Tafseer of The Light · An-Noor · 24:19
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 Allah knows and you do not know.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
Allah, exalted be His mention, says: As for those who love that fornication (zinā) be spread and made public among those who believe in Allah and His Prophet ﷺ, لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ("for them is a painful punishment"): that is to say, for them is a painful punishment in this world, through the prescribed penalty (ḥadd) that Allah has established for whoever accuses honorable women or men of fornication, and in the Hereafter the punishment of Hell (jahannam) if he dies while clinging to it without repentance.
As al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning يُحِبُّونَ أَنْ تَشِيعَ الْفَاحِشَةُ — he said: "That the abomination be made public in the affair of ʿĀʾisha."
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَنْ تَشِيعَ الْفَاحِشَةُ فِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ : "The wretch ʿAbdullāh ibn Ubayy ibn Salūl, the hypocrite, who spread about ʿĀʾisha the lies that he spread about her — لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ."
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to us, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning أَنْ تَشِيعَ الْفَاحِشَةُ : "That it be made public; people speak about the affair of ʿĀʾisha."
And His words: وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَ ("Allah knows while you do not know"): Allah, exalted be His mention, says: Allah knows whether those who brought the slander are liars or speakers of truth, while you, O people, do not know that — for you do not know the unseen; only the Knower of the unseen knows that. He says: so do not pass on that of which you have no knowledge of slander against the believers in Allah, and certainly not against the wives of the Prophet ﷺ — otherwise you will perish.