سُوْرَةُ النُّوْرِ
Surah An-Noor (24) — Ayah 4
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ ٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَأْتُوا۟ بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَآءَ فَٱجْلِدُوهُمْ ثَمَـٰنِينَ جَلْدَةً وَلَا تَقْبَلُوا۟ لَهُمْ شَهَـٰدَةً أَبَدًا ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ ﴿4﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And those who accuse chaste women, and produce not four witnesses, flog them with eighty stripes, and reject their testimony forever. They indeed are the Fâsiqûn (liars, rebellious, disobedient to Allâh).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
And those who
يَرْمُونَ
yarmūna
accuse
ٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتِ
l-muḥ'ṣanāti
the chaste women
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
لَمْ
lam
not
يَأْتُوا۟
yatū
they bring
بِأَرْبَعَةِ
bi-arbaʿati
four
شُهَدَآءَ
shuhadāa
witnesses
فَٱجْلِدُوهُمْ
fa-ij'lidūhum
then flog them
ثَمَـٰنِينَ
thamānīna
(with) eighty
جَلْدَةًۭ
jaldatan
lashe(s)
وَلَا
walā
and (do) not
تَقْبَلُوا۟
taqbalū
accept
لَهُمْ
lahum
their
شَهَـٰدَةً
shahādatan
testimony
أَبَدًۭا ۚ
abadan
ever
وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
wa-ulāika
And those
هُمُ
humu
they
ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ
l-fāsiqūna
(are) the defiantly disobedient
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 4) ➊ By { وَ الَّذِيْنَ يَرْمُوْنَ الْمُحْصَنٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَاْتُوْا بِاَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَآءَ : ’’ الْمُحْصَنٰتِ ‘‘} are meant chaste women, whether virgins or married. Accusing them refers to the accusation of adultery, because the phrase "chaste women" indicates that the accusation is about not being chaste. Additionally, the requirement of four witnesses is also evidence that the accusation refers to adultery. If someone accuses another of theft, drinking alcohol, disbelief, etc., the punishment of false accusation (qadhf) will not be applied, rather, the judge will decide an appropriate discretionary punishment (ta’zir). Although only chaste women are mentioned here, chaste men are also included; those who slander them will also be subject to the same punishment, because the reason for which the punishment is prescribed for slandering chaste women also exists in the case of slandering chaste men. Therefore, there is consensus of the entire Ummah that the punishment for slandering chaste women will also be applied to those who slander chaste men. Women are mentioned here because slander is more painful and shameful for them, and also because the slander against Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) is mentioned ahead.
➋ Whoever accuses a chaste woman of adultery will be required to present four upright Muslim male witnesses to prove his claim. (See Nisa: 15) For no other crime are four witnesses required. Even if someone has seen someone committing adultery with his own eyes, if he does not have three more witnesses, he is not allowed to mention it; rather, he is commanded to remain silent, so that the filth remains limited to where it is, and illicit relationships are not publicized in society, because this leads to countless evils. Mentioning adultery in society becomes a means of spreading it. If someone commits adultery secretly, the harm is not as great as the harm caused to society by publicizing adultery (spreading indecency). However, if someone commits adultery so openly that four men see him in the very act, then they are permitted to take him to the ruler, so that he may enforce the prescribed punishment and prevent this vile act. On one hand, the strictest punishment for adultery is prescribed; on the other hand, to protect people’s honor and to cover their faults, it is commanded that whoever accuses a chaste person of adultery and does not present four witnesses, then impose the punishment for slander on him. The slanderer may be a man or a woman, as the punishment for false accusation (qadhf) was also applied to Hassaan bin Thabit and Mistah bin Athatha (may Allah be pleased with them) as well as to Hamnah bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her).
➌ Whoever accuses a chaste Muslim man or woman of adultery and cannot produce four witnesses, Allah has given three rulings about him: first, that he should be given eighty (80) lashes; second, that his testimony should never be accepted; and third, that these are the disobedient ones (fasiq) ({اُولٰٓىِٕكَ هُمُ الْفٰسِقُوْنَ} contains an exclusive restriction), not those whom they wanted to prove as disobedient.
➋ Whoever accuses a chaste woman of adultery will be required to present four upright Muslim male witnesses to prove his claim. (See Nisa: 15) For no other crime are four witnesses required. Even if someone has seen someone committing adultery with his own eyes, if he does not have three more witnesses, he is not allowed to mention it; rather, he is commanded to remain silent, so that the filth remains limited to where it is, and illicit relationships are not publicized in society, because this leads to countless evils. Mentioning adultery in society becomes a means of spreading it. If someone commits adultery secretly, the harm is not as great as the harm caused to society by publicizing adultery (spreading indecency). However, if someone commits adultery so openly that four men see him in the very act, then they are permitted to take him to the ruler, so that he may enforce the prescribed punishment and prevent this vile act. On one hand, the strictest punishment for adultery is prescribed; on the other hand, to protect people’s honor and to cover their faults, it is commanded that whoever accuses a chaste person of adultery and does not present four witnesses, then impose the punishment for slander on him. The slanderer may be a man or a woman, as the punishment for false accusation (qadhf) was also applied to Hassaan bin Thabit and Mistah bin Athatha (may Allah be pleased with them) as well as to Hamnah bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her).
➌ Whoever accuses a chaste Muslim man or woman of adultery and cannot produce four witnesses, Allah has given three rulings about him: first, that he should be given eighty (80) lashes; second, that his testimony should never be accepted; and third, that these are the disobedient ones (fasiq) ({اُولٰٓىِٕكَ هُمُ الْفٰسِقُوْنَ} contains an exclusive restriction), not those whom they wanted to prove as disobedient.
