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 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.
