سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 25
وَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ مِنكُمْ طَوْلًا أَن يَنكِحَ ٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ فَمِن مَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُم مِّن فَتَيَـٰتِكُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَـٰنِكُم ۚ بَعْضُكُم مِّنۢ بَعْضٍ ۚ فَٱنكِحُوهُنَّ بِإِذْنِ أَهْلِهِنَّ وَءَاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ مُحْصَنَـٰتٍ غَيْرَ مُسَـٰفِحَـٰتٍ وَلَا مُتَّخِذَٰتِ أَخْدَانٍ ۚ فَإِذَآ أُحْصِنَّ فَإِنْ أَتَيْنَ بِفَـٰحِشَةٍ فَعَلَيْهِنَّ نِصْفُ مَا عَلَى ٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتِ مِنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِىَ ٱلْعَنَتَ مِنكُمْ ۚ وَأَن تَصْبِرُوا۟ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿25﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And whoever of you have not the means wherewith to wed free, believing women, they may wed believing girls from among those (slaves) whom your right hands possess, and Allâh has full knowledge about your Faith; you are one from another. Wed them with the permission of their own folk (guardians, Auliyâ’ or masters) and give them their Mahr according to what is reasonable; they (the above said captive and slave-girls) should be chaste, not committing illegal sex, nor taking boy-friends. And after they have been taken in wedlock, if they commit illegal sexual intercourse, their punishment is half that for free (unmarried) women. This is for him among you who is afraid of being harmed in his religion or in his body; but it is better for you that you practise self-restraint, and Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
لَّمْ
lam
(is) not
يَسْتَطِعْ
yastaṭiʿ
able to
مِنكُمْ
minkum
among you
طَوْلًا
ṭawlan
afford
أَن
an
to
يَنكِحَ
yankiḥa
marry
ٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتِ
l-muḥ'ṣanāti
the free chaste
ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ
l-mu'mināti
[the] believing women
فَمِن
famin
then (marry) from
مَّا
mā
what
مَلَكَتْ
malakat
possess[ed]
أَيْمَـٰنُكُم
aymānukum
your right hands
مِّن
min
of
فَتَيَـٰتِكُمُ
fatayātikumu
your slave girls
ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ ۚ
l-mu'mināti
(of) the believers
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
أَعْلَمُ
aʿlamu
knows best
بِإِيمَـٰنِكُم ۚ
biīmānikum
about your faith
بَعْضُكُم
baʿḍukum
You
مِّنۢ
min
(are) from
بَعْضٍۢ ۚ
baʿḍin
(one) another
فَٱنكِحُوهُنَّ
fa-inkiḥūhunna
So marry them
بِإِذْنِ
bi-idh'ni
with (the) permission
أَهْلِهِنَّ
ahlihinna
(of) their family
وَءَاتُوهُنَّ
waātūhunna
and give them
أُجُورَهُنَّ
ujūrahunna
their bridal due
بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ
bil-maʿrūfi
in a fair manner
مُحْصَنَـٰتٍ
muḥ'ṣanātin
(They should be) chaste
غَيْرَ
ghayra
not
مُسَـٰفِحَـٰتٍۢ
musāfiḥātin
those who commit immorality
وَلَا
walā
and not
مُتَّخِذَٰتِ
muttakhidhāti
those who take
أَخْدَانٍۢ ۚ
akhdānin
secret lovers
فَإِذَآ
fa-idhā
Then when
أُحْصِنَّ
uḥ'ṣinna
they are married
فَإِنْ
fa-in
and if
أَتَيْنَ
atayna
they commit
بِفَـٰحِشَةٍۢ
bifāḥishatin
adultery
فَعَلَيْهِنَّ
faʿalayhinna
then for them
نِصْفُ
niṣ'fu
(is) half
مَا
mā
(of) what
عَلَى
ʿalā
(is) on
ٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتِ
l-muḥ'ṣanāti
the free chaste women
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْعَذَابِ ۚ
l-ʿadhābi
the punishment
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
لِمَنْ
liman
(is) for whoever
خَشِىَ
khashiya
fears
ٱلْعَنَتَ
l-ʿanata
committing sin
مِنكُمْ ۚ
minkum
among you
وَأَن
wa-an
and that
تَصْبِرُوا۟
taṣbirū
you be patient
خَيْرٌۭ
khayrun
(is) better
لَّكُمْ ۗ
lakum
for you
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
غَفُورٌۭ
ghafūrun
(is) Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمٌۭ
raḥīmun
Most Merciful
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.
25. [Women, whether free or bondwomen,] are all of the same [human] kind. So, marry them with the permission of their guardians, and give them their dowries according to what is right, so that they are protected in marriage, not committing fornication or taking secret lovers. But if, after marriage, they commit indecency, then their punishment is half that of free women [43]. This [concession] is for those among you who fear falling into sin. But if you are patient, it is better for you [44]. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.
[43] The translation of "muhsanat" is both "free women" and "married women." And in the mentioned verse, the translation can only necessarily be "free, unmarried women," with whom marriage is being permitted. And the second time in the same verse where "muhsanat" ﴿نِصْفُ مَا عَلَي الْمُحْصَنٰتِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ﴾ is mentioned, its meaning must also necessarily be "free, unmarried women." And since the punishment for a free, unmarried woman who commits adultery is one hundred lashes, therefore, if a married slave woman commits adultery, her punishment is half that of a free, unmarried woman, i.e., fifty lashes. Similarly, the punishment for a male slave is also fifty lashes, and if they are unmarried, their punishment is ta'zir (discretionary punishment), not hadd (fixed punishment).
Half Stoning and the Deception of the Rejecters of Hadith:
This verse not only provides evidence that the punishment mentioned in Surah An-Nur can only be for unmarried men and women, but it also provides an answer to an objection raised by the rejecters of hadith. Such people object by saying: "The punishment for adultery by a married woman, according to hadith, is stoning (rajm). And the punishment for adultery by a married slave woman, according to the Quran, is half the punishment of a married woman, and this becomes half stoning. And since half stoning is not possible, therefore the punishment mentioned in the hadith cannot be correct." And further, they say: "Hadith, in itself, is not a reliable thing, so the correct view is that the punishment for both women and men, whether unmarried or married, without distinction, is one hundred lashes, as mentioned in the Quran."
The Answer to an Objection:
Before answering this objection, it is necessary to clarify linguistically that "ihsan" (protection from adultery) is of two types. One is through freedom, as a free woman is under the protection of her family, and if a slave woman becomes free, she also attains such protection. The second "ihsan" is through marriage, as a husband also becomes a means of protection from adultery. Thus, the translation of "muhsanat" can be "free women" or "married women," and when both types of protection are combined, it can mean "free, married women." Now, the answer to the objection is, as has already been written, that the word "muhsanat" at the beginning of verse number 24 clearly means half the punishment (i.e., fifty lashes) of the punishment for a free, unmarried woman (one hundred lashes), and this is the punishment for a married slave woman who commits adultery. And the rejecters of hadith deceive by translating "muhsanat" as "free, married woman" and then raise this objection, which is also against the context of the verse, which is: "If someone does not have the means to marry a free woman, then he should marry a believing slave woman." Here, the translation of "muhsanat" as "free, married woman" is not possible.
[44] That is, if a free man cannot afford the expenses of marrying a free woman, and he also fears that if he does not marry, he may fall into sexual immorality, then in this case he is permitted to marry a believing slave woman. And it is also said that even then, if you are patient, it is better for you. The form and wisdom of this betterment is known only to Allah; apparently, the benefit is that the offspring will be born free. And the method of patience that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has described is as follows: Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud ؓ says that we were some young men in the service of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and we did not have the means to marry. So the Prophet ﷺ said: "O young men! Whoever among you has the ability to support a household should get married, for marriage lowers the gaze and protects the private parts. And whoever does not have the ability should fast, for fasting will diminish his desire."
[بخاری۔ کتاب النکاح، باب من لم یستطع الباءۃ فلیصم]
[43] The translation of "muhsanat" is both "free women" and "married women." And in the mentioned verse, the translation can only necessarily be "free, unmarried women," with whom marriage is being permitted. And the second time in the same verse where "muhsanat" ﴿نِصْفُ مَا عَلَي الْمُحْصَنٰتِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ﴾ is mentioned, its meaning must also necessarily be "free, unmarried women." And since the punishment for a free, unmarried woman who commits adultery is one hundred lashes, therefore, if a married slave woman commits adultery, her punishment is half that of a free, unmarried woman, i.e., fifty lashes. Similarly, the punishment for a male slave is also fifty lashes, and if they are unmarried, their punishment is ta'zir (discretionary punishment), not hadd (fixed punishment).
Half Stoning and the Deception of the Rejecters of Hadith:
This verse not only provides evidence that the punishment mentioned in Surah An-Nur can only be for unmarried men and women, but it also provides an answer to an objection raised by the rejecters of hadith. Such people object by saying: "The punishment for adultery by a married woman, according to hadith, is stoning (rajm). And the punishment for adultery by a married slave woman, according to the Quran, is half the punishment of a married woman, and this becomes half stoning. And since half stoning is not possible, therefore the punishment mentioned in the hadith cannot be correct." And further, they say: "Hadith, in itself, is not a reliable thing, so the correct view is that the punishment for both women and men, whether unmarried or married, without distinction, is one hundred lashes, as mentioned in the Quran."
The Answer to an Objection:
Before answering this objection, it is necessary to clarify linguistically that "ihsan" (protection from adultery) is of two types. One is through freedom, as a free woman is under the protection of her family, and if a slave woman becomes free, she also attains such protection. The second "ihsan" is through marriage, as a husband also becomes a means of protection from adultery. Thus, the translation of "muhsanat" can be "free women" or "married women," and when both types of protection are combined, it can mean "free, married women." Now, the answer to the objection is, as has already been written, that the word "muhsanat" at the beginning of verse number 24 clearly means half the punishment (i.e., fifty lashes) of the punishment for a free, unmarried woman (one hundred lashes), and this is the punishment for a married slave woman who commits adultery. And the rejecters of hadith deceive by translating "muhsanat" as "free, married woman" and then raise this objection, which is also against the context of the verse, which is: "If someone does not have the means to marry a free woman, then he should marry a believing slave woman." Here, the translation of "muhsanat" as "free, married woman" is not possible.
[44] That is, if a free man cannot afford the expenses of marrying a free woman, and he also fears that if he does not marry, he may fall into sexual immorality, then in this case he is permitted to marry a believing slave woman. And it is also said that even then, if you are patient, it is better for you. The form and wisdom of this betterment is known only to Allah; apparently, the benefit is that the offspring will be born free. And the method of patience that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has described is as follows: Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud ؓ says that we were some young men in the service of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and we did not have the means to marry. So the Prophet ﷺ said: "O young men! Whoever among you has the ability to support a household should get married, for marriage lowers the gaze and protects the private parts. And whoever does not have the ability should fast, for fasting will diminish his desire."
[بخاری۔ کتاب النکاح، باب من لم یستطع الباءۃ فلیصم]
