Verily those who brought forward the calumny were a small band among you. Deem it not an evil for you; nay, it was good for you. Unto every one of them shall be that which he hath earned of the sin, and he among them who undertook the bulk of it - for him shall be a torment mighty. 11 Wherefore, when ye heard it, did not the believing men and believing women imagine best of their own people and say: this is a calumny manifest! 12 Wherefore did they not bring four witnesses thereof! Then when they brought not the witnesses, those! with Allah they are the liars. 13 Had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy unto you in this world and in the Hereafter, a great torment would have touched you for that whereof you had spoken. 14 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 Allah, tremendous. 15 Why did you not, as soon as you heard of it, say, "It is not proper for us to utter such a thing? Glory be to Allah! This is a great slander." 16 God warns you never to repeat the like of it again, if you are true believers. 17 And Allah makes clear to you the communications; and Allah is Knowing, Wise. 18 Verily, as for those who like [to hear] foul slander spread against [any of] those who have attained to faith grievous suffering awaits them in this world and in the life to come: for God knows [the full truth,] whereas you know [it] not. 19 If it was not for the bounty of Allah to you and His Mercy, and Allah is the Gentle, the Most Merciful. 20