Tafsir of An-Nur 24:14

"And were it not for the grace of Allah..."

The first lawla (in the previous verse) was for incitement (tahdid), whereas this one is for the prevention of a thing due to the existence of another (imtina’). The meaning is:

Were it not for My decree to favor you in this world with various blessings—among which is granting respite for repentance—and to show you mercy in the Hereafter through pardon and forgiveness, I would have hastened the punishment upon you for the Ifk (slander) you engaged in.

It is said: afada fi al-hadith (he poured forth in speech), indafa’a (he rushed into it), hadaba (he spoke at length), and khada (he waded into it).

"When you were receiving it with your tongues..."

This is an adverbial phrase for "the punishment would have touched you," or for "you would have been touched by..."

Talaqqawnahu (receiving it): Some of you take it from others. It is said: talaqqa al-qawl, talaqqanahu, and talaqqafahu. From this is the Almighty’s saying: "Then Adam received (fatalaqqa) from his Lord words."

It is also recited according to the original form: tatalaqqawnahu, and idh talaqqawnahu with the assimilation of the dhal into the ta. Other readings include: talaqqawnahu (from laqiyahu meaning to snatch), tulaqqawnahu (from casting it to one another), and talaqqawnahu and ta’allaqawnahu (from walaq and alaq, which means lying). The reading talaqqawnahu is narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). Sufyan said: "I heard my mother recite: idh tathqafunahu (when you encounter it)," and her father used to recite according to the reading of Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him).

"And saying with your mouths that of which you have no knowledge..."

If you ask: What is the meaning of "with your mouths," when speech can only be with the mouth?

I say: The meaning is that a known thing is established in the heart, and the tongue translates it. This Ifk was merely speech running upon your tongues and circulating in your mouths without being a translation of knowledge in the heart, as in the Almighty’s saying: "They say with their mouths what is not in their hearts."

"And you thought it was insignificant, while with Allah it is great."

Meaning: You considered it a minor matter, while with Allah it is a major sin and a cause for punishment. It is narrated that someone was distressed at the time of death, and when asked why, he said: "I fear a sin that I did not consider significant, yet it is great in the sight of Allah." It is said in some traditions: "Do not call any of your sins insignificant, for it may be a palm tree in the sight of Allah, while it is but a speck to you."

He described them as committing three sins and linked the touching of great punishment to them:

1. Receiving the Ifk with their tongues: A man would meet another and ask, "What news do you have?" and then narrate the Ifk until it spread and became widespread, reaching every house and gathering.
2. Speaking of that which they have no knowledge.
3. Their trivializing of it, when it is one of the greatest of major sins.

"And why, when you heard it, did you not say: 'It is not for us to speak of this. Exalted are You, this is a great slander!'"