An-Nur 24:12

<h2>Disciplining the Believers for spreading the Slander</h2><p>Here Allah disciplines the believers with regard to the matter of `A'ishah, because some of them spread this evil talk and the slander that had been mentioned. So Allah says:</p><p>لَّوْلا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ</p><p>(Why then, when you heard it,) meaning, the talk which accused the Mother of the believers, may Allah be pleased with her,</p><p>ظَنَّ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتُ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ خَيْراً</p><p>(the believers, men and women, think good of their own people) means, why did they not compare what was said to themselves -- if it was not befitting for them then it was even less appropriate for the Mother of the believers, and she was more likely to be innocent. Or it was said that this was revealed about Abu Ayyub Khalid bin Zayd Al-Ansari and his wife, may Allah be pleased with them. Imam Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar narrated, "The wife of Abu Ayyub Khalid bin Zayd Al-Ansari, Umm Ayyub, said to him, `O Abu Ayyub, have you heard what the people are saying about `A'ishah' He said, `Yes, and it is all lies. Would you do that, O Umm Ayyub' She said, `No, by Allah, I would not do that.' He said, `And by Allah, …

Why did not the believers, men and women, when ye heard it, think good of their own own folk, and say: It is a manifest untruth?

Why did not the believers - men and women - when ye heard of the affair,- put the best construction on it in their own minds and say, "This (charge) is an obvious lie"?

Why then, did not the believers, men and women, when you heard it (the slander) think good of their own people and say: "This (charge) is an obvious lie?"

Why, when you heard about it, the believing men and women did not think well of one another, and say, “This is an obvious lie”?