Those who came with the slander are a band of you; do not reckon it evil for you; rather it is good for you. Every man of them shall have the sin that he has earned charged to him; and whosoever of them took upon himself the greater part of it, him there awaits a mighty 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 Why did they not bring four witnesses (in support of their charge)? And since they did not bring the four witnesses they are themselves liars in the sight of God. 13 Had it not been for the grace of God and His mercy on you in this world and the Hereafter, a terrible punishment would have afflicted you for your plunging headlong into slander. 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 was it not that, when you heard it, you would have said, “It does not befit us to speak regarding this; Purity is to You, O Allah – this is a great accusation.” 16 Allah advises you never to speak like this again, if you have faith. 17 God makes clear to you the signs; and God is All-knowing, All-wise. 18 Indeed, those who like that immorality should be spread [or publicized] among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows and 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