24:11
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhina
those who
جَآءُو
jau
brought
بِٱلۡإِفۡكِ
bil-if'ki
the lie
عُصۡبَةٞ
us'batun
(are) a group
مِّنكُمۡۚ
minkum
among you
لَا
la
(Do) not
تَحۡسَبُوهُ
tahsabuhu
think it
شَرّٗا
sharran
bad
لَّكُمۖ
lakum
for you
بَلۡ
bal
nay
هُوَ
huwa
it
خَيۡرٞ
khayrun
(is) good
لَّكُمۡۚ
lakum
for you
لِكُلِّ
likulli
For every
ٱمۡرِيٕٖ
im'ri-in
person
مِّنۡهُم
min'hum
among them
مَّا
ma
(is) what
ٱكۡتَسَبَ
ik'tasaba
he earned
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلۡإِثۡمِۚ
al-ith'mi
the sin
وَٱلَّذِي
wa-alladhi
and the one who
تَوَلَّىٰ
tawalla
took upon himself a greater share of it
كِبۡرَهُۥ
kib'rahu
took upon himself a greater share of it
مِنۡهُمۡ
min'hum
among them
لَهُۥ
lahu
for him
عَذَابٌ
adhabun
(is) a punishment
عَظِيمٞ
azimun
great
١١

It was a group from among you that concocted the lie––do not consider it a bad thing for you [people]; it was a good thing––and every one of them will be charged with the sin he has earned. He who took the greatest part in it will have a painful punishment

Translation 1260

24:12
لَّوۡلَآ
lawla
Why not
إِذۡ
idh
when
سَمِعۡتُمُوهُ
sami'tumuhu
you heard it
ظَنَّ
zanna
think
ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ
al-mu'minuna
the believing men
وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتُ
wal-mu'minatu
and the believing women
بِأَنفُسِهِمۡ
bi-anfusihim
good of themselves
خَيۡرٗا
khayran
good of themselves
وَقَالُواْ
waqalu
and say
هَٰذَآ
hadha
This
إِفۡكٞ
if'kun
(is) a lie
مُّبِينٞ
mubinun
clear
١٢

When you heard the lie, why did believing men and women not think well of their own people and declare, ‘This is obviously a lie’

Translation 1260

24:13
لَّوۡلَا
lawla
Why (did) not
جَآءُو
jau
they bring
عَلَيۡهِ
alayhi
for it
بِأَرۡبَعَةِ
bi-arba'ati
four
شُهَدَآءَۚ
shuhadaa
witnesses
فَإِذۡ
fa-idh
Then when
لَمۡ
lam
not
يَأۡتُواْ
yatu
they brought
بِٱلشُّهَدَآءِ
bil-shuhadai
the witnesses
فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ
fa-ulaika
then those
عِندَ
inda
near Allah
ٱللَّهِ
al-lahi
near Allah
هُمُ
humu
they
ٱلۡكَٰذِبُونَ
al-kadhibuna
(are) the liars
١٣

And why did the accusers not bring four witnesses to it? If they cannot produce such witnesses, they are the liars in God’s eyes

Translation 1260

24:14
وَلَوۡلَا
walawla
And if not
فَضۡلُ
fadlu
(for the) Grace
ٱللَّهِ
al-lahi
(of) Allah
عَلَيۡكُمۡ
alaykum
upon you
وَرَحۡمَتُهُۥ
warahmatuhu
and His Mercy
فِي
fi
in
ٱلدُّنۡيَا
al-dun'ya
the world
وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ
wal-akhirati
and the Hereafter
لَمَسَّكُمۡ
lamassakum
surely would have touched you
فِي
fi
in
مَآ
ma
what
أَفَضۡتُمۡ
afadtum
you had rushed glibly
فِيهِ
fihi
concerning it
عَذَابٌ
adhabun
a punishment
عَظِيمٌ
azimun
great
١٤

If it were not for God’s bounty and mercy towards you in this world and the next, you would already have been afflicted by terrible suffering for indulging in such talk

Translation 1260

24:15
إِذۡ
idh
When
تَلَقَّوۡنَهُۥ
talaqqawnahu
you received it
بِأَلۡسِنَتِكُمۡ
bi-alsinatikum
with your tongues
وَتَقُولُونَ
wataquluna
and you said
بِأَفۡوَاهِكُم
bi-afwahikum
with your mouths
مَّا
ma
what
لَيۡسَ
laysa
not
لَكُم
lakum
for you
بِهِۦ
bihi
of it
عِلۡمٞ
il'mun
any knowledge
وَتَحۡسَبُونَهُۥ
watahsabunahu
and you thought it
هَيِّنٗا
hayyinan
(was) insignificant
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
while it
عِندَ
inda
(was) near Allah
ٱللَّهِ
al-lahi
(was) near Allah
عَظِيمٞ
azimun
great
١٥

When you took it up with your tongues, and spoke with your mouths things you did not know [to be true], you thought it was trivial but to God it was very serious

Translation 1260

24:16
وَلَوۡلَآ
walawla
And why not
إِذۡ
idh
when
سَمِعۡتُمُوهُ
sami'tumuhu
you heard it
قُلۡتُم
qul'tum
you said
مَّا
ma
Not
يَكُونُ
yakunu
it is
لَنَآ
lana
for us
أَن
an
that
نَّتَكَلَّمَ
natakallama
we speak
بِهَٰذَا
bihadha
of this
سُبۡحَٰنَكَ
sub'hanaka
Glory be to You
هَٰذَا
hadha
This
بُهۡتَٰنٌ
buh'tanun
(is) a slander
عَظِيمٞ
azimun
great
١٦

When you heard the lie, why did you not say, ‘We should not repeat this- God forbid!- It is a monstrous slander’

Translation 1260

24:17
يَعِظُكُمُ
ya'izukumu
Allah warns you
ٱللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah warns you
أَن
an
that
تَعُودُواْ
ta'udu
you return
لِمِثۡلِهِۦٓ
limith'lihi
(to the) like of it
أَبَدًا
abadan
ever
إِن
in
if
كُنتُم
kuntum
you are
مُّؤۡمِنِينَ
mu'minina
believers
١٧

God warns you never to do anything like this again, if you are true believers

Translation 1260

24:18
وَيُبَيِّنُ
wayubayyinu
And Allah makes clear
ٱللَّهُ
al-lahu
And Allah makes clear
لَكُمُ
lakumu
to you
ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِۚ
al-ayati
the Verses
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
عَلِيمٌ
alimun
(is) All-Knower
حَكِيمٌ
hakimun
All-Wise
١٨

God makes His messages clear to you: God is all knowing, all wise

Translation 1260

24:19
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhina
those who
يُحِبُّونَ
yuhibbuna
like
أَن
an
that
تَشِيعَ
tashi'a
(should) spread
ٱلۡفَٰحِشَةُ
al-fahishatu
the immorality
فِي
fi
among
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhina
those who
ءَامَنُواْ
amanu
believe
لَهُمۡ
lahum
for them
عَذَابٌ
adhabun
(is) a punishment
أَلِيمٞ
alimun
painful
فِي
fi
in
ٱلدُّنۡيَا
al-dun'ya
the world
وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۚ
wal-akhirati
and the Hereafter
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
يَعۡلَمُ
ya'lamu
knows
وَأَنتُمۡ
wa-antum
while you
لَا
la
(do) not
تَعۡلَمُونَ
ta'lamuna
know
١٩

A painful punishment waits in this world and the next for those who like indecency to spread among the believers: God knows and you do not

Translation 1260

24:20
وَلَوۡلَا
walawla
And if not
فَضۡلُ
fadlu
(for the) Grace of Allah
ٱللَّهِ
al-lahi
(for the) Grace of Allah
عَلَيۡكُمۡ
alaykum
upon you
وَرَحۡمَتُهُۥ
warahmatuhu
and His Mercy
وَأَنَّ
wa-anna
And that
ٱللَّهَ
al-laha
Allah
رَءُوفٞ
raufun
(is) Full of Kindness
رَّحِيمٞ
rahimun
Most Merciful
٢٠

If it were not for God’s bounty and mercy and the fact that He is compassionate and merciful

Translation 1260