In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.



 1. (This is) a chapter which We have revealed and made 
 obligatory and in which We have revealed clear 
 communications that you may be mindful.

 2. (As for) the fornicatress and the fornicator, flog each 
 of them, (giving) a hundred stripes, and let not pity for 
 them detain you in the matter of obedience to Allah, if you 
 believe in Allah and the last day, and let a party of 
 believers witness their chastisement.

 3. The fornicator shall not marry any but a fornicatress or 
 idolatress, and (as for) the fornicatress, none shall marry 
 her but a fornicator or an idolater; and it is forbidden to 
 the believers.

 4. And those who accuse free women then do not bring four 
 witnesses, flog them, (giving) eighty stripes, and do not 
 admit any evidence from them ever; and these it is that are 
 the transgressors,

 5. Except those who repent after this and act aright, for 
 surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

 6. And (as for) those who accuse their wives and have no 
 witnesses except themselves, the evidence of one of these 
 (should be taken) four times, bearing Allah to witness that 
 he is most surely of the truthful ones.

 7. And the fifth (time) that the curse of Allah be on him if 
 he is one of the liars.

 8. And it shall avert the chastisement from her if she 
 testify four times, bearing Allah to witness that he is most 
 surely one of the liars;

 9. And the fifth (time) that the wrath of Allah be on her if 
 he is one of the truthful.

 10. And were it not for Allah's grace upon you and His 
 mercy-- and that Allah is Oft-returning (to mercy), Wise!

 11. Surely they who concocted the lie are a party from among 
 you. Do not regard it an evil to you; nay, it is good for 
 you. Every man of them shall have what he has earned of sin; 
 and (as for) him who took upon himself the main part 
 thereof, he shall have a grievous chastisement.

 12. Why did not the believing men and the believing women, 
 when you heard it, think well of their own people, and say: 
 This is an evident falsehood?

 13. Why did they not bring four witnesses of it? But as they 
 have not brought witnesses they are liars before Allah.

 14. And were it not for Allah's grace upon you and His mercy 
 in this world and the hereafter, a grievous chastisement 
 would certainly have touched you on account of the discourse 
 which you entered into.

 15. When you received it with your tongues and spoke with 
 your mouths what you had no knowledge of, and you deemed it 
 an easy matter while with Allah it was grievous.

 16. And why did you not, when you heard it, say: It does not 
 beseem us that we should talk of it; glory be to Thee! this 
 is a great calumny?

 17. Allah admonishes you that you should not return to the 
 like of it ever again if you are believers.

 18. And Allah makes clear to you the communications; and 
 Allah is Knowing, Wise.

 19. Surely (as for) those who love that scandal should 
 circulate respecting those who believe, they shall have a 
 grievous chastisement in this world and the hereafter; and 
 Allah knows, while you do not know.

 20. And were it not for Allah's grace on you and His mercy, 
 and that Allah is Compassionate, Merciful.

 21. O you who believe! do not follow the footsteps of the 
 Shaitan, and whoever follows the footsteps of the Shaitan, 
 then surely he bids the doing of indecency and evil; and 
 were it not for Allah's grace upon you and His mercy, not 
 one of you would have ever been pure, but Allah purifies 
 whom He pleases; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing.

 22. And let not those of you who possess grace and abundance 
 swear against giving to the near of kin and the poor and 
 those who have fled in Allah's way, and they should pardon 
 and turn away. Do you not love that Allah should forgive 
 you? And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

 23. Surely those who accuse chaste believing women, unaware 
 (of the evil), are cursed in this world and the hereafter, 
 and they shall have a grievous chastisement.

 24. On the day when their tongues and their hands and their 
 feet shall bear witness against them as to what they did.

 25. On that day Allah will pay back to them in full their 
 just reward, and they shall know that Allah is the evident 
 Truth.

 26. Bad women .are for bad men and bad men are for bad 
 women. Good women are for good men and good men are for good 
 women

 27. O you who believe! Do not enter houses other than your 
 own houses until you have asked permission and saluted their 
 inmates; this is better for you, that you may be mindful.

 28. But if you do not find any one therein, then do not 
 enter them until permission is given to you; and if it is 
 said to you: Go back, then go back; this is purer for you; 
 and Allah is Cognizant of what you do.

 29. It is no sin in you that you enter uninhabited houses 
 wherein you have your necessaries; and Allah knows what you 
 do openly and what you hide.

 30. Say to the believing men that they cast down their looks 
 and guard their private parts; that is purer for them; 
 surely Allah is Aware of what they do.

 31. And say to the believing women that they cast down their 
 looks and guard their private parts and do not display their 
 ornaments except what appears thereof, and let them wear 
 their head-coverings over their bosoms, and not display 
 their ornaments except to their husbands or their 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 those whom 
 their right hands possess, or the male servants not having 
 need (of women), or the children who have not attained 
 knowledge of what is hidden of women; and let them not 
 strike their feet so that what they hide of their ornaments 
 may be known; and turn to Allah all of you, O believers! so 
 that you may be successful.

 32. And marry those among you who are single and those who 
 are fit among your male slaves and your female slaves; if 
 they are needy, Allah will make them free from want out of 
 His grace; and Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing.

 33. And let those who do not find the means to marry keep 
 chaste until Allah makes them free from want out of His 
 grace. And (as for) those who ask for a writing from among 
 those whom your right hands possess, give them the writing 
 if you know any good in them, and give them of the wealth of 
 Allah which He has given you; and do not compel your slave 
 girls to prostitution, when they desire to keep chaste, in 
 order to seek the frail good of this world's life; and 
 whoever compels them, then surely after their compulsion 
 Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

 34. And certainly We have sent to you clear communications 
 and a description of those who have passed away before you, 
 and an admonition to those who guard (against evil).

 35. Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; a 
 likeness of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, the 
 lamp is in a glass, (and) the glass is as it were a brightly 
 shining star, lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern 
 nor western, the oil whereof almost gives light though fire 
 touch it not-- light upon light-- Allah guides to His light 
 whom He pleases, and Allah sets forth parables for men, and 
 Allah is Cognizant of all things.

 36. In houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted and 
 that His name may be remembered in them; there glorify Him 
 therein in the mornings and the evenings,

 37. Men whom neither merchandise nor selling diverts from 
 the remembrance of Allah and the keeping up of prayer and 
 the giving of poor-rate; they fear a day in which the hearts 
 and eyes shall turn about;

 38. That Allah may give them the best reward of what they 
 have done, and give them more out of His grace; and Allah 
 gives sustenance to whom He pleases without measure.

 39. And (as for) those who disbelieve, their deeds are like 
 the mirage in a desert, which the thirsty man deems to be 
 water; until when he comes to it he finds it to be naught, 
 and there he finds Allah, so He pays back to him his 
 reckoning in full; and Allah is quick in reckoning;

 40. Or like utter darkness in the deep sea: there covers it 
 a wave above which is another wave, above which is a cloud, 
 (layers of) utter darkness one above another; when he holds 
 out his hand, he is almost unable to see it; and to 
 whomsoever Allah does not give light, he has no light.

 41. Do you not see that Allah is He Whom do glorify all 
 those who are in the heavens and the earth, and the (very) 
 birds with expanded wings? He knows the prayer of each one 
 and its glorification, and Allah is Cognizant of what they 
 do.

 42. And Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, 
 and to Allah is the eventual coming.

 43. Do you not see that Allah drives along the clouds, then 
 gathers them together, then piles them up, so that you see 
 the rain coming forth from their midst? And He sends down of 
 the clouds that are (like) mountains wherein is hail, 
 afflicting therewith whom He pleases and turning it away 
 from whom He pleases; the flash of His lightning almost 
 takes away the sight.

 44. Allah turns over the night and the day; most surely 
 there is a lesson in this for those who have sight.

 45. And Allah has created from water every living creature: 
 so of them is that which walks upon its belly, and of them 
 is that which walks upon two feet, and of them is that which 
 walks upon four; Allah creates what He pleases; surely Allah 
 has power over all things.

 46. Certainly We have revealed clear communications, and 
 Allah guides whom He pleases to the right way.

 47. And they say: We believe in Allah and in the apostle and 
 we obey; then a party of them turn back after this, and 
 these are not believers.

 48. And when they are called to Allah and His Apostle that 
 he may judge between them, lo! a party of them turn aside.

 49. And if the truth be on their side, they come to him 
 quickly, obedient.

 50. Is there in their hearts a disease, or are they in 
 doubt, or do they fear that Allah and His Apostle will act 
 wrongfully towards them? Nay! they themselves are the 
 unjust.

 51. The response of the believers, when they are invited to 
 Allah and His Apostle that he may judge between them, is 
 only to say: We hear and we obey; and these it is that are 
 the successful.

 52. And he who obeys Allah and His Apostle, and fears Allah, 
 and is careful of (his duty to) Him, these it is that are 
 the achievers.

 53. And they swear by Allah with the most energetic of their 
 oaths that if you command them they would certainly go 
 forth. Say: Swear not; reasonable obedience (is desired); 
 surely Allah is aware of what you do.

 54. Say: Obey Allah and obey the Apostle; but if you turn 
 back, then on him rests that which is imposed on him and on 
 you rests that which is imposed on you; and if you obey him, 
 you are on the right way; and nothing rests on the Apostle 
 but clear delivering (of the message).

 55. Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do 
 good that He will most certainly make them rulers in the 
 earth as He made rulers those before them, and that He will 
 most certainly establish for them their religion which He 
 has chosen for them, and that He will most certainly, after 
 their fear, give them security in exchange; they shall serve 
 Me, not associating aught with Me; and whoever is ungrateful 
 after this, these it is who are the. transgressors.

 56. And keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and obey the 
 Apostle, so that mercy may be shown to you.

 57. Think not that those who disbelieve shall escape in the 
 earth, and their abode is the fire; and certainly evil is 
 the resort!

 58. O you who believe! let those whom your right hands 
 possess and those of you who have not attained to puberty 
 ask permission of you three times; before the morning 
 prayer, and when you put off your clothes at midday in 
 summer, and after the prayer of the nightfall; these are 
 three times of privacy for you; neither is it a sin for you 
 nor for them besides these, some of you must go round about 
 (waiting) upon others; thus does Allah make clear to you the 
 communications, and Allah is Knowing, Wise.

 59. And when the children among you have attained to 
 puberty, let them seek permission as those before them 
 sought permission; thus does Allah make clear to you His 
 communications, and Allah is knowing, Wise.

 60. And (as for) women advanced in years who do not hope for 
 a marriage, it is no sin for them if they put off their 
 clothes without displaying their ornaments; and if they 
 restrain themselves it is better for them; and Allah is 
 Hearing, Knowing.

 61. There is no blame on the blind man, nor is there blame 
 on the lame, nor is there blame on the sick, nor on 
 yourselves that you eat from your houses, or your fathers' 
 houses or your mothers' houses, or your brothers' houses, or 
 your sisters' houses, or your paternal uncles' houses, or 
 your paternal aunts' houses, or your maternal uncles' 
 houses, or your maternal aunts' houses, or what you possess 
 the keys of, or your friends' (houses). It is no sin in you 
 that you eat together or separately. So when you enter 
 houses, greet your people with a salutation from Allah, 
 blessed (and) goodly; thus does Allah make clear to you the 
 communications that you may understand.

 62. Only those are believers who believe in Allah and His 
 Apostle, and when they are with him on a momentous affair 
 they go not away until they have asked his permission; 
 surely they who ask your permission are they who believe in 
 Allah and His Apostle; so when they ask your permission for 
 some affair of theirs, give permission to whom you please of 
 them and ask forgiveness for them from Allah; surely Allah 
 is Forgiving, Merciful.

 63. Do not hold the Apostle's calling (you) among you to be 
 like your calling one to the other; Allah indeed knows those 
 who steal away from among you, concealing themselves; 
 therefore let those beware who go against his order lest a 
 trial afflict them or there befall them a painful 
 chastisement.

 64. Now surely Allah's is whatever is in the heavens and the 
 earth; He knows indeed that to which you are conforming 
 yourselves; and on the day on which they are returned to Him 
 He will inform them of what they did; and Allah is Cognizant 
 of all things.