Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nur Verse 23

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Surely, those who level a false charge against the chaste, natve and believing women are cursed in this world and the Hereafter, and for them there is a mighty punishment

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Surely those who accuse chaste, unsuspecting,[[ Immoral thoughts never cross the minds of these chaste women and, therefore, they never expect slander.]] believing women are cursed in this life and the Hereafter. And they will suffer a tremendous punishment

Ruwwad Translation Center

Those who [falsely] accuse chaste, innocent and believing women are cursed in this life and the Hereafter, and for them there will be a great punishment.

A. J. Arberry

Surely those who cast it up on women in wedlock that are heedless but believing shall be accursed in the present world and the world to come; and there awaits them a mighty chastisement

Abdul Haleem

Those who accuse honourable but unwary believing women are rejected by God, in this life and the next. A painful punishment awaits them

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

verily those who accuse chaste. unknowing, - believing women, shall be cursed in the world and the Hereafter; and for them shall be a torment mighty.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Those who slander chaste women, indiscreet but believing, are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter; for them is a grievous Penalty,-

Abul Ala Maududi

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.

Ahmed Ali

Verily those who blaspheme unsuspecting chaste believing women will be cursed in this world and the next; and for them there will be severe punishment.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Indeed those who accuse the innocent virtuous, believing women – upon them is a curse in this world and in the Hereafter; and for them is a terrible punishment.

Ali Quli Qarai

Indeed those who accuse chaste and unwary faithful women shall be cursed in this world and the Hereafter, and there shall be a great punishment for them

Ali Ünal

Those who falsely accuse chaste women, who are unaware of devious ways of corruption and are believers, are cursed in the world and the Hereafter, and for them is a mighty punishment.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Those who calumniate chaste, unwary, innocent believing women stand cursed in the present life and the Hereafter, and there awaits them a grievous punishment.

English Literal

That truly those who blame and accuse the chaste/married , the neglecting/disregarding (F) , the believing (F), were cursed/humiliated in the present world, and the end (other life) and for them (is) a great torture.

Faridul Haque

Indeed those who accuse the innocent virtuous, believing women – upon them is a curse in this world and in the Hereafter; and for them is a terrible punishment.

Hamid S. Aziz

And let not those amongst you who have plenty (dignity and ease and ample means) swear that they will not give aught to their kinsman and the needy and those who are fugitives from their homes in the cause of Allah, but let them forgive and show indulgence. Do you not yearn that Allah should forgive you? Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Hilali & Khan

Verily, those who accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers, are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter, and for them will be a great torment,

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And let not possessors of grace and abundance among you swear against giving to the near of kin and the poor and those who have fled in Allah’s way; and pardon and overlook. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Surely those who accuse chaste believing women, unaware (of the evil), are cursed in this world and the hereafter, and they shall have a grievous chastisement.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lo! as for those who traduce virtuous, believing women (who are) careless, cursed are they in the world and the Hereafter. Theirs will be an awful doom

Muhammad Sarwar

Those who slander the unaware but chaste and believing women (of committing unlawful carnal relations) are condemned in this life and in the life hereafter. They will suffer a great punishment

Qaribullah & Darwish

Surely, those who defame chaste, unsuspecting, believing women, shall be cursed in this world and in the Everlasting Life, and for them there is a mightypunishment.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Verily, those who accuse chaste believing women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers -- are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter, and for them will be a great torment.

Wahiduddin Khan

Truly, those who accuse chaste, unwary, believing women are cursed in this world and the Hereafter. For them awaits a terrible chastisement.

Talal Itani

Those who slander honorable, innocent, believing women are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter. They will have a terrible punishment.

Tafsir jalalayn

Truly those who make accusations, of fornication, against honourably married, chaste, women who are unaware, of indecent acts -- since it would never occur to them to commit such [acts] -- who believe, in God and His Messenger, shall be cursed in this world and the Hereafter; and there will be an awful chastisement for them

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

A Threat to Those who accuse Chaste Women, Who never even think of anything touching their Chastity and are Good Believers

Allah says,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْغَافِلَتِ الْمُوْمِنَاتِ

Verily, those who accuse chaste believing women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers --

This is a warning and threat from Allah to those who accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything effecting their chastity since they are good believers. The Mothers of the believers are more entitled to be included in this category than any other chaste woman, especially the one who was the reason for this Ayah being revealed;A'ishah bint As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with them both.

All of the scholars agree that whoever slanders her or makes accusations against after what has been said in this Ayah, is a disbeliever, because of his being obstinate with the Qur'an. The same ruling applies to all of the Mothers of the believers.

لُعِنُوا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالاْخِرَةِ

are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter,

This is like the Ayah;

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُوْذُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ

Verily, those who annoy Allah and His Messenger, (33;57)

وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ



and for them will be a great torment.

Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said,
"This is about A'ishah, and whoever does anything similar nowadays to Muslim women, the same applies to him, but A'ishah is the one who is primarily referred to here."
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said;

اجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ الْمُوبِقَاتِ

Shun the seven destructive sins.

He was asked, "What are they, O Messenger of Allah!"

He said;

الشِّرْكُ بِاللهِ

وَالسِّحْرُ

وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ

وَأَكْلُ الرِّبَا

وَأَكْلُ مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ

وَالتَّوَلِّي يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ

وَقَذْفُ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْغَافِلَتِ الْمُوْمِنَاتِ

Associating partners with Allah;

magic;

killing a soul whom Allah has forbidden to be killed, except with just cause;

consuming Riba;

consuming the property of orphans;

desertion at the time of war;

accusing chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers.

This was recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim in the Two Sahihs.

Then Allah says,

يَوْمَ تَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ