سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 32
وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ ٱلزِّنَىٰٓ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فَـٰحِشَةً وَسَآءَ سَبِيلًا ﴿32﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And come not near to unlawful sex. Verily, it is a Fâhishah (i.e. anything that transgresses its limits: a great sin), and an evil way (that leads one to Hell unless Allâh forgives him).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَا
walā
And (do) not
تَقْرَبُوا۟
taqrabū
go near
ٱلزِّنَىٰٓ ۖ
l-zinā
adultery
إِنَّهُۥ
innahu
Indeed, it
كَانَ
kāna
is
فَـٰحِشَةًۭ
fāḥishatan
an immorality
وَسَآءَ
wasāa
and (an) evil
سَبِيلًۭا
sabīlan
way
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.
And do not even go near adultery [37], for it is an indecency and an evil way.
[37]
The Prohibition of the Ways of Adultery and Approaching Them:
Allah Almighty did not say "Do not commit adultery," but rather said, "Do not even go near adultery," meaning all those ways and methods that can become a cause of adultery. Abstain from all of them. A detailed explanation of such ways will come in Surah An-Nur and Surah Al-Ahzab. In brief, anything that can become a cause for the arousal of a person's lust is a way to adultery, for example: free mixing with women, women going out in the markets without hijab, conversation between non-mahram men and women, especially when they are alone, flirtatious glances, nude pictures, films, obscene literature, filthy language, obscene stories and dramas on TV and radio, and immodest conversation between men and women—all these are things that arouse lust, and these are the ways to adultery. And when Allah Almighty called adultery an "evil way," its evils are as follows:
1. In the case of adultery, the lineage of the child born remains doubtful.
2. Disputes over inheritance arise for such a child born of adultery.
3. If the adulteress is a married woman, the expenses of the child unjustly fall upon her husband; similarly, he is unjustly considered a sharer in the inheritance.
4. An unmarried woman who has relations with several men causes rivalry and enmity among those men, to the extent that sometimes it even leads to murder.
5. In the case of marriage, both husband and wife are sympathetic and compassionate towards each other. Their mutual love helps in the upbringing of children, which forms the family system, and this system is the most basic and important unit of any society. In the case of adultery, not only does this system fail to remain intact, but its very foundation is shaken, as is the situation in European countries nowadays. Due to these and many other evils, Allah Almighty has said not to even go near adultery, and has placed restrictions on all the ways that lead to adultery.
[37]
The Prohibition of the Ways of Adultery and Approaching Them:
Allah Almighty did not say "Do not commit adultery," but rather said, "Do not even go near adultery," meaning all those ways and methods that can become a cause of adultery. Abstain from all of them. A detailed explanation of such ways will come in Surah An-Nur and Surah Al-Ahzab. In brief, anything that can become a cause for the arousal of a person's lust is a way to adultery, for example: free mixing with women, women going out in the markets without hijab, conversation between non-mahram men and women, especially when they are alone, flirtatious glances, nude pictures, films, obscene literature, filthy language, obscene stories and dramas on TV and radio, and immodest conversation between men and women—all these are things that arouse lust, and these are the ways to adultery. And when Allah Almighty called adultery an "evil way," its evils are as follows:
1. In the case of adultery, the lineage of the child born remains doubtful.
2. Disputes over inheritance arise for such a child born of adultery.
3. If the adulteress is a married woman, the expenses of the child unjustly fall upon her husband; similarly, he is unjustly considered a sharer in the inheritance.
4. An unmarried woman who has relations with several men causes rivalry and enmity among those men, to the extent that sometimes it even leads to murder.
5. In the case of marriage, both husband and wife are sympathetic and compassionate towards each other. Their mutual love helps in the upbringing of children, which forms the family system, and this system is the most basic and important unit of any society. In the case of adultery, not only does this system fail to remain intact, but its very foundation is shaken, as is the situation in European countries nowadays. Due to these and many other evils, Allah Almighty has said not to even go near adultery, and has placed restrictions on all the ways that lead to adultery.
