Al-Nūr: (17–18) Allah admonishes you...

This is a form of deterrent warning. The meaning is: Allah admonishes you with these admonitions through which you recognize the gravity of this sin, and that it entails punishment and chastisement in this world and torment in the Hereafter, so that you may never return to such an act, ever and always, as long as you are alive and accountable. Included under this are those who spoke [the slander] and those who heard it and did not deny it, because their state is equal in that they did what is not permissible, even if the one who initiated it bears a greater sin. Thus, it is clarified that the purpose of making them aware of this through this method is that they should not return to what they previously did. Herein lie several issues:

The Mu'tazila used the phrase, {if you are believers} as evidence that refraining from slander is part of faith (īmān), and that committing slander nullifies faith. This is because something conditioned upon a requirement ceases to exist when the condition is absent.

The Reply: This is contradicted by His saying, {Indeed, those who brought forth the falsehood were a group among you} (An-Nūr: 11), meaning, "among you, O believers." This indicates that slander does not cause one to exit the realm of faith. When contradiction is established, we interpret this verse as an intensification in admonition and deterrence.

The Mu'tazila argued that this verse indicates that Allah intended for everyone He admonishes to avoid such an act in the future, even if some of them do not obey. In this sense, it indicates that Allah wills obedience from all of them, even if they disobey. This is because His saying, {Allah admonishes you so that you may not return} means "so that you may not return to it," and this signifies intention (irādah).

The Reply: This has been addressed multiple times previously.

Is it permissible to name Allah as an Admonisher (Wāʿiẓ) based on His saying, {Allah admonishes you...}? The more apparent view is that it is not permissible, just as it is not permissible to name Him as a Teacher (Muʿallim) based on His saying, {The Most Merciful Taught the Qur'an} (Ar-Raḥmān: 1–2).

As for His saying, {And Allah makes the signs clear to you, and Allah is All-Knowing, Wise}, the meaning of the signs (al-āyāt) is that by which a person knows what they ought to adhere to. He then clarified that because He is All-Knowing (ʿAlīm) and Wise (Ḥakīm), He acts according to what must be explained, and obedience is obligatory for that reason. This is because if one is not knowledgeable, accepting their command is not obligatory, as they might command what is improper. Furthermore, if the accountable person obeys them, they might not know that they have obeyed, and thus the benefit of obedience remains absent. If one is knowledgeable but not wise, they might command what is improper. If the accountable person obeys, the obedient one might be punished, and the disobedient one rewarded, and thus the benefit of obedience remains absent. However, if one is All-Knowing and Wise, they command only what is proper and do not neglect the recompense of those deserving it. This is why He mentioned these two attributes and singled them out. Herein lie some questions:

The First Question: The Wise one is one who does not do what is improper. This is only the case if they know the ugliness of the ugly and know that they are self-sufficient (needless) of it. Thus, the All-Knowing is encompassed within the Wise, making the mention of the Wise sufficient on its own. This is according to the Mu'tazila. As for the view of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah, wisdom is knowledge alone. Therefore, mentioning the All-Knowing, the Wise, is mere repetition.

The Reply: This is interpreted as emphasis (ta’kīd).

The Second Question: The Mu'tazila argued that the verse indicates that accepting Allah’s explanation is obligatory solely because He is All-Knowing and Wise. The Wise one is one who does not commit ugly acts. Thus, the verse indicates that if He were the creator of ugly acts, it would not be permissible to rely on His promise and threat.

The Reply: Wisdom, in our view, is knowledge. Reliance on His saying is permissible because He is knowledgeable of all knowables. A truly ignorant person’s word is never relied upon.

The Third Question: The Mu'tazila argued that His saying, {Allah makes clear to you} means "for your sake," and this indicates that His actions are motivated by purposes (aghrāḍ). Furthermore, His saying {to you} cannot be taken literally, as the purpose is not their mere existence, but rather the attainment of their benefit, their obedience, and their faith. Thus, this indicates that Allah wills faith from everyone.

The Reply: What is meant is that the Exalted One did with them what, if another did it, that action would constitute a purpose.

The Seventh Type

{Indeed, those who love that immorality should spread among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows while you do not know.}