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
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَن تَشِيعَ ٱلْفَـٰحِشَةُ فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
Indeed, those who like that immorality should be spread [or publicized] among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allāh knows and you do not know.
إِنَّمَا كَانَ قَوْلَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذَا دُعُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَن يَقُولُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ
The only statement of the [true] believers when they are called to Allāh and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say, "We hear and we obey." And those are the successful.
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُزْجِى سَحَابًا ثُمَّ يُؤَلِّفُ بَيْنَهُۥ ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُۥ رُكَامًا فَتَرَى ٱلْوَدْقَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ خِلَـٰلِهِۦ وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن جِبَالٍ فِيهَا مِنۢ بَرَدٍ فَيُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَصْرِفُهُۥ عَن مَّن يَشَآءُ ۖ يَكَادُ سَنَا بَرْقِهِۦ يَذْهَبُ بِٱلْأَبْصَـٰرِ
Do you not see that Allāh drives clouds? Then He brings them together; then He makes them into a mass, and you see the rain emerge from within it. And He sends down from the sky, mountains [of clouds] within which is hail, and He strikes with it whom He wills and averts it from whom He wills. The flash of its lightning almost takes away the eyesight.
لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مُعْجِزِينَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَمَأْوَىٰهُمُ ٱلنَّارُ ۖ وَلَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
Never think that the disbelievers are causing failure [to Allāh] upon the earth. Their refuge will be the Fire - and how wretched the destination.