Sura 24 The Light (Al-Noor)

In the name of God, the Almighty, the Merciful.

[24:1] A Sura that We brought down and imposed. We have brought down clear revelations in it, may you take heed.

[24:2] The adulteress and the adulterer: lash each of them a hundred lashes. Do not let compassion for them overcome you with regards to applying God's religion if you believe in God and the Last Day, and let a group of believers witness their punishment.

[24:3] The adulterer is not to marry except an adulteress or a mushrikah. And the adulteress, none marries her except an adulterer or a mushrik. That has been prohibited for the believers.

[24:4] And those who accuse married women then do not produce four witnesses, lash them eighty lashes, and after that, never accept any testimony from them. Those are the wicked ones,

[24:5] except for those who repent after that and reform, then indeed, God is Forgiver, Merciful.

[24:6] Those who accuse their wives but have no witnesses other than themselves, then the testimony of any of them counts as four testimonies if he swears by God that he is of the truthful.

[24:7] And the fifth shall be God's curse upon him if he should be among the liars.

[24:8] The punishment shall be averted from her if she testifies four testimonies, swearing by God, that he is indeed of the liars.

[24:9] And the fifth will be God's wrath upon her if he was of the truthful.

[24:10] This would not have been possible but for God's favour and mercy upon you, and because God is Redeemer, Wise.

Footnote 24:10 - A false accusation of adultery against an innocent wife could indeed ruin her whole life. To prevent such injustice, God made sure that any wife has the final say against an accusing husband who produces no witnesses if she swears four times that he is a liar. This ruling for the protection of innocent wives is granted by God's favour and mercy.

[24:11] Those who came up with the falsehood are a group among you. Do not think it is bad for you, for it is good for you. For every person among them is what he has incurred of the sin. As for the one among them who had the greatest share of it, for him is a great punishment.

[24:12] If only when you heard it, the believing men and the believing women would have thought well of one another and said, "This is a clear falsehood"!

[24:13] If only they would have come up with four witnesses for it, then if they fail to produce the witnesses, it is they in the sight of God who are the liars.

[24:14] If it were not for God's favour and mercy upon you, in this world and in the Hereafter, you would have suffered a great punishment for what you indulged in.

[24:15] When you declared it with your own tongues, and you said with your mouths what you had no knowledge of, you considered it to be a trivial matter when, in the sight of God, it is indeed great.