إِذْ تَلَقَّوْنَهُۥ بِأَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَتَقُولُونَ بِأَفْوَاهِكُم مَّا لَيْسَ لَكُم بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ وَتَحْسَبُونَهُۥ هَيِّنًا وَهُوَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ عَظِيمٌ 15
Translations
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.
Transliteration
Idh talaqawnahoo bi-alsinatikum wa taqooloon bi-afwahikum ma laysa lakum bihi ilm wa tahasiboonahu hayyin wa huwa inda Allahi azeem
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rebukes those who spread the slander about 'Aisha (the incident of al-ifk), condemning them for casually repeating accusations without knowledge and treating grave sins lightly. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir emphasize that spreading unverified rumors with one's tongue is a serious matter in Allah's sight, even if the spreaders consider it insignificant gossip. The ayah teaches that what seems trivial to humans may be a grave sin before Allah, particularly regarding the honor and reputation of others.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the context of the slander campaign (hadith al-ifk) against 'Aisha bint Abi Bakr during the 5th or 6th year of Hijrah, when she was left behind on a journey and returned to Madinah with Safwan ibn al-Mu'attal. Hypocrites and some believers spread false accusations about her chastity, and this surah addresses the gravity of such slander and the rules of verification (bayyinah) before spreading rumors.
Related Hadiths
Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent' (Sahih Bukhari & Muslim). Additionally, the Prophet warned: 'The most grievous type of riba (usury) is when a man attacks the honor of his brother Muslim' (Sunan Ibn Majah), illustrating the severity of spreading rumors.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that casual speech and rumor-spreading carry profound spiritual weight before Allah, and believers must verify information before repeating it. In our modern age of rapid information sharing, this verse demands that we exercise critical thinking and refuse to participate in spreading unverified claims that could harm others' reputations and dignity.
Related Ayahs
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
And establish prayer and give zakāh and obey the Messenger - that you may receive mercy.
وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِى مَآ أَفَضْتُمْ فِيهِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
And if it had not been for the favor of Allāh upon you and His mercy in this world and the Hereafter, you would have been touched for that [lie] in which you were involved by a great punishment
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
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].
۞ 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."