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The Light
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent,
the Merciful.
[24.1] (This is) a chapter which We have revealed and made
obligatory and in which We have revealed clear
communications that you may be mindful.
[24.2] (As for) the fornicatress and the fornicator, flog
each of them, (giving) a hundred stripes, and let not pity
for them detain you in the matter of obedience to Allah, if
you believe in Allah and the last day, and let a party of
believers witness their chastisement.
[24.3] The fornicator shall not marry any but a
fornicatress or idolatress, and (as for) the fornicatress,
none shall marry her but a fornicator or an idolater;
and it is forbidden to the believers.
[24.4] And those who accuse free women then do not bring
four witnesses, flog them, (giving) eighty stripes, and do
not admit any evidence from them ever; and
these it is that are the transgressors,
[24.5] Except those who repent after this and act aright,
for surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
[24.6] And (as for) those who accuse their wives and have
no witnesses except themselves, the evidence of one of
these (should be taken) four times, bearing
Allah to witness that he is most surely of the truthful
ones.
[24.7] And the fifth (time) that the curse of Allah be on
him if he is one of the liars.
[24.8] And it shall avert the chastisement from her if she
testify four times, bearing Allah to witness that he is
most surely one of the liars;
[24.9] And the fifth (time) that the wrath of Allah be on
her if he is one of the truthful.
[24.10] And were it not for Allah's grace upon you and His
mercy-- and that Allah is Oft-returning (to mercy), Wise!
[24.11] Surely they who concocted the lie are a party from
among you. Do not regard it an evil to you; nay, it is good
for you. Every man of them shall have what he has earned of
sin; and (as for) him who took upon himself the main part
thereof, he shall have a grievous chastisement.
[24.12] Why did not the believing men and the believing
women, when you heard it, think well of their own people,
and say: This is an evident falsehood?
[24.13] Why did they not bring four witnesses of it? But as
they have not brought witnesses they are liars before
Allah.
[24.14] And were it not for Allah's grace upon you and His
mercy in this world and the hereafter, a grievous
chastisement would certainly have touched you on
account of the discourse which you entered into.
[24.15] When you received it with your tongues and spoke
with your mouths what you had no knowledge of, and you
deemed it an easy matter while with Allah it
was grievous.
[24.16] And why did you not, when you heard it, say: It
does not beseem us that we should talk of it; glory be to
Thee! this is a great calumny?
[24.17] Allah admonishes you that you should not return to
the like of it ever again if you are believers.
[24.18] And Allah makes clear to you the communications;
and Allah is Knowing, Wise.
[24.19] Surely (as for) those who love that scandal should
circulate respecting those who believe, they shall have a
grievous chastisement in this world and the
hereafter; and Allah knows, while you do not know.
[24.20] And were it not for Allah's grace on you and His
mercy, and that Allah is Compassionate, Merciful.
[24.21] O you who believe! do not follow the footsteps of
the Shaitan, and whoever follows the footsteps of the
Shaitan, then surely he bids the doing of
indecency and evil; and were it not for Allah's grace upon
you and His mercy, not one of you would have ever been
pure, but Allah purifies whom He pleases;
and Allah is Hearing, Knowing.
[24.22] And let not those of you who possess grace and
abundance swear against giving to the near of kin and the
poor and those who have fled in Allah's way,
and they should pardon and turn away. Do you not love that
Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
[24.23] Surely those who accuse chaste believing women,
unaware (of the evil), are cursed in this world and the
hereafter, and they shall have a grievous
chastisement.
[24.24] On the day when their tongues and their hands and
their feet shall bear witness against them as to what they
did.
[24.25] On that day Allah will pay back to them in full
their just reward, and they shall know that Allah is the
evident Truth.
[24.26] Bad women .are for bad men and bad men are for bad
women. Good women are for good men and good men are for
good women
[24.27] O you who believe! Do not enter houses other than
your own houses until you have asked permission and saluted
their inmates; this is better for you, that you may be
mindful.
[24.28] But if you do not find any one therein, then do not
enter them until permission is given to you; and if it is
said to you: Go back, then go back; this is purer for you;
and Allah is Cognizant of what you do.
[24.29] It is no sin in you that you enter uninhabited
houses wherein you have your necessaries; and Allah knows
what you do openly and what you hide.
[24.30] Say to the believing men that they cast down their
looks and guard their private parts; that is purer for
them; surely Allah is Aware of what they do.
[24.31] And say to the believing women that they cast down
their looks and guard their private parts and do not
display their ornaments except what appears
thereof, and let them wear their head-coverings over their
bosoms, and not display their ornaments except to their
husbands or their fathers, or the fathers of their
husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or
their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters'
sons, or their women, or those whom their right hands
possess, or the male servants not having need
(of women), or the children who have not attained knowledge
of what is hidden of women; and let them not strike their
feet so that what they hide of their ornaments may be
known; and turn to Allah all of you, O believers! so that
you may be successful.
[24.32] And marry those among you who are single and those
who are fit among your male slaves and your female slaves;
if they are needy, Allah will make them
free from want out of His grace; and Allah is Ample-giving,
Knowing.
[24.33] And let those who do not find the means to marry
keep chaste until Allah makes them free from want out of
His grace. And (as for) those who ask for a
writing from among those whom your right hands possess,
give them the writing if you know any good in them, and
give them of the wealth of Allah which He has
given you; and do not compel your slave girls to
prostitution, when they desire to keep chaste, in order to
seek the frail good of this world's life; and
whoever compels them, then surely after their compulsion
Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
[24.34] And certainly We have sent to you clear
communications and a description of those who have passed
away before you, and an admonition to those who guard
(against evil).
[24.35] Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; a
likeness of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, the
lamp is in a glass, (and) the glass is as
it were a brightly shining star, lit from a blessed
olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof
almost gives light though fire touch it not-- light
upon light-- Allah guides to His light whom He pleases, and
Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah is Cognizant
of all things.
[24.36] In houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted
and that His name may be remembered in them; there glorify
Him therein in the mornings and the evenings,
[24.37] Men whom neither merchandise nor selling diverts
from the remembrance of Allah and the keeping up of prayer
and the giving of poor-rate; they fear a day
in which the hearts and eyes shall turn about;
[24.38] That Allah may give them the best reward of what
they have done, and give them more out of His grace; and
Allah gives sustenance to whom He pleases
without measure.
[24.39] And (as for) those who disbelieve, their deeds are
like the mirage in a desert, which the thirsty man deems to
be water; until when he comes to it he finds it to be
naught, and there he finds Allah, so He pays back to him
his reckoning in full; and Allah is quick in reckoning;
[24.40] Or like utter darkness in the deep sea: there
covers it a wave above which is another wave, above which
is a cloud, (layers of) utter darkness one
above another; when he holds out his hand, he is almost
unable to see it; and to whomsoever Allah does not give
light, he has no light.
[24.41] Do you not see that Allah is He Whom do glorify all
those who are in the heavens and the earth, and the (very)
birds with expanded wings? He knows the
prayer of each one and its glorification, and Allah is
Cognizant of what they do.
[24.42] And Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the
earth, and to Allah is the eventual coming.
[24.43] Do you not see that Allah drives along the clouds,
then gathers them together, then piles them up, so that you
see the rain coming forth from their midst? And He sends
down of the clouds that are (like) mountains wherein is
hail, afflicting therewith whom He pleases and turning it
away from whom He pleases; the flash of His lightning
almost takes away the sight.
[24.44] Allah turns over the night and the day; most surely
there is a lesson in this for those who have sight.
[24.45] And Allah has created from water every living
creature: so of them is that which walks upon its belly,
and of them is that which walks upon two feet,
and of them is that which walks upon four; Allah creates
what He pleases; surely Allah has power over all things.
[24.46] Certainly We have revealed clear communications,
and Allah guides whom He pleases to the right way.
[24.47] And they say: We believe in Allah and in the
apostle and we obey; then a party of them turn back after
this, and these are not believers.
[24.48] And when they are called to Allah and His Apostle
that he may judge between them, lo! a party of them turn
aside.
[24.49] And if the truth be on their side, they come to him
quickly, obedient.
[24.50] Is there in their hearts a disease, or are they in
doubt, or do they fear that Allah and His Apostle will act
wrongfully towards them? Nay! they themselves are the
unjust.
[24.51] The response of the believers, when they are
invited to Allah and His Apostle that he may judge between
them, is only to say: We hear and we obey; and
these it is that are the successful.
[24.52] And he who obeys Allah and His Apostle, and fears
Allah, and is careful of (his duty to) Him, these it is
that are the achievers.
[24.53] And they swear by Allah with the most energetic of
their oaths that if you command them they would certainly
go forth. Say: Swear not; reasonable obedience (is
desired); surely Allah is aware of what you do.
[24.54] Say: Obey Allah and obey the Apostle; but if you
turn back, then on him rests that which is imposed on him
and on you rests that which is imposed on
you; and if you obey him, you are on the right way; and
nothing rests on the Apostle but clear delivering (of the
message).
[24.55] Allah has promised to those of you who believe and
do good that He will most certainly make them rulers in the
earth as He made rulers those before them, and that He will
most certainly establish for them their religion which He
has chosen for them, and that He will most certainly, after
their fear, give them security in exchange; they shall
serve Me, not associating aught with Me;
and whoever is ungrateful after this, these it is who are
the. transgressors.
[24.56] And keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and obey
the Apostle, so that mercy may be shown to you.
[24.57] Think not that those who disbelieve shall escape in
the earth, and their abode is the fire; and certainly evil
is the resort!
[24.58] O you who believe! let those whom your right hands
possess and those of you who have not attained to puberty
ask permission of you three times; before
the morning prayer, and when you put off your clothes at
midday in summer, and after the prayer of the nightfall;
these are three times of privacy for you;
neither is it a sin for you nor for them besides these,
some of you must go round about (waiting) upon others; thus
does Allah make clear to you the communications, and Allah
is Knowing, Wise.
[24.59] And when the children among you have attained to
puberty, let them seek permission as those before them
sought permission; thus does Allah make clear to
you His communications, and Allah is knowing, Wise.
[24.60] And (as for) women advanced in years who do not
hope for a marriage, it is no sin for them if they put off
their clothes without displaying their ornaments; and if
they restrain themselves it is better for them; and Allah
is Hearing, Knowing.
[24.61] There is no blame on the blind man, nor is there
blame on the lame, nor is there blame on the sick, nor on
yourselves that you eat from your houses, or
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 what you possess the keys of, or your
friends' (houses). It is no sin in you that you
eat together or separately. So when you enter houses, greet
your people with a salutation from Allah, blessed (and)
goodly; thus does Allah make clear to you
the communications that you may understand.
[24.62] Only those are believers who believe in Allah and
His Apostle, and when they are with him on a momentous
affair they go not away until they have asked
his permission; surely they who ask your permission are
they who believe in Allah and His Apostle; so when they ask
your permission for some affair of theirs, give permission
to whom you please of them and ask forgiveness for them
from Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
[24.63] Do not hold the Apostle's calling (you) among you
to be like your calling one to the other; Allah indeed
knows those who steal away from among you, concealing
themselves; therefore let those beware who go against his
order lest a trial afflict them or there befall them a
painful chastisement.
[24.64] Now surely Allah's is whatever is in the heavens
and the earth; He knows indeed that to which you are
conforming yourselves; and on the day on which they
are returned to Him He will inform them of what they did;
and Allah is Cognizant of all things.