِذْ لَمْ يَأْتُوا۟ بِٱلشُّهَدَآءِ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ هُمُ ٱلْكَـٰذِبُونَ
Why did they [who slandered] not produce for it four witnesses? And when they do not produce the witnesses, then it is they, in the sight of Allāh, who are the liars.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَدْخُلُوا۟ بُيُوتًا غَيْرَ بُيُوتِكُمْ حَتَّىٰ تَسْتَأْنِسُوا۟ وَتُسَلِّمُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than your own houses until you ascertain welcome and greet their inhabitants. That is best for you; perhaps you will be reminded [i.e., advised].