24:1  I (God) have sent this chapter and declare it as law. Thus I have revealed clear communication for you to be mindful

24:2  Publicly whip each adulterous man or woman with lashes and do not have any pity on them, if you believe in God and the day of judgment

24:3  It is prohibited for an adulterous man to marry with a believing (chaste) woman. It is also prohibited for an adulterous woman to marry with a believing man. The adulterous men or women should marry their own kind or (worse) to the idol worshippers

24:4  Whip the one who accuses a married woman of adultery (without backing his accusation by four witnesses) eighty lashes. Never again accept his testimony as such a person is corrupt

24:5  If such a person repents and reforms himself, he will find God the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful

24:6  As for the one who accuses his own wife of adultery (without having any witness,) Let him swear four times by God that he is telling the truth

24:7  He has to swear the fifth time, mentioning that if his testimony is false, may God never forgive him (and send him directly to the Hell.

24:8  If the accused wife wants to escape the punishment, she should swear four times by God that her husband is giving a false testimony

24:9  Then she should swear for the fifth time, mentioning that if her testimony is false, may God’s anger be upon her. (Although it is horrible to be subjected to the Lord’s anger, it is better than not having any opportunity for forgiveness as is the case of the man’s fifth time’s swearing.

24:10  Had it not been for the Grace of God and His Mercy on you (you would have been punished immediately without having a chance to repent.) Thus God, the Most Wise (gives you the good news that He) is the One Who accepts (the sincere) repentance

24:11  A gang among you came up with the slander (against your wife Aisha.) Do not consider this slander as counter-productive. As a matter of fact, it has been a blessing in disguise for you (to know the hypocrites.) Those who took any part in this have their share of the sin and the one who has been the most adamant shall have a terrible punishment

24:12  When the rumors started to circulate, the believers should have shown their goodness of heart saying: “This is a great slander.”

24:13  Only if they can come up with four witnesses, they are credible; otherwise, according to God, they are liars

24:14  If it were not for the Lord’s Grace (and the Mercy that He has showered the world and the Hereafter with,) you would have been harshly punished in account of this incidence (slandering an innocent woman.

24:15  You fabricated a lie and then the others (without knowing it for sure) circulated it by using their tongues (that God has given to be used for good purposes.) You took it lightly, while it is was a grave offence in the sight of God

24:16  When you heard the rumor, you should have said: “We are not going to spread it. We take refuge in God, this is indeed a great slander.”

24:17  Thus God reminds you not to get involved in a slander (that you are not sure about it,) if you claim to be a believer

24:18  God, the Most Knowledgeable and the Most Wise, thus plainly explains His Commandments to you

24:19  Those who like to spread these kinds of indecencies (back biting, slandering, etc.) among the believers, will be subjected to a painful punishment in this world, as well as in the Hereafter. That is because God knows and you do not know (what are the consequences of immoralities upon the future of the society.

24:20  If you only knew what would have happened to you, if God had not shown His Grace and Mercy to you. Indeed God is the Most Merciful, the Most Forgiving

24:21  O’ you who have believed, do not follow the path of Satan. The one who follows the Satan’s footstep, submits himself to his orders, i.e., getting involved in indecencies and the denial of the truth. Had it not been for the Grace of God and His Mercy on you, none would have been purified. But God purifies whoever He wills as He hears everything and is knows everything

24:22  Those among you whom God has blessed with wealth should not say that they will never again help their relatives, poor people, and those who have immigrated for the cause of the Lord (because of the disappointing experiences that they have had with them.) They should forgive (if they have said or done something wrong) and treat them with tolerance. Do you not wish to be pardoned by God? Yes, indeed the Lord is Forgiving and Merciful

24:23  Those who falsely accuse the married women (who are pious believers,) have earned the curse of God in this life as well as in the Hereafter. They will be subjected to a horrible punishment

24:24  Such people should know that, on the Day of Judgment, their own tongues, hands, and legs will testify against them and reveal what they used to do

24:25  On that Day, God will pay what they deserve in full and they will finally realize that there is a God and that He is the Whole Truth

24:26  Bad women are meant for bad men and vice versa. On the other hand, good women are meant for good men and vice versa. The latter are far from any slander meant to destroy their reputations. God will embrace them with His forgiveness and will provide them with a generous provision

24:27  O’ you who believe, do not enter the other people’s home without having their invitation. When you enter people’s home, wish them “Peace.” Make a habit of it as it is a good behavior

24:28  If you knock at the door and nobody answers, do not enter. If your request for the entrance is refused, leave the premises; this is a good behavior. Do not forget that God sees what you are doing

24:29  You may enter an abandoned house, if there is something of interest therein for you. In any case, keep in mind that God knows what you publicly reveal and what you keep as a secret for yourselves

24:30  Tell the believing men not to stare at women and not to reveal their private parts (from the naval to the knee.) This is very decent of them. Indeed God knows what they do

24:31  As for believing women, let them know that they should not stare at men. They should not reveal their private parts (any part except the face, palm of the hand and feet from the ankle down) and not to show off their adornments (except it is revealed unintentionally.) They should cover their chests with their veils and reveal their adornments only to the followings: their husbands, their fathers, their husband’s fathers, their sons, their husband’s sons, their brothers, their brother’s sons, their sister’s sons, their sisters in Islam, their female slaves, their male subordinates who do not have any sexual desire and the small children. Also, they should not strike their feet to reveal their adornments. All of you should ask for the Lord’s forgiveness so that you may succeed

24:32  It is an obligation of yours to bring single men and single women together in marriage. Also, facilitate the marriage of your pious slaves. The poverty should not be a matter of consideration in marriage as God will provide for the married couples out of His Grace

24:33  Those who cannot find a match, must maintain morality. They should wait until God showers them out of His Grace. As for those slaves of yours who wish to be free and then marry (and you find them responsible people), grant them their freedom; also give them some capital out of what God has given you at first place. Do not force your female slaves into prostitution so that you make a little bit money. If the female slaved are forced to do so, God will forgive them as He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful

24:34  I have sent you My easy to understand Revelations, which include the examples of the past generations, to be used as warnings for the righteous people

24:35  God is the light of the heavens and the earth. Imagine a concave mirror behind a lamp which is placed inside a glass container. Imagine this container being like a bright, pearl-like star. Imagine the lamp being fueled by a blessed oil-producing tree, that you cannot find neither in the east nor in the west. Its oil is almost self-radiating; needs no fire to ignite it. Light upon light is the God’s light with which He guides whoever He wills. God thus explains (difficult to understand matters) so that mankind have some idea. Know that God knows everything

24:36  You will find the light of God in the houses blessed by the Lord. The houses in which His name is being glorified day and nigh

24:37  In these houses, you will find in people who do not let the business and making money come between them and worshipping the Lord and participation in the charities. They are afraid of being at loss on the Day that the hearts and the eyes will be horrified

24:38  God will raise their good acts to the heaven and increase their reward out of His Grace; after all, God can shower anyone He wills without measure

24:39  As for those who rejected (this Qur’an,) their deeds are like a mirage. It gives them the allusion of water in a desert; but when they reach there, instead of water, they will find the Lord ready to question the figures in their accounts. God is the Most Efficient in Accounting

24:40  Their case may also be likened to a man who find himself in the middle of a violent ocean. There are waves upon waves. It is so dark that he cannot even see his own hand when stretching it for swimming in desperation. The one whom God has deprived of light, cannot find any light

24:41  Do you not see that all creatures in the heavens and the earth worship the Lord? Look at the birds who open their wings in the air. They all know how to worship and glorify Him in their own ways; and God knows what they all are doing

24:42  To God belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth and all have to return back to Him

24:43  Do you not see that God raises the clouds, then unites them together, then concentrates them and let them shower their rain? He is the One Who sends the hail from the mountains of clouds, hurting whoever He wants and sparing whoever He wants. Look at the lightning sent from the same clouds which almost blinds the eyes

24:44  God alternates night and the day. In this alone, there are lessons for those who have inquisitive mind (to discover the rotation of the earth and appreciate the power which makes the earth turn around its axel.

24:45  God has originated every creature in the water (confirmation of the theory of the evolution.) Among them, some crawl on their bellies, some walk on their two legs, and some run using their four legs. Thus God creates whatever He wants and has power over everything

24:46  Thus I have sent you My plains Revelations (which are easy to understand) to guide those whom I want to the straight path

24:47  Some say: “We bear witness that we have chosen to believe in God and His Messenger and we are going to submit ourselves.” Soon after, however, a group of them forget their pledges. The latter are definitely not the believers

24:48  When they are called tot he court of God so that His Messengers judge their cases, some of them turn away

24:49  However, if the judgment is in their favor, they will happily accept it

24:50  Are they sick? Do they still have doubts? Are they afraid that God and His Messenger will not judge them in fairness? The fact of the matter is, they are unjust people

24:51  As for the believers, when they are summoned to the court of the Lord for the judgment, they simply say: “We heard the call and we obey.” These are the kind of people who will succeed

24:52  Those who obey God and His Messenger, are at awe with the Lord, and never disobey Him are the successful ones

24:53  They swear by God that if they are called to serve in the army, they will leave their homes to join. Say: “Do not swear; obedience is an obligation. God knows what you are doing.”

24:54  Say: “Obey God and His Messenger.” If they turn their back, they will be held responsible for their choice and you will be held responsible for the accomplishment of your mission. Those who obey, they are guided. The responsibility of the Messenger is only to properly convey the Message.”

24:55  God promises those believers who lead a righteous life, that He will establish them with power on earth. He did it for the previous nations. He will establish for them the religion He has chosen for them, and will create an environment for them inwhich fear will be replaced by peace and security. All this in account of their choosing to worship Me alone and not to worship anyone else. Those who choose to disbelieve now are truly corrupt

24:56  Worship the Lord on regular basis, devote a part of your God given income to charity, and follow the Prophet so that He may show Mercy on you

24:57  Do not think that those who rebel against the Lord can frustrate Him the least in this world. As a matter of fact they are going to live in the Hell which is an evil place

24:58  O’ you who believe, You may have privacy of your own three times a day: Before the Dawn Prayer, at noon (when you usually change your clothes to have a siesta,) and after the Night Prayer. Your servants and the children who have not attained puberty must ask permission to disturb your privacy. At other times, it does not matter if you mingle with one another. GOD thus makes His revelations clear for you. GOD knows everything and is the Most Wise

24:59  When your children grow up, they should continue asking permission as before. God, the Most Knowledgeable, the Most Wise, thus makes His revelations clear to you

24:60  The elderly women, who have given up the idea of marriage may relax their dress code, provided they do not reveal too much of their bodies. It will be the best, if they continue observing their dress code. Know that God hears everything and knows everything

24:61  There is no blame if a blind, a handicap, or a sick person eats in somebody else’s house, just as you are not to be blamed for eating at your homes, or the homes of your fathers, or the homes of your mothers, or the homes of your brothers, or the homes of your sisters, or the homes of your fathers’ brothers, or the homes of your fathers’ sisters, or the homes of your mothers’ brothers, or the homes of your mothers’ sisters, or the homes that belong to you and you possess their keys, or the homes of your friends. You commit nothing wrong by eating together or as individuals. However, when you enter any home, you shall greet each other by the words of peace, which God has blessed and taught you. GOD thus explains His Revelations plainly and in detail for you so that you may understand

24:62  The true believers are those who believe in GOD and His messenger. When they are with the Prophet in a formal gathering, they do not leave him without excusing themselves. Those do so are the ones who do believe in God and His messenger. If they ask your permission to leave, you may grant their wish, and ask God to forgive them. God is the Most Forgiver, Most Merciful

24:63  Do not treat the messenger’s call for gathering as you treat each others’ invitation to get together. God is fully aware of those among you who sneak away quietly. Let It be known that those who disobey the Prophet’s orders are making themselves vulnerable to the disasters or the Lord’s punishment

24:64  Know that everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to God. He knows exactly what you are going through and He visualizes you the Day when you will be brought back to Him. On that Day, He will inform you of what you have don. Know that God has full knowledge of everything