Surah An-Noor (24) — Ayah 12

(Ayah 12) ➊ { لَوْ لَاۤ اِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوْهُ ظَنَّ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنٰتُ بِاَنْفُسِهِمْ خَيْرًا :} Apparently, it should have been said, "Why did you not, when you heard it, think good of yourselves," but instead it is said: "Why did not the believing men and believing women, when you heard it, think good of themselves." The reason for this is that both men and women were among those who considered this accusation to be true, so to warn both, their being believers is specifically mentioned, that the demand of faith is that due to any accusation, one should not allow a bad thought about any believer to enter the heart.

➋ This verse can have three meanings: First, why did it not happen that upon hearing this slander, you thought well in your hearts (about Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her) and said that this is a clear slander. The second meaning is, why did it not happen that upon hearing this slander, the believing men and believing women thought well about themselves. That is, you should have thought about yourselves, that if you were alone with your mother, sister, or daughter, would you ever do such a thing? So how did you assume that Safwan (may Allah be pleased with him) would even think such a thing about his and all believers' mother? Rather, is it the demand of your faith that if you find a woman separated from a caravan, you would do such a vile act with her? Only a person without faith and with an extremely filthy mind can think this, and he will consider others as filthy as himself. A chaste person will think of others as chaste as well.

The third meaning is that by {’’ بِاَنْفُسِهِمْ ‘‘} is meant other believers, because all believers are like one soul. Allah Almighty said: «{ وَ لَا تَقْتُلُوْۤا اَنْفُسَكُمْ }» [ النساء: ۲۹ ] "Do not kill yourselves." And He said: «{ فَسَلِّمُوْا عَلٰۤى اَنْفُسِكُمْ }» [ النور : ۶۱ ] "Say peace to yourselves." And He said: «{ وَ لَا تَلْمِزُوْۤا اَنْفُسَكُمْ }» [ الحجرات : ۱۱ ] "And do not defame yourselves." The meaning is to kill another, to greet one another, and to defame another. That is, why did it not happen that believing men and believing women thought well about themselves, meaning about other believers, because they and other believers are one and the same. Nu'man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ تَرَی الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ فِيْ تَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَ تَوَادِّهِمْ وَ تَعَاطُفِهِمْ كَمَثَلِ الْجَسَدِ إِذَا اشْتَكٰی عُضْوًا تَدَاعٰی لَهُ سَائِرُ جَسَدِهِ بِالسَّهَرِ وَالْحُمّٰی] [بخاري، الأدب، باب رحمۃ الناس والبھائم : ۶۰۱۱ ] "You will see the believers in their mutual mercy, love, and compassion as one body; when one limb suffers, the whole body responds with sleeplessness and fever."

➌ { وَ قَالُوْا هٰذَااِفْكٌ مُّبِيْنٌ :} A clear lie and manifest slander, because there was no room for doubt in what happened. The Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) was coming on the mount of Safwan bin Mu'attal (may Allah be pleased with him) in broad daylight. Safwan was holding the reins, the whole army was watching, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was present in person. If (hypothetically) there was anything doubtful, they would have come secretly, would not have dared to come together, and would have come at night instead of day, as the brothers of Yusuf (peace be upon him) came at night, as He said: « وَ جَآءُوْۤ اَبَاهُمْ عِشَآءً يَّبْكُوْنَ » [ یوسف : ۱۶ ] "And they came to their father at night, weeping." Therefore, it was clear that the accusation made against the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) was a clear lie and manifest slander, and every believing man and woman must say this.