Tafsir of An-Nur 24:19

"Indeed, those who love" (meaning those who desire and intend) "that the immorality should spread" (meaning, that it should become widespread—the quality that is excessive in ugliness, namely, calumny and the accusation of adultery, or the act of adultery itself, as has been narrated from Qatada. The intent behind its spreading is the spreading of the news of it) "among those who have believed" (this is connected to "spread," meaning it spreads among them. The believers were mentioned because they are the foundation among them, or it is connected to an implied element, making it a state of the immorality, meaning: existing regarding the believers and their affairs. The intended meaning is the chaste men and the chaste women, as has been narrated from Ibn Abbas) "will have a painful punishment" because of that "in this world" (from the trials that afflict them, such as paralysis or blindness) "and" (in) "the Hereafter" (from the punishment of the Fire and the like).

The attribution of this to the act of loving is evident according to what has been transmitted from al-Kirmani: that a servant is held accountable for the evil deeds of the heart—such as malice, envy, and the love for the spreading of immorality—if he habituates himself to them. From the verse, one learns in the most complete way the evil state of those concerning whom it was revealed, such as Ibn Ubayy and those who agreed with him in heart and deed, and that they have the fullest portion of both punishments, as they loved the spreading and they spread it.

Some have said: The intent behind "loving the spreading" is "the spreading itself," based on the context of the punishment being contingent upon it, for punishment is not contingent upon mere love, which is not subject to choice. If it is conceded that the love meant here is that which falls under choice—being of that which warrants punishment—we respond: that is the punishment of the Hereafter, not the worldly punishment like the legal penalty (hadd). Ibn Abbas and Ibn Jubayr interpreted the "painful punishment in this world" here as the legal penalty, which is not contingent upon love absolutely, by consensus. Hence, it has also been said: mentioning love is a case of iktifa (sufficiency)—mentioning the thing, which is the spreading, by mentioning its motive—to alert one to the strength of that motive. It is also said: the discourse is based on tadmin (inclusion), meaning they spread the immorality while loving its spreading, because both meanings—love and spreading—are intended.

The interpretation of the "painful punishment in this world" as the legal penalty has been questioned on the basis that it cannot be joined with the "painful punishment in the Hereafter," because legal penalties act as expiations. It was answered that the ruling of the verse is specific to those who spread this regarding the Mother of the Believers. Others have said: The penalty is for those among the Muslims who transmitted the slander, and the punishment of the Hereafter is for their leader, Ibn Ubayy. The relative pronoun refers generally to both. Furthermore, there is disagreement regarding whether legal penalties are absolutely expiatory; some affirm it for all except apostasy, some deny it, and some suspend judgment due to the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "I do not know whether the legal penalties are expiations for their people or not."

Perhaps what is most appropriate for the sequence of the noble text in disparaging the wrongdoers in the slander who spread it is what we mentioned first. The relative pronoun is either specific to them—as a reference to an external instance, as narrated from Mujahid and Ibn Zayd, with the use of the present tense in the relative clause indicating the increase of their disparagement, in that their love for the spreading of immorality has become a continuous habit—or it is general for them and others, for everyone described by the content of the clause, based on the intent of the gender/type, in which case those spreaders enter into it primarily, as has been said.

"And Allah knows" all matters, among which is what is in the consciences regarding the aforementioned love, and likewise the aspect of wisdom in intensifying the threat, "while you do not know" what He, glory be to Him and Exalted, knows. This sentence is an intercalated tail-piece (tadhyil) brought to confirm the establishment of punishment for them and to provide the reasoning for it. It is said: The meaning is, "And Allah knows what is in their consciences, so He will punish them for it in the Hereafter, while you do not know that; rather, you know what appears to you of their words, so punish them for it in this world."