Encouragement of Marriage, Emancipation of Slaves, and Protection of Chastity

An-Nur — Verses 32–34 | Explore this Quran theme on Muallim

وَأَنكِحُوا الْأَيَامَىٰ مِنكُمْ وَالصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَائِكُمْ ۚ إِن يَكُونُوا فُقَرَاءَ يُغْنِهِمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ٣٢

And marry those among you who are single (i.e. a man who has no wife and the woman who has no husband) and (also marry) the Salihun (pious, fit and capable ones) of your (male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves). If they be poor, Allah will enrich them out of His Bounty. And Allah is All-Sufficent for His creatures' needs, All-Knowing (about the state of the people).

وَأَنكِحُوا الْأَيَامَىٰ مِنكُمْ
And marry those among you who are single
وَالصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَائِكُمْ ۚ
and (also marry) the Salihun (pious, fit and capable ones) of your (male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves)
إِن يَكُونُوا فُقَرَاءَ
If they be poor
يُغْنِهِمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ ۗ
Allah will enrich them out of His Bounty
وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And Allah is All-Sufficent for His creatures' needs, All-Knowing (about the state of the people)

وَلْيَسْتَعْفِفِ الَّذِينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ نِكَاحًا حَتَّىٰ يُغْنِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ ۗ وَالَّذِينَ يَبْتَغُونَ الْكِتَابَ مِمَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ فَكَاتِبُوهُمْ إِنْ عَلِمْتُمْ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا ۖ وَآتُوهُم مِّن مَّالِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي آتَاكُمْ ۚ وَلَا تُكْرِهُوا فَتَيَاتِكُمْ عَلَى الْبِغَاءِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَ تَحَصُّنًا لِّتَبْتَغُوا عَرَضَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۚ وَمَن يُكْرِههُّنَّ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ مِن بَعْدِ إِكْرَاهِهِنَّ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ٣٣

And let those who find not the financial means for marriage keep themselves chaste, until Allah enriches them of His Bounty. And such of your slaves as seek a writing (of emancipation), give them such writing, if you know that they are good and trustworthy. And give them something yourselves out of the wealth of Allah which He has bestowed upon you. And force not your maids to prostitution, if they desire chastity, in order that you may make a gain in the (perishable) goods of this worldly life. But if anyone compels them (to prostitution), then after such compulsion, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (to those women, i.e. He will forgive them because they have been forced to do this evil action unwillingly).

وَلْيَسْتَعْفِفِ الَّذِينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ نِكَاحًا
And let those who find not the financial means for marriage keep themselves chaste,
حَتَّىٰ يُغْنِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ ۗ
until Allah enriches them of His Bounty.
وَالَّذِينَ يَبْتَغُونَ الْكِتَابَ مِمَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ
And such of your slaves as seek a writing (of emancipation),
فَكَاتِبُوهُمْ إِنْ عَلِمْتُمْ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا ۖ
give them such writing, if you know that they are good and trustworthy.
وَآتُوهُم مِّن مَّالِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي آتَاكُمْ ۚ
And give them something yourselves out of the wealth of Allah which He has bestowed upon you.
وَلَا تُكْرِهُوا فَتَيَاتِكُمْ عَلَى الْبِغَاءِ
And force not your maids to prostitution,
إِنْ أَرَدْنَ تَحَصُّنًا
if they desire chastity,
لِّتَبْتَغُوا عَرَضَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۚ
in order that you may make a gain in the (perishable) goods of this worldly life.
وَمَن يُكْرِههُّنَّ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ مِن بَعْدِ إِكْرَاهِهِنَّ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
But if anyone compels them (to prostitution), then after such compulsion, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (to those women, i.e. He will forgive them because they have been forced to do this evil action unwillingly).

وَلَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ آيَاتٍ مُّبَيِّنَاتٍ وَمَثَلًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَمَوْعِظَةً لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ٣٤

And indeed We have sent down for you Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) that make things plain, and the example of those who passed away before you, and an admonition for those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2).

وَلَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ
And indeed We have sent down for you
آيَاتٍ مُّبَيِّنَاتٍ
Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) that make things plain
وَمَثَلًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِكُمْ
and the example of those who passed away before you
وَمَوْعِظَةً لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
and an admonition for those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2)