Surah 4. An-Nisa

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Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-14 [2], 15-22 [3], 23-25 [4], 26-33 [5], 34-42 [6], 43-50 [7], 51-56 [8], 57-70 [9], 71-76 [10], 77-87 [11], 88-91 [12], 92-96 [13], 97-100 [14], 101-104 [15], 105-112 [16], 113-115 [17], 116-126 [18], 127-134 [19], 135-141 [20], 142-152 [21], 153-162 [22], 163-171 [23], 172-176 [24]

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Quran Text of Verse 23-25حُرِّمَتْForbiddenعَلَیْكُمْto youاُمَّهٰتُكُمْ(are) your mothersوَ بَنٰتُكُمْand your daughtersوَ اَخَوٰتُكُمْand your sistersوَ عَمّٰتُكُمْand your father's sistersوَ خٰلٰتُكُمْand your mother's sistersوَ بَنٰتُand daughtersالْاَخِ(of) brothersوَ بَنٰتُand daughtersالْاُخْتِ(of) sistersوَ اُمَّهٰتُكُمُand (the) mothersالّٰتِیْۤwhoاَرْضَعْنَكُمْnursed youوَ اَخَوٰتُكُمْand your sistersمِّنَfromالرَّضَاعَةِthe nursingوَ اُمَّهٰتُand mothersنِسَآىِٕكُمْ(of) your wivesوَ رَبَآىِٕبُكُمُand your step daughtersالّٰتِیْwhoفِیْ(are) inحُجُوْرِكُمْyour guardianshipمِّنْofنِّسَآىِٕكُمُyour womenالّٰتِیْwhomدَخَلْتُمْyou had relationsبِهِنَّ ؗwith themفَاِنْbut ifلَّمْnotتَكُوْنُوْاyou hadدَخَلْتُمْrelationsبِهِنَّwith themفَلَاthen (there is) noجُنَاحَsinعَلَیْكُمْ ؗon youوَ حَلَآىِٕلُAnd wivesاَبْنَآىِٕكُمُ(of) your sonsالَّذِیْنَthose whoمِنْ(are) fromاَصْلَابِكُمْ ۙyour loinsوَ اَنْand thatتَجْمَعُوْاyou gather togetherبَیْنَ[between]الْاُخْتَیْنِtwo sistersاِلَّاexceptمَاwhatقَدْhasسَلَفَ ؕpassed beforeاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahكَانَisغَفُوْرًاOft-ForgivingرَّحِیْمًاۙMost-Merciful 4. An-Nisa Page 82وَّ الْمُحْصَنٰتُAnd (prohibited are) the ones who are marriedمِنَofالنِّسَآءِthe womenاِلَّاexceptمَاwhomمَلَكَتْyou possessاَیْمَانُكُمْ ۚrightfullyكِتٰبَDecreeاللّٰهِ(of) Allahعَلَیْكُمْ ۚupon youوَ اُحِلَّAnd are lawfulلَكُمْto youمَّاwhatوَرَآءَ(is) beyondذٰلِكُمْthatاَنْthatتَبْتَغُوْاyou seekبِاَمْوَالِكُمْwith your wealthمُّحْصِنِیْنَdesiring to be chasteغَیْرَnotمُسٰفِحِیْنَ ؕ(to be) lustfulفَمَاSo whatاسْتَمْتَعْتُمْyou benefit[ed]بِهٖof itمِنْهُنَّfrom themفَاٰتُوْهُنَّso you give themاُجُوْرَهُنَّtheir bridal dueفَرِیْضَةً ؕ(as) an obligationوَ لَاAnd (there is) noجُنَاحَsinعَلَیْكُمْon youفِیْمَاconcerning whatتَرٰضَیْتُمْyou mutually agreeبِهٖof itمِنْۢfromبَعْدِbeyondالْفَرِیْضَةِ ؕthe obligationاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahكَانَisعَلِیْمًاAll-Knowingحَكِیْمًا All-Wise وَ مَنْAnd whoeverلَّمْ(is) notیَسْتَطِعْable toمِنْكُمْamong youطَوْلًاaffordاَنْtoیَّنْكِحَmarryالْمُحْصَنٰتِthe free chasteالْمُؤْمِنٰتِ[the] believing womenفَمِنْthen (marry) fromمَّاwhatمَلَكَتْpossess[ed]اَیْمَانُكُمْyour right handsمِّنْofفَتَیٰتِكُمُyour girlsالْمُؤْمِنٰتِ ؕ(of) the believersوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahاَعْلَمُknows bestبِاِیْمَانِكُمْ ؕabout your faithبَعْضُكُمْYouمِّنْۢ(are) fromبَعْضٍ ۚ(one) anotherفَانْكِحُوْهُنَّSo marry themبِاِذْنِwith (the) permissionاَهْلِهِنَّ(of) their familyوَ اٰتُوْهُنَّand give themاُجُوْرَهُنَّtheir bridal dueبِالْمَعْرُوْفِin a fair mannerمُحْصَنٰتٍ(They should be) chasteغَیْرَnotمُسٰفِحٰتٍthose who commit immoralityوَّ لَاand notمُتَّخِذٰتِthose who takeاَخْدَانٍ ۚsecret loversفَاِذَاۤThen whenاُحْصِنَّthey are marriedفَاِنْand ifاَتَیْنَthey commitبِفَاحِشَةٍadulteryفَعَلَیْهِنَّthen for themنِصْفُ(is) halfمَا(of) whatعَلَی(is) onالْمُحْصَنٰتِthe free chaste womenمِنَofالْعَذَابِ ؕthe punishmentذٰلِكَThatلِمَنْ(is) for whoeverخَشِیَfearsالْعَنَتَcommitting sinمِنْكُمْ ؕamong youوَ اَنْand thatتَصْبِرُوْاyou be patientخَیْرٌ(is) betterلَّكُمْ ؕfor youوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahغَفُوْرٌ(is) Oft-Forgivingرَّحِیْمٌ۠Most Merciful

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Translation of Verse 23-25

23. ˹Also˺ forbidden to you for marriage are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your paternal and maternal aunts, your brother's daughters, your sister's daughters, your foster-mothers, your foster-sisters, your mothers-in-law, your stepdaughters under your guardianship if you have consummated marriage with their mothers-but if you have not, then you can marry them-nor the wives of your own sons, nor two sisters together at the same time- except what was done previously. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

24. Also ˹forbidden are˺ married women-except ˹female˺ captives in your possession. ¹⁸⁹ This is Allah's commandment to you. ˹But˺ lawful to you are all beyond these-as long as you seek them with your wealth in a legal marriage, not in fornication. Give those you have consummated marriage with their due dowries. It is permissible to be mutually gracious regarding the set dowry. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

25. But if any of you cannot afford to marry a free believing woman, then ˹let him marry˺ a believing bondwoman possessed by one of you. Allah knows best ˹the state of˺ your faith ˹and theirs˺. You are from one another. ¹⁹⁰ So marry them with the permission of their owners, ¹⁹¹ giving them their dowry in fairness, if they are chaste, neither promiscuous nor having secret affairs. If they commit indecency after marriage, they receive half the punishment of free women. ¹⁹² This is for those of you who fear falling into sin. But if you are patient, it is better for you. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

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Commentary

189. A man was not allowed to have a relationship with a bondwoman who he had taken captive in war unless he made sure she was not pregnant. This was verified by her having at least one monthly cycle. See footnote for 4:3.

190. Do not be ashamed to marry a bondwoman since you are all part of the same human family and Allah knows you are doing so to avoid illegal relationships.

191. A married slave-woman is forbidden from having a relationship with her master.

192. i.e., fifty lashes.