1. A sura which We have sent down
and which We have ordained in it have We sent down Clear
Signs, in order that ye may receive admonition.
2. The woman and the man guilty
of adultery or fornication,- flog each of them with a hundred
stripes: Let not compassion move you in their case, in a
matter prescribed by Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the
Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their
punishment.
3. Let no man guilty of adultery
or fornication marry and but a woman similarly guilty, or
an Unbeliever: nor let any but such a man or an Unbeliever
marry such a woman: to the Believers such a thing is forbidden.
4. And those who launch a charge
against chaste women, and produce not four witnesses (to
support their allegations),- flog them with eighty stripes;
and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked
transgressors;-
5. Unless they repent thereafter
and mend (their conduct); for Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most
Merciful.
6. And for those who launch a charge
against their spouses, and have (in support) no evidence
but their own,- their solitary evidence (can be received)
if they bear witness four times (with an oath) by Allah
that they are solemnly telling the truth;
7. And the fifth (oath) (should
be) that they solemnly invoke the curse of Allah on themselves
if they tell a lie.
8. But it would avert the punishment
from the wife, if she bears witness four times (with an
oath) By Allah, that (her husband) is telling a lie;
9. And the fifth (oath) should
be that she solemnly invokes the wrath of Allah on herself
if (her accuser) is telling the truth.
10. If it were not for Allah's
grace and mercy on you, and that Allah is Oft- Returning,
full of Wisdom,- (Ye would be ruined indeed).
11. Those who brought forward
the lie are a body among yourselves: think it not to be
an evil to you; On the contrary it is good for you: to every
man among them (will come the punishment) of the sin that
he earned, and to him who took on himself the lead among
them, will be a penalty grievous.
12. Why did not the believers
- men and women - when ye heard of the affair,- put the
best construction on it in their own minds and say, "This
(charge) is an obvious lie" ?
13. Why did they not bring four
witnesses to prove it? When they have not brought the witnesses,
such men, in the sight of Allah, (stand forth) themselves
as liars!
14. Were it not for the grace
and mercy of Allah on you, in this world and the Hereafter,
a grievous penalty would have seized you in that ye rushed
glibly into this affair.
15. Behold, ye received it on
your tongues, and said out of your mouths things of which
ye had no knowledge; and ye thought it to be a light matter,
while it was most serious in the sight of Allah.
16. And why did ye not, when ye
heard it, say? - "It is not right of us to speak of this:
Glory to Allah. this is a most serious slander!"
17. Allah doth admonish you, that
ye may never repeat such (conduct), if ye are (true) Believers.
18. And Allah makes the Signs
plain to you: for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.
19. Those who love (to see) scandal
published broadcast among the Believers, will have a grievous
Penalty in this life and in the Hereafter: Allah knows,
and ye know not.
20. Were it not for the grace
and mercy of Allah on you, and that Allah is full of kindness
and mercy, (ye would be ruined indeed).
21. O ye who believe! follow not
Satan's footsteps: if any will follow the footsteps of Satan,
he will (but) command what is shameful and wrong: and were
it not for the grace and mercy of Allah on you, not one
of you would ever have been pure: but Allah doth purify
whom He pleases: and Allah is One Who hears and knows (all
things).
22. Let not those among you who
are endued with grace and amplitude of means resolve by
oath against helping their kinsmen, those in want, and those
who have left their homes in Allah's cause: let them forgive
and overlook, do you not wish that Allah should forgive
you? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
23. Those who slander chaste women,
indiscreet but believing, are cursed in this life and in
the Hereafter: for them is a grievous Penalty,-
24. On the Day when their tongues,
their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them
as to their actions.
25. On that Day Allah will pay
them back (all) their just dues, and they will realise that
Allah is the (very) Truth, that makes all things manifest.
26. Women impure are for men impure,
and men impure for women impure and women of purity are
for men of purity, and men of purity are for women of purity:
these are not affected by what people say: for them there
is forgiveness, and a provision honourable.
27. O ye who believe! enter not
houses other than your own, until ye have asked permission
and saluted those in them: that is best for you, in order
that ye may heed (what is seemly).
28. If ye find no one in the house,
enter not until permission is given to you: if ye are asked
to go back, go back: that makes for greater purity for yourselves:
and Allah knows well all that ye do.
29. It is no fault on your part
to enter houses not used for living in, which serve some
(other) use for you: And Allah has knowledge of what ye
reveal and what ye conceal.
30. Say to the believing men that
they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that
will make for greater purity for them: And Allah is well
acquainted with all that they do.
31. And say to the believing women
that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty;
that they should not display their beauty and ornaments
except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they
should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display
their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their
husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their
brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons,
or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess,
or male servants free of physical needs, or small children
who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should
not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their
hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together
towards Allah, that ye may attain Bliss.
32. Marry those among you who
are single, or the virtuous ones among yourselves, male
or female: if they are in poverty, Allah will give them
means out of His grace: for Allah encompasseth all, and
he knoweth all things.
33. Let those who find not the
wherewithal for marriage keep themselves chaste, until Allah
gives them means out of His grace. And if any of your slaves
ask for a deed in writing (to enable them to earn their
freedom for a certain sum), give them such a deed if ye
know any good in them: yea, give them something yourselves
out of the means which Allah has given to you. But force
not your maids to prostitution when they desire chastity,
in order that ye may make a gain in the goods of this life.
But if anyone compels them, yet, after such compulsion,
is Allah, Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (to them),
34. We have already sent down
to you verses making things clear, an illustration from
(the story of) people who passed away before you, and an
admonition for those who fear (Allah).
35. 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 enclosed
in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from
a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the
west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce
touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will
to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and
Allah doth know all things.
36. (Lit is such a Light) in houses,
which Allah hath permitted to be raised to honour; for the
celebration, in them, of His name: In them is He glorified
in the mornings and in the evenings, (again and again),-
37. By men whom neither traffic
nor merchandise can divert from the Remembrance of Allah,
nor from regular Prayer, nor from the practice of regular
Charity: Their (only) fear is for the Day when hearts and
eyes will be transformed (in a world wholly new),-
38. That Allah may reward them
according to the best of their deeds, and add even more
for them out of His Grace: for Allah doth provide for those
whom He will, without measure.
39. But the Unbelievers,- their
deeds are like a mirage in sandy deserts, which the man
parched with thirst mistakes for water; until when he comes
up to it, he finds it to be nothing: But he finds Allah
(ever) with him, and Allah will pay him his account: and
Allah is swift in taking account.
40. Or (the Unbelievers' state)
is like the depths of darkness in a vast deep ocean, overwhelmed
with billow topped by billow, topped by (dark) clouds: depths
of darkness, one above another: if a man stretches out his
hands, he can hardly see it! for any to whom Allah giveth
not light, there is no light!
41. Seest thou not that it is
Allah Whose praises all beings in the heavens and on earth
do celebrate, and the birds (of the air) with wings outspread?
Each one knows its own (mode of) prayer and praise. And
Allah knows well all that they do.
42. Yea, to Allah belongs the
dominion of the heavens and the earth; and to Allah is the
final goal (of all).
43. Seest thou not that Allah
makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together,
then makes them into a heap? - then wilt thou see rain issue
forth from their midst. And He sends down from the sky mountain
masses (of clouds) wherein is hail: He strikes therewith
whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases,
the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight.
44. It is Allah Who alternates
the Night and the Day: verily in these things is an instructive
example for those who have vision!
45. And Allah has created every
animal 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 for verily Allah
has power over all things.
46. We have indeed sent down signs
that make things manifest: and Allah guides whom He wills
to a way that is straight.
47. They say, "We believe in Allah
and in the apostle, and we obey": but even after that, some
of them turn away: they are not (really) Believers.
48. When they are summoned to
Allah and His apostle, in order that He may judge between
them, behold some of them decline (to come).
49. But if the right is on their
side, they come to him with all submission.
50. Is it that there is a disease
in their hearts? or do they doubt, or are they in fear,
that Allah and His Messenger will deal unjustly with them?
Nay, it is they themselves who do wrong.
51. The answer of the Believers,
when summoned to Allah and His Messenger, in order that
He may judge between them, is no other than this: they say,
"We hear and we obey": it is such as these that will attain
felicity.
52. It is such as obey Allah and
His Messenger, and fear Allah and do right, that will win
(in the end),
53. They swear their strongest
oaths by Allah that, if only thou wouldst command them,
they would leave (their homes). Say: "Swear ye not; Obedience
is (more) reasonable; verily, Allah is well acquainted with
all that ye do."
54. Say: "Obey Allah, and obey
the Messenger. but if ye turn away, he is only responsible
for the duty placed on him and ye for that placed on you.
If ye obey him, ye shall be on right guidance. The Messenger.s
duty is only to preach the clear (Message).
55. Allah has promised, to those
among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He
will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of
power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will
establish in authority their religion - the one which He
has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state),
after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security
and peace: 'They will worship Me (alone) and not associate
aught with Me. 'If any do reject Faith after this, they
are rebellious and wicked.
56. So establish regular Prayer
and give regular Charity; and obey the Messenger. that ye
may receive mercy.
57. Never think thou that the
Unbelievers are going to frustrate ((Allah)'s Plan) on earth:
their abode is the Fire,- and it is indeed an evil refuge!
58. O ye who believe! let those
whom your right hands possess, and the (children) among
you who have not come of age ask your permission (before
they come to your presence), on three occasions: before
morning prayer; the while ye doff your clothes for the noonday
heat; and after the late-night prayer: these are your three
times of undress: outside those times it is not wrong for
you or for them to move about attending to each other: Thus
does Allah make clear the Signs to you: for Allah is full
of knowledge and wisdom.
59. But when the children among
you come of age, let them (also) ask for permission, as
do those senior to them (in age): Thus does Allah make clear
His Signs to you: for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.
60. Such elderly women as are
past the prospect of marriage,- there is no blame on them
if they lay aside their (outer) garments, provided they
make not a wanton display of their beauty: but it is best
for them to be modest: and Allah is One Who sees and knows
all things.
61. It is no fault in the blind
nor in one born lame, nor in one afflicted with illness,
nor in yourselves, that ye should eat in your own houses,
or those of your fathers, or your mothers, or your brothers,
or your sisters, or your father's brothers or your father's
sisters, or your mohter's brothers, or your mother's sisters,
or in houses of which the keys are in your possession, or
in the house of a sincere friend of yours: there is no blame
on you, whether ye eat in company or separately. But if
ye enter houses, salute each other - a greeting of blessing
and purity as from Allah. Thus does Allah make clear the
signs to you: that ye may understand.
62. Only those are believers,
who believe in Allah and His Messenger. when they are with
him on a matter requiring collective action, they do not
depart until they have asked for his leave; those who ask
for thy leave are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger.
so when they ask for thy leave, for some business of theirs,
give leave to those of them whom thou wilt, and ask Allah
for their forgiveness: for Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most
Merciful.
63. Deem not the summons of the
Messenger among yourselves like the summons of one of you
to another: Allah doth know those of you who slip away under
shelter of some excuse: then let those beware who withstand
the Messenger.s order, lest some trial befall them, or a
grievous penalty be inflicted on them.
64. Be quite sure that to Allah
doth belong whatever is in the heavens and on earth. Well
doth He know what ye are intent upon: and one day they will
be brought back to Him, and He will tell them the truth
of what they did: for Allah doth know all things.
Yusuf
Ali 
