1. A sura We have sent down and imposed (read as faradna and farradna). We have sent down Clear Signs (clear evidence) in it so that perhaps you will pay heed and be admonished by it.

2. A woman and a man who commit fornication – a man and woman who are not married; if they were, they would be stoned according to the Sunna – flog both of them with one hundred lashes – and the Sunna adds to this penalty that the man should be exiled for a year; slaves incur half of that punishment – and do not let compassion for either of them possess you where Allah’s din is concerned – the ruling is that you should not abandon any of the punishment prescribed for them – if you believe in Allah and the Last Day (the Day of Resurrection). This is to encourage what was mentioned above. A number of believers should witness their punishment by flogging. It is said that there must be at least three, and it is said that the minimum is four, which is the number of the required witnesses to fornication.

3. A man who has fornicated may only marry a woman who has fornicated or a woman of the idolators. A woman who has fornicated may only marry a man who has fornicated or a man of the idolators. This is appropriate for them according to what has been mentioned. Doing such a thing is unlawful for the believers. It is unlawful for the good believers to marry those who fornicate. This was revealed when the poor Muhajirun wanted to marry the prostitutes of the idolators who were wealthy so that they could support them. It is said that the prohibition was particular to them. It is also said that it is general and was then abrogated by the words of Allah Almighty, “Marry off those among you who are unmarried… “ (24:32)

4. But those who make accusations of fornication against chaste women and then do not produce four witnesses who actually saw the act, flog each of them with eighty lashes and never again accept them as witnesses about anything. Such people are deviators – because they have committed a grave wrong action –

5. …except for those who after that repent and put things right by doing right actions. Allah is Ever-Forgiving for their slander, Most Merciful to them by inspiring them to a repentance which will prevent their deviance and allow the acceptance of their testimony.

6. Those who make an accusation of fornication against their wives and have no witnesses except themselves – and this happened with some of the Companions, such people should testify four times by Allah that they are telling the truth – in accusing their wives of adultery –

7. …and a fifth time that Allah’s curse will be upon them if they are lying. If they do this, then the punishment for slander is averted from them.

8. And the punishment for adultery – which would be established by her husband’s testimony – is removed from her if she testifies four times by Allah that he is lying in making his accusation.

9. …and a fifth time that Allah’s anger will be upon her if he is telling the truth about it.

10. Were it not for Allah’s favour to you and His mercy in veiling that, and that Allah is Ever-Relenting, by accepting repentance in from that and other things, All-Wise in what He decrees about that and other things in order to make the truth clear. He can hasten the punishment of those who deserve it.

11. There is a group of you who propagated the lie. They did wrong by lying about ‘A’isha, Umm al-Mu’minın, may Allah be pleased with her, by slandering her. This was a group of the believers : Hassan ibn Thabit, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy, Mistah and Hamna bint Jahsh. Do not suppose it to be bad for you believers other than this group; rather it is good for you – Allah will reward you for it. The innocence of ‘A’isha and the one who was with her, Zafwan, was made clear. She said, “I was with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, on an expedition after the command (to women) to veil was revealed. It came to an end and we were returning and were near Madina. The Prophet, peace be upon him, gave the order to camp for the night. I went for a call of nature and came back to the party. Then I saw that my necklace had broken and went back to look for it. They lifted my howdah onto the camel thinking that I was in it. Women at that time used to be very light since they did not have much to eat. I found my necklace and came back after they had left. I sat down in the place I had been, assuming that people would miss me and come back for me. My eyes became heavy and I fell asleep. Zafwan, who had stopped to rest for the night behind the army, came to the camp in the morning and saw the dark shape of a sleeping person. When he saw me, he recognised me. He had seen me before the Veiling. I woke up when he said, ‘We belong to Allah and to Him we return.’ I covered my face with my cloak. By Allah, he did not speak a single word to me and I did not hear a word from him except for his exclamation. He made his camel kneel and I mounted it and he led the camel with me on it until we reached the army after they had camped to rest from the midday heat. Then those who were destroyed were destroyed. The worst of them was ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul.” This ˛adıth is related by al-Bukhari and Muslim. Every one of them will incur the evil he has earned for doing that, and the one who took it on himself to amplify it – to make it worse and delve into it with his party, a reference to ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy – will receive a terrible punishment: the Fire in the Next World.

12. Why, when you heard it, did you not, as men and women of the believers, instinctively think good thoughts and say, ‘This is obviously a clear lie’? In this there is a change in person from the second to the third person, but it still refers to the group.

13. Why did they (the group) not produce four witnesses to it? Since they did not bring four witnesses to what they claim, in Allah’s sight they are liars regarding that.

14. Were it not for Allah’s favour to you and His mercy, both in this world and the Next, a terrible punishment would have afflicted you slanderers in the Next World for your plunging headlong into it.

15. You were bandying it about on your tongues, repeating it to one another, your mouths uttering something about which you had no knowledge. You considered it to be a trivial matter and no sin, but in Allah’s sight it is an immense sin.

16. Why, when you heard it, did you not say, ‘We have no business speaking about this. It is not proper for us to do so. Glory be to You! This is an expression of amazement. This is a terrible slander– and a lie!’?

17. Allah warns you never to repeat the like of it again, if you are believers and are admonished by this.

18. Allah makes the Signs clear to you with respect to His commands and prohibitions; and Allah is All-Knowing of what He commands and prohibits, All-Wise in doing so.

19. People who love to see filth being spread about by the tongue concerning those who believe – by ascribing fornication to them, a reference to the party mentioned above and those like them, will have a painful punishment both in this world – the legal punishment for slander – and the Next – in the Fire by the right due to Allah. Allah knows that the slander is not true about them and you, slanderers, do not know the lie which you tell about them to be true.

20. Were it not for Allah’s favour to you and His mercy, and that Allah is All-Gentle, Most Merciful by not hastening the punishment to you…

21. You who believe, do not follow in the footsteps of Shaytan – the paths which he makes seem attractive to you. Anyone who follows in Shaytan’s footsteps should know that he commands ugly indecency and wrongdoing – what is against Allah’s laws. Were it not or Allah’s favour upon you and His mercy, not one of you would ever have been purified by repentance, because of the lie you told. But Allah purifies whomever He wills of wrong actions by accepting their repentance. Allah is All-Hearing of what you say, All- Knowing of what you intend.

22. Those of you possessing affluence and ample wealth should not make oaths that they will not give to their relatives, the very poor, and those who have emigrated in the way of Allah. This was revealed about Abu Bakr. who swore that he would not give any more to Mistah, who was his cousin and a poor Muhajir and had been present at the Battle of Badr, when he became involved in the Lie after he had been giving to him. Some of the Companions swore that they would not give sadaqa to any of those who were in any way involved in the Lie. They should rather pardon and overlook what those people did in that respect. Would you not love Allah to forgive you? Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful to the believers. Abu Bakr said, “I want Allah to forgive me,” and he continued to spend on Mistah what he had been spending before.

23. Those who accuse women who are chaste as regards fornication but who are careless – ingenuous regarding foul actions, so that it does not occur to them to commit them – but believe in Allah and His Messenger are cursed in both this world and the Next, and they will have a terrible punishment…

24. …on the Day of Rising when their tongues and hands and feet will testify (read as tashhadu and yashhadu) against them about what they were doing – in respect of both words and deeds.

25. On that Day Allah will pay them in full what is due to them – repay them with the repayment which they deserve – and they will know that Allah is the Clear Truth because He will give them the repayment which they doubted they would receive. These include ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy. Here the chaste women referred to were the wives of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. There is no mention of repentance for slandering them being accepted, although repentance is possible where other women are concerned.

26. Corrupt women – or possibly “corrupt words” – are for corrupt men (people) and corrupt men (people) are for corrupt women – or possibly “use corrupt words ”. Good women – or possibly “good words” – are for good men (people) and good men (people) are for good women – or possibly “use good words”. The latter are innocent of what they say. Those good men and good women, including ‘A’isha and Zafwan, are exonerated from the accusations the corrupt men and women made. They (the good men and women) will have forgiveness and generous provision in the Garden. ‘A’isha boasted of many things, one of which was that she was created good and was promised forgiveness and a generous provision.

27. You who believe, do not enter houses other than your own until you have asked permission and greeted their inhabitants. One should say, “Peace be upon you. May I come in?” as is reported in hadith. That is better for you than entering without permission, so that perhaps you will pay heed and act accordingly.

28. And if you find no one at home do not go in until permission has been granted you. If you are told to go away then go away. That is purer and better for you – than to remain sitting at the door. Allah knows what you do with respect to entering with permission or without it, and will repay you for it.

29. There is nothing wrong in your entering houses where no one lives and where there is some service for you – such as staying there or the like, which is the case with rooms in hotels. Allah knows what you divulge and what you conceal – with respect to entering other houses than your own for the purpose of a gaining a benefit or something else. It will be mentioned that when people enter their own houses, they should greet their own households.

30. Say to the believers that they should lower their eyes – and not look at what it is not lawful for them to look at – and guard their private parts from what is not lawful for them. That is purer and better for them. Allah is aware of what they do with their eyes and private parts and will repay them for it.

31. Say to the believing women that they should lower their eyes – and not look at what it is not lawful for them to look at – and guard their private parts – from what is not lawful for them – and not display their adornments – except for what normally shows – which is the face and hands. It is permitted for a non-related male to look at them if he does not fear temptation from doing so. Another person may be forbidden that, because he may be tempted – and draw their head - coverings across their breasts – covering their heads, necks and bosoms with cloth. They should only display their hidden adornments – a reference to everything other than their faces and hands – to 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 other women or those they own as slaves – it is permitted for the categories mentioned to look at the rest of the body, except for what is between the navel and the knees, which is forbidden to everyone other than spouses. Unbelieving women are excluded from this: it is not permitted for Muslim women to uncover themselves before them. “Slaves” includes male slaves – or their male attendants who have no sexual desire – and no need of women as they are impotent – or children who still have no awareness of women’s private parts and are not aware of sexual matters. Women may display to them other than what is between their navels and knees. Nor should they stamp their feet so that their hidden ornaments are known – referring to making the sound of their anklets heard. Turn to Allah every one of you, believers – in repentance for what has occurred in respect of looking at what is forbidden and for other things – so that perhaps you will have success by having your repentance accepted.

32. Marry off those among you who are unmarried – those free people who have no husbands or wives, whether virgin or previously married – and those of your slaves and slavegirls who are righteous believers. If they (the free) are poor, Allah will enrich them – by marriage – from His bounty. Allah is All-Encompassing of His creation, All-Knowing them.

33. Those who cannot find adequate means to marry – in other words, enough for a dowry and subsequent maintenance – should be abstinent – refraining from fornication – until Allah enriches them from His bounty – and then marry. If any slaves – male or female – you own want to make a – kitaba – contract to free themselves, write it for them if you know of good in them – meaning trustworthiness and the ability to earn the money to pay off the contract. The wording should be, for instance, “I give you a kitaba contract for two thousand dirhams to be paid over two months, with one thousand dirhams to be paid each month. If you pay it, then you are free.” The slave then says, “I accept” – and give (addressed to the owners) them some of the wealth Allah has given you – to help them to pay what they are obliged to pay. So that is actually reducing what they have obliged them to pay. Do not force your slavegirls to prostitute themselves if they desire to be virtuous women – it is only possible to force them if they want to be chaste – out of your desire for the goods of this world. This was revealed about ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy, who used to force his slavegirls to prostitute themselves. If anyone forces them, then after they have been forced, Allah is Ever - Forgiving, Most Merciful to them.

34. We have sent down Clear Signs (read as mubayyinat and mubayyanat) to you and the extraordinary example – a reference to the incident involving ‘A’isha, and that of those who passed away before you – such as the story of Yusuf and that of Maryam – and an admonition for those who are godfearing – as in Allah’s words: “Do not let compassion for either of them possess you where Allah’s din is concerned,” (24:2), “Why, when you heard it, did you not, as men and women of the believ e rs, instinctively think good thoughts…?” (24:2), “Why, when you heard it, did you not say…?” (24:16) and “Allah warns you never to repeat the like of it again…” (24:17) The godfearing are singled out because they are the ones who benefit from that.

35. Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. He is the One who illuminates them by means of the sun and the moon. The metaphor of His Light in the heart of the believer is that of a niche – an opening in a wall which is not a window, in which a lamp is placed – in which is a lamp, the lamp inside a glass, the glass and the light inside it – like a brilliant star (read as durriyyun, meaning that it drives away the darkness, or durriyyan, meaning like pearls) – the lamp – lit (read as yüqadu and tawaqqada in the past tense, and also tuqadu) from the oil of a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east nor of the west but between them, so there is no harm of heat or cold from it, its oil all but giving off light even if no fire touches it because of its purity. Light – by it – upon the Light of the fire. The light of Allah means that His guidance of the believer is a light on top of the light of faith. Allah guides to His Light – the din of Islam – whomever He wills, and Allah makes explanatory metaphors for mankind – to make it easier for them to understand, so that they may reflect and then believe; and Allah has knowledge of all things – including the making of metaphors.

36. In houses which Allah has permitted to be built and in which His name is remembered, there are men who proclaim His glory (read as yusabbihu and yusabbahu) and pray to Him morning and evening – “evening” here refers to any time after midday.

37. …not distracted by trade or commerce from the remembrance of Allah and the establishment of the prayer and the payment of zakat. They fear a day when all hearts and eyes will be in turmoil from fear, because people’s hearts will be between salvation and destruction and their eyes will be darting to the right and the left. This is the Day of Rising –

38. …so that Allah may reward them for the best of what they did – their good actions – and give them more from His unbounded favour. Allah provides for anyone He wills without reckoning. When someone provides without reckoning it means that they are generous to the point of not accounting for what they spend.

39. But the actions of those who disbelieve are like a mirage in the desert. A mirage is an effect to be seen in a desert coming from the light of the sun during the second half of a day of intense heat, which appears as if it were water flowing over the land. A thirsty man thinks it is water, but when he reaches it he finds it to be nothing at all – not what he thought it was; it is the same with an unbeliever who supposes that his actions, like sadaqa, will benefit him and then, when he dies, finds that his actions are of no use at all – but he finds Allah there. He will pay him his account in full for what he did in this world. Allah is swift at reckoning and repayment.

40. Or they – the evil deeds of those who are unbelievers – are like the darkness of a fathomless sea which is covered by waves above which are wa ves above which are clouds – these being layers of darkness, one upon the other – the darkness of the sea, the darkness of the surface waves, and the darkness of the clouds. If he puts out his hand in this darkness, he can scarcely see it. Those Allah gives no light to have no light. W h o ever is not guided by Allah is not guided.

41. Do you not see that everyone in the heavens and earth glorifies Allah – and the prayer is an aspect of glorification, as do the birds with their outspread wings – suspended between heaven and earth? Each one knows its prayer and glorification of Allah. Allah knows what they do.

42. The kingdom of the heavens and earth belongs to Allah – the treasures of the rain, provision and plants; and Allah is the final destination.

43. Do you not see that Allah propels the clouds – with gentleness – then makes them coalesce – making separate clumps into a single one – then heaps them up on top of one another, and then you see the rain come pouring out of the middle of them? And He sends down mountains from the sky with hail inside them, striking with it anyone He wills and averting it from anyone He wills. The brightness of His lightning almost blinds the sight of anyone who looks at it.

44. Allah revolves night and day – making one of them come after the other. There is surely a lesson in that alternation for people with inner sight – indicating the power of Allah Almighty.

45. Allah created every animal from water (sperm). Some of them go crawling on their bellies – like snakes and vermin, some of them on two legs – like human beings and birds, and some on four – like l ivestock and similar animals. Allah creates whatever He wills. Allah has power over all things.

46. We have sent down Signs (the Qur’an) making things clear. Allah guides whomever He wills to a straight path – the din of Islam.

47. They (the hypocrites) say, ‘We believe in the unity of Allah and in the Messenger – Muhammad – and we obey what Allah and His Messenger prescribe.’ Then after that a group of them turn away. Such people are not believers. Those who turn away are not believers: the latter are people whose hearts are in agreement with their tongues.

48. When they are summoned to Allah and His Messenger – who conveys the Message – so that he may judge between them, a group of them immediately turn away.

49. But if right is on their side, they come to him most submissively – swiftly in obedience!

50. Is there a sickness of unbelief in their hearts, or do they have misgivings about his Prophethood, or do they fear that Allah and His Messenger will be unjust to them regarding judgement? No, it is simply that they are wrongdoers – by turning away.

51. The reply of the believers, when they are summoned to Allah and His Messenger so that he can judge between them, is to say, ‘We hear and we obey.’ They are ones who are successful and are saved.

52. All who obey Allah and His Messenger and have awe of Allah and are fearful of Him and obey Him, they are the ones who are victorious – and attain Paradise.

53. They have sworn by Allah with their most earnest oaths that if you give them the command, they will go out to do jihad. Say to them: ‘Do not swe a r. Honourable obedience to the Prophet is enough. It is better to obey the prohibition than to swear an oath which is not credible. Allah is aware of what you do.’

54. Say: ‘Obey Allah and obey the Messenger. Then if they turn away from obedience to him he is only responsible for what he is charged with – in terms of transmission – and you are responsible for what you are charged with – in terms of obedience. If you obey him, you will be guided.’ The Messenger is only responsible for clear transmission.

55. Allah has promised those of you who believe and do right actions that He will make them successors in the land – to replace the unbelievers – as He made those before them (the tribe of Israel) successors (read as istakhlafa and istukhlifa) – to the tyrants – and will firmly establish for them their din with which He is pleased – this being Islam, which He will cause to dominate other religions; He will multiply them in the earth and give them dominance – and give them, in place (read as yubaddilannanuhum and as yubdilannahum) of their fear of the unbelievers, security. Allah kept His promise to them, as mentioned, and praised them saying: ‘They worship Me, not associating anything with Me.’ Any who disbelieve after that blessing, such people are deviators. The first of those to disbelieve were those who murdered ‘Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, and they started to fight one another after having been brothers.

56. Establish the prayer and pay zakat and obey the Messenger so that perhaps mercy will be shown to you.

57. Do not imagine (read as ta˛sabanna and yahsabanna, meaning “they should not imagine…”) that those who disbelieve are able to escape Allah on earth. Their shelter will be the Fire. What an evil destination!

58. You who believe, those you own as slaves and those free people amongst you who have not yet reached puberty – referring to those who are not sexually aware of women – should ask your permission to enter at three times: before the Dawn Prayer, when you have undressed at noon, and after the ‘Isha’ prayer – three times of nakedness for you – times when people remove their clothing. There is nothing wrong for you or them at other times in moving around among yourselves from one to another. At other times, slaves and children may enter without asking permission. In this way Allah makes the Signs clear to you – makes His rulings clear to His creatures. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise in managing it for them. It is said that the yat of asking permission is abrogated; and it is said that it is not, but that there is leeway for people not to ask permission.

59. Once your children have reached puberty, they should ask your permission to enter – at all times – as those before them (adults) also asked permission. In this way Allah makes His Signs clear to you. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

60. As for women who are past child-bearing age – past the age of menstruation – and no longer have any hope of getting married, there is nothing wrong in their removing their outer clothes – their outer covering, cloak and veil (qina‘) above the head covering – provided they do not flaunt their adornments – such as necklaces, bracelets and anklets; but to refrain from doing so – removing them – is better for them. Allah is All-Hearing of what you say, All-Knowing of what is in your hearts.

61. There is no objection to the blind, no objection to the lame, and no objection to the sick or to yourselves eating in your own houses – your children’s houses – or your fathers’ houses or your mothers’ houses, or your brothers’ houses or your sisters’ houses, or the houses of your paternal uncles or paternal aunts, or the houses of your maternal uncles or maternal aunts, or places to which you own the keys – houses which belong to other people whose keys are in your keeping, or those of your friends. It is permitted to eat in the houses of those who are mentioned, even if they are not present, provided that you know that they will accept it. There is nothing wrong in your eating together or eating separately – so that each one eats on his own; otherwise, if he did not find anyone to eat with, he might abandon eating altogether. And when you enter houses whose people are absent greet one another – say, “Peace be upon us and on the righteous slaves of Allah,” and the angels will reply. If the inhabitants are there, then greet them – with a greeting from Allah, blessed and good – for which Allah will reward you. In this way Allah makes the Signs of His dın clear to you so that perhaps you will use your intellect and understand.

62. The believers are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger and who, when they are with him (the Messenger) on a matter of common concern such as the khutba of Juamau‘a, do not leave for any reason until they have asked him for permission. Those people who ask you for permission are the ones who truly believe in Allah and His Messenger. If they ask your permission to attend to their own affairs, give permission to any of them you please; and ask Allah’s fo r g i veness for them. Allah is Ever- Forgiving, Most Merciful.

63. Do not make your summoning of the Messenger the same as your summoning of one another by saying, “Muhammad!” You should rather say, “Prophet of Allah” or “Messenger of Allah” with gentleness, humbleness, and in a low voice. Allah knows those of you who sneak away – who leave the mosque during the khutba without asking permission softly. Those who oppose his command – that of Allah and His Messenger – should beware of a testing trial coming to them or a painful punishment striking them in the Next World.

64. Everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah as His kingdom, domain and slaves. He knows what you are engaged upon in terms of your faith or hypocrisy, you who are responsible. On the Day when they are returned to Him – a change from the second to the third person plural – He will inform them of what they did – both good and evil. Allah has knowledge of all things – of what they do, and of everything else as well.