Verily, numerous among you are those who would falsely accuse others of unchastity: [but, O you who are thus wronged,] deem it not a bad thing for you: nay, it is good for you! [As for the slanderers,] unto every one of them [will be accounted] all that he has earned by [thus] sinning; and awesome suffering awaits any of them who takes it upon himself to enhance this [sin]! 11 When you heard of it, why did not the believing men and believing women think well of their own people, and say, "This is a manifest slander?" 12 Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they produce not witnesses, they verily are liars in the sight of Allah. 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 received it with your tongues and spoke with your mouths what you had no knowledge of, and you deemed it an easy matter while with Allah it was grievous. 15 Would that on hearing this report, you had said, "We have nothing to say about it. God forbid! It is a serious accusation." 16 Allah exhorts you never again to repeat the like, if you are believers. 17 Allah makes plain to you His verses, and Allah is the Knower, the Wise. 18 Surely (as for) those who love that scandal should circulate respecting those who believe, they shall have a grievous chastisement in this world and the hereafter; and Allah knows, while you do not know. 19 Had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy unto you, and that Allah is Clement, Merciful, (ye had been undone). 20