24:1  A Surah that We have sent down and ordained; and We have sent down in it supremely evident signs that possibly you would be mindful

24:2  The female fornicater and the male fornicator, (The Arabic Zaniyah and Zan refer to those who commit either fornication or adultery. By a comparison of this verse to other and to Hadiths., it is it is understood that this verse refers to fornicators, i.e., unmarried people committing illegal sexual intercourse) then lash each one of them a hundred lashes, and let not compassion for them (both) take (hold of) you in the religion of Allah, in case you believe in Allah and the Last Day; and let a section of the believers witness their (The torment of the two of them) torment

24:3  The fornicator shall marry none except a female fornicator or a female associator; (i.e., one who associates other with Allah) and the female fornicator, none shall marry her except a fornicator or a (male) associator; (i.e., one who associates other with Allah) and that is prohibited for the believers

24:4  And the ones who throw (accusations) upon (women) in wedlock, (and) thereafter they do not come up with four witnesses, then lash them with eighty lashes and do not accept any testimony of theirs at all; and those are they (who are) immoral

24:5  Except the ones who repent ever after that and act righteously; then surely Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Merciful

24:6  And the ones who throw (accusations) upon their (female) spouses, and do not have witnesses except themselves, then the testimony of one of them shall be four testimonies (i.e., releave) by Allah that surely he is indeed of the sincere

24:7  And the fifth (testimony) that the curse of Allah shall be upon him in case he is of the liars

24:8  And it shall shove off (i.e., releave) the torment from her that she testifies four testimonies (i.e., oaths) by Allah that surely he is indeed of the liars

24:9  And the fifth (testimony) that the anger of Allah shall be upon her in case he is of the sincere

24:10  And had it not been for the Grace of Allah to you and His mercy, and that Allah is Superbly Relenting, (and) Ever-Wise, (He would have punished you)

24:11  Surely the ones who came with the falsehood are a band of you; do not reckon it evil for you; no indeed, it is charitable for you. Every person of them will have whatever vice he earned (charged) to him; and whoever of them took upon himself the greater part of it, he will have a tremendous torment

24:12  If the men believers and the women believers had thought good (thoughts) of themselves as you heard it and they would have said, "This is an evident falsehood."

24:13  If they had come up with four witnesses against it- yet as they did not come up with the witnesses, then those, in the Reckoning of Allah, are they (who are) the liars

24:14  And had it not been for the Grace of Allah upon you and His mercy in the present (life) (Literally: the lowly "life", i.e., the life of this world) and the Hereafter, indeed a tremendous torment would have touched you for what you press on (i.e., for what you press on talking about falsehood)

24:15  As you received it on your tongues and were saying with your mouths that of which you had no knowledge and reckoned it was a simple thing, and in the Reckoning of Allah it is a tremendous thing

24:16  And if you had (but) said, as you heard it, "In no way is it for us to talk about this. All Extolment be to You! This is a tremendous calumny."

24:17  Allah admonishes you that you not go back to the like thereof at all in case you are believers

24:18  And Allah makes evident to you the signs, and Allah is Ever-Knowing, Ever-Wise

24:19  Surely the ones who love that (the) obscenity should be widespread among the ones who have believed, (they) will have a painful torment in the present (life) (Literally: the lowly "life", i.e., the life of this world) and the Hereafter; and Allah knows, and you do not know

24:20  And had it not been for the Grace of Allah upon you and His mercy, and that Allah is Ever-Compassionate, Ever-Merciful (you had been the losers)

24:21  O you who have believed, do not ever follow the steps of Ash-Shaytan, (The ever-vicious, i.e., the Devil) and whoever ever follows the steps of Ash-Shaytan, then surely he commands obscenity and malfeasance. And had it not been for the Grace of Allah upon you and His mercy, in no way would any of you have been cleansed at all; but Allah cleanses whomever He decides, and Allah is Ever-Hearing, Ever-Knowing

24:22  And let not the ones endowed with the Grace (of Allah) and affluence swear off bringing (charity) to near of kin (Literally: endowed with kinship) and the indigent and to the ones emigrating in the way of Allah; and let them be clement and let them pardon. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Merciful

24:23  Surely the ones who throw (accusations) upon women in wedlock that are heedless and believing will be cursed in the present (life) (Literally: the lowly "life"; i.e., the life of this world) and the Hereafter; and they will have a tremendous torment

24:24  On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their legs will testify against them as to whatever they were doing

24:25  Upon that Day Allah will pay them in full their true Doom, (Literally: their true Religion, i.e., their true Judgment) and they will know that Allah, Ever He, is The Supremely Evident Truth

24:26  Wicked women (are) for wicked men, and wicked men (are) for wicked women; and good women (are) for good men, and good men (are) for good women. Those are (declared) quit of whatever they (i.e., of what the wicked ones say) say; they will have forgiveness and an honorable provision

24:27  You who have believed, do not enter houses other than your houses until you (first) announce your presence (i.e., make yourself known and ask permission) and salute the family thereof; that is more charitable for you that possibly you would be mindful

24:28  Then in case you do not find anyone therein, do not enter it until you are permitted (to do so). And in case it is said to you, "Return, " then return. It is more cleansing for you, and Allah is Ever-Knowing of whatever you do

24:29  It is no fault in you that you enter undwelt (Literally: other than being dwelt) houses wherein are belongings for you; and Allah knows whatever you display and whatever you keep back

24:30  Say to the (male) believers, that they cast down their be holdings, (i.e., "modestly" cast down their eyes) and preserve their private parts; that is more cleansing for them. Surely Allah is Ever-Cognizant of whatever they work out

24:31  And say to the female believers to cast down their be holdings, and preserve their private parts, and not display their adornment except such as is outward, and let them fix (Literally: strike) closely their veils over their bosoms, and not display their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husbands' fathers, or their sons, or their husbands' sons, or their brothers, or their brothers's sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or what their right hands possess, or (male) followers, men without desire (Literally: without being endowed with "sexual" desire) or young children who have not yet attained knowledge of women's privacies, and they should not strike their legs (i.e., stamp their feet) so that whatever adornment they hide may be known. And repent to Allah altogether, (O) you believers, that possibly you would prosper

24:32  And wed the spouseless among you, and the righteous among your bondmen and maids. In case they are poor, Allah will enrich them of His Grace; and Allah is Ever- Embracing, Ever-Knowing

24:33  And let the ones who do not find (the means) to wed keep abstaining until Allah enriches them of His Grace. And the ones your right hands possess who seek the Book, (Contract of emancipation) then contract with them (accordingly), in case you know that they are in charitable circumstances. And bring them of the wealth of Allah that He has brought you. And do not compel your handmaids to prostitution, in case they are willing to be chaste, (Literally: to be in wedlock) that you may inequitably seek the advantages of the present life; (Literally: the lowly life, i.e., the life of this world) and whoever compels them, then surely Allah, even after their being compelled, is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Merciful

24:34  And indeed We have already sent down to you demonstrably evident signs, and a similitude of the ones who passed away even before you, and an admonition for the pious

24:35  Allah is The Light of the heavens and the earth; the similitude of His Light is as a niche wherein is a lamp, the lamp in a glass, the glass as it were a glittering planet-kindled from a Blessed Tree, an olive that is neither eastern nor western, whose oil would almost illuminate, even if no fire touched it, Light upon Light; Allah guides to His Light whomever He decides, and Allah strikes similitudes for mankind, and Allah is Ever-Knowing of everything

24:36  In houses (that) Allah has permitted to be raised up and His Name to be mentioned therein- in them do extol to Him in the early mornings and the (hours) before sunset

24:37  Men whom neither commerce nor trade (Literally: selling) diverts from the Remembrance of Allah, and keeping up the prayer, and the bringing of the Zakat, (Paying the poor-dues) fearing a Day when hearts and beholdings will be turning about

24:38  That Allah may recompense them for the fairest of what they did, and increase (reward) for them of His Grace. And Allah provides whomever He decides (to), without reckoning

24:39  And the ones who have disbelieved, their deeds are as a mirage in a low land, which the man all-athirst reckons to be water, till when he comes to it, he finds it nothing, and at it he finds Allah. Then He pays him his reckoning in full; and Allah is swift at the reckoning

24:40  Or (they are) as darkness (es) in a tumultuous sea (vast and deep) enveloped by waves above which are waves, upon which are clouds: darknesses above each other, (Some of them "are" above some "others") when he brings out his hand, he could almost not see it. And for whomever Allah makes no light, then in no way (can) he have light

24:41  Have you not seen that to Allah extol whoever are in the heavens and the earth and the birds outstretching (their wings)? (Or: in ranks) Each has already known its prayer and its Extolment; and Allah is Ever-Knowing of whatever they perform

24:42  And to Allah is the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth; and to Allah is the Destiny

24:43  Have you not seen that Allah wafts clouds, thereafter joins them together, thereafter makes them accumulated, then you see the raindrops coming out of the midst of them? And He keeps sending down from the heaven mountains, wherein is hail. So He afflicts with it whomever He decides and turns it about from whomever He decides. The splendor of His lightning almost goes away with (i.e., takes away) the beholdings (i.e., eyesights)

24:44  Allah turns about (i.e., alternates) the night and the day-time. Surely in that is indeed a lesson for the ones endowed with beholdings

24:45  And Allah created every beast of water; so of them (is a kind) that goes (Literally: walks) upon its belly; and of them (there is a kind) that goes upon two legs, and of them (a kind) that goes upon four. Allah creates whatever He decides; surely Allah is Ever-Determiner of everything

24:46  Indeed We have already sent down demonstrably evident signs, and Allah guides whomever He decides to a straight Path

24:47  And they say, "We believe in Allah and in the Messenger, and we obey." Thereafter a group of them turn away even after that, and in no way are those ever the believers

24:48  And when they are called to Allah and His Messenger that he (The Messenger) may judge between them, only then are a group of them veering away (from it)

24:49  And in case they truly (have a case), (Literally: they are in the right) they will come up to it compliant

24:50  Then is there sickness in their hearts, or do they suspect (Our judgment), or do they fear that Allah may encroach upon them, and His Messenger (may encroach)? No indeed, those are they who are the unjust

24:51  Surely the saying of believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger that he (The Messenger) may judge between them is only that they say, "We hear and we obey." And those are they (who are) the prosperers

24:52  And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger and is apprehensive of Allah and is pious towards Him, then those are they (who are) the triumphant

24:53  And they have sworn by Allah their most earnest oaths (that) indeed in case you command them, indeed they will definitely go out. Say, "Do not swear (i.e. He recognizes your failure to obey). Beneficent obedience (is better). Surely Allah is Ever-Cognizant of whatever you do."

24:54  Say, "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger. Yet if you turn away, then surely upon him (rests) only what he is burdened with. And upon you (rests) only what you are burdened with. And in case you obey him, you will (find) guidance. And in no way is the Messenger (burdened) except with the evident Proclamation."

24:55  Allah has promised the ones of you who have believed and done deeds of righteous- ness that indeed He will definitely make them successors in the earth, (even) as He made the ones who were before them successors, and that indeed He will definitely establish for them their religion that He is Divinely satisfied with (i.e., that He approves of) for them, and that indeed He will definitely give them in exchange, even after their fear, security. "They shall worship Me, not associating with Me anything." And whoever disbelieves after that, then those are they (who are) the immoral

24:56  And keep up the prayer, and bring the Zakat, (Pay the poor-dues) and obey the Messenger, that possibly you would be granted mercy

24:57  Definitely do not ever reckon that the ones who have disbelieved are able to be defiant to Allah) in the earth. And their abode is the Fire, and miserable indeed is the Destiny

24:58  O you who have believed, let the ones your right hands possess and the ones of you who have not reached puberty ask permission of you three times: right before the dawn prayer, and (the time) while you lay aside your clothes during mid-day, and right after the eventide prayer-three privacies for you. It is no fault in you or them, after these (times), that you go about one to the other (Literally: some of you to some others). Thus Allah makes evident to you the signs, and Allah is Ever-Knowing, Ever-Wise

24:59  And when the young children among you reach puberty, then let them ask permission as the ones even before them asked permission. Thus Allah makes evident to you His signs, and Allah is Ever-Knowing, Ever-Wise

24:60  And women sitting (advanced in years) who do not hope being married, then it is no fault in them that they lay aside their (outer) clothes, without flaunting their adornment; and to keep abstaining is more charitable for them, and Allah is Ever-Hearing, Ever-Knowing

24:61  It is no restriction upon the blind, and it is no restriction upon the lame, and it is no restriction upon the sick, nor upon yourselves, that you eat from your houses, or from your fathers' houses, or your mothers' houses, or your brother's houses, or your sisters' houses, or the houses of your paternal uncles, or the houses of your paternal aunts, or the houses of your maternal uncles, or the houses of your maternal aunts, or that of which you possess the keys, or of your friend. It is no fault in you that you eat all together or in diverse groups. So when you enter houses, salute one another (Literally: salute yourselves) with a greeting from the Providence of Allah, blessed and good. Thus Allah makes evident to you the signs that possibly you would consider

24:62  Surely they only are the believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and who, when they are with him upon a common Command, do not go away until they ask his permission. Surely the ones who ask your permission are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger. So when they ask your permission for some affair of their own, then give permission to whom you decide of them, and ask for them the forgiveness of Allah; surely Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Merciful

24:63  Do not make the calling of the Messenger among yourselves like your calling of one another (Literally: some of you to some others). Allah already knows the ones of you who sneak away seeking shelter (i.e., to disobey him). So let the ones who fail (to obey) His Command beware that temptation may afflict them or painful torment may afflict them

24:64  Verily, to Allah surely belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. He already knows what (state) you are in (Literally: upon). And the Day they will be returned to Him, then He will fully inform them of whatever they did; and Allah is Ever-Knowing of everything