24.

Sura Nur (or Light)

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

In this Sura are spiritual teaching such as God has sent down. These
admonitory things are not mere matters of convenience, but He has ordained
them for our observance in life:

 the woman and the man guilty of an adultery or fornication; flog each of
them with 100 stripes without any compassion in it. Let a party of
believers witness the punishment; –
 the guilty of illicit practices be shut out of the marriage circles of chaste
men and women. They are permitted to marry similar individuals or the
Unbelievers. To the Believers such a thing is prohibited; –
 those who launch a charge against chaste women; but could not produce
04 witnesses to support their allegations; flog them with 08 stripes. Further
such persons are banned for any evidence in the future. For such persons
are wicked transgressors. If such persons sincerely repent, the evidence
punishment be relaxed. For God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful; –
 those who launch a charge against their spouses, but in support of their
allegation have no evidence except their own person, their works can be
received if they bear witness four times with an oath by God, that they are
solemnly telling the truth. And the fifth oath should be that they solemnly
invoke the curse of God on themselves if they tell a lie. But it would avert
the punishment from the wife, if she bears witness four times with an oath
by God, that her husband is telling a lie; and the fifth oath should be that
she solemnly invokes the wrath of God on herself if her accuser is telling
the truth.

And had it not been for the grace of God and His mercy to you; and
that God is Clement, Wise (you had been undone).

They who spread the slander were a gang among you (O Muhammad):
everyman among them would be penalized with the greater share of
punishment to the ring-leader of the gang. Everyone who heard the charge,
considered it as an obvious lie. These people, in the sight of God, are liars as
they did not bring forth four witnesses! It was God’s mercy and grace in the
world and Hereafter, that you did not rush into that serious matter glibly.
When you heard of that matter you (O Muhammad) should have said: “Glory
to God! this is the most serious slander!” Do not repeat such a conduct if you
people are true Believers. God makes the things clear for you as He is full of
knowledge and wisdom. Those who like to see scandal published broadcast
among the Believers, will be subjected to a grievous Penalty in this life and in
the Hereafter: God knows and you know not. God is full of kindness and
mercy.
 O you the believers!, do not follow in the footsteps of Satan. He is sure
to lead you in evil and shameful activities. Had it not been the mercy of God,
no one among you would have been ever pure. Your generous patron, should
not, in personal habit, withdraw in personal anger, withdraw your support even
for serious faults of the recipient, if he – the delinquent – repents and mends
his ways sincerely. God forgives you, why you should not forgive others? For
God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Be sure, those who slander, chaste
believing women but bit careless; are cursed in life and in the Hereafter. For
such persons is a grievous penalty on the Day as their tongues, hands and feet
will bear witness against them of their evil deeds. Impure women are for
impure men and impure men for impure women; and women of purity are for
men of purity and men of purity for women of purity. These are not affected
by what people say: for them there is forgiveness, and a honourable provision.

More admonitions of virtous social behavior in the best interest of

humanity are ascribed:

 As for permission to enter other people’s residences and when permitted

salute them as normally as one does to each other. No permission is
required for entry in one’s own residence; –
 if no response comes from inside the house do not enter unless a response
comes. If asked to go back – just go back
 may enter houses, not used for living in but is for some other purpose,
without seeking permission; –
 believing men should lower their gaze and guard their modesty;
 believing women should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and
should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinary
appear after the prescribed dress coverings;
 believing women should draw their veils over their bosoms and not to
display their beauty except to their: (1) husbands; fathers; (3) husband’s
fathers; (4) sons; (5) husband’s sons; (6) brothers; (7) brothers’ sons; (8)
sisters’ sons; (9) other women or women slaves; (10) male servants free of
physical needs; (11) small children who have no sense of the shame of sex;
–
 believing women should not srike their feet (to tinkle their ankle
ornaments or foot wear) in order to draw attention to their hidden
ornaments.

O you believers! turn all together towards your Lord, that you may
attain Bliss. While all these details of the purity and good form of domestic
life are being brought to the attention of the Believers; they are clearly
reminded that the chief object they should hold in view was their spiritual
welfare. Thus the subject of sex ethics and manners brings them to the subject
of marriage: -

 Marry such of you, who are solitary (whether unmarried or lawfully

divorced or widowed);
 Marry virtuous ones among yourselves, male or female. If poverty
impedes, God will give them means out of His grace: for God’s mercy is
for all and is not confined to a class or grade of people;
 those who are unable to find a match, they should keep themselves chaste
till God give them independence by His grace;\
 if any of your slaves ask for a deed in writing to enable them to earn their
freedom for a certain sum, give them such a deed if you know any good in
them; give them something yourselves out of your means;
 but force not your maids to prostitution when they desire chastity. Those
maids who are victims of such a nefarious trade, will yet find mercy from
God, Whose bounties extend to the lowest of His creatures.

God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. Luminous, Light upon
Light and God guides to His Light whom He desires: for He knows all things.
His name be praised and remembered at mornings and evenings, again and
again. By men whom neither merchandise nor sale wile away from the
remembrance of God and constancy in Prayer, alms to the poor their due and
who fear the terror of the Day of Judgement. So that their Lord may reward
them for their good deeds and add even more out of His Grace: For God does
provide for those whom He will, without measure. But the deeds of the
Unbelievers are like a mirage with no reality at all. He is everywhere and sees
every thing and is swift in taking account. Nevertheless, the Unbeliever’s state
is like the depths of darkness in a vast deep ocean, wave upon wave, topped by
dark clouds. Depths of darkness one over the other, nothing but pitch
darkness: for him there is no light!

Do you not see, it is God Whom all who are in the heavens and the
earth; and the birds in their flight praise? Each one knows its own mode of
prayer and praise and He knows well all that they do: to Him belongs the
dominion of the heavens and the earth; and to Him is the final goal of
mankind. Do you not see with His Command the clouds move, and join
together to dense? Thus they dtrop out rain and hail (snow) from them where
He pleases. And the lightening; – how blinding flashes come from the
thunderous clouds! It is He Who alternates the Night and the Day. Verily, only
those who have vision, could draw instructive notice of it! God has created
every creature from water: some walk on two or four legs while some creep on
their bellies. He creates what He wills; truly He has power over all things and
guides whom He wishes to a straight Path. Some of the infidels say they
believed in God and obey His Apostle; but inspite of that some of them turn
away. They are not really believers: When they are summond by Apostle they
decline to his call. But when they expect some thing in their favour, they
readily respond to him. There is a diseas of doubt and fear in their hearts and
are the wrong doers.

The answer of the Believers when summoned is: “We hear and we
obey”. Such are the successful people, who fear God, do right and obey His
Apostle. They swear by God solemnly that, if they were ordered, they just
obey without any excuse. Say to them (O Muhammad) that they need not
swear as their allegiance is known and God is well informed what they do. It is
God’s promise that those among you (O Muhammad) who believe, do
righteous deeds, grant them inheritance (of power) in the land as such people
before them and He established their religion – the one which God wanted for
them – declaration of the unity of God; and absolute submission to His Will.
So establish regular prayer, charity and obey the Apostle, as to receive His
Mercy. Never think that the Unbelievers could ever frustrate God’s Plan on
earth: their abode in the Hereafter is the Fire of Hell.
We now come to rules of decorum within the family circle in refined
society. Servants and children have rather more freedom of access, as they
come and go at all hours, and there is less ceremony with them. But even in
their case there are limitations. Although, the first ayat (58) of this section (8)
addressed to the believers refers to the personal slaves (in a regime of slavery),
but the principle applies to all personal servants, who have to render personal
service to their masters or mistresses by day and by night: (1) During the
night, before morning prayer, i.e., before dawn they must discreetly ask for
permission before they enter, partly because they must not unnecessarily
disturb people asleep, and partly because the people are then not properly
dressed; (2) the same applies to the time for the mid-day siesta; and (3) again
to the time after night prayers, when again people usually are not properly
dressed and turn in to sleep. For the grown-ups the rule is stricter: they must
seek permission to come in at all times. For elderly women in the home: the
rules of dress and decorum are not so exacting as for younger women. But
they are also enjoined to study modesty, both because it is good in itself, and
as an example to the young ones: and God is One Who sees and knows all
things. There were various Arab superstitions and fancies which are combated
and rejected in ayat (61): It is no fault in the blind nor in one born lame, nor in
one afflicted with illness, nor in yourselves, that you should eat in your own
houses, or those of your fathers, or your mothers, or your brothers, or your
sisters, or your father’s brothers, or your father’s sisters, or your mother’s
brothers, or your mother’s sisters, or in houses of which the keys are in your
possession, or in the house of a sincere frined of yours: there is no blame on
you, whether you eat in company or separately. But if you enter houses, salute
each other – a greeting of blessing and purity as from God: Thus your Lord
makes clear the Signs to you: that you may understand.
Only those are Believers, who believe in God and his Apostle: When
they are with him (Apostle) on a matter requiring collective action. They do
not depart until they have asked for his (Apostle’s) leave. Those who ask for
your leave are those who believe in God and His Apostle. So when they ask
for your leave, for some business of theirs, give leave to those of them whom
you feel, and ask God for their forgiveness: for God is Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful. The summons from the Apostle should not be taken lightly. Further,
God knows those who slip away from the assembly of the Apostle under the
shelter of some excuse. Let them be aware, they might be put under a trial or a
grievous Penalty may be inflicted on them. Be sure, to him belong whatever is
in the heavens and the earth. He knows well the condition or position you are
in, the motives which actuate you, and the ends you have in view. And one day
you all will be brought back to Him and He will tell them the truth as what
they were doing on earth: For God knows all things.