Surah An-Noor (24) — Ayah 5

(Ayah 5){ اِلَّا الَّذِيْنَ تَابُوْا مِنْۢ بَعْدِ ذٰلِكَ وَ اَصْلَحُوْا … :} There is consensus that the legal punishment for slander is not waived by repentance. Similarly, there is also consensus that after repentance and reform, the ruling of transgression (fisq) is lifted from him. However, there is a difference of opinion as to whether his testimony will be accepted after repentance and reform or not. Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) has mentioned with a sound chain the statement of Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he recited {’’ وَ لَا تَقْبَلُوْا لَهُمْ شَهَادَةً اَبَدًا ‘‘} and said: "Then whoever repents and reforms, according to the Book of Allah, his testimony will be accepted." Although, according to some people, even after repentance and reform, his testimony will not be accepted, but the correct view is that if the one who slandered repents, promising not to do such a thing in the future, and truly reforms himself and does not commit such a mistake again, then his testimony will be accepted. Because he was rejected as a witness due to transgression, so when transgression is no longer present, why should his testimony not be accepted? Besides, even disbelief and polytheism are forgiven through repentance, and slander is a much lesser sin than that. As for the word { ’’ اَبَدًا ‘‘ } (forever), it means that as long as he does not refrain from slander, no matter how much time passes, do not accept his testimony. As for the period after which his repentance and reform are established, some people have set a period of one year for this, but this is not proven from the Book and Sunnah, so this matter should be left to the judge. If he is convinced of his repentance and reform in any period, he may accept his testimony, because surely Allah is Forgiving and Merciful, and after repentance, He greatly conceals faults and is merciful.