:and (remember) when the prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his wives (hafsah), so when she told it (to another, i.e., ‘aa`ishah ), and allaah made it known to him, he informed part thereof and left a part. then when he told her (hafsah) thereof, she said: ‘who told you this?’ he said, ‘the all-knower, the all-aware (allaah) has told me.’ ” [al-tahreem 66:3 – interpretation of the meaning]

al-qaasimi (may allaah have mercy on him) said in mahaasin al-ta’weel:

“ ‘and remember when the prophet’ refers to muhammad (peace and blessings of allaah be upon him). ‘to one of his wives’ refers to hafsah. ‘a matter in confidence’ means that she was not allowed to disclose it, or what he forbade for himself although allaah had allowed it. ‘when she told it’ means that she told the secret to her companion (‘aa`ishah ). ‘allaah made it known to him’ means that allaah told him what hafsah had told ‘aa`ishah . ‘he informed part thereof’ means that he told her part of what she had divulged as a rebuke; ‘and left a part’ means that he did not say some of it, out of respect to her.”

it is noted in al-ikleel: “the aayah indicates that there is nothing wrong with speaking in a secretive way to one whom you trust such as a spouse or friend, and that he or she is obliged to keep the secret. the aayah also indicates good treatment of wives, gentleness when rebuking and refraining from seeking out every fault.” (mahaasin al-ta’weel, 16/222)

al-hasan said: “no noble person will pick on every little fault.” sufyaan said: “turning a blind eye is the action of noble people.”