An-Noor

سُورَةٌ أَنزَلْنَـٰهَا وَفَرَضْنَـٰهَا وَأَنزَلْنَا فِيهَآ ءَايَـٰتٍۭ بَيِّنَـٰتٍ لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ 1

هذه { سورة أنزلنها وفرضنها } مخففة ومشددة لكثرة المفروض فيها { وأنزلنا فيها ءايت بينت } واضحات الدلالات { لعلكم تذكرون } بإدغام التاء الثانية في الذال تتعظون.

This is, a sūra which We have revealed and prescribed (read faradnāhā, or [the intensive form] farradnāhā, on account of the large number of prescriptions contained in it) and wherein We have revealed manifest signs, [signs] containing clear indications, that perhaps you might remember (tadhakkarūna: the second tā’ [of tatadhakkarūna] has been assimilated with the dhāl), that you might be admonished.

ٱلزَّانِيَةُ وَٱلزَّانِى فَٱجْلِدُوا۟ كُلَّ وَٰحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا مِا۟ئَةَ جَلْدَةٍ ۖ وَلَا تَأْخُذْكُم بِهِمَا رَأْفَةٌ فِى دِينِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۖ وَلْيَشْهَدْ عَذَابَهُمَا طَآئِفَةٌ مِّنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ 2

{ الزانية والزانى } أي غير المحصنين لرجمهما بالسنة (وأل) فيما ذكر موصولة وهو مبتدأ ولشبهه بالشرط دخلت الفاء في خبره وهو { فاجلدوا كل واحد منهما مائة جلدة } أي ضربة يقال (جلده) ضرب جلده ويزاد على ذلك بالسنة تغريب عام، والرقيق على النصف مما ذكر { ولا تأخذكم بهما رأفة فى دين الله } أي حكمه بأن تتركوا شيئا من حدهما { إن كنتم تؤمنون بالله واليوم الأخر } أي يوم البعث في هذا تحريض على ما قبل الشرط وهو جوابه أو دال على جوابه { وليشهد عذابهما } أي الجلد { طائفة من المؤمنين } قيل ثلاثة وقيل أربعة عدد شهود الزنا.

As for the fornicatress and the fornicator, that is, of those not in wedlock — because those [in wedlock] are stoned according to the Sunna (the al [in al-zāniya, ‘the fornicatress’, and al-zānī, ‘the fornicator’] according to some mentioned [opinions] is a relative [particle]; the clause [al-zāniyatu wa’l-zānī] is a subject, and because of its similarity to a conditional, the fā’ has been inserted into the predicate, which is [the following, fa’jlidū]): strike each of them a hundred lashes, [a hundred] strikes (one says jaladahu to mean daraba jildahu, ‘he struck him on the skin’). According to the Sunna, in addition to this [punishment] there is also banishment for a whole year. The slave, however, receives half of the mentioned [punishment]. And do not let any pity for them overcome you in God’s religion, that is to say, in [the fulfilment of] His rulings, by disregarding any part of their prescribed punishment, if you believe in God and the Last Day, namely, the Day of Resurrection: in this [statement] there is an incitement to [abide by] what was [mentioned] before the conditional [above] and it also constitutes the response to the latter, or [at least is] an indication of the response to it. And let their punishment, the flogging, be witnessed by a group of the believers — some say [that this should be a group of] three; some say four, as in the number of witnesses testifying to an act of fornication.

ٱلزَّانِى لَا يَنكِحُ إِلَّا زَانِيَةً أَوْ مُشْرِكَةً وَٱلزَّانِيَةُ لَا يَنكِحُهَآ إِلَّا زَانٍ أَوْ مُشْرِكٌ ۚ وَحُرِّمَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ 3

{ الزانى لا ينكح } يتزوج { إلا زانية أو مشركة والزانية لا ينكحها إلا زان أو مشرك } أي المناسب لكل منهما ما ذكر { وحرم ذلك } أي نكاح الزواني { على المؤمنين } الأخيار. نزل ذلك لما هم فقراء المهاجرين أن يتزوجوا بغايا المشركين وهن موسرات لينفقن عليهم فقيل التحريم خاص بهن وقيل عام ونسخ بقوله تعالى

وأنكحوا الأيمى منكم

[32:24].

The fornicator shall not marry anyone but a fornicatress or an idolatress, and the fornicatress shall be married by none except a fornicator or an idolator, in other words, what is suitable for each of the two [for the purposes of marriage] is the above-mentioned; and that, namely, marrying of fornicators, is forbidden to believers, who are better [than those]. This was revealed when the poor among the Emigrants resolved to marry the wealthy whores of the idolaters, so that they [the women] would provide for them. Thus it is said that the prohibition applies specifically to them; but it is also said to apply in general; but it was abrogated by God’s words: Marry off the spouseless among you [Q. 24:32].

وَٱلَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ ٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَأْتُوا۟ بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَآءَ فَٱجْلِدُوهُمْ ثَمَـٰنِينَ جَلْدَةً وَلَا تَقْبَلُوا۟ لَهُمْ شَهَـٰدَةً أَبَدًا ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ 4

{ والذين يرمون المحصنت } العفيفات بالزنا { ثم لم يأتوا بأربعة شهداء } على زناهن برؤيتهم { فاجلدوهم } أي كل واحد منهم { ثمانين جلدة ولا تقبلوا لهم شهادة } في شيء { أبدا وأولئك هم الفسقون } لإتيانهم كبيرة.

And those who accuse honourable women [in wedlock], who are chaste, of fornication, and then do not bring four witnesses, to testify as eyewitnesses to their fornication, strike them eighty lashes, that is, each one of them, and do not accept any testimony from them ever, in anything; and those, they are the immoral, for committing a grave sin (kabīra);

إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ وَأَصْلَحُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ 5

{ إلا الذين تابوا من بعد ذلك وأصلحوا } عملهم { فإن الله غفور } لهم قذفهم { رحيم } بهم بإلهامهم التوبة فبها ينتهي فسقهم وتقبل شهادتهم وقيل لا تقبل رجوعا بالاستثناء إلى الجملة الأخيرة.

except those who repent thereafter and make amends, in their deeds, for God is indeed Forgiving, of their [unsubstantiated] accusations, Merciful, to them, in inspiring them to make repentance whereby their immorality is curbed and their testimony becomes [once again] acceptable — some say, however, that it can never be accepted [thereafter], if the proviso is taken to refer to the last clause.

وَٱلَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ أَزْوَٰجَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُمْ شُهَدَآءُ إِلَّآ أَنفُسُهُمْ فَشَهَـٰدَةُ أَحَدِهِمْ أَرْبَعُ شَهَـٰدَٰتٍۭ بِٱللَّهِ ۙ إِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ 6

{ والذين يرمون أزوجهم } بالزنا { ولم يكن لهم شهداء } عليه { إلا أنفسهم } وقع ذلك لجماعة من الصحابة { فشهدة أحدهم } مبتدأ { أربع شهدات } نصب على المصدر { بالله إنه لمن الصدقين } فيما رمى به زوجته من الزنا.

And those who accuse their wives, of fornication, but have no witnesses, to [substantiate] this, except themselves — which happened with some Companions — then the testimony of one of them (fa-shahādatu ahadihim, the subject) shall be to testify [swearing] by God four times (araba‘a shahādātin, is in the accusative as a verbal noun) that he is indeed being truthful, in accusing his wife of committing fornication,

وَٱلْخَـٰمِسَةُ أَنَّ لَعْنَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ 7

{ والخامسة أن لعنة الله عليه إن كان من الكذبين } في ذلك وخبر المبتدأ: تدفع عنه حد القذف.

and a fifth time that God’s wrath shall be upon him if he were lying, in this (the predicate of the subject [fa-shahādatu ahadihim, ‘then the testimony of one of them’] is [the implicit] ‘will spare him the prescribed [legal] punishment for [false] accusation’).

وَيَدْرَؤُا۟ عَنْهَا ٱلْعَذَابَ أَن تَشْهَدَ أَرْبَعَ شَهَـٰدَٰتٍۭ بِٱللَّهِ ۙ إِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ 8

{ ويدرؤا } يدفع { عنها العذاب } أي حد الزنا الذي ثبت بشهاداته { أن تشهد أربع شهادات بالله إنه لمن الكذبين } فيما رماها به من الزنا.

And the punishment, namely, the prescribed [legal] punishment for fornication that is established upon his testimony, shall be averted from her if she testify [swearing] by God four times that he is indeed lying, in accusing her of having fornicated;

وَٱلْخَـٰمِسَةَ أَنَّ غَضَبَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهَآ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ 9

{ والخامسة أن غضب الله عليها إن كان من الصدقين } في ذلك.

and a fifth time that God’s wrath shall be upon her if he were being truthful, therein.

وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ حَكِيمٌ 10

{ ولولا فضل الله عليكم ورحمته } بالستر في ذلك { وأن الله تواب } بقبوله التوبة في ذلك وغيره { حكيم } فيما حكم به في ذلك وغيره ليبين الحق في ذلك وعاجل بالعقوبة من يستحقها.

And were it not for God’s bounty to you and His mercy, in shielding you [from being exposed] in such [situations], and that God is the Relenting, in His acceptance of repentance in such [situations] and otherwise, Wise, in the rulings He has given for this and other matters, that He might make clear the truth therein and hasten punishment for those deserving it.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ جَآءُو بِٱلْإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِّنكُمْ ۚ لَا تَحْسَبُوهُ شَرًّا لَّكُم ۖ بَلْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۚ لِكُلِّ ٱمْرِئٍ مِّنْهُم مَّا ٱكْتَسَبَ مِنَ ٱلْإِثْمِ ۚ وَٱلَّذِى تَوَلَّىٰ كِبْرَهُۥ مِنْهُمْ لَهُۥ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ 11

{ إن الذين جاءو بالإفك } أسوأ الكذب على عائشة رضي الله عنها، أم المؤمنين بقذفها { عصبة منكم } جماعة من المؤمنين قالت: حسان بن ثابت، وعبد الله بن أبي، ومسطح، وحمنة بنت جحش { لا تحسبوه } أيها المؤمنون غير العصبة { شرا لكم بل هو خير لكم } يأجركم الله به، ويظهر براءة عائشة ومن جاء معها منه وهو صفوان فإنها قالت: كنت مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في غزوة بعدما أنزل الحجاب، ففرغ منها ورجع ودنا من المدينة، وآذن بالرحيل ليلة فمشيت وقفيت شأني وأقبلت إلى الرحل فإذا عقدي انقطع - وهو بكسر المهملة: القلادة - فرجعت ألتمسه وحملوا هودجي - هو ما يركب فيه - على بعيري يحسبونني فيه وكانت النساء خفافا إنما يأكلن العلقة - هو بضم المهملة وسكون اللام: من الطعام: أي القليل - ووجدت عقدي وجئت بعدما ساروا فجلست في المنزل الذي كنت فيه، وظننت أن القوم سيفقدونني فيرجعون إلي فغلبتني عيناي فنمت وكان صفوان قد عرس من وراء الجيش فادلج - هما بتشديد الراء والدال أي نزل من آخر الليل للاستراحة - فسار منه فأصبح في منزله فرأى سواد إنسان نائم - أي شخصه - فعرفني حين رآني، وكان يراني قبل الحجاب، فاستيقظت باسترجاعه حين عرفني - أي قوله:

إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون

[156:2] - فخمرت وجهي بجلبابي - أي غطيته بالملاءة - والله ما كلمني بكلمة ولا سمعت منه كلمة غير استرجاعه حين أناخ راحلته ووطىء على يدها، فركبتها فانطلق يقود بي الراحلة حتى أتينا الجيش بعدما نزلوا موغرين في نحر الظهيرة - أي من أوغر واقفين في مكان وغر، من شدة الحر - فهلك من هلك في، وكان الذي تولى كبره منهم عبد الله بن أبي ابن سلول اه قولها رواه الشيخان قال تعالى: { لكل امرىء منهم } أي عليه { ما اكتسب من الإثم } في ذلك { والذى تولى كبره منهم } أي تحمل معظمه فبدأ بالخوض فيه وأشاعه وهو عبد الله بن أبي { له عذاب عظيم } هو النار في الآخرة.

Truly those who initiated the slander, the worst calumny against ‘Ā’isha — mother of the believers, may God be pleased with her — accusing her [of fornication], are a band from among yourselves, a group from among the believers. She said [that these were] Hassān b. Thābit, ‘Abd Allāh b. Ubayy, Mistah [b. Uthātha], and Hamna bt. Jahsh. Do not suppose, O you believers other than the [mentioned] band, that it is bad for you; rather it is good for you, for God will reward you for it and reveal ‘Ā’isha’s innocence and [the innocence of] the one who [is supposed to have] committed it with her, namely, Safwān [b. al-Mu‘attal]. She [‘Ā’isha] related: ‘I accompanied the Prophet (s) during a raid, and this was after the [requirement to wear the] veil had been revealed. When he was through with it [the raid], he headed back [to the campsite] and one night, having drawn close to Medina, he announced that all should march off [home]. So I walked a distance [away from the campsite] and relieved myself. But when I came back to the campsite, [I realised that] my necklace (‘iqd meaning qilāda) had snapped. So I went back to look for it. In the meantime they had strapped my litter’ — in which one rides — ‘thinking that I was inside, for in those days women were slight and ate very small portions (‘ulqa). [Finally] I found my necklace, but when I went back to where I had been staying overnight, they had already departed. I sat in the place where I had camped; I assumed that the group would notice my absence and come back for me. But my eyes were overcome [by drowsiness] and I fell asleep. Safwān had pitched camp behind the army to rest for some of the night (‘arrasa), then set off while it was still night until he reached the site of the camp. He saw what looked like a person sleeping and recognised me when he [eventually] saw me, having seen me on numerous occasions before the [requirement of the] veil. I woke up to the sound of him saying, ‘To God we belong and to Him we shall surely return’ (innā li’Llāhi wa-innā ilayhi rāji‘ūn), for he had recognised me. So I concealed my face with my gown (jilbāb) — in other words, I covered it up with my wrap (mulā’a). By God he did not so much as say a word to me, nor did I hear him say anything other than the words, ‘To God we belong and to Him we shall surely return’, as he brought his camel to its knees and pressed with his foot against its foreleg [for me to mount it]. I then mounted it and he set off leading me back on the camel until we reached the army which had stopped because of the extreme midday heat; some had died [searching] for me. The one who bore the greater share of it [the sinful accusation] was ‘Abd Allāh b. Ubayy b. Salūl’ … her [‘Ā’isha’s] words end here; this was reported by the two Shaykhs [al-Bukhārī and Muslim]. God, exalted be He, says: Upon every man of them shall be the [onus of the] sin which he has earned, in this [affair], and as for him who bore the greater share thereof, that is, [him who] assumed most of [the responsibility for] it, having initiated it and made it public, namely, ‘Abd Allah b. Ubayy: there will be an awful chastisement for him, namely, the Fire in the Hereafter.

لَّوْلَآ إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ ظَنَّ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ خَيْرًا وَقَالُوا۟ هَـٰذَآ إِفْكٌ مُّبِينٌ 12

{ لولا } هلا { إذ } حين { سمعتموه ظن المؤمنون والمؤمنت بأنفسهم } أي ظن بعضهم ببعض { خيرا وقالوا هذا إفك مبين } كذب بين؟ فيه التفات عن الخطاب أي ظننتم أيها العصبة وقلتم.

Why, when you [first] heard about it, did the believing men and women not think good of themselves, that is, [why did] some [not] think good of others, and say, ‘This is a manifest calumny?’, [this is] a patent lie? (there is a shift here in the address from the second to the third person), in other words, [why did] you [not] assume [good of them], O band [of believers] and say: