Surely they who concocted the lie are a party from among you. Do not regard it an evil to you; nay, it is good for you. Every man of them shall have what he has earned of sin; and (as for) him who took upon himself the main part thereof, he shall have a grievous chastisement. 11 When you heard of it, why didn't the Believing men and the Believing women have a good opinion of themselves, and why did they not say, "This is a manifest slander?" 12 Would that they had brought four witnesses to testify to their report. Since they brought none, they are liars before God. 13 Were it not for Allah's grace and mercy towards you in this world and in the Hereafter, a painful scourge would have visited you because of the things in which you were involved. 14 When you were spreading it with your tongues and saying with your mouths things of which you had no knowledge, you considered it to be a trivial matter, but, in God's sight, it was very serious. 15 And why, when you heard it, did you not say, "It is not for us to speak of this. Exalted are You, [O Allah]; this is a great slander"? 16 Allah exhorteth you lest ye may ever revert to the like thereof, if ye are believers indeed. 17 And Allah makes clear to you the verses, and Allah is Knowing and Wise. 18 Lo! those who love that slander should be spread concerning those who believe, theirs will be a painful punishment in the world and the Hereafter. Allah knoweth. Ye know not. 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