إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَن تَشِيعَ الْفَاحِشَةُ فِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ (19)
(24:19) As for those, who like that indecency should spread among the Believers, they deserve a painful punishment in this world and in the Hereafter, *16 for Allah knows and you do not know (its consequences). *17
*16) The direct interpretation of the verse, in the context in which it occurs, is this: "Those who cast aspersions, propagate evil, publicise it and bring Islamic morality into disrepute, deserve punishment." The words in the Text, however, comprehend all the various forms that can be employed for the propagation of evil. These include actual setting up of brothels, production of erotic stories, songs, paintings, plays and dramas as well as all kinds of mixed gatherings at clubs and hotels, which induce the people to immoralities. The Qur'an holds all those who resort to such things as criminals, who deserve punishment not only in the Hereafter but in this world as well. Accordingly it is the duty of an Islamic government to put an end to all such means of propagating immorality. Its penal law must hold all those acts as cognizable offences which the Qur'an mentions as crimes against public morality and declares the offenders punishable.
*17)
"You do not know...": "You do not visualise the full impact of individual acts on society as a whole: Allah knows best the number of people who are affected by these acts and their cumulative effect on the collective life of the community. You should accordingly trust in Him and do all you can to eradicate and suppress the evils pointed out by Him.These are not trivial matters to be treated lightly; these have very serious repercussions and the offenders must be dealt with severely."