24:1  This is a chapter which We have revealed and ordained. In it We have revealed manifest signs in order that you may take heed

24:2  The man and the woman guilty of adultery (fornication, whoring), scourge each of them with a hundred stripes, and let not compassion for them withhold you from obedience to Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day; and let a party of the believers

24:3  Let no adulterer marry any but an adulteress or an idolatress (or unbeliever), nor let any but such a man or an idolater (or unbeliever) marry such a woman. All this is forbidden to believers

24:4  And those who launch a charge (accusations, imputations) on chaste women, but bring not four witnesses, scourge them with eighty stripes, and never afterwards accept their testimony, for these are, indeed, evil-doers (workers of abomination)

24:5  Except such as repent after that and make amends, for, verily, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful

24:6  And those who cast charges (accusations, imputations) against their wives and have no witnesses except themselves, then the testimony of one of them shall be to testify four times that, by Allah, he is of those who speak the truth

24:7  And a fifth, to invoke the curse of Allah on him if he be of those who lie

24:8  And it shall avert the punishment from her if she bears testimony four times that, by Allah, he is of those who lie

24:9  And the fifth that the wrath of Allah shall be on her if he be of those who speak the truth

24:10  And were it not for the grace of Allah upon you and His mercy unto you, and that Allah is Relenting, Wise (he would have been ruined)

24:11  Verily, those who spread the slander are a gang among you. Deem it not as an evil for you. Nay, it is good for you. Every man of them shall have what he has earned of sin; and he among them who had the greater share (took the lead), for him is an awful d

24:12  Why did not, when you heard it, the believers, men and women, think good of their own folk, and say, "This is an obvious lie?"

24:13  Why did they not bring four witnesses to it? But since they did not bring witnesses, then verily they stand forth as liars in the sight of Allah

24:14  And but for the grace of Allah upon you, and His mercy in this world and the Hereafter, an awful doom would have seized you, for that which you glibly and hastily spread abroad

24:15  Behold, you received it with your tongues, and spoke with your mouths what you had no knowledge of, and deemed it a light thing, while it was most grave in the sight of Allah

24:16  And why, when you heard it, did you not say, "It is not for us to speak of this? Glory be to Thee, O Allah, this is an awful slander!"

24:17  Allah admonishes you that you return not to the like of it ever, if you be believers

24:18  And He expounds to you His revelations, for Allah is Knower, Wise

24:19  Verily, those who love to see slander (or scandal) broadcast amongst the believers, for them is grievous woe in this world and the Hereafter; Allah knows, but you know not

24:20  And but for the grace of Allah upon you, and His mercy, and that Allah is kind and compassionate...

24:21  O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Satan, for he who follows the footsteps of Satan, verily, he bids you filth (the shameful) and wrong. Had it not been for the grace of Allah upon you and His mercy unto you, not one of you would have grown p

24:22  And let not those amongst you who have plenty (dignity and ease and ample means) swear that they will not give aught to their kinsman and the needy and those who are fugitives from their homes in the cause of Allah, but let them forgive and show indulgen

24:23  Verily, those who slander (cast aspersions) on virtuous (or chaste) women who have been careless (indiscreet) but believing, shall be cursed in this world and the Hereafter; theirs will be an awful doo

24:24  On the day when their tongues and hands and feet shall testify against them as to what they used to do

24:25  On that day Allah will pay them their just due; and they shall know that Allah, He is the Manifest Truth

24:26  Vile (impure) women are for vile (impure) men, and vile men for vile women. Good women are for good men, and good men for good women, such are innocent of what people they say; for them is forgiveness and a noble provision

24:27  O you who believe! Enter not into houses which are not your own, until you have asked permission (announced your presence) and saluted (invoked peace on) the people thereof. That is better for you; per chance (or possibly) you may be mindful

24:28  And if you find no one therein, then enter not until permission is given you, and if it be said unto you, "Go away." then go away, for it is purer for you; Allah knows what you do

24:29  It is no crime against you that you enter uninhabited houses, wherein is comfort for you; but Allah knows what you proclaim and what you hide

24:30  Say to the believing men that they cast down their looks and guard their modesty; that is purer for them; verily, Allah is well aware of what they do

24:31  And say to the believing women that they cast down their looks and guard their modesty, and display not their ornaments, except those which are obvious from the outside; and let them pull their veils over their bosoms and not display their ornaments (and beauty) save to their husbands and fathers, or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or their brothers´ sons, or their sisters´ sons, or their women, or what their right hands possess (slaves), or their male attendants who are incapable (eunuchs or old men), or to children who do not note women´s nakedness; and that they beat not with their feet to draw attention to their hidden ornaments; but turn you all to Allah, O you believers, in order that you may succeed (or prosper or attain bliss)

24:32  And marry the single amongst you, and the righteous among your slaves and your handmaidens. If they be poor, Allah will enrich them of His grace, for Allah encompasses all and knows all

24:33  And let those who cannot find a match keep chaste until Allah gives them means from His grace. And if any of your slaves asks for a Deed in writing (an agreement to purchase their freedom), write it for them if you know any good in them; yea, give them s

24:34  Now have We sent down to you clear revelations, and the example of those who have passed away before you, and as an admonition to those who fear (avoid) evil

24:35  Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; The similitude of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, and the lamp is in a glass, the glass is as though it were a brilliant star; it is lit from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the east nor of

24:36  (This lamp is found, or the light is lit) In the houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted and that His name shall be remembered (or mentioned) therein. His praises are celebrated therein mornings and evenings

24:37  By men whom neither merchandise nor selling (commerce) divert from the remembrance of Allah and steadfastness in prayer and charity, who are in awe of the day when heart and eyes shall be transformed

24:38  That Allah may reward them for the best of that which they have done, and give them increase of His bounty; for Allah gives blessings without stint to whom He will

24:39  But those who disbelieve, their works are like the mirage in a desert, the thirsty suppose it to be water till when he comes to it he finds nothing, but he finds, instead, Allah is with him; and He will pay him his account, for Allah is quick to take acc

24:40  Or like darkness on a deep sea. There covers it a wave above which is another wave, above which is a cloud, layers of darkness upon darkness; when he puts out his hand he can scarcely see it; for him to whom Allah has given no light, he has no light

24:41  Have you not seen that Allah, He it is whom praise all who are in the heavens and the earth, and the birds in their flight? Each one knows its worship and its praise, and Allah is aware of what they do

24:42  And unto Allah belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and unto Allah is the journeying

24:43  Have you not seen how Allah drives the clouds gently, and then gathers them together, then heaps them up (or layers them)? Then you may see the rain coming forth from their midst; and He sends down from the sky mountainous masses wherein is hail; He smit

24:44  Allah alternates the night and the day. Verily, in all these things is a lesson to those endowed with vision

24:45  And Allah created every beast from water, and of them are some that creep upon their bellies, and some that walk upon two legs, and some walk upon four. Allah creates what He wills; verily, Allah has power over all things

24:46  We have, indeed, sent down revelations which make things (hidden) manifest, and Allah guides whom He pleases unto the Straight Way

24:47  They say, "We believe in Allah and in the Messenger, and we obey." But after that some of them turn their backs; they are not really believers

24:48  And when they appeal to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them, lo! A section of them is averse

24:49  But had the right been on their side they would have come unto Him willingly enough

24:50  Is there in their heart a disease, or do they doubt, or do they fear lest Allah and His Messenger should deal unjustly by them?- Nay, it is they who do wrong (or are unjust)

24:51  The speech of the believers, when they appeal unto Allah and His Messenger to judge between them, is only to say, "We hear and we obey;" and such are the successful

24:52  He who obeys Allah and His Messenger and fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, such indeed are the victorious

24:53  They swear by Allah with their most solemn oath that had you ordered them they would surely go forth. Say, "Swear not; obedience is more reasonable; verily, Allah is Informed of what you do."

24:54  Say, "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger; but if you turn away then it is for him to do only that wherewith he has been charged, and for you to do only that wherewith you have been charged. If you obey him, you are rightly guided. But the Messenger h

24:55  Allah promises those of you who believe and do right that He will give them the succession (or make them inheritors to the present rulers), in the earth even as He gave the succession to those before them; and that He will surely establish for them their

24:56  Establish regular worship and regularly pay the Zakah (the poor-tax) and obey the Messenger, in order that you may obtain mercy

24:57  Think not that those who disbelieve can frustrate (the plan of Allah) on earth; their resort is the Fire, and it is indeed an ill destination

24:58  O you who believe! Let those whom your right hands possess (slaves), and the children amongst you who have not reached puberty, ask leave of you on three occasions (before coming into your presence) - before the prayer of dawn, and when you put off your

24:59  And when your children reach puberty let them ask leave as those before them asked leave. Thus does Allah explain to you His revelations, for Allah is Knower, Wise

24:60  And women past childbearing, who have no hope of marriage, it is no crime for them if they discard their outer garments in such a way as not to display their adornments. But to refrain is better for them, for Allah is Hearer, Knower

24:61  There is no blame upon the blind, nor blame upon the lame, nor blame upon the sick nor on yourselves if you eat from your houses, or the houses of your fathers, or the houses of your mothers, or the houses of your brothers, or the houses of your sisters,

24:62  Only those are believers who believe in Allah and His Messenger, and when they are with him (the Messenger) upon some common business, go not away until they have asked leave of him. Verily, those who ask your leave they it is who believe in Allah and Hi

24:63  Make not the calling (or summons) of the Messenger among you like your calling (or summons) one to the other. Allah knows those of you who steal away, hiding themselves. And let those who conspire to evade his orders beware lest grief or painful punishme

24:64  Verily, to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. He knows their condition, and the Day when they shall be returned unto Him so that He may inform them of what they did. Allah is Knower of all things