Sura  24 - Light
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SURA XXIV (24) - LIGHT           (Medina - 64 Verses)             (CV - 443)  
 
       In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
 
       A Sura which we have sent down and sanctioned!  Clear signs have we sent
down therein, that ye may take warning.
 
       The whore and the whoremonger - scourge each of them with a hundred
stripes; and let not compassion keep you from carrying out the sentence of
God, if ye believe in God and the last day:  And let some of the faithful
witness their chastisement.
 
       The whoremonger shall not marry other than a whore or an idolatress; and
the whore shall not marry other than a whoremonger or an idolater.  Such
alliances are forbidden to the faithful.
 
       They who defame virtuous women, and bring not four witnesses, scourge
them with fourscore stripes, and receive ye not their testimony for ever, for
these are perverse persons -
 
       Save those who afterwards repent and live virtuously; for truly God is
Lenient, Merciful!
 
       And they who shall accuse their wives, and have no witnesses but
themselves, the testimony of each of them shall be a testimony by God four
times repeated, that he is indeed of them that speak the truth.
 
       And the fifth time that the malison of God be upon him, if he be of them
that lie.
 
       But it shall avert the chastisement from her if she testify a testimony
four times repeated, by God, that he is of them that lie;
 
       And a fifth time to call down the wrath of God on her, if he have spoken
the truth.
 
24:10  And but for the goodness and mercy of God towards you, and that God is
He who loveth to turn, Wise....!
 
       Of a truth, they who advanced that lie were a large number of you; but
regard it not as an evil to you.  No, it is an advantage to you,.  toe very man
among them shall it be done according to the offence he hath committed; and as
to that person among them who took on himself to aggravate it, a sore
punishment doth await him.
 
       Did not the faithful of both sexes, when ye heard of this, form a
favourable judgment in their own minds, and say, "This is a manifest lie?"
 
       Have they brought four witnesses of the fact?  If they cannot produce
the witnesses, they are the liars in the sight of God.
 
       And but for the goodness of God towards you, and His mercy in this world
and in the next, a severe punishment had come upon you for that which ye spread
abroad, when ye uttered with your tongues, and spake with your mouths that of
which ye had no knowledge.  Ye deemed it to be alight matter, but with God it
was a grave one.
 
       And did ye say when ye heard it, 'It is not for us to talk of this
affair!   O God!  By thy Glory, this is a gross calumny?"
 
       God hath warned you that ye go not back to the like of this for ever, if
ye be believers:
 
       And God maketh His signs clear to you:  for God is Knowing, Wise.
 
       But as for those who love that foul calumnies should go forth against
those who believe, a grievous chastisement awaits them
 
       In this world and in the next.  And God hath knowledge, but ye have not.
 
24:20  And but for the goodness of God towards you and His Mercy, and that God
is Kind, Merciful...!
 
       O ye who believe! follow not the steps of Satan, for whosoever shall
follow the steps of Satan, he will enjoin on him what is base and blameworthy;
and but for the goodness of God towards you, and His mercy, no one of you had
been cleansed for ever:  but God maketh whom He will to be clean, and God
Heareth, Knoweth.
 
       And let not persons of wealth and means among you swear that they will
not give to their kindred, to the poor, and to those who have fled their homes
in the cause of God; let them rather pardon and pass over the offence.  Desire
ye not that God should forgive you?  And God is Gracious, Merciful!
 
       Verily, they who throw out charges against virtuous but careless women,
who yet are believers, shall be cursed in this world and in the world to come;
and a terrible punishment doth await them.
 
       Their own tongues, and hands, and feet, shall one day bear witness
against them of their own doings.
 
       On that day will God pay them their just due, and they shall know that
God is the clear Truth itself.
 
       Bad women for bad men, and bad men for bad women; but virtuous women for
virtuous men, and virtuous men for virtuous women!  These shall be cleared from
calumnies; theirs shall be forgiveness and an honourable provision.
 
       O ye who believe!  enter not into other houses than your own, until ye
have asked leave, and have saluted its inmates.  This will be best for you:
happly ye will bear this in mind.
 
        And if ye find no one therein, then enter it not till leave be given
you; and if it be said to you, "Go ye back," then go ye back.  This will be
more blameless in you, and God knoweth what ye do.
 
       There shall be no harm in your entering houses in which no one dwelleth,
for the supply of your needs:  and God knoweth what ye do openly and what ye
hide.
 
24:30  Speak unto the believers that they restrain their eyes and observe
continence.  Thus will they be more pure.  God is well aware of what they do.
 
       And speak to the believing women that they refrain their eyes, and
observe continence; and that they display not their ornaments, except those
which are external; and that they throw their veils over their bosoms, and
display not their ornaments, except to their husbands or their fathers, or
their husbands' fathers, or their sons, or their husbands' sons, or their
brothers, or their brothers' son, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or
their slaves, or male domestics who have no natural force, or to children who
note not women's nakedness.  And let them not strike their feet together, so as
to discover their hidden ornaments.  And be ye all turned to God, O ye
Believers!  that it may be well with you.
 
       And marry those among you who are single, and your good servants, and
the handmaidens.  If they are poor, God of His bounty will enrich them.  God is
all-bounteous, Knowing.
 
       And let those who cannot find a match live in continence till God of His
bounty shall enrich them.  And to those of your slaves who desire a deed of
manumission, execute it for them, if ye know good in them, and give them a
portion of the wealth of God which He hath given you.  Force not your female
slaves into sin, in order that ye may gain the casual fruitions of this world,
if they wish to preserve their modesty.  Yet if any one compel them, then
Verily to them, after their compulsion, will God be Forgiving, Merciful.
 
       And now have we sent down to you clear signs, and an instance from among
those who flourished before you, and a caution for the God-fearing.
 
       God is the light of the Heavens and of the Earth.  His Light is like a
niche in which is a lamp - the lamp encased in glass - the glass, as it were, a
glistening star.  From a blessed tree it is lighted, the olive neither of the
East nor of the West, whose oil would well nigh shine out, even though fire
touched it not!  It is light upon light.  God guideth whom He will to His
light, and God setteth forth parables to men, for God knoweth all things.
 
       In the temples which God hath allowed to be reared, that His name may
therein be remember, do men praise Him morn and even.
 
       Men whom neither merchandise nor traffic beguile from the remembrance of
God, and from the observance of prayer, and the payment of the stated alms,
through fear of the day when hearts shall throb and eyes shall roll:
 
       That for their most excellent works may God recompense them, and of His
bounty increase it to them more and more:  for God maketh provision for whom He
pleaseth without measure.
 
       But as to the infidels, their works are like the vapour in a plain which
the thirst dreameth to be water, until when he cometh unto it, he findeth it
not aught, but findeth that God is with him; and He fully payeth him his
account:  for swift to take account is God:
 
24:40  Or like the darkness on the deep sea when covered by billows riding
upon billows, above which are clouds:  darkness upon darkness.  When a man
reacheth forth his hand, he cannot nearly see it!  He to whom God shall not
give light, no light at all hath he!
 
       Hast thou not seen how all in the Heavens and in the Earth uttereth the
praise of God? - the very birds as they spread their wings?  Every creature
knoweth its prayer and its praise! and God knoweth what they do.
 
       God's, the Kingdom of the Heavens and of the Earth:  and unto God the
final return!
 
       Hast thou not seen that God driveth clouds lightly forward, then
gathereth them together, then pileth them in masses?  And then thou seest the
rain forthcoming from their midst; and He causeth clouds like mountains charged
with hail, to descend from the heaven, and He maketh it to fall on whom He
will, and from whom He will He turneth it aside.  - The brightness of His
lightning all but taketh away the sight!
 
       God causeth the day and the night to take their turn.  Verily in this is
teaching for men of insight.  And God hath created every animal of water.  Some
go upon the belly; some go upon two feet; some go upon four feet.  God hath
created what He pleased.  Aye, God hath power over all things.
 
       Now have we sent down distinct signs. - And God guideth whom He will
into the right path:
 
       For there are who say, "We believe on God and on the Apostle, and we
obey;" yet, after this, a part of them turn back.  But these are not of the
faithful.
 
       And when they are summoned before God and His Apostle that He may judge
between them, lo! a part of them withdraw:
 
       But had the truth been on their side, they would have come to Him,
obedient.
 
       What! are they diseased of heart?  Do they doubt?  Are they afraid that
God and His Apostles will deal unfairly with them?  Nay, themselves are the
unjust doers.
 
24:50  The words of the believers, when called to God and His Apostle that He
may judge between them, are only to say, "We have heard, and we obey:" these
are they with whom it shall be well.
 
       And whoso shall obey God, and His Apostle, and shall dread God and fear
Him, these are they that shall be the blissful.
 
       And they have sworn by God, with a most solemn oath, that if thou give
them the word, they will certainly march forth.  Say:  swear ye not:  of more
worth is obedience.  Verily, God is well aware of what ye do.
 
       Say:  Obey God and obey the Apostle.  Suppose that ye turn back, still
the burden of his duty is on him only, and the burden of your duty rests on
you.  If ye obey Him, ye shall have guidance:  but plain preaching is all that
devolves upon the Apostle.
 
       God hath promised to those of you who believe and do the things that are
right, that He will cause them to succeed others in the land, and He gave
succession to those who were before them, and that He will establish for them
that religion which they delight in, and that after their fears He will give
them security in exchange.  They shall worship Me:  nought shall they join with
Me:  And whoso, after this, believe not, they will be the impious.
 
       But observe prayer, and pay the stated alms, and obey the Apostle, that
haply ye may find mercy.
 
       Let not the Infidels think that they can weaken God on His own Earth:
their dwelling place shall be the Fire! and right wretched the journey!
 
       O ye who believe! let your slaves, and those of you who have not come of
age, ask leave of you, three times a day, ere they come into your presence; -
before the morning prayer, and when ye lay aside your garments at mid-day, and
after the evening prayer.  These are your three times of privacy.  No blame
shall attach to you or to them, if after these times, when ye go your rounds of
attendance on one another, they come in without permission.  Thus doth God make
clear to you His signs:  and God is Knowing, Wise!
 
       And when your children come of age, let them ask leave to come into your
presence, as they who were before them asked it.  Thus doth God make clear to
you his signs:  and God is Knowing, Wise.
 
       As to women who are past childbearing, and have no hope of marriage, no
blame shall attach to them if they lay aside their outer garments, but so as
not to shew their ornaments.  Yet if they abstain from this, it will be better
for them:  and God Heareth, Knoweth.

24:60  No crime shall it be in the blind, or in the lame, or in the sick, to
eat at your tables:  or in yoursselves, if ye eat in your own houses, or in the
houses of your fathers, or of your mothers, or of your brothers, or of your
sisters, or of your uncles on the father's side, or of your aunts on the
father's side, or of your uncles on the mother's side, or of your aunts on the
mother's side, or in those of which ye possess the keys, or in the house of
your friend.  No blame shall attach to you whether ye eat together or apart.
 
       And when ye enter houses, salute one another with good and blessed
greeting as from God.  Thus doth God make clear to you His signs, that haply ye
may comprehend them.
 
       Verily, they only are believers who believe in God and His Apostle, and
who, when they are with him upon any affair of common interest, depart not
until they have sought his leave.  Yes, they who ask leave of thee, are those
who believe in God and His Apostle.  And when they ask leave of Thee on account
of any affairs of their own, then grant it to those of them whom thou wilt, and
ask indulgence for them of God:  for God is Indulgent, Merciful.
 
       Address not the Apostle as ye address one another.  God knoweth those of
you who withdraw quietly from the assemblies, screening themselves behind
others.  And let those who transgress his command beware, lest some present
trouble befall them, or a grievous chastisement befall them, hereafter.
 
       Is not whatever is in the Heavens and the Earth God's?  He knoweth your
state; and one day shall men be assembled before Him, and He will tell them of
what they have done:  for God knoweth all things.
-- Sura  24 - Light