This is a Surah which We have sent down and We have made it mandatory, and We have sent down clear Commandments in it so that you may learn lessons.

The woman and the man guilty of fornication, flog each one of them with a hundred stripes - and let not any pity for them restrain you in regard to a matter prescribed by Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day, and let, some of the believers witness the punishment inflicted on them.

A man guilty of adultery (or fornication) shall not marry any but the woman guilty of the same or a mushrik woman, and none shall marry a woman guilty of adultery (or fornication) but the man guilty of the same or a mushrik man: such marriages are forbidden to true believers.

As for those persons who charge chaste women with false accusations but do not produce four witnesses, flog them with eighty stripes and never accept their evidence afterwards, for they themselves are transgressors,

except those who repent and reform themselves; Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

As for those who accuse their own wives but have no witness except themselves, the evidence of one of them is that he shall swear four times by Allah and declare that he is true (in his charge).

Then the fifth time he shall declare that Allah's curse be upon him if he be false (in his charge).

(As for the woman), it shall avert the punishment from her if she swears four times by Allah that the man is false (in his charge)

and the fifth time she invokes Allah's wrath upon herself, if he be true (in his charge).

If Allah had not shown you His grace and mercy and if Allah had not been most Forgiving and All-Wise, (you would have been in a great fix because of accusing your wives).

Those who have invented the slander, are some of your own people. You should not, however, regard this matter as evil for it has good in it for you. Whoso took any part in this, he earned his share of the sin accordingly, and the one, who had the greatest share of responsibility in it, shall have a terrible punishment.

When you heard of it, why didn't the Believing men and the Believing women have a good opinion of themselves, and why did they not say, "This is a manifest slander?"

Why did the slanderers not bring four witnesses (to prove their charge)? Now that they have not brought witnesses, they themselves are liars in the sight of Allah.

Were it not for Allah's grace and mercy towards you in this world and in the Hereafter, a painful scourge would have visited you because of the things in which you were involved.

(Just think how erroneous you were,) when you passed this lie on from one tongue to the other and uttered with your mouths that of which you had no knowledge. You took it as a trifling matter whereas it was a grave offence in the sight of Allah.

Why did you not, as soon as you heard of it, say, "It is not proper for us to utter such a thing? Glory be to Allah! This is a great slander."

Allah admonishes you that in future you should never repeat a thing like this, if you are true Believers.

Allah makes His Revelations clear to you, and He is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

As for those, who like that indecency should spread among the Believers, they deserve a painful punishment in this world and in the Hereafter, for Allah knows and you do not know (its consequences).

If Allah had not shown His grace and mercy to you, (this scandal would have produced very evil results): Allah is indeed very Kind and Merciful.

O Believers, do not follow in Satan's footsteps, for he will incite to indecency and wickedness any who will follow him. If Allah had not shown His Brace and mercy to you, none of you would have been able to cleanse yourself, for it is Allah alone Who cleanses whom He wills, and Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

Those among you, who are bountiful and persons of means, should not swear on oath that they would withhold their help from their relatives, the indigent and those who have left their homes for the cause of Allah: they should forgive and forbear. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

Those who charge with slander those Believing women, who are chaste but simple souls, are accursed in this world and in the Hereafter: there is a great punishment for them.

They should not forget the Day when their own tongues and their own hands and test will bear testimony in regard to their misdeeds.

On that Day Allah will give them the full recompense they deserve, and they will realize that Allah is the very Truth, Who makes the Truth manifest.

Impure women are for impure men and impure men for impure women, and pure women are for pure men and pure men for pure women. They are free from those scandals which the slanderers utter. There is forgiveness for them and honourable provision.

O Believers, do not enter other houses than your own until you have the approval of the inmates and have wished them peace; this is the best way for you: it is expected that you will observe it.

Then, if you do not find anyone therein, do not enter until you have been given permission, and if you are told to go back, you should go back. This is a purer way for you; and Allah has full knowledge of what you do.

There is, however, no harm if you enter houses which are not dwelling places, but contain something useful for you; Allah knows what you disclose and what you conceal.

And O Prophet, enjoin the Believing men to restrain their gaze and guard their private parts. This is a more righteous way for them: Allah has knowledge of what they do.