And those who believe in the revelations of their Lord,

And those who ascribe not partners unto their Lord,

And those who give that which they give with hearts afraid because they are about to return unto their Lord,

These race for the good things, and they shall win them in the race.

And we task not any soul beyond its scope, and with Us is a Record which speaketh the truth, and they will not be wronged.

Nay, but their hearts are in ignorance of this (Qur’án), and they have other works, besides, which they are doing;

Till when We grasp their luxurious ones with the punishment, behold! they supplicate.

Supplicate not this day! Assuredly ye will not be helped by Us.

My revelations were recited unto you, but ye used to turn back on your heels,

In scorn thereof. Nightly did ye rave together.

Have they not pondered the Word, or hath that come unto them which came not unto their fathers of old?

Or know they not their messenger, and so reject him?

Or say they: There is a madness in him? Nay, but he bringeth them the Truth; and most of them are haters of the Truth.

And if the Truth had followed their desires, verily the heavens and the earth and whosoever is therein had been corrupted. Nay, We have brought them their Reminder, but from their Reminder they now turn away.

Or dost thou ask of them (O Muḥammad) any tribute? But the bounty of thy Lord is better, for He is Best of all who make provision.

And lo! thou summonest them indeed unto a straight path.

And lo! those who believe not in the Hereafter are indeed astray from the path.

Though We had mercy on them and relieved them of the harm afflicting them, they still would wander blindly on in their contumacy.

Already have We grasped them with punishment, but they humble not themselves unto their Lord, nor do they pray,

Until, when We open for them the gate of extreme punishment, behold! they are aghast thereat.

He it is Who hath created for you ears and eyes and hearts. Small thanks give ye!

And He it is Who hath sown you broadcast in the earth, and unto Him ye will be gathered.

And He it is Who giveth life and causeth death, and His is the difference of night and day. Have ye then no sense?

Nay, but they say the like of that which said the men of old;

They say: When we are dead and have become (mere) dust and bones, shall we then, forsooth, be raised again?

We were already promised this, we and our forefathers. Lo! this is naught but fables of the men of old.

Say: Unto Whom (belongeth) the earth and whosoever is therein, if ye have knowledge?

They will say: Unto Alláh. Say: Will ye not then remember?

Say: Who is Lord of the seven heavens, and Lord of the Tremendous Throne?

They will say: Unto Alláh (all that belongeth). Say: Will ye not then keep duty (unto Him)?

Say: In Whose hand is the dominion over all things and He protecteth, while against Him there is no protection, if ye have knowledge?

They will say: Unto Alláh (all that belongeth). Say: How then are ye bewitched?

Nay, but We have brought them the Truth, and lo! they are liars.

Alláh hath not chosen any son, nor is there any god along with Him; else would each god have assuredly championed that which he created, and some of them would assuredly have overcome others. Glorified be Alláh above all that they allege.

Knower of the Invisible and the Visible! and Exalted be He over all that they ascribe as partners (unto Him)!

Say: My Lord! If Thou shouldst show me that which they are promised,

My Lord! then set me not among the wrongdoing folk.

And verily We are Able to show thee that which We have promised them.

Repel evil with that which is better. We are best Aware of that which they allege.

And say: My Lord! I seek refuge in Thee from suggestions of the evil ones,

And I seek refuge in Thee, my Lord, lest they be present with me,

Until, when death cometh unto one of them, he saith: My Lord! Send me back,

That I may do right in that which I have left behind! But nay! It is but a word that he speaketh; and behind them is a barrier until the day when they are raised.

And when the trumpet is blown there will be no kinship among them that day, nor will they ask of one another.

Then those whose scales are heavy, they are the successful.

And those whose scales are light are those who lose their souls, in hell abiding.

The fire burneth their faces, and they are glum therein.

(It will be said): Were not My revelations recited unto you, and then ye used to deny them?

They will say: Our Lord! Our evil fortune conquered us, and we were erring folk.

Our Lord! Oh, bring us forth from hence! If we return (to evil) then indeed we shall be wrong-doers.

He saith: Begone therein, and speak not unto Me.

Lo! there was a party of My slaves who said: Our Lord! We believe, therefor forgive us and have mercy on us for Thou art best of all who show mercy;

But ye chose them for a laughing-stock until they caused you to forget remembrance of Me, while ye laughed at them.

Lo! I have rewarded them this day forasmuch as they were steadfast in that they, even they, are the triumphant.

He will say: How long tarried ye in the earth, counting by years?

They will say: We tarried by a day or part of a day. Ask of those who keep count!

He will say: Ye tarried but a little if ye only knew.

Deemed ye then that We had created you for naught, and that ye would not be returned unto Us?

Now Alláh be Exalted, the True King! There is no God save Him, the Lord of the Throne of Grace.

He who crieth unto any other god along with Alláh hath no proof thereof. His reckoning is only with his Lord. Lo! disbelievers will not be successful.

And (O Muḥammad) say: My Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for Thou art best of all who show mercy.

24.
An-Núr: Light

In the name of Alláh, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

(Here is) a surah which We have revealed and enjoined, and wherein We have revealed plain tokens, that haply ye may take heed.

The adulterer and the adulteress, scourge ye each one of them (with) a hundred stripes. And let not pity for the twain withhold you from obedience to Alláh, if ye believe in Alláh and the Last Day. And let a party of believers witness their punishment.

The adulterer shall not marry save an adulteress or an idolatress, and the adulteress none shall marry save an adulterer or an idolater. All that is forbidden unto believers.

And those who accuse honourable women but bring not four witnesses, scourge them (with) eighty stripes and never (afterward) accept their testimony—They indeed are evil-doers—

Save those who afterward repent and make amends. (For such) lo! Alláh is Forgiving, Merciful.

As for those who accuse their wives but have no witnesses except themselves; let the testimony of one of them be four testimonies, (swearing) by Alláh that he is of those who speak the truth;

And yet a fifth, invoking the curse of Alláh on him if he is of those who lie.

And it shall avert the punishment from her if she bear witness before Alláh four times that the thing he saith is indeed false,

And a fifth (time) that the wrath of Alláh be upon her if he speaketh truth.

And had it not been for the grace of Alláh and His mercy unto you, and that Alláh is Clement, Wise, (ye had been undone).

Lo! they who spread the slander are a gang among you. Deem it not a bad thing for you; nay, it is good for you. Unto every man of them (will be paid) that which he hath earned of the sin; and as for him among them who had the greater share therein, his will be an awful doom.

Why did not the believers, men and women, when ye heard it, think good of their own own folk, and say: It is a manifest untruth?

Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they produce not witnesses, they verily are liars in the sight of Alláh.

Had it not been for the grace of Alláh and His mercy unto you in the world and the Hereafter an awful doom had overtaken you for that whereof ye murmured.

When ye welcomed it with your tongues, and uttered with your mouths that whereof ye had no knowledge, ye counted it a trifle. In the sight of Alláh it is very great.

Wherefor, when ye heard it, said ye not: It is not for us to speak of this. Glory be to Thee (O Alláh)! This is awful calumny.

Alláh admonisheth you that ye repeat not the like thereof ever, if ye are (in truth) believers.

And He expoundeth unto you the revelations. Alláh is Knower, Wise.

Lo! those who love that slander should be spread concerning those who believe, theirs will be a painful punishment in the world and the Hereafter. Alláh knoweth. Ye know not.

Had it not been for the grace of Alláh and His mercy unto you, and that Alláh is Clement, Merciful, (ye had been undone).

O ye who believe! Follow not the footsteps of the devil. Unto whomsoever followeth the footsteps of the devil, lo! he commandeth filthiness and wrong. Had it not been for the grace of Alláh and His mercy unto you, not one of you would ever have grown pure. But Alláh causeth whom He will to grow. And Alláh is Hearer, Knower.

And let not those who possess dignity and ease among you swear not to give to the near of kin and to the needy, and to fugitives for the cause of Alláh. Let them forgive and show indulgence. Yearn ye not that Alláh may forgive you? Alláh is Forgiving, Merciful.

Lo! as for those who traduce virtuous, believing women (who are) careless, cursed are they in the world and the Hereafter. Theirs will be an awful doom

On the day when their tongues and their hands and their feet testify against them as to what they used to do,

On that day Alláh will pay them their just due, and they will know that Alláh, He is the Manifest Truth.

Vile women are for vile men, and vile men for vile women. Good women are for good men, and good men for good women; such are innocent of that which people say: For them is pardon and a bountiful provision.

O ye who believe! Enter not houses other than your own without first announcing your presence and invoking peace upon the folk thereof. That is better for you, that ye may be heedful.

And if ye find no-one therein, still enter not until permission hath been given. And if it be said unto you: Go away again, then go away, for it is purer for you. Alláh knoweth what ye do.

(It is) no sin for you to enter uninhabited houses wherein is comfort for you. Alláh knoweth what ye proclaim and what ye hide.

Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo! Alláh is aware of what they do.

And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands’ fathers, or their sons or their husbands’ sons, or their brothers or their brothers’ sons or sisters’ sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigour, or children who know naught of women’s nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Alláh together, O believers, in order that ye may succeed.

And marry such of you as are solitary and the pious of your slaves and maid-servants. If they be poor, Alláh will enrich them of His bounty. Alláh is of ample means, Aware.

And let those who cannot find a match keep chaste till Alláh give them independence by His grace. And such of your slaves as seek a writing (of emancipation), write it for them if ye are aware of aught of good in them, and bestow upon them of the wealth of Alláh which He hath bestowed upon you. Force not your slave-girls to whoredom that ye may seek enjoyment of the life of the world, if they would preserve their chastity. And if one force them, then (unto them), after their compulsion, lo! Alláh will be Forgiving, Merciful.

And verily We have sent down for you revelations that make plain, and the example of those who passed away before you. An admonition unto those who ward off (evil).

Alláh is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a shining star. (This lamp is) kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself) though no fire touched it. Light upon light. Alláh guideth unto His light whom He will. And Alláh speaketh to mankind in allegories, for Alláh is Knower of all things.

(This lamp is found) in houses which Alláh hath allowed to be exalted and that His name shall be remembered therein. Therein do offer praise to Him at morn and evening.

Men whom neither merchandise nor sale beguileth from remembrance of Alláh and constancy in prayer and paying to the poor their due; who fear a day when hearts and eyeballs will be overturned;

That Alláh may reward them with the best of what they did, and increase reward for them of His bounty. Alláh giveth blessings without stint to whom He will.

As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are as a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one supposeth it to be water till he cometh unto it and findeth it naught, and findeth, in the place thereof, Alláh Who payeth him his due; and Alláh is swift at reckoning.

Or as darkness on a vast, abysmal sea. There covereth him a wave, above which is a wave, above which is a cloud. Layer upon layer of darkness. When he holdeth out his hand he scarce can see it. And he for whom Alláh hath not appointed light, for him there is no light.

Hast thou not seen that Alláh, He it is Whom all who are in the heavens and the earth praise, and the birds in their flight? Of each He knoweth verily the worship and the praise; and Alláh is Aware of what they do.

And unto Alláh belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and unto Alláh is the journeying.

Hast thou not seen how Alláh wafteth the clouds, then gathereth them, then maketh them layers, and thou seest the rain come forth from between them; He sendeth down from the heaven mountains wherein is hail, and smiteth therewith whom He will, and averteth it from whom He will. The flashing of His lightning all but snatcheth away the sight.

Alláh causeth the revolution of the day and the night. Lo! herein is indeed a lesson for those who see.

Alláh hath created every animal of water. Of them is (a kind) that goeth upon its belly and (a kind) that goeth upon two legs and (a kind) that goeth upon four. Alláh createth what He will. Lo! Alláh is Able to do all things.

Verily We have sent down revelations and explained them. Alláh guideth whom He will unto a straight path.

And they say: We believe in Alláh and the messenger, and we obey; then after that a faction of them turn away. Such are not believers.

And when they appeal unto Alláh and His messenger to judge between them, lo! a faction of them are averse;

But if right had been with them they would have come unto him willingly.

Is there in their hearts a disease, or have they doubts, or fear they lest Alláh and His messenger should wrong them in judgment? Nay, but such are evil-doers.

The saying of (all true) believers when they appeal unto Alláh and His messenger to judge between them is only that they say: We hear and we obey. And such are the successful.

He who obeyeth Alláh and His messenger, and feareth Alláh, and keepeth duty (unto Him): such indeed are the victorious.

They swear by Alláh solemnly that, if thou order them, they will go forth. Say: Swear not; known obedience (is better). Lo! Alláh is Informed of what ye do.

Say: Obey Alláh and obey the messenger. But if ye turn away, then (it is) for him (to do) only that wherewith he hath been charged, and for you (to do) only that wherewith ye have been charged. If ye obey him, ye will go aright. But the messenger hath no other charge than to convey (the message) plainly.

Alláh hath promised such of you as believe and do good work that He will surely make them to succeed (the present rulers) in the earth even as He caused those who were before them to succeed (others); and that He will surely establish for them their religion which He hath approved for them, and will give them in exchange safety after their fear. They serve Me. They ascribe no thing as partner unto Me. Those who disbelieve henceforth, they are the miscreants.

Establish worship and pay the poor-due and obey the messenger, that haply ye may find mercy.