concerning them:
“Whoever among you commits a manifest indecency will have her punishment doubled.”
[Surah al-Ahzāb: 30]
Purification from sin occurs either when the servant refrains from committing it or when he repents of it, as in His words:
“Take charity from their wealth to purify them and cause them to grow thereby.”
[Surah al-Tawbah: 103]
[But] (1) the purity that Allah commands and wills from the outset entails His prohibition of indecency; it does not entail permitting it under any circumstances. Rather, Glorified is He, He forbids it and commands anyone who commits it to repent of it.
It is authentically reported that the Prophet used to say:
“O Allah, set me far apart from my sins (2), just as You have set the east far apart from the west. Wash me with snow, hail, and cold water. O Allah, cleanse me of sins just as a white garment is cleansed of stains” (3).
It is recorded in the two Sahih collections that, during the incident of the slander, he said to Aisha—may Allah be pleased with her—before the Prophet learned of her innocence, when he had become doubtful about her situation:
“O Aisha, if you are innocent, Allah will surely vindicate you; but if you have committed [a sin] (4)