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Their punishment will be multiplied on the Day of Judgment, and they will remain in it forever, in disgrace.

˹They are˺ those who do not invoke any other god besides Allah, nor take a ˹human˺ life—made sacred by Allah—except with ˹legal˺ right,¹ nor commit fornication. And whoever does ˹any of˺ this will face the penalty.

Do not go near adultery. It is truly a shameful deed and an evil way.

but whoever seeks beyond that are the transgressors.

except with their wives or those ˹bondwomen˺ in their possession,¹ for then they are free from blame,

and those who guard their chastity¹

˹knowing that˺ none should feel secure from their Lord’s punishment—

and those who fear the punishment of their Lord—

and who ˹firmly˺ believe in the Day of Judgment;

It is Allah’s Will to make things clear to you, guide you to the ˹noble˺ ways of those before you, and turn to you in mercy. For Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

to the beggar and the poor;

But if any of you cannot afford to marry a free believing woman, then ˹let him marry˺ a believing bondwoman possessed by one of you. Allah knows best ˹the state of˺ your faith ˹and theirs˺. You are from one another.¹ So marry them with the permission of their owners,² giving them their dowry in fairness, if they are chaste, neither promiscuous nor having secret affairs. If they commit indecency after marriage, they receive half the punishment of free women.³ This is for those of you who fear falling into sin. But if you are patient, it is better for you. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

and who give the rightful share of their wealth

consistently performing their prayers;

except those who pray,

and withholding when touched with good—

distressed when touched with evil,

Indeed, humankind was created impatient:

O believers! It is not permissible for you to inherit women against their will¹ or mistreat them to make them return some of the dowry ˹as a ransom for divorce˺—unless they are found guilty of adultery.² Treat them fairly. If you happen to dislike them, you may hate something which Allah turns into a great blessing.

However, repentance is not accepted from those who knowingly persist in sin until they start dying, and then cry, “Now I repent!” nor those who die as disbelievers. For them We have prepared a painful punishment.

Allah only accepts the repentance of those who commit evil ignorantly ˹or recklessly˺ then repent soon after¹—Allah will pardon them. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

And the two among you who commit this sin—discipline them. If they repent and mend their ways, relieve them. Surely Allah is ever Accepting of Repentance, Most Merciful.

O Prophet! When the believing women come to you, pledging to you that they will neither associate anything with Allah ˹in worship˺, nor steal, nor fornicate, nor kill their children, nor falsely attribute ˹illegitimate˺ children to their husbands,¹ nor disobey you in what is right, then accept their pledge, and ask Allah to forgive them. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

but whoever seeks beyond that are the transgressors;

except with their wives or those ˹bondwomen˺ in their possession,¹ for then they are free from blame,

those who guard their chastity¹

those who pay alms-tax;¹

those who avoid idle talk;

A male fornicator would only marry a female fornicator or idolatress. And a female fornicator would only be married to a fornicator or idolater. This is ˹all˺ forbidden to the believers.¹

those who humble themselves in prayer;

As for female and male fornicators, give each of them one hundred lashes,¹ and do not let pity for them make you lenient in ˹enforcing˺ the law of Allah, if you ˹truly˺ believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let a number of believers witness their punishment.

Successful indeed are the believers: