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 Would that on your hearing this report, the believing men and women among you had a favorable attitude towards it, and had said, "This report is clearly false". 12 Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they produce not witnesses, they verily are liars in the sight of Allah. 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 you received it on your tongues, and were speaking with your mouths that whereof you had no knowledge, and reckoned it a light thing, and with God it was a mighty thing -- 15 When you heard it, why did you not say: 'It is not right for us to speak of this. Exaltations to You! This is a mighty slander' 16 Allah admonisheth you that ye repeat not the like thereof ever, if ye are (in truth) believers. 17 And Allah makes the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) plain to you, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-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 And if it had not been for the favor of Allah upon you and His mercy... and because Allah is Kind and Merciful. 20