those who came with the slander were a number of you. Do not regard it evil for you, rather it is good for you. Every person of them shall have the sin that he has earned charged to him. As for he who took upon himself the greater part there is a mightier punishment. 11 Would that on your hearing this report, the believing men and women among you had a favorable attitude towards it, and had said, "This report is clearly false". 12 Why did they not bring four witnesses to prove it? When they have not brought the witnesses, such men, in the sight of Allah, (stand forth) themselves as liars! 13 Were it not for Allah's grace and mercy towards you in this world and in the Hereafter, a painful scourge would have visited you because of the things in which you were involved. 14 When ye welcomed it with your tongues, and uttered with your mouths that whereof ye had no knowledge, ye counted it a trifle. In the sight of Allah it is very great. 15 And [once again]: Why do you not say, whenever you hear such [a rumour,] "It does not behove us to speak of this, O Thou who art limitless in Thy glory: this is an awesome calumny"? 16 Allah forbids you from it and warns you not to repeat the like of it forever, if you are believers. 17 for God makes [His] messages clear unto you - and God is all-knowing, Wise! 18 Those who love that indecency should be spread abroad concerning them that believe -- there awaits them a painful chastisement in the present world and the world to come; and God knows, and you know not. 19 And if it had not been for the favor of Allah upon you and His mercy... and because Allah is Kind and Merciful. 20