Quran Universe
24:19

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَن تَشِيعَ ٱلۡفَٰحِشَةُ فِي ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٞ فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ

Inna allatheena yuhibboona an tasheeAAa alfahishatu fee allatheena amanoo lahum AAathabun aleemun fee alddunya waalakhirati waAllahu yaAAlamu waantum la taAAlamoona

Indeed, those who like that immorality should be spread [or publicized] among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you do not know.

Word by word
  1. إِنَّIndeed
  2. ٱلَّذِينَthose who
  3. يُحِبُّونَlike
  4. أَنthat
  5. تَشِيعَ(should) spread
  6. ٱلۡفَٰحِشَةُthe immorality
  7. فِيamong
  8. ٱلَّذِينَthose who
  9. ءَامَنُواْbelieve
  10. لَهُمۡfor them
  11. عَذَابٌ(is) a punishment
  12. أَلِيمٞpainful
  13. فِيin
  14. ٱلدُّنۡيَاthe world
  15. وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۚand the Hereafter
  16. وَٱللَّهُAnd Allah
  17. يَعۡلَمُknows
  18. وَأَنتُمۡwhile you
  19. لَا(do) not
  20. تَعۡلَمُونَknow
An-Nur · 24:19Madinah

Even enjoying the spread of indecency is a sin.

The heart that likes to see others exposed

What the verse looks inside for
liking itwanting the talk to spread
among
the believerstheir names, their faults
while
Allah knowsand you do not
Where the sin starts
only if I say itfeelings do not count
even loving to hear itthe heart is part of it

Ibn Kathir calls this a third lesson for those who hear evil talk, half believe it, and start to spread it. He cites the hadith: do not seek out people's hidden faults, for whoever does so, Allah will expose his faults even inside his own house.

Someone you dislike gets caught in a scandal. You refresh the thread again and again. A small part of you is glad. This verse names that feeling. Allah knows what you do not, including the full story you are enjoying half of.

I am not spreading it, I am just following along.

Even enjoying someone's exposure is something Allah sees and weighs.

Try this

Close one thread, page or chat today that feeds you other people's scandals.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Verily, those who like that Fahishah should be circulated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you know not (19)

Disciplining Those Who Like That Illegal Sexual Intercourse Should Be Circulated Among the Believers

This is a third instance of discipline directed at those who hear evil talk, believe it to some extent, and start to spread it; they should not spread such talk or pass it on to others. Allah says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَن تَشِيعَ الْفَاحِشَةُ فِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

(Verily, those who like that Fahshah should be circulated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment) meaning, those who like to see evil talk about them (the believers) appear,

لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا

(they will have a painful torment in this world) means, because of the prescribed punishment, and in the Hereafter because of the torment in Hell.

وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

(And Allah knows and you know not.) means, return the matter to Him and you will be guided. Imam Ahmad recorded from Thawban that the Prophet ﷺ said:

لَا تُؤْذُوا عِبَادَ اللهِ وَلَا تُعَيِّرُوهُمْ، وَلَا تَطْلُبُوا عَوْرَاتِهِمْ، فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ طَلَبَ عَوْرَةَ أَخِيهِ الْمُسْلِمِ طَلَبَ اللهُ عَوْرَتَهُ، حَتَّى يَفْضَحَهُ فِي بَيْتِهِ

(Do not annoy the servants of Allah, nor abuse them, nor seek their hidden shortcomings. Whoever seeks out the faults of his Muslim brother, Allah will expose his faults and degrade him, even if he is hiding in his house.)