Shabbir Ahmed

Surah 24. The Light (an-Nur)

64 verses Medinan
1 Law relating to Adultery
2 A'ishah's Slanderers
3 Slanderers of Women
4 Preventive Measures
24:31
وَقُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتِ یَغۡضُضۡنَ مِنۡ أَبۡصَـٰرِهِنَّ وَیَحۡفَظۡنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا یُبۡدِینَ زِینَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَاۖ وَلۡیَضۡرِبۡنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُیُوبِهِنَّۖ وَلَا یُبۡدِینَ زِینَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ ءَابَاۤىِٕهِنَّ أَوۡ ءَابَاۤءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَاۤىِٕهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَاۤءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ إِخۡوَ ٰنِهِنَّ أَوۡ بَنِیۤ إِخۡوَ ٰنِهِنَّ أَوۡ بَنِیۤ أَخَوَ ٰتِهِنَّ أَوۡ نِسَاۤىِٕهِنَّ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَیۡمَـٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّـٰبِعِینَ غَیۡرِ أُو۟لِی ٱلۡإِرۡبَةِ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفۡلِ ٱلَّذِینَ لَمۡ یَظۡهَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَوۡرَ ٰتِ ٱلنِّسَاۤءِۖ وَلَا یَضۡرِبۡنَ بِأَرۡجُلِهِنَّ لِیُعۡلَمَ مَا یُخۡفِینَ مِن زِینَتِهِنَّۚ وَتُوبُوۤا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِیعًا أَیُّهَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ ۝٣١
Shabbir Ahmed
And tell the believing women to lower their gaze, and guard their modesty. That they should not display their beauty and ornament beyond what is decently and spontaneously apparent in daily lives. Hence, let them cover their bosoms with their sash (Dupatta). And let them not display their beauty in the presence of anyone other than their 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 womenfolk, or their close dependents and attendants free of sexual desires. Or children who know nothing of women's privacy; and they should not strike their feet so as to reveal their hidden beauty and ornaments. And, turn to Allah together, O Believers, in order that you may succeed (in establishing a benevolent society (33:59))
waqul lil'mu'mināti yaghḍuḍ'na min abṣārihinna wayaḥfaẓna furūjahunna walā yub'dīna zīnatahunna illā mā ẓahara min'hā walyaḍrib'na bikhumurihinna ʿalā juyūbihinna walā yub'dīna zīnatahunna illā libuʿūlatihinna aw ābāihinna aw ābāi buʿūlatihinna aw abnāihinna aw abnāi buʿūlatihinna aw ikh'wānihinna aw banī ikh'wānihinna aw banī akhawātihinna aw nisāihinna aw mā malakat aymānuhunna awi l-tābiʿīna ghayri ulī l-ir'bati mina l-rijāli awi l-ṭif'li alladhīna lam yaẓharū ʿalā ʿawrāti l-nisāi walā yaḍrib'na bi-arjulihinna liyuʿ'lama mā yukh'fīna min zīnatihinna watūbū ilā l-lahi jamīʿan ayyuha l-mu'minūna laʿallakum tuf'liḥūn
24:33
وَلۡیَسۡتَعۡفِفِ ٱلَّذِینَ لَا یَجِدُونَ نِكَاحًا حَتَّىٰ یُغۡنِیَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦۗ وَٱلَّذِینَ یَبۡتَغُونَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ مِمَّا مَلَكَتۡ أَیۡمَـٰنُكُمۡ فَكَاتِبُوهُمۡ إِنۡ عَلِمۡتُمۡ فِیهِمۡ خَیۡرࣰاۖ وَءَاتُوهُم مِّن مَّالِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِیۤ ءَاتَىٰكُمۡۚ وَلَا تُكۡرِهُوا۟ فَتَیَـٰتِكُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡبِغَاۤءِ إِنۡ أَرَدۡنَ تَحَصُّنࣰا لِّتَبۡتَغُوا۟ عَرَضَ ٱلۡحَیَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَاۚ وَمَن یُكۡرِههُّنَّ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ إِكۡرَ ٰهِهِنَّ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِیمࣱ ۝٣٣
Shabbir Ahmed
And those who cannot find a match must keep chaste until Allah grants them sufficiency out of His Bounty. And if any of the male and female slaves desires a deed of freedom, write it out for them if you ensure good for them by way of rehabilitation. (4:5-6). Give them from Allah's wealth that He has given you. Never hold your slave maidens for worldly gains from preserving their chastity by marrying if they so desire, lest they resort to lewdness. If anyone forces them, then after this compulsion Allah will be Forgiving, Merciful to them. (And He will hold the one who forces them, accountable)
walyastaʿfifi alladhīna lā yajidūna nikāḥan ḥattā yugh'niyahumu l-lahu min faḍlihi wa-alladhīna yabtaghūna l-kitāba mimmā malakat aymānukum fakātibūhum in ʿalim'tum fīhim khayran waātūhum min māli l-lahi alladhī ātākum walā tuk'rihū fatayātikum ʿalā l-bighāi in aradna taḥaṣṣunan litabtaghū ʿaraḍa l-ḥayati l-dun'yā waman yuk'rihhunna fa-inna l-laha min baʿdi ik'rāhihinna ghafūrun raḥīmu
5 Manifestation of Divine Light
24:35
۞ ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِۦ كَمِشۡكَوٰةࣲ فِیهَا مِصۡبَاحٌۖ ٱلۡمِصۡبَاحُ فِی زُجَاجَةٍۖ ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوۡكَبࣱ دُرِّیࣱّ یُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةࣲ مُّبَـٰرَكَةࣲ زَیۡتُونَةࣲ لَّا شَرۡقِیَّةࣲ وَلَا غَرۡبِیَّةࣲ یَكَادُ زَیۡتُهَا یُضِیۤءُ وَلَوۡ لَمۡ تَمۡسَسۡهُ نَارࣱۚ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورࣲۚ یَهۡدِی ٱللَّهُ لِنُورِهِۦ مَن یَشَاۤءُۚ وَیَضۡرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡأَمۡثَـٰلَ لِلنَّاسِۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَیۡءٍ عَلِیمࣱ ۝٣٥
Shabbir Ahmed
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. (And the Qur'an is the Light of Allah (5:15), (42:52)). The example of His Light (the Qur'an) is that of a lamp that is placed inside a niche enclosed in glass that shines like a radiant star. This lamp is kindled from a blessed tree - olive - neither of the East nor of the West. Its Light issues forth in all directions. The oil glows by itself even though no fire has touched it. Light upon Light. Allah guides to His Light anyone who seeks guidance. And Allah sets forth allegories for mankind. And Allah does know all things (and how to make you understand that light needs no aid to show itself (20:51), (41:42))
al-lahu nūru l-samāwāti wal-arḍi mathalu nūrihi kamish'katin fīhā miṣ'bāḥun l-miṣ'bāḥu fī zujājatin l-zujājatu ka-annahā kawkabun durriyyun yūqadu min shajaratin mubārakatin zaytūnatin lā sharqiyyatin walā gharbiyyatin yakādu zaytuhā yuḍīu walaw lam tamsashu nārun nūrun ʿalā nūrin yahdī l-lahu linūrihi man yashāu wayaḍribu l-lahu l-amthāla lilnnāsi wal-lahu bikulli shayin ʿalīmu
6 Manifestation of Divine Power
7 Establishment of the Kingdom of Islam
24:55
وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمۡ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ لَیَسۡتَخۡلِفَنَّهُمۡ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ كَمَا ٱسۡتَخۡلَفَ ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ وَلَیُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمۡ دِینَهُمُ ٱلَّذِی ٱرۡتَضَىٰ لَهُمۡ وَلَیُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ خَوۡفِهِمۡ أَمۡنࣰاۚ یَعۡبُدُونَنِی لَا یُشۡرِكُونَ بِی شَیۡءࣰاۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعۡدَ ذَ ٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡفَـٰسِقُونَ ۝٥٥
Shabbir Ahmed
Allah has promised that those of you peoples who will believe in the Divine Laws and strengthen human resources, He will surely make them rulers in the earth - Just as He granted rule to the previous nations (28:6), (33:27). He will surely establish for them the System of life that He has approved for them, and will replace their fear with peace and security. All this because they serve Me alone. They ascribe no partner to Me. But all who, after this, deny these Laws will drift out (of the community of living nations. The 'belief' in this verse does not pertain to any dogmas and tenets, but to the realization that the entire Universe is operating under the unchangeable Physical Laws of One Supreme Authority, thus providing the basis for all Science and Technology)
waʿada l-lahu alladhīna āmanū minkum waʿamilū l-ṣāliḥāti layastakhlifannahum fī l-arḍi kamā is'takhlafa alladhīna min qablihim walayumakkinanna lahum dīnahumu alladhī ir'taḍā lahum walayubaddilannahum min baʿdi khawfihim amnan yaʿbudūnanī lā yush'rikūna bī shayan waman kafara baʿda dhālika fa-ulāika humu l-fāsiqūn
8 Respect for Privacy
24:58
یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِیَسۡتَءۡذِنكُمُ ٱلَّذِینَ مَلَكَتۡ أَیۡمَـٰنُكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِینَ لَمۡ یَبۡلُغُوا۟ ٱلۡحُلُمَ مِنكُمۡ ثَلَـٰثَ مَرَّ ٰتࣲۚ مِّن قَبۡلِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ وَحِینَ تَضَعُونَ ثِیَابَكُم مِّنَ ٱلظَّهِیرَةِ وَمِنۢ بَعۡدِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلۡعِشَاۤءِۚ ثَلَـٰثُ عَوۡرَ ٰتࣲ لَّكُمۡۚ لَیۡسَ عَلَیۡكُمۡ وَلَا عَلَیۡهِمۡ جُنَاحُۢ بَعۡدَهُنَّۚ طَوَّ ٰفُونَ عَلَیۡكُم بَعۡضُكُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضࣲۚ كَذَ ٰلِكَ یُبَیِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡءَایَـٰتِۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِیمٌ حَكِیمࣱ ۝٥٨
Shabbir Ahmed
(Your social mannerism begins at home.) O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! Let your servants and children who have not yet come of age ask your permission before coming in to see you on three occasions: Before you engage in your assignments at dawn, at noon when you are resting with light clothes, and after you have completed your assignments at night. These are your three times of privacy. At other times it is not wrong for you or for them to move about freely, attending to one another. In this way, Allah makes clear to you the revelations, for, Allah is All Knowing, Wise
yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū liyastadhinkumu alladhīna malakat aymānukum wa-alladhīna lam yablughū l-ḥuluma minkum thalātha marrātin min qabli ṣalati l-fajri waḥīna taḍaʿūna thiyābakum mina l-ẓahīrati wamin baʿdi ṣalati l-ʿishāi thalāthu ʿawrātin lakum laysa ʿalaykum walā ʿalayhim junāḥun baʿdahunna ṭawwāfūna ʿalaykum baʿḍukum ʿalā baʿḍin kadhālika yubayyinu l-lahu lakumu l-āyāti wal-lahu ʿalīmun ḥakīmu
24:61
لَّیۡسَ عَلَى ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ حَرَجࣱ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلۡأَعۡرَجِ حَرَجࣱ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلۡمَرِیضِ حَرَجࣱ وَلَا عَلَىٰۤ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَن تَأۡكُلُوا۟ مِنۢ بُیُوتِكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ ءَابَاۤىِٕكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ إِخۡوَ ٰنِكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ أَخَوَ ٰتِكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ أَعۡمَـٰمِكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ عَمَّـٰتِكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ أَخۡوَ ٰلِكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ خَـٰلَـٰتِكُمۡ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكۡتُم مَّفَاتِحَهُۥۤ أَوۡ صَدِیقِكُمۡۚ لَیۡسَ عَلَیۡكُمۡ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَأۡكُلُوا۟ جَمِیعًا أَوۡ أَشۡتَاتࣰاۚ فَإِذَا دَخَلۡتُم بُیُوتࣰا فَسَلِّمُوا۟ عَلَىٰۤ أَنفُسِكُمۡ تَحِیَّةࣰ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُبَـٰرَكَةࣰ طَیِّبَةࣰۚ كَذَ ٰلِكَ یُبَیِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡءَایَـٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ ۝٦١
Shabbir Ahmed
(Feeding of the disabled must be a matter of priority in your society.) There is no blame on the blind, nor is there blame on the crippled, nor there is blame on the sick or handicapped, to eat from your houses. Just as there is no blame on you for eating at your own homes, or your fathers' homes, or your mothers' homes, or your brothers' homes, or your sisters' homes, or your paternal uncles' homes, or your paternal aunts' homes, or your maternal uncles' homes, or your maternal aunts' homes, or the homes you manage and hold the keys of, or the home of a friend. You do nothing wrong by dining together or apart. But whenever you enter houses, salute one another with a blessed, goodly greeting from Allah. Thus Allah makes clear the revelations for you, so that you may understand (the goodness in them)
laysa ʿalā l-aʿmā ḥarajun walā ʿalā l-aʿraji ḥarajun walā ʿalā l-marīḍi ḥarajun walā ʿalā anfusikum an takulū min buyūtikum aw buyūti ābāikum aw buyūti ummahātikum aw buyūti ikh'wānikum aw buyūti akhawātikum aw buyūti aʿmāmikum aw buyūti ʿammātikum aw buyūti akhwālikum aw buyūti khālātikum aw mā malaktum mafātiḥahu aw ṣadīqikum laysa ʿalaykum junāḥun an takulū jamīʿan aw ashtātan fa-idhā dakhaltum buyūtan fasallimū ʿalā anfusikum taḥiyyatan min ʿindi l-lahi mubārakatan ṭayyibatan kadhālika yubayyinu l-lahu lakumu l-āyāti laʿallakum taʿqilūn
9 State matters take Precedence
24:62
إِنَّمَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَإِذَا كَانُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ عَلَىٰۤ أَمۡرࣲ جَامِعࣲ لَّمۡ یَذۡهَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ یَسۡتَءۡذِنُوهُۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ یَسۡتَءۡذِنُونَكَ أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ ٱلَّذِینَ یُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦۚ فَإِذَا ٱسۡتَءۡذَنُوكَ لِبَعۡضِ شَأۡنِهِمۡ فَأۡذَن لِّمَن شِئۡتَ مِنۡهُمۡ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُمُ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِیمࣱ ۝٦٢
Shabbir Ahmed
Only those are true believers in Allah and His Messenger who do not leave without permission when they are with him in a community meeting. Those who ask permission are the ones who believe in Allah and His Messenger. So when they ask your permission (O Prophet) in order to handle some of their affairs, grant them permission to whomever you can. Remember (their welfare during their absence) asking forgiveness for them, for Allah is Forgiving, Merciful
innamā l-mu'minūna alladhīna āmanū bil-lahi warasūlihi wa-idhā kānū maʿahu ʿalā amrin jāmiʿin lam yadhhabū ḥattā yastadhinūhu inna alladhīna yastadhinūnaka ulāika alladhīna yu'minūna bil-lahi warasūlihi fa-idhā is'tadhanūka libaʿḍi shanihim fadhan liman shi'ta min'hum wa-is'taghfir lahumu l-laha inna l-laha ghafūrun raḥīmu
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