Forgiveness or No Forgiveness for Those who Accuse Chaste Women

Brief description of the dubiety

In Surah al-Noor, verses 4, 5, and 23 explain some issues related to people who accuse chaste women. In verse 5 it mentions that those who accuse chaste women will be forgiven if they repent; however in verse 23 of the same chapter, it mentions that the accusers will never be forgiven, therefore these two verses appear to contradict one another because forgiveness and no forgiveness cannot be reconciled.

Detailed description of the dubiety

Contradictory Verses

Verses in which those who accuse chaste women will be forgiven if they repent

In Surah al-Noor, verses 4-5 we read the following: “As for those who accuse honourable women and do not bring four witnesses, strike them with eighty lashes, and never accept any testimony from them after that, as they are transgressors, except those who repent after that and reform, for Allah is indeed All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.” In this verse it has been explained that those who accuse chaste women will be forgiven if repent and amend their wrong ways.

Verse in which those who accuse chaste women will not be forgiven

In the same surah, verse 23 it says: “Indeed those who accuse honourable and unwary, faithful women shall be cursed in this world and the hereafter, and there shall be a great punishment for them.” In this verse it has been explained that those who accuse chaste women will not be forgiven.

A summarized response

The people who are addressed in verse 23 are only the accusers who do not repent, and the accusers who do repent are not encompassed in this verse. The difference in the verdict present in this verse and the ruling present in verse 5 does not contradict one another because verse 5 explains the outcome for those accusers who later on repent, whereas the other verse talks about those accusers who do not ask for forgiveness.

A detailed response

Pre-requisite Introduction (The role of linguistic and non-linguistic indicators in speech)

Looking at linguistic indicators

In order to determine the precise meaning of a speech and to understand the intention of the speaker, there are a number of different methods. In general, these ways are through paying attention to linguistic and non-linguistic indicators which surround the speech. What is meant by a linguistic indicator is an indicator that has been explicitly mentioned in the speech. The mentioning of such an indicator is a cause for limiting and designating the meanings of words. For example, a father says to his son: “Obtain lamb meat from the butchers.” The word meat can be applied to a number of applications such as the meat of a lamb, cow, camel, etc. Therefore the speaker added an indication (lamb) to his speech, in order to show that what he meant when he said meat is not just any type of meat, but rather a specific kind.

A linguistic indicator can itself be mentioned in two different ways: in some cases it is mentioned within that same sentence or within the time frame of that same speech; and in some cases it is not explicitly mentioned within the time frame of that speech, but rather it is possible that it was mentioned in the past or it will be mentioned in the future. For example, in the past a father told his son a number of times that he does not eat any meat other than lamb meat. Now if one day later on this individual tells his son: “Obtain meat from the butchers,” the son knows that he has to obtain lamb meat, even though there was no indication in the father’s speech this time because the father had explicitly stated in the past that he only eats lamb meat, and thus that speech was an indicator that what he means by meat is lamb meat.

Explaining two linguistic indicators on the Non-Intention of Generality

In Surah al-Noor, verse 23, it appears that a general verdict has been given in relation to those who accuse chaste women, and they have been mentioned as being worthy of Allah’s punishment. This generality of the verdict however was not the intention of Allah because two linguistic indicators exist in the speech of Allah on the non-intention of this verdict, and by paying close attention to these two indicators, the verdict of this verse becomes specific to those who accuse chaste women but then do not repent. The explanation of these two linguistic indicators will be mentioned below.

Verses explaining the acceptance of a sinner’s repentance as a linguistic indicator in understanding the intention behind verse 23 of Surah al-Noor

In other verses of the Quran, there exist linguistic indicators which help one understand the meaning of Surah al-Noor, verse 23. In these verses, a universal principle and general principles have been mentioned in relation to those who sincerely repent and ask for forgiveness for any of their sins. The Quran has always left the door of repentance and amendment of evil deeds open for the sinners, and it considers those who repent as being far away from the punishment of Allah and included within the mercy of the Almighty.

This principle has been emphasized in many verses. For example, in Surah Ale Imran, verse 135, it says: “And those who, when they commit an indecent act or wrong themselves, remember Allah and plead [for Allah’s] forgiveness for their sins - and who forgives sins except Allah? And who do not persist in what they have committed while they know.” From this verse it is understood that repentance for any sin, along with an amendment for the previous wrongdoings, is a reason for the sinners to be forgiven.

Other verses also exist with the same meaning. In Surah al-Zumar, verse 53 Allah says: “Say [that Allah declares,] ‘O My servants who have committed excesses against their own souls, do not despair from the mercy of Allah. Indeed Allah will forgive all sins. Indeed He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.” As well in Surah al-Shura, verse 25 Allah says: “And it is He who accepts the repentance of His servants, and excuses their misdeeds, and He knows what you do.”

Therefore, some of these verses which explain the acceptance of a sinner’s repentance, is another indicator for understanding the meaning of verse 23 of Surah al-Noor. In reality, by paying attention to this indicator, it is understood that this verse is only explaining the original verdict of the accusers, and it is not taking into consideration the possibility of the accuser’s repentance. In other words: when paying attention to the aforementioned indicators,  the verdict of one who has asked for forgiveness for his shortcomings has not been explained and this verse is not related to this group. The verdict of those who accused but then repented, has been explained by the verses that addressed the principle of the acceptance of repentance. However as mentioned above, in addition to these verses, verse 5 of Surah al-Noor in particular explains the forgiveness of the accusers in the case that they repent. The indication of this verse also helps clarify the meaning of verse 23 of this chapter.

How in Surah al-Noor, verse 5 is a linguistic indicator for the intended meaning of verse 23

Verse 4-5 which is explained before verse 23, is about the accusers who accuse chaste women. “As for those who accuse honourable women…except those who repent after that and reform, for Allah is indeed All-Forgiving, All-Merciful” In these verses it has been explicitly mentioned that in the case of repentance and amending the wrong, the accusers will be included in having the forgiveness of Allah. This verse constitutes a linguistic indicator in understanding the meaning of verse 23.

As was mentioned in the pre-requisite introduction, it is not necessary for a linguistic indicator to be mentioned along with the speech, rather it is possible for it to be mentioned before or after. Therefore, verse 5 is explained before verse 23 of the same chapter, and in order to understand the meaning of verse 23, it is necessary to consider this verse 5 as a linguistic indicator. The result of this which is understood with the supplement of verse 5 is that the generality of verse 23 is not the intention of Allah, and that this verse is only explaining the initial verdict of the accusers, and it is not an explanation of the verdict of the accusers who repent.

In verse 23 the apparentness is general and includes even those who repent, however in reality, in relying on verse 5 of chapter 24, the subject of the verdict of non-forgiveness is limited only to those who have not repented.

Common example

The head teacher of a school explains the universal laws of the school to the students at the beginning of the academic year and says: “Any case of lack of discipline, be it in one’s studies or behaviour, will have negative consequences for the student based on the rules, unless a justified reason is provided.” A week before the start of the exams this same head teacher says to the students: “If a student does not participate in the exams, then his results will be recorded as 0, unless he brings a justified reason.” On the day of the exam before the exam the head teacher reminds them: “Those who are absent for their exam will have a 0 recorded as a result.” This last sentence of the head teacher has a general meaning but it also includes those who provide a justified reason. All of the students however, know – based on the two previous sentences of the head teacher – that the individuals who provide a valid reason will not be included in this verdict.

The first sentence of the head teacher in this example is like the principle of the acceptance of repentance in the verses of the Quran, and the second sentence is like verse 5 of Surah al-Noor with regards to the issue that we are discussing. Just like the first two sentences of the head teacher are not in contradiction to the third sentence of the head teacher, the verses that we discussed are also not in contradiction to one another.