Verily! Those who brought forth the slander (against 'Aishah, the wife of the Prophet SAW) are a group among you. Consider it not a bad thing for you. Nay, it is good for you. Unto every man among them will be paid that which he had earned of the sin, and as for him among them who had the greater share therein, his will be a great torment. 11 Why, when you heard it, did the believing men and women not of their own account think good thoughts, and say, 'This is a manifest calumny'? 12 Would that they had brought four witnesses to testify to their report. Since they brought none, they are liars before God. 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 And why, when you heard it, did you not say, 'It is not for us to speak about this; glory be to Thee! This is a mighty calumny'? 16 God admonishes you, that you shall never repeat the like of it again; if you are believers. 17 for God makes [His] messages clear unto you - and God is all-knowing, Wise! 18 Those who like to publicize indecency among the believers will face painful torment in this world and in the life to come. God knows what you do not know. 19 But for the grace of God and His mercy upon you, and were not God compassionate and merciful, [you would have come to grief]. 20