سُوْرَةُ النُّوْرِ
Surah An-Noor (24) — Ayah 11
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ جَآءُو بِٱلْإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِّنكُمْ ۚ لَا تَحْسَبُوهُ شَرًّا لَّكُم ۖ بَلْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۚ لِكُلِّ ٱمْرِئٍ مِّنْهُم مَّا ٱكْتَسَبَ مِنَ ٱلْإِثْمِ ۚ وَٱلَّذِى تَوَلَّىٰ كِبْرَهُۥ مِنْهُمْ لَهُۥ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿11﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily those who brought forth the slander (against ‘Âishah رضي الله عنها the wife of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم) are a group among you. Consider it not a bad thing for you. Nay, it is good for you. Unto every man among them will be paid that which he had earned of the sin, and as for him among them who had the greater share therein, his will be a great torment.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
جَآءُو
jāū
brought
بِٱلْإِفْكِ
bil-if'ki
the lie
عُصْبَةٌۭ
ʿuṣ'batun
(are) a group
مِّنكُمْ ۚ
minkum
among you
لَا
lā
(Do) not
تَحْسَبُوهُ
taḥsabūhu
think it
شَرًّۭا
sharran
bad
لَّكُم ۖ
lakum
for you
بَلْ
bal
nay
هُوَ
huwa
it
خَيْرٌۭ
khayrun
(is) good
لَّكُمْ ۚ
lakum
for you
لِكُلِّ
likulli
For every
ٱمْرِئٍۢ
im'ri-in
person
مِّنْهُم
min'hum
among them
مَّا
mā
(is) what
ٱكْتَسَبَ
ik'tasaba
he earned
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْإِثْمِ ۚ
l-ith'mi
the sin
وَٱلَّذِى
wa-alladhī
and the one who
تَوَلَّىٰ
tawallā
took upon himself a greater share of it
كِبْرَهُۥ
kib'rahu
took upon himself a greater share of it
مِنْهُمْ
min'hum
among them
لَهُۥ
lahu
for him
عَذَابٌ
ʿadhābun
(is) a punishment
عَظِيمٌۭ
ʿaẓīmun
great
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
11. Indeed, those who brought forth the slander are a group from among you. Do not think it is bad for you; rather, it is good for you. Each of them will bear what he has earned of sin, and the one who took the greatest part in it—for him is a tremendous punishment.
[12] Here, from verse 11 to verse 20, ten verses related to the incident of Ifk are mentioned. These became the reason for the revelation of this surah. After initially stating the rulings and punishment for slander and false accusation of adultery, the incident begins and is commented upon. Its very beginning is with these words: ﴿اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ جَاءُوْ بالْاِفْكِ﴾ meaning, whatever rumors were spread and stories were fabricated, it is sheer falsehood and slander in which there is not even a trace of truth.
[13]
The Muslims Involved in the Incident of Ifk and the Punishment of Qadhf Upon Them:
Who were these people? Listen to this from Hazrat Aishaؓ herself: Sayyida Aishaؓ says that in this verse: ﴿وَالَّذِيْ تَوَلّٰي كِبْرَهٗ﴾ refers to Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul (the chief of the hypocrites). [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
2. Hazrat Aishaؓ says that among the Muslims, two men were spreading this storm: Mistah bin Athathah and Hassan bin Thabit, and the third was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, the hypocrite, who would keep probing and then add his own comments. He was the main instigator of this storm, and by ﴿وَالَّذِیْ تَوَلّٰی کِبْرَہٗ﴾ he and Hamnah bint Jahsh are meant. (Except for Abdullah bin Ubayy the hypocrite, all three were subjected to the punishment of Qadhf) [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
3. It is narrated from Masruq that Hassan bin Thabit (the famous poet) went to Hazrat Aishaؓ and recited this verse: "Hisan Razan Ma Tazn Bireebah... Wa Nusbiho Ghurtha Min Luhumil Ghawaafil" (Hazrat Aisha is chaste, wise, and above all suspicion. She would rather remain hungry than consume the flesh of innocent women, i.e., slander or backbite them). Upon hearing this verse, Hazrat Aishaؓ said: "But (Hassan) you are not like that." I (Masruq) said to Hazrat Aishaؓ: "Why do you allow such a person to come who, regarding him, Allah revealed this verse: ﴿وَالَّذِيْ تَوَلّٰي كِبْرَه﴾ al-ayah." Hazrat Aishaؓ said: "What greater punishment can there be than blindness?" (Hazrat Hassan became blind in his old age.) Then she also said: "Hassan used to respond on behalf of the Messenger of Allahﷺ (to the satire of the disbelievers)." [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
Also, Abdur Rahman bin Auf says that Sayyiduna Hassan bin Thabit used to seek testimony from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairahؓ. He would say: "Abu Hurairah! I ask you by Allah, did you not hear the Messenger of Allahﷺ say: 'Hassan! Respond on behalf of the Messenger of Allah to the disbelievers. O Allah! Help Hassan with the Holy Spirit.'" Abu Hurairahؓ said: "Yes." [بخاري۔ كتاب الصلوة باب الشعر فى المسجد]
[14] From the above-mentioned narrations from Hazrat Aishaؓ, it becomes absolutely clear that the main instigator of this fitnah was Abdullah bin Ubayy the hypocrite. Coincidentally, in the Battle of Banu Mustaliq, more hypocrites participated than in any other battle. These were the very people who vigorously propagated this slander, which also influenced many simple and sincere Muslims. The names of the Muslims who were affected, as found in the books of hadith and biography, were Sayyiduna Hassan bin Thabitؓ, Mistah bin Athathahؓ, and Hamnah bint Jahshؓ, the sister of Ummul Momineen Zainab bint Jahshؓ. According to the narration, all three were subjected to the punishment of Qadhf. However, among the hypocrites, apart from Abdullah bin Ubayy, no other name is found in the books of history and biography, nor was any of the hypocrites punished. Their matter was left to Allah.
The Role of Abdullah bin Ubayy in the Incident of Ifk:
When this fitnah was fabricated, the hypocrites, delighted, would discuss these absurd matters with great relish—some as an expression of regret, some would bring up the topic and then quietly listen, and the Muslims, upon hearing these things, some became hesitant, some remained silent, and many, upon hearing these things, would immediately reject them. And the main burden-bearer and instigator of this story, Abdullah, would gather people, incite them, and very cunningly keep himself out of it, making others spread it. In this verse, it is being stated that whoever took part in this story will receive punishment according to their share. In such circumstances, according to common human thinking, it would have been expected that Allah would seize the hypocrites with wrath for this moral decline or incite the Muslims to retaliate, but Allah, Who is the All-Knowing and All-Wise, adopted this approach: He focused all attention on teaching the Muslims that wherever there are gaps in your moral front, you should fill them and make this moral front even stronger. That is why, in this surah, many rulings regarding modesty and veiling were revealed, which are mentioned ahead.
[12] Here, from verse 11 to verse 20, ten verses related to the incident of Ifk are mentioned. These became the reason for the revelation of this surah. After initially stating the rulings and punishment for slander and false accusation of adultery, the incident begins and is commented upon. Its very beginning is with these words: ﴿اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ جَاءُوْ بالْاِفْكِ﴾ meaning, whatever rumors were spread and stories were fabricated, it is sheer falsehood and slander in which there is not even a trace of truth.
[13]
The Muslims Involved in the Incident of Ifk and the Punishment of Qadhf Upon Them:
Who were these people? Listen to this from Hazrat Aishaؓ herself: Sayyida Aishaؓ says that in this verse: ﴿وَالَّذِيْ تَوَلّٰي كِبْرَهٗ﴾ refers to Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul (the chief of the hypocrites). [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
2. Hazrat Aishaؓ says that among the Muslims, two men were spreading this storm: Mistah bin Athathah and Hassan bin Thabit, and the third was Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, the hypocrite, who would keep probing and then add his own comments. He was the main instigator of this storm, and by ﴿وَالَّذِیْ تَوَلّٰی کِبْرَہٗ﴾ he and Hamnah bint Jahsh are meant. (Except for Abdullah bin Ubayy the hypocrite, all three were subjected to the punishment of Qadhf) [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
3. It is narrated from Masruq that Hassan bin Thabit (the famous poet) went to Hazrat Aishaؓ and recited this verse: "Hisan Razan Ma Tazn Bireebah... Wa Nusbiho Ghurtha Min Luhumil Ghawaafil" (Hazrat Aisha is chaste, wise, and above all suspicion. She would rather remain hungry than consume the flesh of innocent women, i.e., slander or backbite them). Upon hearing this verse, Hazrat Aishaؓ said: "But (Hassan) you are not like that." I (Masruq) said to Hazrat Aishaؓ: "Why do you allow such a person to come who, regarding him, Allah revealed this verse: ﴿وَالَّذِيْ تَوَلّٰي كِبْرَه﴾ al-ayah." Hazrat Aishaؓ said: "What greater punishment can there be than blindness?" (Hazrat Hassan became blind in his old age.) Then she also said: "Hassan used to respond on behalf of the Messenger of Allahﷺ (to the satire of the disbelievers)." [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
Also, Abdur Rahman bin Auf says that Sayyiduna Hassan bin Thabit used to seek testimony from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairahؓ. He would say: "Abu Hurairah! I ask you by Allah, did you not hear the Messenger of Allahﷺ say: 'Hassan! Respond on behalf of the Messenger of Allah to the disbelievers. O Allah! Help Hassan with the Holy Spirit.'" Abu Hurairahؓ said: "Yes." [بخاري۔ كتاب الصلوة باب الشعر فى المسجد]
[14] From the above-mentioned narrations from Hazrat Aishaؓ, it becomes absolutely clear that the main instigator of this fitnah was Abdullah bin Ubayy the hypocrite. Coincidentally, in the Battle of Banu Mustaliq, more hypocrites participated than in any other battle. These were the very people who vigorously propagated this slander, which also influenced many simple and sincere Muslims. The names of the Muslims who were affected, as found in the books of hadith and biography, were Sayyiduna Hassan bin Thabitؓ, Mistah bin Athathahؓ, and Hamnah bint Jahshؓ, the sister of Ummul Momineen Zainab bint Jahshؓ. According to the narration, all three were subjected to the punishment of Qadhf. However, among the hypocrites, apart from Abdullah bin Ubayy, no other name is found in the books of history and biography, nor was any of the hypocrites punished. Their matter was left to Allah.
The Role of Abdullah bin Ubayy in the Incident of Ifk:
When this fitnah was fabricated, the hypocrites, delighted, would discuss these absurd matters with great relish—some as an expression of regret, some would bring up the topic and then quietly listen, and the Muslims, upon hearing these things, some became hesitant, some remained silent, and many, upon hearing these things, would immediately reject them. And the main burden-bearer and instigator of this story, Abdullah, would gather people, incite them, and very cunningly keep himself out of it, making others spread it. In this verse, it is being stated that whoever took part in this story will receive punishment according to their share. In such circumstances, according to common human thinking, it would have been expected that Allah would seize the hypocrites with wrath for this moral decline or incite the Muslims to retaliate, but Allah, Who is the All-Knowing and All-Wise, adopted this approach: He focused all attention on teaching the Muslims that wherever there are gaps in your moral front, you should fill them and make this moral front even stronger. That is why, in this surah, many rulings regarding modesty and veiling were revealed, which are mentioned ahead.
