those who came with the slander were a number of you. Do not regard it evil for you, rather it is good for you. Every person of them shall have the sin that he has earned charged to him. As for he who took upon himself the greater part there is a mightier punishment. 11 Why did not the believing men and the believing women, when you heard it, think well of their own people, and say: This is an evident falsehood? 12 Why did they not bring four witnesses against it? But since they did not bring the witnesses, in God's sight they are the liars. 13 Had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy unto you in the world and the Hereafter an awful doom had overtaken you for that whereof ye murmured. 14 When ye welcomed it with your tongues, and uttered with your mouths that whereof ye had no knowledge, ye counted it a trifle. In the sight of Allah it is very great. 15 When you heard it, why did you not say, "It is not right for us to speak of this. God forbid! This is a monstrous slander." 16 Allah forbids you from it and warns you not to repeat the like of it forever, if you are believers. 17 God explains the commandments to you. God is all knowing and wise. 18 As for those, who like that indecency should spread among the Believers, they deserve a painful punishment in this world and in the Hereafter, for Allah knows and you do not know (its consequences). 19 If Allah had not shown His grace and mercy to you, (this scandal would have produced very evil results): Allah is indeed very Kind and Merciful. 20