Slander and defamation are among the most destructive social wrongs because these can ruin an innocent person’s honour, relationships, livelihood, and peace of mind with words that may be completely false. A rumour, accusation, edited clip, or careless forward can travel far beyond the speaker’s control and leave damage that is difficult to repair. In our age of social media, the responsibility is even greater—before speaking, sharing, or forwarding something harmful about another person, we should verify it, question its necessity, and remember that destroying a reputation can be far easier than restoring one. Islam therefore treats honour as something sacred: accusations require evidence, gossip is condemned, and believers are taught not to pass on what they do not truly know.
More than men, it is the chastity and honour of women which is deeply scared when she is slandered or defamed. So much so even the wife of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was slandered with an intent of defaming her and tarnishing the image of the family of the Prophet ﷺ. We share today the 26th verse of Surah 24. An-Nūr that comes in the aftermath of the terrible slander against ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ. It is therefore not merely a statement about “good people marrying good people”; it is also a declaration about purity, slander, reputation, and the moral incompatibility between filthy accusations and innocent people.
الْخَبِيثَاتُ لِلْخَبِيثِينَ وَالْخَبِيثُونَ لِلْخَبِيثَاتِ ۖ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ لِلطَّيِّبِينَ وَالطَّيِّبُونَ لِلطَّيِّبَاتِ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ مُبَرَّءُونَ مِمَّا يَقُولُونَ ۖ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ
“Impure women are for impure men, and impure men for impure women; and pure women are for pure men, and pure men for pure women. Those are innocent of what people say. For them is forgiveness and an honourable provision.” — Qur’an 24:26
The context: the Incident of Ifk
The passage 24:11–26 addresses the Hadith al-Ifk—the “Great Slander.” ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها was falsely accused of immorality after becoming separated from the returning caravan and being escorted back by the Companion Ṣafwān ibn al-Muʿaṭṭal. Rumours spread in Madinah. This was a classic case of spread of slandering and defamation when even some people repeated what they had heard without evidence.
Note: You may refer to our reference page on Selected Verses from Qur'an: Slandering, False Accusations and Sins to know more about the subject of slandering.
Allah then revealed a series of verses condemning the slander and vindicating ʿĀ’ishah. So when 24:26 ends with:
أُولَٰئِكَ مُبَرَّءُونَ مِمَّا يَقُولُونَ “Those are innocent of what they say.”
This part of the verse strongly links the verse to the accusations that had just been discussed. This context is crucial.
What exactly does “the impure are for the impure” mean?
The Arabic terms الخبيثات — al-khabīthāt and الطيبات — al-ṭayyibāt can carry more than one shade of meaning. They can refer to: (1) impure and pure people, or (2) impure and pure words/statements.
Classical scholars discussed both readings
1. Ibn Kathīr Ibn Kathīr reports interpretations from the early Muslims that evil words belong to evil people, while good words belong to good people. This fits the context very naturally: obscene accusations against ʿĀ’ishah were unworthy of her character. He also recognizes the broader sense that morally pure men and women are suited to one another.
The decisive part is: “They are innocent of what they say.”
In context, this is an emphatic declaration that people such as ʿĀ’ishah and Ṣafwān were innocent of the filthy accusations being made against them.
2. Al-Ṭabarī Al-Ṭabarī records both interpretations but gives serious attention to the understanding that the verse concerns evil speech and good speech, especially because of the preceding discussion of slander. In that reading: Filthy speech belongs to filthy people; pure speech belongs to people of purity. That does not exclude the broader moral principle, but it prevents the verse from being reduced to a simplistic marriage formula.
3. Maududi Maududi emphasizes the moral incongruity of such accusations against the Prophet's household. His point is essentially: How could someone properly understand the character of the Prophet ﷺ and his household and still readily believe such an accusation?
Some commentators have interpreted this verse to mean that evil things are for the evil people and good things for the good people: the good people are free from the evil things which the wicked people utter about them. Some others have interpreted it to mean that evil deeds only go with evil people and good deeds with good people: the pious people are free from the evil deeds which the wicked people ascribe to them. Still others interpret it to mean that evil and filthy talk is indulged in only by the evil and filthy people and good and pious talk only by the good and pious people: the pious people are free from the sort of talk that these mischievous' people are indulging in. The words of the verse are comprehensive and can be interpreted in any of the three ways, but the first meaning that strikes the reader is the one that we have adopted above, and the same fits in more meaningfully with the context than others.
The verse therefore calls people to judge accusations against the broader evidence of character, not merely gossip.
4. Yusuf Ali Yusuf Ali interprets the verse as expressing a natural moral affinity: purity belongs with purity, and corruption with corruption. But again, in the immediate context, its force lies especially in the vindication of those falsely accused.
A common misunderstanding
24:26 should not be turned into an absolute rule saying: “Every righteous person will necessarily marry a righteous spouse.”
The Qur’an itself gives counterexamples. Prophets Nūḥ and Lūṭ had wives who rejected faith, while Pharaoh—one of history's greatest tyrants—was married to the righteous Āsiyah.
So 24:26 cannot mean that Allah guarantees that every marriage will pair people of identical moral quality. Rather, the verse expresses moral compatibility and the unsuitability of filthy accusations for people known for purity, particularly within the context of the Ifk. That distinction matters.
Why does this verse matter enormously today?
Because we now live in an age in which reputation can be destroyed within minutes. The misuse of social media has destroyed lives of many innocent by posting photoshopped phots and slandering material. AI has further increase the menace by making false videos that almost look original, and those not familiar with AI techniques can easily be fooled and made to believe the false to be true.
The sequence is worth noting: (1) A rumour appears. (2) Someone forwards it. (3) A clipped video circulates. (4) A screenshot is shared without context. (5) An allegation becomes a headline, (6) And suddenly thousands of people behave as though accusation itself were evidence.
Surah An-Nūr dealt with precisely this social disease fourteen centuries ago. The surrounding passage effectively asks: Why did you repeat something for which you had no knowledge?
That principle is perhaps even more urgent in the age of WhatsApp, Facebook, X, TikTok, edited videos and AI-generated material. Therefore we must be very cautious of slandering material posted on social media, specially with regard to otherwise known people of repute and honesty. Remember:
1. An accusation is not proof
- A person's honour cannot legitimately be destroyed merely because someone made a claim.
- Islam demands evidence—especially in accusations involving sexual immorality.
- That is why Surah An-Nūr places such severe restrictions on accusations of zina.
- The principle extends beyond that specific legal category: do not convert suspicion into certainty.
2. Character matters when evaluating rumours
24:26 teaches us to ask: Is this accusation consistent with everything reliably known about this person's character?
However, this does not mean righteous-looking people can never sin. But it does mean that extraordinary accusations should not be casually believed when they contradict a long-established pattern of good character and lack credible evidence. That was part of the moral failure during the Ifk.
3. Repeating gossip can itself become wrongdoing
Many people say: “I did not invent it; I only forwarded it.” - The Qur’anic account of the Ifk destroys that excuse.
A rumour acquires destructive power precisely because ordinary people repeat it. Surah An-Nūr therefore teaches a remarkable rule for modern communication:
- Before forwarding, ask whether you actually know it to be true.
- If not, silence may itself be an act of worship.
There is also an important lesson about dignity. The final part says:
لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ “For them is forgiveness and an honourable provision.”
Human beings may attempt to stain someone's reputation, but their words do not determine that person's standing before Allah. A false accusation can damage one's public image, but it cannot make the innocent guilty before Allah. That can be profoundly comforting to anyone who has been falsely accused or misrepresented.
The deeper message of 24:26
Surah An-Nūr is concerned with protecting the moral atmosphere of society.
- Zina damages society. But false accusations of zina also damage society.
- Immorality corrupts. But so does obsession with scandal.
That is why the surah does not merely tell people: “Do not commit sexual wrongdoing.” Rather, it also tells society: “Do not destroy people's honour through suspicion, gossip and unverified accusation.” Both morality and reputation deserve protection.
A principle for our time
Before believing or forwarding something damaging about another person, ask three questions:
- Do I know this is true?
- Do I have reliable evidence?
- Would I want someone to treat my reputation this way?
That is where 24:26 becomes profoundly contemporary. Its enduring message is that purity should not be casually associated with filth, dignity should not be destroyed by gossip, and truth—not scandal—must govern how believers speak about one another.
What is being suggested here is that people in future should not credulously put their belief in any rumor that reaches them. They should carefully see as to who is being accused and on what account and whether the accusation fairly sticks on the person or not. And when there exists no trace of evidence to support the accusation, people cannot believe it just because a foolish or wicked person has uttered it.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may refer to more Selected Verses from Surah 24. An Nur (The Light), already published
You may also refer to our exclusive reference pages:
- Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
- Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects
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You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
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