سُورَةٌ أَنزَلْنَاهَا وَفَرَضْنَاهَا وَأَنزَلْنَا فِيهَا آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ ١

This is a (great) Sura (chapter) which We have revealed and We have made its (commandments) obligatory. And We have sent down in it clear Revelations so that you may take direction and guidance.

الزَّانِيَةُ وَالزَّانِي فَاجْلِدُوا كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا مِائَةَ جَلْدَةٍ ۖ وَلَا تَأْخُذْكُم بِهِمَا رَأْفَةٌ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۖ وَلْيَشْهَدْ عَذَابَهُمَا طَائِفَةٌ مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٢

Whip a hundred lashes each, the (unmarried) adulteress and the adulterer (on validation of adultery in accordance with the conditions of the statutory [hadd] punishment. If married, then both are to be stoned to death). And you should not feel even the slightest pity in Allah’s Din (Religion) for either of them (in executing the command), if you have faith in Allah and the Last Day. And a (sizeable) party of Muslims should be present on (the occasion of) award of punishment to both of them.

الزَّانِي لَا يَنكِحُ إِلَّا زَانِيَةً أَوْ مُشْرِكَةً وَالزَّانِيَةُ لَا يَنكِحُهَا إِلَّا زَانٍ أَوْ مُشْرِكٌ ۚ وَحُرِّمَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٣

An adulterer does not (like to) marry (a chaste and virtuous woman) but only an adulteress or a polytheist, and no (pious man likes to) marry an adulteress (too) but only an adulterer or a polytheist. And this act (i.e., adultery) has been forbidden to the Muslims.

وَالَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَأْتُوا بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَاءَ فَاجْلِدُوهُمْ ثَمَانِينَ جَلْدَةً وَلَا تَقْبَلُوا لَهُمْ شَهَادَةً أَبَدًا ۚ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ ٤

And those who accuse chaste women (of adultery), then fail to produce four witnesses, whip them eighty lashes (as qadhaf—the punishment for false accusation of adultery) and never accept their evidence. And it is they who are the evildoers,

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا مِن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ وَأَصْلَحُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ٥

Except for those who repent after this (false blaming) and mend their ways. Then Allah is verily Most Forgiving, Ever-Merciful. (They will not be counted amongst the disobedient, but this will not exempt them from hadd al-qadhaf [the penalty for false accusation of adultery].)

وَالَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ أَزْوَاجَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُمْ شُهَدَاءُ إِلَّا أَنفُسُهُمْ فَشَهَادَةُ أَحَدِهِمْ أَرْبَعُ شَهَادَاتٍ بِاللَّهِ ۙ إِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ ٦

And those who accuse their wives (of adultery) and have no witnesses except themselves, the testimony of such a person is to swear (himself) four times by Allah that he is truthful (in his accusation),

وَالْخَامِسَةُ أَنَّ لَعْنَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ إِن كَانَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ ٧

And the fifth time (to say) that Allah’s curse be upon him if he is a liar.

وَيَدْرَأُ عَنْهَا الْعَذَابَ أَن تَشْهَدَ أَرْبَعَ شَهَادَاتٍ بِاللَّهِ ۙ إِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ ٨

And (similarly) this can avert punishment from that (woman too) if she (herself) gives evidence, swearing four times by Allah that he (the husband) is a liar (in accusing her),

وَالْخَامِسَةَ أَنَّ غَضَبَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا إِن كَانَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ ٩

And the fifth time (to say) that Allah’s wrath be upon her if he (the husband) is truthful.

وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ حَكِيمٌ ١٠

And had there not been Allah’s grace and mercy upon you, (then you would have been more perturbed under such circumstances) and Allah is surely Most Relenting, All-Wise.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِّنكُمْ ۚ لَا تَحْسَبُوهُ شَرًّا لَّكُم ۖ بَلْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۚ لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مِّنْهُم مَّا اكْتَسَبَ مِنَ الْإِثْمِ ۚ وَالَّذِي تَوَلَّىٰ كِبْرَهُ مِنْهُمْ لَهُ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ١١

Surely those who fabricated the accusation (against ‘A’isha the truthful, the pure, the chaste—may Allah be well pleased with her) were (also) a party from amongst you. Do not consider this (slander account) as a bad thing for you. It has rather (turned out to be) good for you.

لَّوْلَا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ ظَنَّ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ خَيْرًا وَقَالُوا هَٰذَا إِفْكٌ مُّبِينٌ ١٢

Why did it not happen that when you heard of it (the slander), the believers, both men and women, would think good of their own people and say: ‘This is obviously a fabricated accusation (based on falsehood)’?

لَّوْلَا جَاءُوا عَلَيْهِ بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَاءَ ۚ فَإِذْ لَمْ يَأْتُوا بِالشُّهَدَاءِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ عِندَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ ١٣

Why did these (slanderers) not produce four witnesses to this (turmoil)? Since they could not bring forth witnesses, it is certainly they who are liars in the sight of Allah.

وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِي مَا أَفَضْتُمْ فِيهِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ١٤

And had there not been Allah’s grace upon you and His mercy in this world and in the Hereafter, severe torment would have afflicted you for promoting that (slander) into which you rushed headlong.

إِذْ تَلَقَّوْنَهُ بِأَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَتَقُولُونَ بِأَفْوَاهِكُم مَّا لَيْسَ لَكُم بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَتَحْسَبُونَهُ هَيِّنًا وَهُوَ عِندَ اللَّهِ عَظِيمٌ ١٥

When (hearing this matter from one another) you brought it on your tongues, and uttered with your mouths something about which you (yourselves) had no knowledge, and you took (the propagation of) this matter as inconsiderable, whereas in the presence of Allah it was a grave (offence underway).

وَلَوْلَا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ قُلْتُم مَّا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَن نَّتَكَلَّمَ بِهَٰذَا سُبْحَانَكَ هَٰذَا بُهْتَانٌ عَظِيمٌ ١٦

And when you heard of this (heinous charge), why did you not declare (at the same moment): ‘It is not (at all justified) for us to talk about it’? (Rather you should have said: ‘O Allah,) Holy are You (High above making such a woman the beloved wife of Your Beloved and Esteemed Messenger [blessings and peace be upon him]). This is a grave charge.’

يَعِظُكُمُ اللَّهُ أَن تَعُودُوا لِمِثْلِهِ أَبَدًا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ١٧

Allah admonishes you to never repeat such a thing (in your lifetime) if you are believers.

وَيُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ١٨

And Allah explains to you the Revelations with utmost clarity. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَن تَشِيعَ الْفَاحِشَةُ فِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ١٩

Indeed, those who like that lewdness should spread amongst the Muslims, for them is an agonizing punishment in this world and in the Hereafter. And Allah knows (the intentions of such people) and you do not know.

وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ ٢٠

And had there not been Allah’s grace and His mercy upon you (for the sake of the Holy Prophet [blessings and peace be upon him], you too would have been destroyed like the former communities). But Allah is Most Clement, Ever-Merciful.