“When you passed it from tongue to tongue, uttering with your mouths that of which you had no knowledge, and thinking it insignificant, while in Allah’s sight it was tremendous.” (15)

“Why, when you heard it, did you not say, ‘It is not for us to speak of this. Glory be to You! This is a tremendous slander.’” (16)

“Allah admonishes you never to return to the like of it, if you are believers.” (17)

“Allah makes the signs clear to you, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” (18)

“Indeed, those who love for indecency to spread among the believers will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. Allah knows, whereas you do not know.” (19)

His saying, Most High: “When you passed it from tongue to tongue”—that is, when you uttered it—“with your tongues.” Mujahid and Muqatil said: “You relate it one from another.” Al-Kalbi said: This was because one man among them would meet another and say, “I have heard such-and-such,” thus passing it along from one another. Al-Zajjaj said: “Some of you convey it to others.”

Aishah recited it as taliqawnahu, with the lam vowelled with kasrah and the qaf ungeminated, derived from walaq (lying). “Uttering with your mouths that of which you had no knowledge, and thinking it insignificant”—that is, you thought it was an easy matter in which there was no sin—“while in Allah’s sight it was tremendous,” in its sinful burden.

“Why, when you heard it, did you not say, ‘It is not for us to speak of this. Glory be to You!’” This expression here conveys astonishment. “This is a tremendous slander”—that is, an immense lie, so monstrous that one is stunned and bewildered by its enormity.

Some reports relate that Umm Ayyub said to Abu Ayyub al-Ansari: “Have you not heard what people are saying about Aishah?” Abu Ayyub replied, “Glory be to You! This is a tremendous slander.” (1) The verse was then revealed in accordance with what he had said.

“Allah admonishes you.” Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Allah prohibits it to you.” Mujahid said: “Allah forbids you.” “Never to return to the like of it, if you are believers.” “Allah makes the signs clear to you,” regarding commands and prohibitions. “And Allah is All-Knowing,” concerning the affair of Aishah and Safwan; “All-Wise,” having ruled their innocence.

His saying, Most High: “Indeed, those who love for indecency to spread”—that is, to become manifest and for fornication to become widespread—“among the believers will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter.” This refers to Abd Allah ibn Ubayy and his hypocrite companions. The punishment in this world is the prescribed legal punishment, and in the Hereafter it is the Fire. “Allah knows” their lies, Aishah’s innocence, and what they indulged in that incurred Allah’s displeasure, “whereas you do not know.”