Surah 24. An-Nur

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Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-20 [2], 21-26 [3], 27-34 [4], 35-40 [5], 41-50 [6], 51-57 [7], 58-61 [8], 62-64 [9]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-1024. An-Nur Page 35024. An-Nurبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِسُوْرَةٌA SurahاَنْزَلْنٰهَاWe (have) sent it downوَ فَرَضْنٰهَاand We (have) made it obligatoryوَ اَنْزَلْنَاand We (have) revealedفِیْهَاۤthereinاٰیٰتٍۭVersesبَیِّنٰتٍclearلَّعَلَّكُمْso that you mayتَذَكَّرُوْنَ take heed اَلزَّانِیَةُThe fornicatressوَ الزَّانِیْand the fornicatorفَاجْلِدُوْا[then] flogكُلَّeachوَاحِدٍoneمِّنْهُمَاof themمِائَةَ(with) hundredجَلْدَةٍ ۪lash(es)وَّ لَاAnd (let) notتَاْخُذْكُمْwithhold youبِهِمَاpity for themرَاْفَةٌpity for themفِیْconcerningدِیْنِ(the) religionاللّٰهِof Allahاِنْifكُنْتُمْyouتُؤْمِنُوْنَbelieveبِاللّٰهِin Allahوَ الْیَوْمِand the Dayالْاٰخِرِ ۚthe Lastوَ لْیَشْهَدْAnd let witnessعَذَابَهُمَاtheir punishmentطَآىِٕفَةٌa groupمِّنَofالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ the believers اَلزَّانِیْThe fornicatorلَا(will) notیَنْكِحُmarryاِلَّاexceptزَانِیَةًa fornicatressاَوْorمُشْرِكَةً ؗa polytheist womanوَّ الزَّانِیَةُand the fornicatressلَا(will) notیَنْكِحُهَاۤmarry herاِلَّاexceptزَانٍa fornicatorاَوْorمُشْرِكٌ ۚa polytheist manوَ حُرِّمَAnd is forbiddenذٰلِكَthatعَلَیtoالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ the believers وَ الَّذِیْنَAnd those whoیَرْمُوْنَaccuseالْمُحْصَنٰتِthe chaste womenثُمَّthenلَمْnotیَاْتُوْاthey bringبِاَرْبَعَةِfourشُهَدَآءَwitnessesفَاجْلِدُوْهُمْthen flog themثَمٰنِیْنَ(with) eightyجَلْدَةًlashe(s)وَّ لَاand (do) notتَقْبَلُوْاacceptلَهُمْtheirشَهَادَةًtestimonyاَبَدًا ۚeverوَ اُولٰٓىِٕكَAnd thoseهُمُtheyالْفٰسِقُوْنَۙ(are) the defiantly disobedient اِلَّاExceptالَّذِیْنَthose whoتَابُوْاrepentمِنْۢafterبَعْدِafterذٰلِكَthatوَ اَصْلَحُوْا ۚand reformفَاِنَّThen indeedاللّٰهَAllahغَفُوْرٌ(is) Oft-Forgivingرَّحِیْمٌ Most Merciful وَ الَّذِیْنَAnd those whoیَرْمُوْنَaccuseاَزْوَاجَهُمْtheir spousesوَ لَمْand notیَكُنْhaveلَّهُمْfor themشُهَدَآءُwitnessesاِلَّاۤexceptاَنْفُسُهُمْthemselvesفَشَهَادَةُthen (the) testimonyاَحَدِهِمْ(of) one of themاَرْبَعُ(is) fourشَهٰدٰتٍۭtestimoniesبِاللّٰهِ ۙby Allahاِنَّهٗthat heلَمِنَ(is) surely ofالصّٰدِقِیْنَ the truthful وَ الْخَامِسَةُAnd the fifthاَنَّthatلَعْنَتَ(the) curse of Allahاللّٰهِ(the) curse of Allahعَلَیْهِ(be) upon himاِنْifكَانَhe isمِنَofالْكٰذِبِیْنَ the liars وَ یَدْرَؤُاBut it would preventعَنْهَاfrom herالْعَذَابَthe punishmentاَنْthatتَشْهَدَshe bears witnessاَرْبَعَfourشَهٰدٰتٍۭtestimoniesبِاللّٰهِ ۙby Allahاِنَّهٗthat heلَمِنَ(is) surely ofالْكٰذِبِیْنَۙthe liars وَ الْخَامِسَةَAnd the fifthاَنَّthatغَضَبَthe wrath of Allahاللّٰهِthe wrath of Allahعَلَیْهَاۤ(be) upon herاِنْifكَانَhe isمِنَofالصّٰدِقِیْنَ the truthful وَ لَوْ لَاAnd if notفَضْلُ(for) the Grace of Allahاللّٰهِ(for) the Grace of Allahعَلَیْكُمْupon youوَ رَحْمَتُهٗand His Mercyوَ اَنَّand thatاللّٰهَAllahتَوَّابٌ(is) Oft-Returning (to Mercy)حَكِیْمٌ۠All-Wise

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Surah Introduction

This Medinian sûrah takes its name from the divine light mentioned in verses 35-36. A large portion of this sûrah deals with the issue of sexual misconduct hinted at in the previous sûrah (23:7). The sûrah also offers some guidelines to the believers on how they should have reacted to false rumours against 'Âishah, the Prophet's wife. Other issues are discussed, including modesty, entering people's homes, forced prostitution, hypocrisy, and false accusations of adultery. Allah's power, compliance with His judgment, and obedience to the Prophet ( ﷺ ) are highly emphasized.

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Translation of Verse 1-101. In the Name of Allah-the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

1. ˹This is˺ a sûrah which We have revealed and made ˹its rulings˺ obligatory, and revealed in it clear commandments so that you may be mindful.

2. As for female and male fornicators, give each of them one hundred lashes, ⁶⁹⁴ and do not let pity for them make you lenient in ˹enforcing˺ the law of Allah, if you ˹truly˺ believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let a number of believers witness their punishment.

3. A male fornicator would only marry a female fornicator or idolatress. And a female fornicator would only be married to a fornicator or idolater. This is ˹all˺ forbidden to the believers. ⁶⁹⁵

4. Those who accuse chaste women ˹of adultery˺ and fail to produce four witnesses, give them eighty lashes ˹each˺. And do not ever accept any testimony from them-for they are indeed the rebellious -

5. except those who repent afterwards and mend their ways, then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

6. And those who accuse their wives ˹of adultery˺ but have no witness except themselves, the accuser must testify, ⁶⁹⁶ swearing four times by Allah that he is telling the truth,

7. and a fifth oath that Allah may condemn him if he is lying.

8. For her to be spared the punishment, she must swear four times by Allah that he is telling a lie,

9. and a fifth oath that Allah may be displeased with her if he is telling the truth. ⁶⁹⁷

10. ˹You would have suffered,˺ had it not been for Allah's grace and mercy upon you, and had Allah not been Accepting of Repentance, All-Wise.

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Commentary

694. The address here is to legal authorities. Adultery has to be proven either by confession or the testimony of four reliable witnesses.

695. It is reported in a ḥadîth collected by At-Tirmiⱬi that Marthad ibn Abi Marthad, a companion of the Prophet ( ﷺ ) , asked if he could marry 'Anâq, a pagan prostitute he befriended in Mecca before he accepted Islam. So this verse was revealed. However, if someone committed a sin then later repented genuinely, they will be accepted by Allah and the rest of the believers.

696. In order to be spared the punishment for false accusation.

697. This ruling is called li'ân in Islamic legal system. Once the husband and the wife swear each five times, as specified in 24:6- 9, the marriage is terminated forever-which means that they can never be remarried.