Surah An-Nur: (23) "Indeed, those who accuse..."

"Indeed, those who accuse chaste women"—the explanation of this has already preceded—"who are unaware [of the accusations against them]"—meaning that it never even crossed their minds, because they are naturally inclined toward goodness and created from an element of purity. There is a degree of indication of perfect integrity in this description that is not present in [the term] "chaste women."

"The believing women"—that is, those characterized by belief in everything that is required to be believed in, including obligations, prohibitions, and other matters, with a true and detailed faith. This is indicated by the fact that "believing women" follows the previous descriptions, despite faith being a fundamental attribute. This serves to signal that what is intended here is the descriptive meaning that expresses what has been mentioned, rather than the nominal meaning that merely permits the application of the name in a general sense, as would be understood if it had been placed earlier. This is as stated in Irshad al-'Aql al-Salim.

Based on this, it is inferred that the intent behind this is Aisha the Truthful (al-Siddiqah), may Allah be pleased with her. A report indicating this has been narrated from Ibn Abbas and Ibn Jubayr. The use of the plural in this context is based on the fact that accusing her is an accusation against all the Mothers of the Believers, due to their shared integrity and their relationship to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. A parallel to this is the plural usage of "the messengers" in His saying, the Almighty: "The people of Noah denied the messengers."

It is also said that the intent is the Mothers of the Believers, and thus the Truthful one is included among them with primary precedence. Support for this has been narrated from Abu al-Jawza' and al-Dahhak. It has also come from Ibn Abbas in a way that suggests this; Sa'id ibn Mansur, Ibn Jarir, al-Tabarani, and Ibn Marduyah recorded that when he (Ibn Abbas) recited Surah An-Nur and explained it, upon reaching this verse, "Indeed, those who...," he said: "This is concerning Aisha and the wives of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He did not grant repentance to those who did this, while He granted repentance to those who accused any woman from among the believing women other than the wives of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace." Then he recited: "And those who accuse chaste women and then do not produce four witnesses..." up to His saying: "Except for those who repent."

The outward meaning of this is that the repentance of one who slanders one of the pure wives—may Allah be pleased with them—is not accepted. Indeed, it has been narrated from him in some accounts that he explicitly stated the non-acceptance of the repentance of one who engaged in the affair of Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her. Perhaps this was intended as hyperbole to emphasize the gravity of the slander (al-ifk), as we mentioned earlier. Otherwise, the apparent meaning of the verses is the acceptance of their repentance, and some of those who engaged in it, such as Mistah, Hassan, and Hamnah, did repent; had they known their repentance would not be accepted, they would not have repented.

Yes, the apparent meaning of this verse—based on what you have heard regarding the intent of the one described with those attributes—is the kufr (disbelief) of one who accuses the Mothers of the Believers, may Allah be pleased with them. This is because Allah, the Almighty, has assigned to the act of accusing them punishments specific to the disbelievers and the hypocrites, for He, the Glorified, said: "Cursed [are they] in this world and the Hereafter"—that is, because of their accusation against them, they are cursed by those who curse and by the angels in both realms—"and they will have a great punishment."

(23) "Terrifying, the extent of which cannot be measured, due to the extreme magnitude of the crime they have committed."