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 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.
4. And those who accuse chaste women [7] and do not bring four witnesses, flog them with eighty lashes and never accept their testimony thereafter. And these are the ones who are immoral [8].
[7]
To Accuse Someone Falsely is a Very Grave Sin:
Here, the word "muhsan" is used only in the sense of chaste or innocent, whether the woman is unmarried or married. In fact, according to some scholars, accusing even a chaste slave woman of adultery is included in this. And this command is not only for men but also for women, that they should not accuse chaste men in this way. And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has counted this sin among the seven major sins that destroy a person. [بخاری۔ کجتاب الوصایا۔ باب قول اللہ اِنَّ الَّذِیْنَ یَاْکُلُوْنَ اَمْوَالَ الْیَتٰمیٰ۔۔۔ الأیة]
Why Four Witnesses are Required to Prove an Accusation?
By testimony of adultery is meant such testimony in which the act of adultery is clearly witnessed, and by testimony of accusation of adultery is meant testimony of such circumstances, like someone testifying that he saw such-and-such strange man and woman in seclusion, or saw them kissing and embracing, or someone calls another the child of adultery or illegitimate. For such a claimant, it is necessary to present four witnesses. And it is obvious that obtaining such four witnesses is extremely difficult. Therefore, from this strict requirement of testimony and then the severe punishment, the real purpose seems to be that if someone even sees some evil, there are only two options for him: either he should conceal it and not publicize it at all, or he should provide four witnesses and inform only the authorities, so that if the crime of the accused is proven, the authorities may punish them and put an end to this filth. To choose a third way, that is, to spread such things among the general public, is extremely dangerous for society and for the person himself. Another point that is understood from the word "muhsanat" is that if a man or woman is already notorious or has already been punished, then accusing them will not result in the prescribed punishment nor will they be declared unacceptable as witnesses; however, they should still refrain from such acts.
[8]
In What Sense is Concealment Better?
Even if such people are actually truthful in their statement or claim, but due to not being able to provide complete proof, they are declared liars, even then such people are of bad character—both in the sight of Allah and in the sight of people. And their bad character is that they started spreading such obscene talk in society, which they could not prove. Therefore, for Muslims, the path of salvation lies only in concealment.
[7]
To Accuse Someone Falsely is a Very Grave Sin:
Here, the word "muhsan" is used only in the sense of chaste or innocent, whether the woman is unmarried or married. In fact, according to some scholars, accusing even a chaste slave woman of adultery is included in this. And this command is not only for men but also for women, that they should not accuse chaste men in this way. And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has counted this sin among the seven major sins that destroy a person. [بخاری۔ کجتاب الوصایا۔ باب قول اللہ اِنَّ الَّذِیْنَ یَاْکُلُوْنَ اَمْوَالَ الْیَتٰمیٰ۔۔۔ الأیة]
Why Four Witnesses are Required to Prove an Accusation?
By testimony of adultery is meant such testimony in which the act of adultery is clearly witnessed, and by testimony of accusation of adultery is meant testimony of such circumstances, like someone testifying that he saw such-and-such strange man and woman in seclusion, or saw them kissing and embracing, or someone calls another the child of adultery or illegitimate. For such a claimant, it is necessary to present four witnesses. And it is obvious that obtaining such four witnesses is extremely difficult. Therefore, from this strict requirement of testimony and then the severe punishment, the real purpose seems to be that if someone even sees some evil, there are only two options for him: either he should conceal it and not publicize it at all, or he should provide four witnesses and inform only the authorities, so that if the crime of the accused is proven, the authorities may punish them and put an end to this filth. To choose a third way, that is, to spread such things among the general public, is extremely dangerous for society and for the person himself. Another point that is understood from the word "muhsanat" is that if a man or woman is already notorious or has already been punished, then accusing them will not result in the prescribed punishment nor will they be declared unacceptable as witnesses; however, they should still refrain from such acts.
[8]
In What Sense is Concealment Better?
Even if such people are actually truthful in their statement or claim, but due to not being able to provide complete proof, they are declared liars, even then such people are of bad character—both in the sight of Allah and in the sight of people. And their bad character is that they started spreading such obscene talk in society, which they could not prove. Therefore, for Muslims, the path of salvation lies only in concealment.
