24:1  This is a chapter which We have revealed to you and made obligatory for you to follow its guidance. We have revealed clear verses in it so that perhaps you may take heed

24:2  Flog the fornicatress and the fornicator with a hundred lashes each. Let there be no reluctance in enforcing the laws of God, if you have faith in God and the Day of Judgment. Let it take place in the presence of a group of believers

24:3  No one should marry a fornicator except a fornicatress or a pagan woman. No one should marry a fornicatress except a fornicator or a pagan man. Such (marriage) is unlawful to the believers

24:4  Those who accuse married women of committing adultery - but are not able to prove their accusation by producing four witness - must be flogged eighty lashes. Never accept their testimony thereafter because they are sinful

24:5  except that of those who afterwards repent and reform themselves; God is All-forgiving and All-merciful

24:6  Those who accuse their spouses of committing adultery but have no witness except themselves, should testify four times saying, "God is my witness that I am telling the truth"

24:7  They should say on the fifth time, "Let God's curse be upon me if I am a liar"

24:8  The spouse will be acquitted of the punishment if she challenges his testimony by saying four times, "God is my witness that he is a liar"

24:9  On the fifth time she should say, "Let the curse of God be upon me if what he says is true."

24:10  Had it not been for God's favors and mercy upon you (your life would have been in chaos). God accepts repentance and He is All-wise

24:11  Those of you who have brought forward a false report (against Aisha) do not think that it will harm you. Rather it will be a benefit to you. Each one of you will face the result of his sin. The one among the group who was the chief instigator will face a great torment

24:12  Would that on your hearing this report, the believing men and woman among you had a favorable attitude towards it, and had said, "This report is clearly false"

24:13  Would that they had brought four witness to testify to their report. Since they brought none, they are liars before God

24:14  Were it not for the favors and mercy of God upon you, in this world and in the life to come, a great torment would strike you for your involvement in this false report

24:15  Your tongues moved and your mouths spoke of something of which you had no knowledge. You thought it to be a trivial matter, while in the eyes of God it is blasphemy

24:16  Would that on hearing this report, you had said, "We have nothing to say about it. God forbid! It is a serious accusation."

24:17  God advises you never to do such things again if you have any faith

24:18  God explains to you His revelations. He is All-knowing and All-wise

24:19  Those who like to publicize indecency among the believers will face painful torment in this world and in the life to come. God knows what you do not know

24:20  Were it not for the favor and mercy of God upon you (you would have faced painful punishment in this world and the life to come). God is Compassionate and Merciful

24:21  Believers, do not follow the footsteps of satan; whoever does so will be made by satan to commit indecency and sin. Were it not for the favor and mercy of God, none of you would ever have been purified. God purifies whomever He wants. God is All-hearing and All-knowing

24:22  The well-to-do and the rich among you should not fail to give to relatives, the destitute, and Emigrants for the cause of God. Be considerate and forgiving. Do you not want God to forgive you? God is All-forgiving and All-merciful

24:23  Those who slander the unaware but chaste and believing women (of committing unlawful carnal relations) are condemned in this life and in the life hereafter. They will suffer a great punishmen

24:24  on the day when their tongues, hands, and feet will testify to what they had done

24:25  On that day God will give them due recompense and they will know that God is the Supreme Judge

24:26  Indecent woman are for indecent men and indecent men are for indecent woman. Decent women are for decent men and decent men are for decent women. The decent people are innocent of what people allege. They will receive mercy and honorable sustenance

24:27  Believers, do not enter other's houses until you have asked permission and have greeted the people therein. This is best for you so that perhaps you may remember (God's guidance)

24:28  If you do not find anyone therein, do not enter until you are given permission. If you are told to go away, do so; this is more decent of you. God knows all that you do

24:29  There is no harm for you to enter uninhabited houses where you have some goods. God knows whatever you reveal or hide

24:30  (Muhammad), tell the believing men to cast down their eyes and guard their carnal desires; this will make them more pure. God is certainly aware of what they do

24:31  Tell the believing woman to cast down their eyes, guard their chastity, and not to show off their beauty except what is permitted by the law. Let them cover their breasts with their veils. They must not show off their beauty to anyone other than their husbands, father, father-in-laws, sons, step-sons, brothers, sons of brothers and sisters, women of their kind, their slaves, immature male servants, or immature boys. They must not stamp their feet to show off their hidden ornaments. All of you believers, turn to God in repentance so that perhaps you will have everlasting happiness

24:32  Marry the single people among you and the righteous slaves and slave-girls. If you are poor, God will make you rich through His favor; He is Bountiful and All-knowing

24:33  Let those who cannot find someone to marry maintain chastity until God makes them rich through His favors. Let the slaves who want to buy their freedom have an agreement with you in writing if you find them to be virtuous. Give them money out of God's property which He has given to you. Do not force your girls into prostitution to make money if they want to be chaste. If they have been compelled to do so, God will be All-merciful and All-forgiving to them

24:34  We have revealed to you illustrious revelations, stories of the past generations, and good advice for the pious people

24:35  God is the light of the heavens and the earth. A metaphor for His light is a niche in which there is a lamp placed in a glass. The glass is like a shining star which is lit from a blessed olive tree that is neither eastern nor western. Its oil almost lights up even though it has not been touched by the fire. It is light upon light. God guides to His light whomever He wants. God uses various metaphors. He has the knowledge of all things

24:36  (This niche) is in the houses that God has declared to be highly respected and His Name be mentioned therein in glory in the morning and evenin

24:37  by people, who can neither be diverted by merchandise nor bargaining from worshipping God, saying their prayers and paying religious tax. They do these things, for they are afraid of the day when all hearts and eyes will undergo terrible unrest and crisis

24:38  (They worship Him) so that God will reward their best deeds and give them more through His favors. God gives sustenance to whomever He wants without account

24:39  The deeds of the unbelievers are like a mirage which a thirsty man thinks is water until he goes near and finds nothing. Instead he finds God who gives him his due recompense. God's reckoning is swift

24:40  Or it (the deeds of the unbelievers) are like the darkness of a deep, stormy sea with layers of giant waves, covered by dark clouds. It is darkness upon darkness whereby even if one stretches out his hands he can not see them. One can have no light unless God gives him light

24:41  Have you not considered that all that is between the heavens and the earth glorifies God and that the birds spread their wings in the air to glorify God? He knows everyone's prayers and praising; God has absolute knowledge of what they do

24:42  To God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and to Him do all things return

24:43  Do you not see that God moves the clouds gently, brings them together, piles them up, and then you can see the rain coming from them. He sends down hailstones from the mountains in the sky. With them He strikes or protects from them whomever He wants. The lightening can almost take away the sight

24:44  God alternates the night and the day. In this there is a lesson for the people of understanding

24:45  God has created every living being from water: Some of them creep on their bellies; some walk on two feet and some of them walk on four legs. God creates whatever He wants. He has power over all things

24:46  We have revealed illustrious revelations. God guides to the right path whomever He wants

24:47  They say, "We have believed in God and the Messenger and we have obeyed them." Then a group of them turn away from their (belief). They are not believers

24:48  When they are called to God and His Messenger so that they will judge among them, suddenly, some of them turn away

24:49  If right was on their side, they would come quickly

24:50  Are their hearts sick? Do they have doubts or are they afraid that God and His Messenger may do injustice to them? In fact, they, themselves, are unjust

24:51  When the believers are called to God and His Messenger to be judged, their only words are, "We have listened and obeyed." They will have everlasting happiness

24:52  Those who obey God and His Messenger, who are humble before Him, and who have fear of Him will, certainly, be successful

24:53  They strongly swear by God that they would march to fight (for the cause of God) if you were to order them to. Tell them, "You do not need to swear; fighting for the cause of God is a virtuous deed and God is Well Aware of what you do"

24:54  Say to them, "Obey God and His Messenger. If you turn away, the Messenger and the people will each be responsible for their own obligations. If you follow the Messenger, you will have the right guidance. The responsibility of the Messenger is only to preach."

24:55  God has promised the righteously striving believers to appoint them as His deputies on earth, as He had appointed those who lived before. He will make the religion that He has chosen for them to stand supreme. He will replace their fear with peace and security so that they will worship God alone and consider no one equal to Him. Whoever becomes an unbeliever after this will be a sinful person

24:56  Be steadfast in prayer, pay the religious tax and obey the Messenger so that perhaps you will receive mercy

24:57  The unbelievers should not think that they can defeat God on earth. Their dwelling will be hell, the most terrible abode

24:58  Believers, your slaves and the immature people must ask your permission three times a day before entering your house: before the morning prayer, at noon time and after the late evening prayer; these are most private times. After your permission has been granted, there is no harm if they come into your presence from time to time. This is how God explains His revelations to you. God is All-knowing and All-wise

24:59  When your children become mature, they must ask your permission before entering your house, as the rest of the mature people do. Thus does God explain to you His revelations. God is All-knowing and All-wise

24:60  Elderly women who have no hope of getting married are allowed not to wear the kind of clothing that young woman must wear, as long as they do not show off their beauty. It is better for them if they maintain chastity. God is All-hearing and All-knowing

24:61  It is no sin for the blind, the lame, the sick ones, and yourselves to eat at your own homes, or the homes of your father, mothers, brothers, sisters, your paternal and maternal uncles, aunts, or at the homes of your friend, and the homes with which you are entrusted. It makes no difference whether you eat all together or one person at a time. When you enter a house, say the blessed greeting which God has instructed you to say. Thus does God explain to you His revelations so that perhaps you will understand

24:62  The true believers are those who have faith in God and His Messenger and when they are dealing with the Messenger in important matters, they do not leave without his permission. (Muhammad), those who ask your permission believe in God and His Messenger. When they ask your leave to attend to their affairs, you may give permission to anyone of them you choose and ask forgiveness for them from God. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful

24:63  Do not address the Messenger as you would call each other. God knows those who secretly walk away from you and hide themselves. Those who oppose the Messengers should beware, lest some trouble or a painful torment should befall them

24:64  The heavens and the earth, certainly, belong to God. He surely knows all about you in this life. On the day when you return to Him, He will tell you all about whatever you have done. God has the knowledge of all things