24. An-Nur (النور)

[This is] a Chapter which We have sent down and ordained, and sent down in it clear commandments so that you may take heed.

As for the woman and the man who commit fornication; flog each of them a hundred lashes. Do not let pity for them make you lenient concerning the law of Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let a group of the believers witness their punishment[1].

A man who fornicates would only marry[1] a woman who fornicates or a polytheist, and a woman who fornicates would only marry a man who fornicates or a polytheist. Such marriages are forbidden to the believers[2].

As for those who accuse chaste women [of adultery] but fail to produce four witnesses, flog them eighty lashes and do not accept their testimony ever, for it is they who are the rebellious,

except those who repent afterward and mend their ways, for Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

As for those who accuse their wives [of adultery] but have no witnesses except themselves, then the evidence of one of them is to testify four times by Allah that he is telling the truth[1],

and the fifth [oath] is that may Allah curse him if he is telling a lie.

But she will be spared the punishment if she testifies four times by Allah that he is telling a lie,

and the fifth [oath] is that may Allah’s wrath be upon her if he is telling the truth[1].

Were it not for Allah’s grace and mercy upon you, and that Allah is Accepting of Repentance, All-Wise, [He would have punished you][1].

Indeed, those who came up with the slander[1] are a group among you. Do not think that it is bad for you, rather it is good for you[2]. Each one of them is responsible for what he earned of the sin, and the one who played the major role[3], for him there will be a grave punishment.

If only, when you heard it, the believing men and women had thought well of one another, and said, “This is a clear slander!”

Why did they not produce four witnesses to prove it? Now, since they failed to produce witnesses, they are the liars before Allah.

Were it not for Allah’s grace and mercy upon you in this world and in the Hereafter, you would have been afflicted with a great punishment for that [lie] in which you were involved,

when you were passing it from one tongue[1] to the other, and saying with your mouths what you had no knowledge of, and were taking it lightly, whereas with Allah it was a grave offense.

If only you had said when you heard it, “How can we speak about such a thing! Glory be to You [O Allah]! This is a monstrous slander!”

Allah admonishes you not to repeat such a thing ever, if you are [truly] believers.

Allah makes the revelations clear to you, for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Indeed, those who like to see indecency[1] spread among the believers will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter; Allah knows and you do not know[2].

Were it not for Allah’s grace and mercy upon you, and that Allah is Ever Gracious, Most Merciful [He would have punished you].

O you who believe, do not follow the footsteps of Satan; whoever follows the footsteps of Satan, he only enjoins indecency and evil acts. Were it not for Allah’s grace and mercy upon you, none of you would have ever been purified. But Allah purifies whom He wills, and Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

The people of virtue and affluence among you should not swear to withhold their aid from their relatives, the needy and the emigrants in the cause of Allah. Let them pardon and overlook. Do you not like to be forgiven by Allah? For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful[1].

Those who [falsely] accuse chaste, innocent and believing women are cursed in this life and the Hereafter, and for them there will be a great punishment.

On the Day when their tongues, hands and feet will testify against them for what they used to do.

On that Day, Allah will give them the full recompense that they deserve, and they will know that it is Allah Who is the Ultimate Truth.

Evil women are for evil men and evil men for evil women, and virtuous women are for virtuous men and virtuous men for virtuous women[1]. These [virtuous ones] are innocent of what [the slanderers] say[2]; they will have forgiveness and a generous provision.

O you who believe, do not enter any house other than your own until you ask permission and greet their dwellers[1]. That is best for you, so that you may take heed.

If you do not find anyone therein, do not enter it until you have been given permission. If you are told to go back, then go back; that is more proper for you. And Allah is All-Knowing of what you do.

There is no blame on you if you enter uninhabited houses with a useful purpose[1]. And Allah knows what you reveal and what you conceal.

Tell the believing men to lower their gazes and guard their private parts[1]; that is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is All-Aware of what they do.

Tell the believing women to lower their gazes and guard their private parts, and not to reveal their beauty[1] except what appears[2]. And let them draw their veils over their chests, and not to reveal their beauty[3] except to their husbands, their fathers, their fathers-in-law, their sons, their stepsons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons or sisters’ sons, their fellow women, slaves whom they own, male attendants who have no [sexual] desire[4], or children who are still unaware of private aspects of women. Nor let them stamp their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden charm. And turn to Allah in repentance all together, O believers, so that you may be successful.

Arrange marriages for those of you who are unmarried[1], and for the righteous of your bondmen and bondwomen. If they are poor, Allah will suffice them from His bounty, for Allah is All-Bountiful, All-Knowing.

Let those who cannot afford marriage keep themselves chaste until Allah suffices them from His bounty. If any of your slaves wishes to enter the contract of emancipation[1], make this contract with them, if you find goodness in them, and give them some of the wealth that Allah has given you. Do not compel your slave girls into prostitution – if they wish to keep chaste – seeking the worldly gains of this life[2]. But if anyone compels them, then Allah, after such a compulsion, is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

We have sent down to you verses clarifying the right path, and examples of those who passed on before you, and an admonition for those who fear Allah.

Allah is the Light[1] of the heavens and earth. The likeness of His light[2] is that of a niche in which is a lamp; the lamp is in a glass; the glass is like a shining star – it is lit by [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, which is neither of the east nor of the west[3]. Its oil would almost glow, even without being touched by fire. Light upon light; Allah guides to His light whom He wills. Allah sets forth comparisons for people, and Allah is All-Knowing of everything.

[Such niches are lit] in the houses [of worship] which Allah has ordered to raise up, and where His Name is mentioned, and He is glorified therein morning and evening

by men who are not distracted by buying or selling from the remembrance of Allah, or from performing prayer or giving zakah. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be petrified.

[They hope] that Allah may reward them according to their best deeds, and give them yet more out of His bounty, for Allah gives provision to whom He wills without limit.

As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage in a plain desert, which a thirsty person deems to be water, until when he reaches it, he finds nothing, but he finds Allah there [in the Hereafter], thus He will pay him his account in full, for Allah is swift in reckoning.

Or [their deeds] are like layers of darkness in a deep sea covered by waves upon waves, above which are clouds - layers of darkness, one above another. If one stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it. Whoever Allah does not give light will have no light at all.

Do you not see that all those who are in the heavens and earth glorify Allah, as do the birds with wings outspread? Each knows its [way of] praying and glorification. And Allah is All-Knowing of what they do.

To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and earth, and to Allah is the final return.

Do you not see that Allah drives the clouds, then gathers them together, then turns them into a heap, and then you see raindrops coming out from their midst? He sends down hail from mountains [of clouds] in the sky, raining it down upon whoever He wills and turning it away from whoever He wills. The flash of its lightning almost takes away eyesight.

Allah alternates the night and day. Indeed, there is a lesson in this for people of insight.

Allah created every living creature from water. Some of them move on their bellies, and some walk on two legs and some walk on four. Allah creates what He wills. Allah is the Most Capable of all things.

We have sent down verses making things clear, and Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.

The hypocrites say, “We believe in Allah and in the Messenger, and we obey.” Then a party of them turns away after that. Such are not believers.

When they are called to Allah and His Messenger so that he may judge between them, a party of them turns away.

But if the right is in their favor, they come to him in full submission[1].

Is there sickness in their hearts, or do they have doubt, or do they fear that Allah and His messenger will be unjust to them? Rather, it is they who are the wrongdoers.

As for the believers, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger so that he may judge between them, they say, “We listen and obey.” It is they who are successful.

Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, and fears Allah and is conscious of Him – it is they who are the triumphant.

The hypocrites swear by Allah their most solemn oaths that if you order them, they will surely march forth. Say, “Do not swear, [your] obedience is well known[1]. Allah is All-Aware of what you do.”

Say, “Obey Allah and obey the Messenger. But if you turn away, he is only responsible for his duty[1] and you are responsible for your duty[2]. If you obey him, you will be guided. The duty of the Messenger is only to convey the message clearly.”

Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will make them successors in the land, as He made those who came before them, and He will surely establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them, and He will surely change their state of fear into security; that they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves[1] after that, it is they who are the rebellious.

Establish prayer, give zakah and obey the Messenger, so that you may be shown mercy.

Do not think that the disbelievers can escape in the land. Their abode will be the Fire. What a terrible destination!

O you who believe, let your slaves and those among you who have not reached puberty ask for your permission [to enter] at three times: before dawn prayer, when you take off your outer garments at noon, and after the night prayer; three times of privacy[1] for you. Beyond that there is no blame on you nor on them to move about freely, attending to one another. This is how Allah makes the verses clear to you, for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

When your children reach the age of puberty, let them ask permission [to enter], as their elders do. This is how Allah makes His verses clear to you, for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

As for elderly women who have no interest in marriage, there is no blame on them if they take off their outer garments without revealing their beauty. But if they modestly refrain from it, that is better for them. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

There is no blame on a blind person, nor on the lame, nor on the sick[1], nor on yourselves[2] if you eat from your houses or from your fathers’ houses or your mothers’ houses or your brothers’ houses or your sisters’ houses or your paternal uncles’ houses, or your paternal aunts’ houses or your maternal uncles’ houses or your maternal aunts’ houses or from the houses the keys of which are in your possession, or your friends’ houses. There is no blame on you if you eat together or separately. But when you enter houses, greet one another with greetings of peace from Allah, which is blessed and delightful. This is how Allah makes the verses clear to you, so that you may understand.

The true believers are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger. When they are with him on a public matter, they do not leave until they ask his permission. Those who ask your permission are the ones who believe in Allah and His Messenger. So when they ask your permission for a private matter, give permission to whom you will from among them, and ask Allah’s forgiveness for them, for Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Do not consider the Messenger’s summons to you as your summons to one another[1]. Allah surely knows those of you who slip away hiding behind others. So let those who disobey his command beware lest some trial[2] may afflict them or they may be afflicted with a painful punishment.

Surely to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and earth. He knows all what you do[1]. On the Day they return to Him, He will inform them of what they did. And Allah is All-Knowing of everything.