| | Musharraf Hussain rendition of Surah The Light(an-Nur)
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| 24:1 | | This is a surat that We sent down with laws to be obeyed, and We revealed clear verses so you will pay attention. |
| 24:2 | | Flog the fornicators, male and female, each of them one-hundred lashes, and don’t let sympathy for them hold you back from fulfilling Allah’s orders, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day; and let a group of believers witness their punishment. |
| 24:3 | | A male fornicator only marries a female fornicator or an idolatress; a female fornicator only marries a male fornicator or an idolater; and fornication is forbidden for the believers |
| 24:4 | | Those who accuse chaste women of fornication, but fail to produce four witnesses, should be flogged eighty lashes; and never accept their witness statement again. They are major sinners, |
| 24:5 | | except those who later repent and reform themselves. Allah is Forgiving, Kind. |
| 24:6 | | Anyone who accuses his wife but has no witnesses other than himself, let him swear four times by Allah: he is telling the truth, |
| 24:7 | | and the fifth time he says, Allah’s curse be upon him if he is lying. |
| 24:8 | | Punishment will be averted from her if she also swears by Allah four times that he is lying, |
| 24:9 | | and the fifth time that Allah’s wrath be upon her if he is telling the truth. |
| 24:10 | | Imagine the consequences, if it were not for Allah’s grace towards you and His kindness. Allah is Relenting, Wise |
| 24:11 | | Those who planned the slander were a handful of you, don’t consider it bad for you; in fact, it’s good for you. Each person among them will bear the consequence of his part in the sin; and the one who played the leading role will receive a mighty punishment. |
| 24:12 | | If once they heard it – the believers, male and female – of their own accord should have thought the best of Aisha and said, “This is clearly a slander.” |
| 24:13 | | If they had produced four witnesses, it would be different; but they failed to produce the witnesses, in Allah’s sight they are liars |
| 24:14 | | Were it not for Allah’s grace towards you and His kind treatment in this world and the Hereafter, then a mighty punishment would have affected you all because of the rumour you rushed to spread. |
| 24:15 | | You gave it publicity with your chatter and said things with your mouths you had no knowledge of, thinking it was a trivial, but in the sight of Allah it was serious. |
| 24:16 | | If only, when you heard it, you had said: “It is not fitting for us to talk about this. Glory be to Him! This is a terrible slander.” |
| 24:17 | | Allah warns you: never repeat such behaviour again if you are believers. |
| 24:18 | | Allah is explaining the verses for you. Allah is Knowing, Wise |
| 24:19 | | Those who like to spread indecency among the believers will suffer a painful punishment in this worldly life and the Hereafter. Allah knows what you don’t know. |
| 24:20 | | Imagine the consequences, if it were not for Allah’s grace towards you and His kindness. Allah is Compassionate, Kind. |
| 24:21 | | Believers, don’t follow in Satan’s footsteps. Whoever follows Satan’s footsteps will find that he urges indecency and shameful acts. If it weren’t for Allah’s grace on you and His kindness, none of you would be pure, Allah purifies anyone He pleases. Allah is the Hearer, the Knower |
| 24:22 | | Those of you who possess status and means shouldn’t vow to stop giving to relatives, the needy and those who emigrated for the sake of Allah. Let them pardon and overlook their shortcomings. Wouldn’t you like Allah to forgive you? Allah is Forgiving, Kind |
| 24:23 | | Those who falsely accuse careless but nonetheless chaste believing women shall be cursed here and the Hereafter, and will be severely punished, |
| 24:24 | | on the Day tongues, hands and feet will testify against them for what they did. |
| 24:25 | | That Day, Allah will settle their account for them in full, and they will know Allah alone is the Truth, the Clarifier. |
| 24:26 | | Vile women are fit for vile men, and vile men are fit for vile women; and likewise, moral women are for moral men, and moral men are for moral women. Such people are innocent of what others say about them; they will be forgiven and have generous provision |
| 24:27 | | Believers, don’t enter any houses other than your own homes until you have made yourselves known and greeted the occupants; that’s best for you, so you may pay heed. |
| 24:28 | | If there is no one in, then don’t enter until permission is given; and if you are told, “Go back!” Then go back: that is the best course of action for you. Allah knows well what you do. |
| 24:29 | | You can enter without permission a non-residential place that provides you amenities, Allah knows well what you reveal and what you conceal. |
| 24:30 | | Tell believing men to lower their gaze and be modest; that is the best for them. Allah is aware of what they do. |
| 24:31 | | And tell believing women to lower their gaze and be modest; they shouldn’t expose their beauty in public, except what is normally showing; and cover their bosoms with headscarves; they should only display beauty to their husbands, fathers, fathers-in-law, sons, stepsons, brothers, brothers’ sons, sisters’ sons, female servants, slaves, any male attendants who are free of sexual desire, and children who are indifferent to the sight of women’s private parts; and they shouldn’t stamp their feet to draw attention to the beauty which they hide beneath their clothes. Believers, turn to Allah, all of you, so you may be successful here and the Hereafter |
| 24:32 | | Help the unmarried people amongst you to marry, and your righteous male servants and maids. Even if they are poor, Allah will make them self-sufficient through His grace. Allah is Vast, All-Knowing. |
| 24:33 | | And let those who lack the means to marry keep themselves chaste until Allah makes them self-sufficient through His grace. If any of your slaves asks for an emancipation contract, and you see some good in them, draft it for them; and give them of the wealth that Allah has given you. For your cravings to make worldly gains do not force your maidservants into promiscuity, if they wish to remain chaste, merely because you desire what this worldly life has to offer. Whoever forces them into it, then Allah will be Forgiving, Kind to those maidservants after being coerced to perform sexual intercourse. |
| 24:34 | | We sent down to you clarifying verses and an example of those who passed away before you, as well as teachings for those who are mindful of Allah |
| 24:35 | | Allah is the Light of the Heavens and the Earth. An example of His Light is a niche in which there is a lamp; the lamp glowing in a glass; the glass bright like a brilliant shining star, fuelled from a blessed olive tree, neither of the East nor of the West; its oil shines even though untouched by any flame; light upon light. Allah guides whomever He pleases towards His Light. Allah gives people examples and has full knowledge of all things. |
| 24:36 | | Such lamps are to be found in houses that Allah has permitted to be erected, and in which His name is mentioned; and where, glorifying Him morning and evening, |
| 24:37 | | are men who are not distracted by buying and selling from Allah’s remembrance, performing the prayer, and paying Zakat. They dread a day when hearts and eyes will be wandering, |
| 24:38 | | hoping Allah will reward them according to the best they did and give them more from His grace. Allah provides without limit for whomever He pleases |
| 24:39 | | However, the disbelievers deeds are like a mirage in a desert: the thirsty traveller imagines it to be water until he reaches it, only to find nothing there; but finds Allah before him, settling his account in full. Allah is swift in calculating accounts. |
| 24:40 | | Or their deeds are like veils of darkness in the deep sea covered by wave upon wave, over which clouds loom. The layers of darkness lie so densely over one another that, if one takes one’s hand out of the water, one can barely see it. Anyone Allah deprives of light will have no light at all |
| 24:41 | | Haven’t you considered, everything in the Heavens and the Earth glorifies Allah? The birds flying in flocks, each one knows how it should pray and glorify Him; and Allah knows what they do. |
| 24:42 | | Allah controls the Heavens and the Earth, and to Him is the final return. |
| 24:43 | | Haven’t you considered how Allah moves the clouds along, joins them together, then piles them up until you see rain pouring from them. On mountains, He sends down from the sky hailstones that strike whomever He wills and spare whomever He wills; and the flash of its lightning nearly takes away one’s sight. |
| 24:44 | | Allah causes the succession of night and day; in that are lessons for people of insight. |
| 24:45 | | Moreover, Allah created every creature from water; some crawl on their bellies, others walk on two feet or on four. Allah creates whatever He wills. Allah has power over all things |
| 24:46 | | We revealed verses that clearly explain, and by them Allah guides anyone who wants to be guided towards a straight path. |
| 24:47 | | People will say: “We believe in Allah and in the Messenger, and we obey,” but afterwards a group of them turns away: such people are not believers. |
| 24:48 | | When they are summoned to Allah and his Messenger for judgement, a group of them objects. |
| 24:49 | | Had the decision been in their favour they would have submitted willingly. |
| 24:50 | | Is there sickness in their hearts? Or do they have doubts? Or are they afraid that Allah and His Messenger will deal with them unjustly? Such people are sinners |
| 24:51 | | The believers’ response, when they are summoned to Allah and His Messenger for judgement, is: “We hear and obey.” These are the successful. |
| 24:52 | | Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, and fears Allah and is mindful of Him, these are the victorious. |
| 24:53 | | Hypocrites swear by Allah, using their strongest oaths, that if you were to command them, they would march out to battle. Say: “Don’t swear. Obedience is recognisable!” Allah is aware of your works. |
| 24:54 | | Say: “Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger. Then, if you choose to turn away, he will answer only for what he has taken on, and you will answer for what you have taken on. If you obey him, you will be guided. The responsibility of the Messenger is to convey the message clearly. |
| 24:55 | | Allah has promised to make the believers and the righteous His deputies on Earth, as He made those before you His deputies; and He will make their religion strong, which pleases Him; and He will remove their fear and make them feel safe, since they worship Me alone, and don’t associate any partners with Me. The disbelievers are the evildoers. |
| 24:56 | | So, perform the prayer, pay Zakat, and obey the Messenger in order to be treated kindly. |
| 24:57 | | Never think the disbelievers can defeat Allah’s plan on Earth. The Fire is their place of refuge. What a wretched home |
| 24:58 | | Believers, your slaves and children who haven’t yet reached puberty should ask permission before entering your room three times of the day: before the dawn prayer, at midday when you get undressed, and after the evening prayer – three times of your privacy, outside these times there is no blame on you or them to wander in and out of each other’s rooms. That is how Allah makes His verses clear for you. Allah is Knowing, Wise. |
| 24:59 | | When your children reach puberty, they must ask permission like those mentioned before. That is how Allah makes His verses clear for you. Allah is Knowing, Wise |
| 24:60 | | Older women who have no desire to marry may remove their outer garments as long as they don’t display any beauty, there’s no blame on them. However, even for them it’s better to remain modest. Allah is Hearing, Knowing |
| 24:61 | | There is no restriction on the blind, the disabled, the sick, or yourselves eating in your own homes, or your fathers’ homes, your mothers’ homes, your brothers’, sisters’, paternal or maternal uncles’ and aunts’ homes, or homes whose keys you hold, or at your friends’ homes. It isn’t blameworthy whether you eat together or separately. Whenever you enter houses, greet each other with a sincere blessing from Allah. That is how Allah makes His verses clear for you, so you may reflect |
| 24:62 | | The believers firmly believe in Allah and His Messenger, and when they are with him discussing any matter of general concern, don’t leave without seeking his permission. Those who seek your permission are true believers in Allah and His Messenger. If they ask your permission to attend to some private matter of theirs, give them permission as you wish, and seek Allah’s forgiveness for them. Allah is Forgiving, Kind |
| 24:63 | | Do not call out in a loud voice to the Messenger as you would call out to each other. Allah knows those of you who quietly slip away to avoid being given a task. Those who disagree with his commandment should beware in case they find themselves tested or are struck by a painful punishment. |
| 24:64 | | Doesn’t everything in the Heavens and the Earth belong to Allah? He knows exactly where you stand; and, on the Day all are returned to Him, He will inform them of what they did. Allah has full knowledge of all things.In the name of Allah, the Kind, the Caring |
