The Holy Quran 4:25 — Surah An-Nisa

Arabic text

وَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ مِنكُمْ طَوْلًا أَن يَنكِحَ ٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ فَمِن مَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُم مِّن فَتَيَـٰتِكُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَـٰنِكُم ۚ بَعْضُكُم مِّنۢ بَعْضٍ ۚ فَٱنكِحُوهُنَّ بِإِذْنِ أَهْلِهِنَّ وَءَاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ مُحْصَنَـٰتٍ غَيْرَ مُسَـٰفِحَـٰتٍ وَلَا مُتَّخِذَٰتِ أَخْدَانٍ ۚ فَإِذَآ أُحْصِنَّ فَإِنْ أَتَيْنَ بِفَـٰحِشَةٍ فَعَلَيْهِنَّ نِصْفُ مَا عَلَى ٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتِ مِنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِىَ ٱلْعَنَتَ مِنكُمْ ۚ وَأَن تَصْبِرُوا۟ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Translation

Those of you who do not have the means to marry free Mu'min women, then (they should marry) one of your Mu'min slave girls. Allaah best knows (the condition of) your Imaan. Each of you (Mu'min slaves and free people) is equal to the next (in Imaan). So marry them (slave girls) with the permission of their masters and give them their dowries in a kind manner (without deducting anything or delaying payment) (taking them) as (your) properly wedded (wives), not as adulteresses (without the intention of committing acts of indecency) or as women who maintain secretive relationships (without the intention of maintaining love affairs). Once they (slave women) enter into marriage and then carry out immoral acts (adultery), they should be given half the punishment given to free (unmarried) women (the penalty for adulterous slave women is therefore fifty lashes). This (instruction to marry slave women when unable to marry free women) is for those of you who fear harm (coming to themselves by committing fornication). (However) It is best for you to be patient (and to refrain from marrying slave women because your children from her will then become slaves as well while your wife will still be obliged to serve her master). Allaah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful (towards those who are patient).

Tafsir (excerpt) — التفسير الميسر

ومن لا قدرة له على مهور الحرائر المؤمنات، فله أن ينكح غيرهن، من فتياتكم المؤمنات المملوكات. والله تعالى هو العليم بحقيقة إيمانكم، بعضكم من بعض، فتزوجوهن بموافقة أهلهن، وأعطوهن مهورهن على ما تراضيتم به عن طيب نفس منكم، متعففات عن الحرام، غير مجاهرات بالزنى، ولا مسرات به باتخاذ أخلاء، فإذا تزوجن وأتين بفاحشة الزنى فعليهن من الحدِّ -وهو الجَلْدُ لا الرَّجْمُ-…

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