Sūrah al-Nūr

This is a grand sūrah that We have revealed and have made its directives mandatory [upon you] and have also revealed very clear admonitions in it so that you take heed.

A man or a woman guilty of fornication, flog each of them with a hundred lashes [if their crime is proven], and in [the implementation of] this law of God any feeling of sympathy with them should not arise in you, if you in reality believe in God and in the Hereafter. And at the time of their punishment a group of Muslims should also be present there.

[After this punishment,] this man guilty of fornication can only marry a woman guilty of fornication or an idolatress. And this woman guilty of fornication also shall only be wedded by a man guilty of fornication or by an idolater. This has been prohibited to the believers.

And those who accuse chaste women [of fornication], then are not able to bring four witnesses [as evidence to it], flog them with eighty lashes and never accept their testimony in future and it is these people who are defiant. However, those who repent and reform after this, they will not be considered defiant before God because God is gracious; His mercy is eternal. But those who accuse their wives and have no other witness except themselves, then the evidence of each is that he should swear four times by God that he is truthful and the fifth time he should say that may the curse of God be on him if he is lying. [After this,] the punishment can only be averted from the woman [when in return] she also swears four times by God that this person is a liar and the fifth time she should say that may the wrath of God come upon her if he is truthful [in his accusation. Believers!] Had not God’s mercy and blessings been upon you and had it not been that God is generous in accepting repentance and wise, then the attitude you had adopted would have invited the wrath of God instead of being given these directives.

Undoubtedly, those who have fabricated this slander are a group from among you. Do not think this to be a misfortune for you; it is, in fact, better for you. The sin each of them has earned will be placed in his account and for [the originator of this mischief] who has the greatest share in it from among them there is a great torment.

When you people heard this, why did not believing men and believing women think graciously in favour of their people and why did they not say: “This is an open slander.”

Why did not these [accusers] bring forth four witnesses to substantiate their accusation? Then, when they did not bring witnesses, it is they who are liars in the sight of God.

But for God’s mercy on you [Muslims] in this world and in the Hereafter, some big torment would have visited you because of the path you had adopted. Just reflect when you were continuously spreading it with your tongues and saying with your mouths which you had no knowledge of. You were regarding this to be something ordinary; yet it was something very grave to God. Why did not you say as soon as you heard it: “It is not befitting for us to utter such words. God forbid, this is a great slander.”

God counsels you that if you are believers, then you must never do this again. God profoundly explains His revelations for you and God is All-Knowing and Wise.

Undoubtedly, those who want vulgarity to spread among Muslims, for them is a painful torment in this world also and in the Hereafter too. God knows all these people, but you do not know. In reality, were God’s grace and mercy not upon you, and it was not the case that God is very Gracious and Ever-Merciful, a great calamity would have struck you because of this sin.

Believers! Do not follow the footsteps of Satan and [remember that] he who follows the footsteps of Satan will only ruin himself because he entices [people to] lewdness and evil. [You accuse others and regard your own selves to be very pure?] In reality, were God’s grace and mercy not upon you, none of you could have ever become pure. However, it is God Who purifies whomsoever He wishes [according to His law] and God hears and knows all.

Those among you who are affluent and who have been given extensively [while seeing someone entangled in this matter] should not swear that now they will not spend on the kindred, the needy and those who migrate for the cause of God. [No; in fact,] they should forgive and forgo. Do you not want God to forgive you? In reality, God is Forgiving, Ever-Merciful.

Those who accuse chaste and decent believing women stand cursed both in this world and in the Hereafter, and for them is a great torment. On the Day, when their tongues, hands and feet shall bear witness against them in favour of their deeds. The retribution they deserve on that Day, God shall give it to them in full and they shall know that only God is the truth and He reveals all truths.

On that Day, evil women shall be for evil men and evil men shall be for evil women. Similarly, pure women shall be for pure men and pure men shall be for pure women. They shall be acquitted from the evil things these people say [about them]. For them is forgiveness and a sustenance of honour there.

Believers! [To attain this very purity it is essential that] you do not enter the houses other than your own until you have introduced yourselves and wished peace to those in them. It is this way which is better for you so that you may remain heedful. Then if you find no one there, enter them not until permission is given to you and if you are asked to go back, return. It is this way which is purer for you and [remember that] God is well aware of all that you do. It is however no sin for you to enter non-residential places in which there is some benefit for you. God has knowledge of what you reveal and what you conceal.

[O Prophet!] Tell those who believe in you to restrain their eyes and guard their private parts [if there are women present in these houses]. This is a purer way for them. Undoubtedly, God is well aware of whatever they do. And tell believing women to restrain their eyes also and to guard their private parts and to display of their embellishments only those which are normally revealed and for this they should draw their coverings over their chest and necklines. And they should not reveal their embellishments to anyone except their husbands or their fathers or their husbands’ fathers or their sons or their husbands’ sons or their brothers or their brothers’ sons or their sisters’ sons or their women of acquaintance or their slaves or the subservient male servants who do not feel attraction for women or those children who as yet have no awareness of the hidden aspects of women. And they should not walk by stamping their feet on the ground so that attention is drawn to their hidden ornaments. Believers! All of you turn to God in repentance [on the sins committed until now] that you may prosper. (30-31)

[Similarly, it is also essential that] you should arrange to wed those among you who are single and also those among your slave-men and slave-women who are able to. If they are poor, God will make them rich out of His grace. God has great capacity and has knowledge of everything. And let those who find not an opportunity for marriage restrain themselves until God gives them means out of His grace. And those of your slaves who ask for mukātabat, grant it to them if you find good in them [so that they too advance in purity] and [for this, if there is a need, O Muslims!] give them out of the wealth which God has given to you. And do not force your slave-women to prostitution merely to obtain some benefit for your worldly life when they want to remain chaste. And he who forces them shall bear its sin because after this compulsion on them God is Most Gracious and Ever-Merciful [to them]. We have revealed to you [O Prophet] these verses which thoroughly explain and the parable of those also who passed before you and counsel too for those who fear God.¹

[The parable is that] God is the light of the heavens and the earth. [In the heart of a person,] the example of this light of His is as if there is a niche which has a lamp. The lamp is in crystal. The crystal is such as if it is a shining star. It is lit up by oil that comes from a lush olive tree which is neither eastern nor western. Its oil is [so transparent] as if it will light up even without fire touching it. Light upon light. God grants this light of His guidance to whomsoever He wills. God mentions these parables to guide people and God is aware of everything – [These niches] are found in houses about which God has directed that they be built and His name be mentioned in them. In it, those upright people glorify Him morning and evening whom neither trade nor sale purchase divert from remembering God, showing diligence in the prayer and from paying zakāh. They keep fearing the day in which hearts will be in anguish and eyes will remain tilted to one side so that God gives them the best reward of their deeds and gives them more out of His grace. God will give immeasurably to whomsoever He desires.

On the other hand, people who deny this light, the parable of their deeds is as if there is a mirage in a desolate desert which the thirsty thinks to be water until when he comes close to it, he finds it to be nothing. However, he finds God there. Then He will take His account in full and it never takes long for God to take account. Or like expansive darkness in a deep sea such that it is being covered by wave upon wave; clouds overspread from the top. [In short,] layers of darkness one on top of the other. When someone takes out his hand, he is not even able to see it. In reality, he whom God does not give light, for him there is no light.

Have you not seen that whatever is in the heavens and the earth all glorify God alone and the birds too with outstretched wings? Each knows well its prayer and glorification. [If you do not know, then what; but] God knows whatever they do. The sovereignty of the heavens and the earth belongs to God and to God alone [everyone] has to return.

Have you not seen that God brings forth the clouds, then joins [their independent pieces] together; after that makes them into layers? Then you see that from within it the rain [of benevolence] emerges [for you] and [in a similar way when He wants to warn,] He unleashes from the sky – from the mountains of [hail] in it – hail. Then He makes them fall on whomsoever He likes and turns them away from whomsoever He wants. Such is the flash of its lightning as if it will snatch away the eyes. The alternation of day and night is also being done by God. In reality, there is a great lesson in it for those who have sight.

It is God Who has created every living being from water. Then [you see that] some of them creep on their bellies, some of them walk on two feet and some on four feet. God creates whatever He intends. Indeed, God has power over all things.

We have sent down these revelations which clearly explain [so that people may understand. Further,] it is God Who guides whomsoever He wills to the straight path [according to His law].

[They do not understand.] They say: “We have professed faith in God and in His Messenger and We have accepted [their] obedience.” Then one group from among them turns away after this. In reality, these people are those who do not believe. When they are called to God and His Messenger so that the Messenger may resolve [their mutual differences,] then one of their groups turns away right at that moment. However, if they are able to obtain the truth [in their favour], they come to the messenger very obediently. Is there the ailment [of hypocrisy] in their hearts or are they still inflicted with doubt or do they fear that God and His Messenger will be unjust to them? Certainly not! In fact, these people are themselves unjust. Such are the words of the believers that when they are called to God and His Messenger so that the Messenger may decide among them, they say: “We listened and we obeyed.” In reality, it is these people who shall prosper. [Remember that] those who obey God and His messenger and fear God and abide by His limits, it is they who shall be successful.

[Such are these hypocrites that] they swore strong oaths by God that if you direct them [to wage jihād], they will certainly march out. Say: Do not swear oaths. Obedience in the conventional way is needed from you. God certainly knows what you are doing. Tell them: Obey God and obey His messenger. However, if you turn away, then [remember that] the responsibility on the messenger is only that which has been imposed on him and on you what is imposed on you. If you obey him, you will be guided and the responsibility of the messenger is only to clearly communicate. (53-54)

God’s promise with those among you who have professed faith and done righteous deeds is that He shall definitely grant them authority in this land the way He had granted it to those before them and He shall fully establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them and after this state of their fear, He shall certainly transform it into peace. They shall worship Me; associate none with Me. And those who reject even after this, then it is they who are the disobedient.²

[If you want to remove your doubts,] be diligent in the prayer and pay zakāh and remain obedient to the Messenger so that mercy be shown to you. Never think about these disbelievers that they will be able to defeat God in this land. [Certainly not! They themselves shall be defeated] and their abode [in future also] is Hell and it is a very evil abode.

Believers! [If you need more explanation of the directives We gave to purify your heart and sight, then listen:] Let your slave men and women and those who have yet to reach maturity ask your permission on three occasions when they come in to see you: before the fajr prayer when you take off your garments, in the afternoon and after the ‘ishā prayer. These three occasions are times of your privacy. At other times, [if they come without permission,] it shall be no offence for you or them because you do go around meeting one another. God explains to you His revelations in this way and God is All-Knowing and All-Wise. The children among you when they reach maturity, let them ask your permission as those before them would do. God explains to you His revelations in this manner and God is All-Knowing and All-Wise. And it shall be no sin for aged women who have no hope of marriage to discard their cloaks from their chests and necklines on the condition that they do not intend to display embellishments. However, if they too exercise caution, it is better for them. And God hears all and knows all.³⁴

[God does not want to create undue restrictions on you through these directives. Thus] there is no harm if the blind, the lame, and the sick eat at your table nor if you eat in your own houses, your fathers’ or grandfathers’ or your mothers’ or your brothers’ or your sisters’ or your paternal uncles’ or your paternal aunts’ or your maternal uncles’ or your maternal aunts’ or of those who are dependent on you or your friends’. There is no sin on you if [men and women] eat together or apart. However, when you enter a house, say salām to your people, a blessed and noble invocation prescribed by God. God thus explains to you His revelations so that you use your intellect.

[This same purity is also needed in your deeds because] believers are in fact those who have true faith in God and His Messenger and when they are with the Messenger for some collective task, they do not go away from there unless they seek permission. Those who go after seeking permission from you [O Prophet], only they are the ones who believe in God and His Messenger. So, when they seek permission from you for some of their work, you can give permission to whomsoever you like and keep praying for their forgiveness before God. Indeed, God is Forgiving, Ever-Merciful.

Do not regard the way you address the messenger among yourselves to be similar to how you address one another. God fully knows those among you who would secretly slip away while hiding behind others. So, those people should have fear who evading the Messenger’s directive have been opposing him that a trial may afflict them or a painful punishment visit them. Listen! Whatever is in the heavens and the earth, all belongs to God alone. God is aware of the situation which you are in. The day they are returned to Him, He shall tell them whatever they had done. And [remember that] God is aware of everything.