Further Discipline
This is further discipline, in addition to the command to think well of people, i.e., if something unbefitting is mentioned about good people, then one should think well of them, and not feel towards them anything but good. Then if a person has any unsuitable thoughts about them, insinuated into his mind and imagination by Shaytan, he should not speak about that, for the Prophet said:
«إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى تَجَاوَزَ لِأُمَّتِي عَمَّا حَدَّثَتْ بِهِ أَنْفُسُهَا مَا لَمْ تَقُلْ أَوْ تَعْمَلْ»
(Allah will excuse my Ummah for anything that occurs to their minds, so long as they do not speak about it or act upon it.) This was reported in the Two Sahihs. Allah's saying:
وَلَوْلا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ قُلْتُمْ مَّا يَكُونُ لَنَآ أَن نَّتَكَلَّمَ بِهَـذَا
(And why did you not, when you heard it, say: "It is not right for us to speak of this".) meaning, we should not talk about it or mention it to anyone.
سُبْحَـنَكَ هَـذَا بُهْتَـنٌ عَظِيمٌ
(Glory be to You (O Allah)! This is a great lie.) means, glory be to Allah that such a thing should be said about the wife of His Prophet and close Friend . Then Allah says,
يَعِظُكُمُ اللَّهُ أَن تَعُودُواْ لِمِثْلِهِ أَبَداً
(Allah forbids you from it and warns you not to repeat the like of it forever, ) meaning, Allah is forbidding you and warning you from doing anything like this again in the future. Allah says,
إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
(if you are believers.) meaning, if you believe in Allah and His Laws, and you respect His Messenger . As for those who are described as disbelievers, a different ruling applies in their case. Then Allah says,
وَيُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الاٌّيَـتِ
(And Allah makes the Ayat plain to you,) meaning, He makes clear to you the rulings of Shari`ah and His divine decrees.
وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
(and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.) means, He knows what is right for His servants and He is Wise in His Laws and decrees.
And God clarifies for you the signs through commands and prohibitions and God is Knower of what He enjoins and what He prohibits Wise therein.
ويبين الله لكم الآيات المشتملة على الأحكام الشرعية والمواعظ، والله عليم بأفعالكم، حكيم في شرعه وتدبيره.
ثم قال تعالى "ويبين الله لكم الآيات" أي يوضح لكم الأحكام الشرعية والحكم القدرية "والله عليم حكيم" أي عليم بما يصلح عباده حكيم في شرعه وقدره.
وقوله - تعالى - ( وَيُبَيِّنُ الله لَكُمُ الآيات والله عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ) إبراز لما فضل به - سبحانه - عليهم من تعليم وتوجيه وحسن تربية .أى : ويبين الله - تعالى - لكم الآيات التى تسعدكم فى دنياكم وآخرتكم متى اتبعتم ما اشتملت عليه من آداب وأحكام ، والله - تعالى - " عليم " بأحوال خلقه " حكيم " فى جميع ما يأمر به ، أو ينهى عنه .
حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال: قال ابن زيد، في قوله: ( وَيُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الآيَاتِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ) قال: والذي هو خير لنا من هذا، أن الله أعلمنا هذا لكيلا نقع فيه، لولا أن الله أعلمناه لهلكنا كما هلك القوم، أن يقول الرجل: أنا سمعته ولم أخترقه (12) ولم أتقوله، فكان خيرًا حين أعلمناه الله، لئلا ندخل في مثله أبدا، وهو عند الله عظيم وقوله: ( وَيُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الآيَاتِ ): ويفصّل الله لكم حججه عليكم بأمره ونهيه، ليتبين المطيع له منكم من العاصي، والله عليم بكم وبأفعالكم، لا يخفى عليه شيء، وهو مجاز المحسن منكم بإحسانه، والمسيء بإساءته، حكيم في تدبير خلقه، وتكليفه ما كلَّفهم من الأعمال وفرضه ما فرض عليهم من الأفعال.--------------------------الهوامش :(12) اخترق الكذب : مثل اخترعه ، وافتعله ، وصنعه .
(ويبين الله لكم الآيات ) في الأمر والنهي ، ( والله عليم ) بأمر عائشة وصفوان ، ( حكيم ) حكم ببراءتهما .
وَيُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآَيَاتِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ (18){ ويبين الله لكم الآيات } أي يجعلها لكم واضحة الدلالة على المقصود والآيات : آيات القرآن النازلة في عقوبة القذف وموعظة الغافلين عن المحرمات .ومناسبة التذكير بصفتي العلم والحكمة ظاهرة .
{ وَيُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ } المشتملة على بيان الأحكام، والوعظ، والزجر، والترغيب، والترهيب، يوضحها لكم توضيحا جليا. { وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ } أي: كامل العلم عام الحكمة، فمن علمه وحكمته، أن علمكم من علمه، وإن كان ذلك راجعا لمصالحكم في كل وقت.
Criticism may therefore be legitimate or illegitimate. While the former is supported by strong arguments, the latter lacks any factual basis and must be refrained from. In practice, when it is an opponent against whom allegations are made, no great need is felt for any further investigation. The allegations are unquestioningly accepted and the story is spread far and wide. This is not only irresponsible, but is also a serious offence, which is punishable both in this world and the world Hereafter.
وَلَوْلَا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ قُلْتُم مَّا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَن نَّتَكَلَّمَ بِهَـٰذَا سُبْحَانَكَ هَـٰذَا بُهْتَانٌ عَظِيمٌ
And why, when you heard of it, did you not say, It is not for us to speak about this. Pure are You (0 Allah). This is a terrible calumny.' - 24:16.
In this verse the same advice is repeated which was imparted in an earlier verse, with further elaboration as to what should the Muslims do in such a situation when they hear a rumor. The advice is that they should say in categorical terms that they are not allowed even to mention such a thing for which there is no proof. It is a very grave accusation.
A doubt and its answer
If someone has a doubt that just as the truth of an event cannot be verified without a proof, and hence it is unlawful to mention it and spread it, likewise, the report of that event should not be believed to be a lie and a 'terrible calumny' without a proof of its being a lie. The answer to this doubt is that it is the integral spirit of Islam to consider every Muslim as free from sins, and this is based on reasoning. Anything contrary to this proven reality is a lie if put forward without a proof, and no further proof is required to prove this assertion a lie. This is enough to call it a slander if a believer Muslim is blamed for a crime without proof.
(And He expoundeth unto you His revelations) detailing the commands and prohibitions. (Allah is Knower) He knows what you say, (Wise) regarding the legal punishments He imposes on you.
Further Discipline
This is further discipline, in addition to the command to think well of people, i.e., if something unbefitting is mentioned about good people, then one should think well of them, and not feel towards them anything but good. Then if a person has any unsuitable thoughts about them, insinuated into his mind and imagination by Shaytan, he should not speak about that, for the Prophet said:
«إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى تَجَاوَزَ لِأُمَّتِي عَمَّا حَدَّثَتْ بِهِ أَنْفُسُهَا مَا لَمْ تَقُلْ أَوْ تَعْمَلْ»
(Allah will excuse my Ummah for anything that occurs to their minds, so long as they do not speak about it or act upon it.) This was reported in the Two Sahihs. Allah's saying:
وَلَوْلا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ قُلْتُمْ مَّا يَكُونُ لَنَآ أَن نَّتَكَلَّمَ بِهَـذَا
(And why did you not, when you heard it, say: "It is not right for us to speak of this".) meaning, we should not talk about it or mention it to anyone.
سُبْحَـنَكَ هَـذَا بُهْتَـنٌ عَظِيمٌ
(Glory be to You (O Allah)! This is a great lie.) means, glory be to Allah that such a thing should be said about the wife of His Prophet and close Friend . Then Allah says,
يَعِظُكُمُ اللَّهُ أَن تَعُودُواْ لِمِثْلِهِ أَبَداً
(Allah forbids you from it and warns you not to repeat the like of it forever, ) meaning, Allah is forbidding you and warning you from doing anything like this again in the future. Allah says,
إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
(if you are believers.) meaning, if you believe in Allah and His Laws, and you respect His Messenger . As for those who are described as disbelievers, a different ruling applies in their case. Then Allah says,
وَيُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الاٌّيَـتِ
(And Allah makes the Ayat plain to you,) meaning, He makes clear to you the rulings of Shari`ah and His divine decrees.
وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
(and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.) means, He knows what is right for His servants and He is Wise in His Laws and decrees.
And God clarifies for you the signs through commands and prohibitions and God is Knower of what He enjoins and what He prohibits Wise therein.
ويبين الله لكم الآيات المشتملة على الأحكام الشرعية والمواعظ، والله عليم بأفعالكم، حكيم في شرعه وتدبيره.
ثم قال تعالى "ويبين الله لكم الآيات" أي يوضح لكم الأحكام الشرعية والحكم القدرية "والله عليم حكيم" أي عليم بما يصلح عباده حكيم في شرعه وقدره.
وقوله - تعالى - ( وَيُبَيِّنُ الله لَكُمُ الآيات والله عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ) إبراز لما فضل به - سبحانه - عليهم من تعليم وتوجيه وحسن تربية .أى : ويبين الله - تعالى - لكم الآيات التى تسعدكم فى دنياكم وآخرتكم متى اتبعتم ما اشتملت عليه من آداب وأحكام ، والله - تعالى - " عليم " بأحوال خلقه " حكيم " فى جميع ما يأمر به ، أو ينهى عنه .
حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال: قال ابن زيد، في قوله: ( وَيُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الآيَاتِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ) قال: والذي هو خير لنا من هذا، أن الله أعلمنا هذا لكيلا نقع فيه، لولا أن الله أعلمناه لهلكنا كما هلك القوم، أن يقول الرجل: أنا سمعته ولم أخترقه (12) ولم أتقوله، فكان خيرًا حين أعلمناه الله، لئلا ندخل في مثله أبدا، وهو عند الله عظيم وقوله: ( وَيُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الآيَاتِ ): ويفصّل الله لكم حججه عليكم بأمره ونهيه، ليتبين المطيع له منكم من العاصي، والله عليم بكم وبأفعالكم، لا يخفى عليه شيء، وهو مجاز المحسن منكم بإحسانه، والمسيء بإساءته، حكيم في تدبير خلقه، وتكليفه ما كلَّفهم من الأعمال وفرضه ما فرض عليهم من الأفعال.--------------------------الهوامش :(12) اخترق الكذب : مثل اخترعه ، وافتعله ، وصنعه .
(ويبين الله لكم الآيات ) في الأمر والنهي ، ( والله عليم ) بأمر عائشة وصفوان ، ( حكيم ) حكم ببراءتهما .
وَيُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآَيَاتِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ (18){ ويبين الله لكم الآيات } أي يجعلها لكم واضحة الدلالة على المقصود والآيات : آيات القرآن النازلة في عقوبة القذف وموعظة الغافلين عن المحرمات .ومناسبة التذكير بصفتي العلم والحكمة ظاهرة .
{ وَيُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ } المشتملة على بيان الأحكام، والوعظ، والزجر، والترغيب، والترهيب، يوضحها لكم توضيحا جليا. { وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ } أي: كامل العلم عام الحكمة، فمن علمه وحكمته، أن علمكم من علمه، وإن كان ذلك راجعا لمصالحكم في كل وقت.
Criticism may therefore be legitimate or illegitimate. While the former is supported by strong arguments, the latter lacks any factual basis and must be refrained from. In practice, when it is an opponent against whom allegations are made, no great need is felt for any further investigation. The allegations are unquestioningly accepted and the story is spread far and wide. This is not only irresponsible, but is also a serious offence, which is punishable both in this world and the world Hereafter.
وَلَوْلَا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ قُلْتُم مَّا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَن نَّتَكَلَّمَ بِهَـٰذَا سُبْحَانَكَ هَـٰذَا بُهْتَانٌ عَظِيمٌ
And why, when you heard of it, did you not say, It is not for us to speak about this. Pure are You (0 Allah). This is a terrible calumny.' - 24:16.
In this verse the same advice is repeated which was imparted in an earlier verse, with further elaboration as to what should the Muslims do in such a situation when they hear a rumor. The advice is that they should say in categorical terms that they are not allowed even to mention such a thing for which there is no proof. It is a very grave accusation.
A doubt and its answer
If someone has a doubt that just as the truth of an event cannot be verified without a proof, and hence it is unlawful to mention it and spread it, likewise, the report of that event should not be believed to be a lie and a 'terrible calumny' without a proof of its being a lie. The answer to this doubt is that it is the integral spirit of Islam to consider every Muslim as free from sins, and this is based on reasoning. Anything contrary to this proven reality is a lie if put forward without a proof, and no further proof is required to prove this assertion a lie. This is enough to call it a slander if a believer Muslim is blamed for a crime without proof.
(And He expoundeth unto you His revelations) detailing the commands and prohibitions. (Allah is Knower) He knows what you say, (Wise) regarding the legal punishments He imposes on you.