Translation of Surah An-Nur in English by Muhsin Khan
Surah An-Nur
In The Name
of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
(This is) a Surah
(chapter of the Quran) which We have sent down and which We have enjoined,
(ordained its legal laws) and in it We have revealed manifest Ayat (proofs,
evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations lawful and unlawful things, and
set boundries of Islamic Religion), that you may remember. (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:1)
The woman and the
man guilty of illegal sexual intercourse, flog each of them with a hundred
stripes. Let not pity withhold you in their case, in a punishment prescribed by
Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let a party of the
believers witness their punishment. (This punishment is for unmarried persons
guilty of the above crime but if married persons commit it, the punishment is
to stone them to death, according to Allah's Law). (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:2)
The adulterer
marries not but an adulteress or a Mushrikah and the adulteress none marries
her except an adulterer or a Muskrik [and that means that the man who agrees to
marry (have a sexual relation with) a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan or
idolatress) or a prostitute, then surely he is either an adulterer, or a
Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater, etc.) And the woman who agrees to marry
(have a sexual relation with) a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater) or an
adulterer, then she is either a prostitute or a Mushrikah (female polytheist,
pagan, or idolatress, etc.)]. Such a thing is forbidden to the believers (of
Islamic Monotheism). (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:3)
And those who
accuse chaste women, and produce not four witnesses, flog them with eighty
stripes, and reject their testimony forever, they indeed are the Fasiqun
(liars, rebellious, disobedient to Allah). (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:4)
Except those who
repent thereafter and do righteous deeds, (for such) verily, Allah is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:5)
And for those who
accuse their wives, but have no witnesses except themselves, let the testimony
of one of them be four testimonies (i.e. testifies four times) by Allah that he
is one of those who speak the truth. (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:6)
And the fifth
(testimony) (should be) the invoking of the Curse of Allah on him if he be of
those who tell a lie (against her). (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:7)
But it shall
avert the punishment (of stoning to death) from her, if she bears witness four
times by Allah, that he (her husband) is telling a lie. (Quran Surah An-Nur
24:8)
And the fifth
(testimony) should be that the Wrath of Allah be upon her if he (her husband)
speaks the truth. (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:9)
And had it not
been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you (He would have hastened the
punishment upon you)! And that Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, the
All-Wise. (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:10)
Verily! Those who
brought forth the slander (against 'Aishah, the wife of the Prophet SAW) are a
group among you. Consider it not a bad thing for you. Nay, it is good for you.
Unto every man among them will be paid that which he had earned of the sin, and
as for him among them who had the greater share therein, his will be a great
torment. (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:11)
Why then, did not
the believers, men and women, when you heard it (the slander) think good of
their own people and say: "This (charge) is an obvious lie?" (Quran
Surah An-Nur 24:12)
Why did they not
produce four witnesses? Since they (the slanderers) have not produced
witnesses! Then with Allah they are the liars. (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:13)
Had it not been
for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy unto you in this world and in the
Hereafter, a great torment would have touched you for that whereof you had
spoken. (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:14)
When you were
propagating it with your tongues, and uttering with your mouths that whereof
you had no knowledge, you counted it a little thing, while with Allah it was
very great. (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:15)
And why did you
not, when you heard it, say? "It is not right for us to speak of this.
Glory be to You (O Allah) this is a great lie." (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:16)
Allah forbids you
from it and warns you not to repeat the like of it forever, if you are
believers. (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:17)
And Allah makes
the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) plain
to you, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:18)
Verily, those who
like that (the crime of) illegal sexual intercourse should be propagated among
those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the
Hereafter. And Allah knows and you know not. (Quran Surah An-Nur 24:19)
And had it not
been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, (Allah would have hastened
the punishment upon you). And that Allah is full of kindness, Most Merciful. (Quran
24:20)
O you who believe!
Follow not the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan). And whosoever follows the
footsteps of Shaitan (Satan), then, verily he commands Al-Fahsha' [i.e. to
commit indecency (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.)], and Al-Munkar [disbelief
and polytheism (i.e. to do evil and wicked deeds; to speak or to do what is
forbidden in Islam, etc.)]. And had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His
Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure from sins. But Allah
purifies (guides to Islam) whom He wills, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
(Quran 24:21)
And let not those
among you who are blessed with graces and wealth swear not to give (any sort of
help) to their kinsmen, Al-Masakin (the poor), and those who left their homes
for Allah's Cause. Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love that Allah
should forgive you? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Quran 24:22)
Verily, those who
accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity
and are good believers, are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter, and for
them will be a great torment, (Quran 24:23)
On the Day when
their tongues, their hands, and their legs or feet will bear witness against
them as to what they used to do. (Quran 24:24)
On that Day Allah
will pay them the recompense of their deeds in full, and they will know that
Allah, He is the Manifest Truth. (Quran 24:25)
Bad statements
are for bad people (or bad women for bad men) and bad people for bad statements
(or bad men for bad women). Good statements are for good people (or good women
for good men) and good people for good statements (or good men for good women),
such (good people) are innocent of (each and every) bad statement which they
say, for them is Forgiveness, and Rizqun Karim (generous provision
i.e.Paradise). (Quran 24:26)
O you who
believe! Enter not houses other than your own, until you have asked permission
and greeted those in them, that is better for you, in order that you may
remember. (Quran 24:27)
And if you find
no one therein, still, enter not until permission has been given. And if you
are asked to go back, go back, for it is purer for you, and Allah is All-Knower
of what you do. (Quran 24:28)
There is no sin
on you that you enter (without taking permission) houses uninhabited (i.e. not
possessed by anybody), (when) you have any interest in them. And Allah has
knowledge of what you reveal and what you conceal. (Quran 24:29)
Tell the
believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and
protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for
them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do. (Quran 24:30)
And tell the
believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and
protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.) and not to show
off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like palms of hands or
one eye or both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer dress like veil, gloves,
head-cover, apron, etc.), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e.
their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms, etc.) and not to reveal their adornment
except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons,
their husband's sons, their brothers or their brother's sons, or their sister's
sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female)
slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or
small children who have no sense of the shame of sex. And let them not stamp
their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you
beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful. (Quran
24:31)
And marry those
among you who are single (i.e. a man who has no wife and the woman who has no
husband) and (also marry) the Salihun (pious, fit and capable ones) of your
(male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves). If they be poor, Allah will
enrich them out of His Bounty. And Allah is All-Sufficent for His creatures'
needs, All-Knowing (about the state of the people). (Quran 24:32)
And let those who
find not the financial means for marriage keep themselves chaste, until Allah
enriches them of His Bounty. And such of your slaves as seek a writing (of
emancipation), give them such writing, if you know that they are good and
trustworthy. And give them something yourselves out of the wealth of Allah
which He has bestowed upon you. And force not your maids to prostitution, if they
desire chastity, in order that you may make a gain in the (perishable) goods of
this worldly life. But if anyone compels them (to prostitution), then after
such compulsion, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (to those women, i.e. He
will forgive them because they have been forced to do this evil action
unwillingly). (Quran 24:33)
And indeed We
have sent down for you Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs,
revelations, etc.) that make things plain, and the example of those who passed
away before you, and an admonition for those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious -
see V.2:2). (Quran 24:34)
Allah is the
Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as (if there
were) a niche and within it a lamp, the lamp is in glass, the glass as it were
a brilliant star, lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east (i.e.
neither it gets sun-rays only in the morning) nor of the west (i.e. nor it gets
sun-rays only in the afternoon, but it is exposed to the sun all day long),
whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself), though no fire touched it. Light
upon Light! Allah guides to His Light whom He wills. And Allah sets forth
parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything. (Quran 24:35)
In houses
(mosques), which Allah has ordered to be raised (to be cleaned, and to be
honoured), in them His Name is glorified in the mornings and in the afternoons
or the evenings, (Quran 24:36)
Men whom neither
trade nor sale diverts them from the Remembrance of Allah (with heart and
tongue), nor from performing As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), nor from giving the
Zakat. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned (from the horror
of the torment of the Day of Resurrection). (Quran 24:37)
That Allah may
reward them according to the best of their deeds, and add even more for them
out of His Grace. And Allah provides without measure to whom He wills. (Quran
24:38)
As for those who
disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one thinks
it to be water, until he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing, but he
finds Allah with him, Who will pay him his due (Hell). And Allah is Swift in
taking account. (Quran 24:39)
Or [the state of
a disbeliever] is like the darkness in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed with a great
wave topped by a great wave, topped by dark clouds, darkness, one above
another, if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it! And he for whom
Allah has not appointed light, for him there is no light. (Quran 24:40)
See you not (O
Muhammad SAW) that Allah, He it is Whom glorify whosoever is in the heavens and
the earth, and the birds with wings out-spread (in their flight). Of each one
He (Allah) knows indeed his Salat (prayer) and his glorification, [or everyone
knows his Salat (prayer) and his glorification], and Allah is All-Aware of what
they do. (Quran 24:41)
And to Allah
belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and to Allah is the
return (of all). (Quran 24:42)
See you not that
Allah drives the clouds gently, then joins them together, then makes them into
a heap of layers, and you see the rain comes forth from between them. And He
sends down from the sky hail (like) mountains, (or there are in the heaven
mountains of hail from where He sends down hail), and strike therewith whom He
will, and averts it from whom He wills. The vivid flash of its (clouds)
lightning nearly blinds the sight. [Tafsir At-Tabari]. (Quran 24:43)
Allah causes the
night and the day to succeed each other (i.e. if the day is gone, the night
comes, and if the night is gone, the day comes, and so on). Truly, in these
things is indeed a lesson for those who have insight. (Quran 24:44)
Allah has created
every moving (living) creature from water. Of them there are some that creep on
their bellies, some that walk on two legs, and some that walk on four. Allah
creates what He wills. Verily! Allah is Able to do all things. (Quran 24:45)
We have indeed
sent down (in this Quran) manifest Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons,
signs, revelations, lawful and unlawful things, and the set boundries of
Islamic religion, etc. that make things clear showing the Right Path of Allah).
And Allah guides whom He wills to a Straight Path (i.e. to Allah's religion of
Islamic Monotheism). (Quran 24:46)
They (hypocrites)
say: "We have believed in Allah and in the Messenger (Muhammad SAW), and
we obey," then a party of them turn away thereafter, such are not
believers. (Quran 24:47)
And when they are
called to Allah (i.e. His Words, the Quran) and His Messenger (SAW), to judge
between them, lo! a party of them refuse (to come) and turn away. (Quran 24:48)
But if the right
is with them, they come to him willingly with submission. (Quran 24:49)
Is there a
disease in their hearts? Or do they doubt or fear lest Allah and His Messenger
(SAW) should wrong them in judgement. Nay, it is they themselves who are the
Zalimun (polytheists, hypocrites and wrong-doers, etc.). (Quran 24:50)
The only saying
of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allah (His Words, the Quran)
and His Messenger (SAW), to judge between them, is that they say: "We hear
and we obey." And such are the prosperous ones (who will live forever in
Paradise). (Quran 24:51)
And whosoever
obeys Allah and His Messenger (SAW), fears Allah, and keeps his duty (to Him),
such are the successful ones. (Quran 24:52)
They swear by
Allah their strongest oaths, that if only you would order them, they would
leave (their homes for fighting in Allah's Cause). Say: "Swear you not;
(this) obedience (of yours) is known (to be false). Verily, Allah knows well
what you do." (Quran 24:53)
Say: "Obey
Allah and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away, he (Messenger Muhammad SAW)
is only responsible for the duty placed on him (i.e. to convey Allah's Message)
and you for that placed on you. If you obey him, you shall be on the right
guidance. The Messenger's duty is only to convey (the message) in a clear way
(i.e. to preach in a plain way)." (Quran 24:54)
Allah has
promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will
certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth, as He
granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practise
their religion, that which He has chosen for them (i.e. Islam). And He will
surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear (provided) they
(believers) worship Me and do not associate anything (in worship) with Me. But
whoever disbelieved after this, they are the Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient
to Allah). (Quran 24:55)
And perform
As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give Zakat and obey the Messenger (Muhammad
SAW) that you may receive mercy (from Allah). (Quran 24:56)
Consider not that
the disbelievers can escape in the land. Their abode shall be the Fire, and
worst indeed is that destination. (Quran 24:57)
O you who
believe! Let your legal slaves and slave-girls, and those among you who have
not come to the age of puberty ask your permission (before they come to your
presence) on three occasions; before Fajr (morning) prayer, and while you put
off your clothes for the noonday (rest), and after the 'Isha' (late-night)
prayer. (These) three times are of privacy for you, other than these times
there is no sin on you or on them to move about, attending (helping) you each
other. Thus Allah makes clear the Ayat (the Verses of this Quran, showing
proofs for the legal aspects of permission for visits, etc.) to you. And Allah
is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (Quran 24:58)
And when the
children among you come to puberty, then let them (also) ask for permission, as
those senior to them (in age). Thus Allah makes clear His Ayat (Commandments
and legal obligations) for you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (Quran
24:59)
And as for women
past child-bearing who do not expect wed-lock, it is no sin on them if they
discard their (outer) clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment.
But to refrain (i.e. not to discard their outer clothing) is better for them.
And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower. (Quran 24:60)
There is no
restriction on the blind, nor any restriction on the lame, nor any restriction
on 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, or the houses of your father's brothers, or the
houses of your father's sisters, or the houses of your mother's brothers, or
the houses of your mother's sisters, or (from that) whereof you hold keys, or
(from the house) of a friend. No sin on you whether you eat together or apart.
But when you enter the houses, greet one another with a greeting from Allah
(i.e. say: As-Salamu 'Alaikum - peace be on you) blessed and good. Thus Allah
makes clear the Ayat (these Verses or your religious symbols and signs, etc.)
to you that you may understand. (Quran 24:61)
The true
believers are only those, who believe in (the Oneness of) Allah and His
Messenger (Muhammad SAW), and when they are with him on some common matter,
they go not away until they have asked his permission. Verily! Those who ask
your permission, those are they who (really) believe in Allah and His
Messenger. So if they ask your permission for some affairs of theirs, give
permission to whom you will of them, and ask Allah for their forgiveness.
Truly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Quran 24:62)
Make not the
calling of the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) among you as your calling of one
another. Allah knows those of you who slip away under shelter (of some excuse
without taking the permission to leave, from the Messenger SAW). And let those
who oppose the Messenger's (Muhammad SAW) commandment (i.e. his Sunnah legal
ways, orders, acts of worship, statements, etc.) (among the sects) beware, lest
some Fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered
by a tyrant, etc.) befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them. (Quran
24:63)
Certainly, to Allah
belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Surely, He knows your
condition and (He knows) the Day when they will be brought back to Him, then He
will inform them of what they did. And Allah is All-Knower of everything. (Quran
24:64)
Comments