[24].Surah An-Nur [The Light]: Ayat 4- 5

৪. যাহার সাধ্বী রমনীর প্রতি অপবাদ আরোপ করে এবং চারজন সাক্ষী উপস্থিত করে না, তাহাদেরকে আশিটি কষাঘাত করিবে এবং কখনও তাহাদের সাক্ষ গ্রহন করিবে না, তাহারাইতো সত্যত্যাগী।
৫. তবে যদি ইহার পর উহারা তওবা করে ও নিজেদের সংশোধন করে, আল্লাহতো অতিশয় ক্ষমাশীল, পরম দয়ালু।

Ayat 4. And those who accuse chaste women, and produce not four witnesses, flog them with eighty stripes, and reject their testimony forever, they indeed are the Fasiqun (liars, rebellious, disobedient to Allah).

Ayat 5. Except those who repent thereafter and do righteous deeds, (for such) verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

 

[Tafseer] of ayat 4. And those who launch a charge against chaste women, and produce not four witnesses (to support their allegations),- flog them with eighty stripes; and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked transgressors;- The most serious notice is taken of people who put forward slanders or scandalous suggestions about women without adequate evidence. If anything is said against a woman's chastity, it should be supported by evidence twice as strong as would ordinarily be required for business transactions, or even in murder cases. That is, four witnesses would be required instead of two. Failing such preponderating evidence, the slanderer should himself be treated as a wicked transgressor and punished with eighty stripes. Not only would he be subjected to this disgraceful form of punishment, but he would be deprived of the citizen's right of giving evidence in all matters all his life, unless he repents and reforms, in which case he can be readmitted to be a competent witness. (The verse lays down the punishment for slandering "chaste women", which by consensus of opinion also covers slandering chaste men. Chaste women have been specially mentioned, according to Commentators, because slandering them is more abhorrent. In ayat 5. Unless they repent thereafter and mend (their conduct); for Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful. The punishment of stripes is inflicted in any case for unsupported slander. But the deprivation of the civic right of giving evidence can be cancelled by the man's subsequent conduct, if he repents, shows that he is sorry for what he did, and that he would not in future support by his statement anything for which he has not the fullest evidence. Secular courts do not enforce these principles, as their standards are lower than those which good Muslims set for themselves, but good Muslims must understand and act on the underlying principles, which protect the honour of womanhood. Abu Hanifah considers that neither the stripes nor the incompetence for giving future evidence is cancelled by repentance, but only the spiritual stigma of being "wicked transgressors". This of course is the more serious punishment, though it cannot be enforced in the Courts. 

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) said, "Keep away from the seven fatalities.'' It was asked: "What are they, O Messenger of Allah?'' He [SAWW](PBUH) replied, "Associating anything with Allah in worship (i.e., committing an act of Shirk), sorcery, killing of one whom Allah has declared inviolable without a just cause, devouring the property of an orphan, the eating of usury (Riba), fleeing from the battlefield and accusing chaste believing women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity.''

[Al-Bukhari Book 04,Chapter 51, Hadith # 028] 

Lesson : as mentioned above in Surah An-Nur Ayat 04."those who accuse chaste women" All the sins mentioned in the Hadith are major sins but Shirk is the greatest of all. The reason behind this is that it will never be pardoned, and one who commits it, will abide in Hell for all eternity. So far as the other major sins are concerned with Allah, He may forgive them if He so wills; otherwise one who is guilty of such sins will have to suffer the torments of Hell. He will, however, be sent to Jannah after suffering the punishment if he is a Muslim.