Surah An-Noor (24) — Ayah 22

(Ayah 22) ➊ {وَ لَا يَاْتَلِ اُولُوا الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَ السَّعَةِ … : ’’ وَ لَا يَاْتَلِ ‘‘ ’’ أَلِيَّةٌ ‘‘} (on the pattern of {فَعِيْلَةٌ،} meaning oath) is from the form of ifti‘al, and in {’’اِئْتَلٰي يَأْتَلِيْ‘‘} it is the negative of the third person. In Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah (226): «{ لِلَّذِيْنَ يُؤْلُوْنَ مِنْ نِّسَآىِٕهِمْ }», {’’ يُؤْلُوْنَ ‘‘} is from the form of if‘al. In Surah An-Nur, Ayah (11), the authentic hadith of Sahih Bukhari (4750) has already passed that among those who slandered Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was also Mistah bin Uthathah (may Allah be pleased with him), who was the son of the maternal female cousin of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) (some have also called him a maternal cousin). Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had fixed an allowance for him due to their kinship and his poverty. When Mistah said this, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) stopped that allowance, but when this verse was revealed and in it these words came: «{ اَلَا تُحِبُّوْنَ اَنْ يَّغْفِرَ اللّٰهُ لَكُمْ }» "Do you not love that Allah should forgive you?" then Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Why not, I do love that Allah should forgive me." So he resumed the allowance and said, "I will never reduce it again."
➋ In the previous verse it was said that Allah purifies whom He wills, so if the people of Ifk fell into this sin and you were protected from it, there is no excellence of yours in this; it is merely Allah’s grace and His mercy. Therefore, when the slanderers have repented and have also received their punishment, do not keep looking at their mistake, but also look at the reasons for kindness towards them, each of which demands that you should give them from the superiority and abundance Allah has given you. Among these reasons for kindness, one is being a relative, the second is being needy, and the third is being an emigrant in the way of Allah. If all three reasons are combined, then their right should be given to them all the more.
➌ From this verse it is known that except for apostasy, a person’s good deeds are not completely nullified by other sins, because Allah has appreciated the migration of the emigrants among the people of Ifk despite their slander and has commanded good treatment towards them.
➍ The meaning of {وَ لْيَعْفُوْا وَ لْيَصْفَحُوْا:’’ وَ لْيَعْفُوْا ‘‘ ’’عَفَا يَعْفُوْ‘‘} is to erase. It is said: {’’عَفَتِ الرِّيْحُ الْأَثَرَ‘‘} "The wind erased the footprints." That is, erase their slip from your heart and cover it up. {’’ وَ لْيَصْفَحُوْا ‘‘} Some scholars have said that it is derived from {’’صَفْحَةُ الْعُنُقِ‘‘} (side of the neck), meaning overlook their bad behavior as if you have turned your neck away from them. This command of forgiveness and overlooking has come in Surah Al-Imran (134), An-Nisa (149), Al-Hijr (85), Ash-Shura (43), and many other verses. (Adwa’ al-Bayan)
➎ { اَلَا تُحِبُّوْنَ اَنْ يَّغْفِرَ اللّٰهُ لَكُمْ:} Its reason for revelation has been mentioned above. From this it is known that forgiving a sinful Muslim and overlooking his fault is a means of forgiveness of sins. If you forgive, Allah will forgive you; if you overlook, Allah will overlook you; as you act, so will you be rewarded.
➏ This verse is evidence that it is not permissible to swear an oath not to do good; one should give the expiation for such an oath and do the good deed. Similarly, if not fulfilling the oath is better, then one should give its expiation and do the better deed. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلٰی يَمِيْنٍ فَرَأَی غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا فَلْيُكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَّمِيْنِهِ وَلْيَفْعَلْ ] [ ترمذي، النذور والأیمان، باب ما جاء في الکفارۃ قبل الحنث : ۱۵۳۰، و قال الألباني صحیح ] "Whoever swears an oath about something, then sees something else better, let him give the expiation for his oath and do (the better thing)."