In the name of God, the Merciful, the Beneficent

Were it not for God’s favor upon you and His grace, in this world and in the life to come, awesome suffering would indeed have afflicted you on account of what you indulged in.

You took it up with your tongues and uttered with your mouths something of which you have no knowledge, thinking it a light matter whereas in God’s sight it is grave indeed.

When you heard it, why did you not say: “It is not right for us to speak of this. All glory belongs to You! This is a monstrous slander.”

God admonishes you lest you ever revert to the like of this, if you are truly believers.

And God makes plain to you His revelations. God is all-knowing, wise.<>

(Light, Al-Noor: 24: 14-18)

Commentary by Sayyid Qutb

In our commentary on the response of the Muslim community to the story of falsehood we mentioned that the proper Islamic approach requires two very important steps: searching in our own hearts, and basing our decision on firm and clear evidence. The heart search is essential because it provides the initial check against being deceived by those who do not wish the Muslim community well. Moreover, judgment can be based only on firm evidence.

But the Muslim community at the time overlooked both steps, allowing those liars to speak ill of the Prophet and his honor. This was serious indeed and it could have landed the Muslim community in serious trouble, had it not been for God’s grace. Hence, God warns the Muslims never to fall into such a trap again: “Were it not for God’s favor upon you and His grace, in this world and in the life to come, awesome suffering would indeed have afflicted you on account of what you indulged in.”

God wanted this to be a very hard lesson for the fledgling Muslim community, but He was compassionate to them and did not inflict any punishment on them. The offence itself merited stiff punishment because of the pain they caused to the Prophet, his wife, close friend and his other companion of whom he knew nothing but what is good and virtuous. It also merited a punishment equal to the evil that circulated within the Muslim community and violated all its sacred values; and equal to the wickedness of the hypocrites whose scheme aimed to undermine Islam altogether by raising doubts within the Muslim community about God, the Prophet and themselves. This continued for a whole month which was a month of doubt, worry and confusion. But God’s grace was forthcoming, and He bestowed His mercy on those who were in error after having learnt their hard lesson.

The surah gives us a picture of the period, when standards and values were placed on the wrong footing, and the community lost sight of its principles: “You took it up with your tongues and uttered with your mouths something of which you have no knowledge, thinking it a light matter whereas in God’s sight it is grave indeed.” The picture painted here is one of recklessness and irresponsibility, showing little care for even the most serious of matters.

“You took it up with your tongues.” One tongue picks it up from another paying little heed to what is being said. There was utter lack of proper examination of the report, as though people repeat it without ever thinking of its significance. You “uttered with your mouths something of which you have no knowledge.” It is just like that: a mouth utterance without thought or consideration. Mere idle talk uttered and circulated even before it is understood. They thought it a light matter, although it was an accusation against God’s Messenger’s personal honor, causing him, his wife and household great pain. It was an accusation against Abu Bakr’s family which suffered no similar trouble even in pre-Islamic days when moral values were of little importance. The false story also accused another companion of the Prophet who laid his life for the defense of Islam. It further had negative implications concerning the care God took of His Messenger. Yet, they circulated the false rumor “thinking it a light matter whereas in God’s sight it is grave indeed.” Nothing could be described as grave in God’s sight unless it is so serious that it shakes firm mountains and disturbs both heavens and earth.

A matter of such seriousness should have given people a shudder on hearing it. They should have been reluctant even to refer to it, unwilling to accept it as a subject of conversation. They should have looked up to God to protect His Messenger. That falsehood should have been thrown away immediately: “When you heard it, why did you not say: ‘It is not right for us to speak of this. All glory belongs to You! This is a monstrous slander.’”

When the matter has been thus clarified, and those early Muslims were taken aback by the enormity of the affair and their role in it, they are given a very stern warning for future: “God admonishes you lest you ever revert to the like of this, if you are truly believers.”

The warning comes in the form of an admonition so as to be educative, choosing the time when the Muslim community is at its most receptive. But the admonition carries at the same time an implicit warning, and attaches their being believers to the heeding of this warning. Believers cannot retain their faith if they were to revert to the same type of action after they have been shown its enormity and given such a warning.

“And God makes plain to you His revelations.” He has certainly shown the false story plainly false, exposing the scheming behind it. He has also made plain the errors involved in this matter. “God is all-knowing, wise.” He knows motives, intentions, objectives, thoughts and feelings. His method of bringing out the best in people and providing proper restrictions and controls to set the community’s life right testifies to His wisdom.

— Arab News Islam 3 October 2003