سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 15
وَٱلَّـٰتِى يَأْتِينَ ٱلْفَـٰحِشَةَ مِن نِّسَآئِكُمْ فَٱسْتَشْهِدُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةً مِّنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن شَهِدُوا۟ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ فِى ٱلْبُيُوتِ حَتَّىٰ يَتَوَفَّىٰهُنَّ ٱلْمَوْتُ أَوْ يَجْعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لَهُنَّ سَبِيلًا ﴿15﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And those of your women who commit illegal sexual intercourse, take the evidence of four witnesses from amongst you against them; and if they testify, confine them (i.e. women) to houses until death comes to them or Allâh ordains for them some (other) way.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱلَّـٰتِى
wa-allātī
And those who
يَأْتِينَ
yatīna
commit
ٱلْفَـٰحِشَةَ
l-fāḥishata
[the] immorality
مِن
min
from
نِّسَآئِكُمْ
nisāikum
your women
فَٱسْتَشْهِدُوا۟
fa-is'tashhidū
then call to witness
عَلَيْهِنَّ
ʿalayhinna
against them
أَرْبَعَةًۭ
arbaʿatan
four
مِّنكُمْ ۖ
minkum
among you
فَإِن
fa-in
And if
شَهِدُوا۟
shahidū
they testify
فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ
fa-amsikūhunna
then confine them
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْبُيُوتِ
l-buyūti
their houses
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
يَتَوَفَّىٰهُنَّ
yatawaffāhunna
comes to them
ٱلْمَوْتُ
l-mawtu
[the] death
أَوْ
aw
or
يَجْعَلَ
yajʿala
makes
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
لَهُنَّ
lahunna
for them
سَبِيلًۭا
sabīlan
a way
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 16,15) ➊ { وَ الّٰتِيْ يَاْتِيْنَ الْفَاحِشَةَ … :} In the previous verses, the protection of women’s rights was mentioned by commanding kindness to women, paying their dowries, and making them partners with men in inheritance. Now, from here, the disciplining of women and strictness upon them is mentioned, so that a woman does not consider herself completely free. (Qurtubi) In the first verse, the punishment for adulterous women is stated: if adultery is proven by testimony, then they should be confined in their homes for life until they die, or until Allah reveals another punishment for them. This was the first punishment for adulterous women in Islam, which was later abrogated by the revelation of the hadd (fixed punishment) for adultery. The punishment of one hundred lashes revealed in Surah An-Nur is indicated here by {”سَبِيْلًا“}. In the second verse, the command regarding the adulterous man and woman is that they should be given pain and humiliated until they repent. This punishment was alongside the first punishment, but later both were abrogated. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Take (the rulings of religion) from me, Allah has made a way for these women: if an unmarried man commits adultery with an unmarried woman, then the punishment is one hundred lashes and one year of exile; and if a married man commits adultery with a married woman, then the punishment is one hundred lashes and stoning.” [ مسلم، الحدود، باب حد الزنی : ۱۶۹۰، عن عبادۃ بن الصامت رضی اللہ عنہ ] See also Surah An-Nur (2). (Ibn Kathir, Qurtubi)
➋ {اَرْبَعَةً مِّنْكُمْ:} Since the punishment for adultery is extremely severe, the testimony required for it is also made very strong. The rule in the Arabic language is that when something being counted is masculine, the number is feminine, so because of { ”اَرْبَعَةً“ }, the translation is “four men.”
➌ {وَ الَّذٰنِ يَاْتِيٰنِهَا …:} Some scholars have taken this to refer to two men who commit the act of the people of Lot, although in the word { ”وَ الَّذٰنِ“ }, which is used for dual masculine, there is room for this meaning. However, this meaning is neither transmitted from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) nor from any companion. Rather, Tabari and Ibn Abi Hatim have narrated with a good chain from Ali bin Abi Talhah, who narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that when a woman committed adultery, she would remain in the house until she died, and Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) said regarding «وَ الَّذٰنِ يَاْتِيٰنِهَا مِنْكُمْ فَاٰذُوْهُمَا» that when a man committed adultery, he would be punished and beaten with shoes, then Allah revealed these verses: «اَلزَّانِيَةُ وَ الزَّانِيْ فَاجْلِدُوْا كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا مِائَةَ جَلْدَةٍ» [ النور : ۲ ] that is, “Flog the adulterous woman and the adulterous man one hundred lashes each.” Then, if they are married, according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), they are to be stoned. This is the “way” that Allah mentioned: «اَوْ يَجْعَلَ اللّٰهُ لَهُنَّ سَبِيْلًا » (until death takes them or Allah makes a way for them). Similarly, Tabari has narrated with an authentic chain from Mujahid that «وَ الَّذٰنِ يَاْتِيٰنِهَا مِنْكُمْ » refers to the adulterous man and woman. Moreover, in {”يَاْتِيٰنِهَا“}, the pronoun in {’’ها‘‘} refers back to {’’ الْفَاحِشَةَ ‘‘} mentioned in the previous verse, by which adultery is meant in this context. The “fahisha” here cannot refer to the act of the people of Lot. As for the word { ”الَّذٰنِ“ }, which is a dual masculine, if there are two individuals, one male and one female, the dual masculine pronoun is commonly used for them; there is nothing objectionable in this.
➋ {اَرْبَعَةً مِّنْكُمْ:} Since the punishment for adultery is extremely severe, the testimony required for it is also made very strong. The rule in the Arabic language is that when something being counted is masculine, the number is feminine, so because of { ”اَرْبَعَةً“ }, the translation is “four men.”
➌ {وَ الَّذٰنِ يَاْتِيٰنِهَا …:} Some scholars have taken this to refer to two men who commit the act of the people of Lot, although in the word { ”وَ الَّذٰنِ“ }, which is used for dual masculine, there is room for this meaning. However, this meaning is neither transmitted from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) nor from any companion. Rather, Tabari and Ibn Abi Hatim have narrated with a good chain from Ali bin Abi Talhah, who narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that when a woman committed adultery, she would remain in the house until she died, and Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) said regarding «وَ الَّذٰنِ يَاْتِيٰنِهَا مِنْكُمْ فَاٰذُوْهُمَا» that when a man committed adultery, he would be punished and beaten with shoes, then Allah revealed these verses: «اَلزَّانِيَةُ وَ الزَّانِيْ فَاجْلِدُوْا كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا مِائَةَ جَلْدَةٍ» [ النور : ۲ ] that is, “Flog the adulterous woman and the adulterous man one hundred lashes each.” Then, if they are married, according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), they are to be stoned. This is the “way” that Allah mentioned: «اَوْ يَجْعَلَ اللّٰهُ لَهُنَّ سَبِيْلًا » (until death takes them or Allah makes a way for them). Similarly, Tabari has narrated with an authentic chain from Mujahid that «وَ الَّذٰنِ يَاْتِيٰنِهَا مِنْكُمْ » refers to the adulterous man and woman. Moreover, in {”يَاْتِيٰنِهَا“}, the pronoun in {’’ها‘‘} refers back to {’’ الْفَاحِشَةَ ‘‘} mentioned in the previous verse, by which adultery is meant in this context. The “fahisha” here cannot refer to the act of the people of Lot. As for the word { ”الَّذٰنِ“ }, which is a dual masculine, if there are two individuals, one male and one female, the dual masculine pronoun is commonly used for them; there is nothing objectionable in this.
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
15. 1. This is the punishment for immoral women’s immorality, which was temporarily prescribed in the early days of Islam, when the punishment for adultery had not yet been determined. Also, remember that in the Arabic language, it is an established rule in counting from one to ten that if the number is masculine, the counted noun will be feminine, and if the number is feminine, the counted noun will be masculine. Here, "اربعہ" (i.e., the number four) is feminine, so the counted noun, which is not mentioned here and is omitted, will certainly be masculine, and that is "رجال" (i.e., four men), from which it is clearly known that for the establishment of adultery, four male witnesses are necessary. Thus, just as the punishment for adultery is strictly prescribed, a strict condition of witnesses is imposed for its establishment, i.e., four Muslim male eyewitnesses; without this, the establishment of the legal punishment is not possible.
15. 2. By "this way" is meant the punishment for adultery that was later prescribed, i.e., stoning for married adulterous men and women, and one hundred lashes for unmarried immoral men and women (the details of which are found in Surah An-Nur and authentic ahadith).
15. 2. By "this way" is meant the punishment for adultery that was later prescribed, i.e., stoning for married adulterous men and women, and one hundred lashes for unmarried immoral men and women (the details of which are found in Surah An-Nur and authentic ahadith).
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
15. As for those of your women who commit indecency, call four witnesses from among yourselves against them. If they testify, then confine them to their houses until death takes them or Allah makes for them another way (prescribes another punishment).
[27]
Punishment for Adultery:
After the injunctions of inheritance, now other social evils are being mentioned, foremost among them being adultery and obscenity. For adultery, the required testimony is that of four men, and all of them must be sane, adult, and trustworthy. It is not permissible that two men and four women give testimony. Because a woman's testimony is only acceptable in financial matters, not in hudud (prescribed punishments). The testimony of such four Muslim, sane, adult, trustworthy, and reliable men, in such a way that they have themselves seen the woman in question with their own eyes, apparently seems very difficult. With these severe punishments, the probable divine wisdom in prescribing the requirement of four witnesses is that if one or two people happen to see someone committing adultery, they should by no means try to expose or spread this evil. The witnesses of adultery, in fact, stand in the court as if they themselves are accused, and if, God forbid, even one of the witnesses' testimonies is incomplete or becomes doubtful, the adulterer will be acquitted and the witnesses will be liable to the punishment of qazf (false accusation). Therefore, to go and testify for adultery is in itself a very dangerous task.
[27]
Punishment for Adultery:
After the injunctions of inheritance, now other social evils are being mentioned, foremost among them being adultery and obscenity. For adultery, the required testimony is that of four men, and all of them must be sane, adult, and trustworthy. It is not permissible that two men and four women give testimony. Because a woman's testimony is only acceptable in financial matters, not in hudud (prescribed punishments). The testimony of such four Muslim, sane, adult, trustworthy, and reliable men, in such a way that they have themselves seen the woman in question with their own eyes, apparently seems very difficult. With these severe punishments, the probable divine wisdom in prescribing the requirement of four witnesses is that if one or two people happen to see someone committing adultery, they should by no means try to expose or spread this evil. The witnesses of adultery, in fact, stand in the court as if they themselves are accused, and if, God forbid, even one of the witnesses' testimonies is incomplete or becomes doubtful, the adulterer will be acquitted and the witnesses will be liable to the punishment of qazf (false accusation). Therefore, to go and testify for adultery is in itself a very dangerous task.
