A sura that we have sent down, and we have decreed as law. We have revealed in it clear revelations, that you may take heed.
سورَةٌ أَنزَلنٰها وَفَرَضنٰها وَأَنزَلنا فيها ءايٰتٍ بَيِّنٰتٍ لَعَلَّكُم تَذَكَّرونَ
sooratun anzalnaahaa wa faradnaahaa wa anzalnaa feehaaa Aayaatim baiyinaatil la’allakum tazakkaroon
(Adultery)
The adulteress and the adulterer you shall whip each of them a hundred lashes. Do not be swayed by pity from carrying out God’s law, if you truly believe in God and the Last Day. And let a group of believers witness their penalty.*
الزّانِيَةُ وَالزّانى فَاجلِدوا كُلَّ وٰحِدٍ مِنهُما مِا۟ئَةَ جَلدَةٍ وَلا تَأخُذكُم بِهِما رَأفَةٌ فى دينِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُم تُؤمِنونَ بِاللَّهِ وَاليَومِ الـٔاخِرِ وَليَشهَد عَذابَهُما طائِفَةٌ مِنَ المُؤمِنينَ
azzaaniyatu wazzaanee fajlidoo kulla waahidim minhumaa mi’ata jaldatinw wa laa taakhuzkum bihimaa raafatun fee deenil laahi in kuntum tu’minoona billaahi wal Yawmil Aakhiri wal yashhad ‘azaabahumaa taaa’ifatum minal mu’mineen
*24:2 Social pressure, i.e., public witnessing of the penalty, is the basic punishment (see also 5:38). The lashes shall be symbolic, not severe.
The adulterer will end up marrying an adulteress or an idol worshiper, and the adulteress will end up marrying an adulterer or an idol worshiper. This is prohibited for the believers.
الزّانى لا يَنكِحُ إِلّا زانِيَةً أَو مُشرِكَةً وَالزّانِيَةُ لا يَنكِحُها إِلّا زانٍ أَو مُشرِكٌ وَحُرِّمَ ذٰلِكَ عَلَى المُؤمِنينَ
azzaanee laa yankihu illaa zaaniyatan aw mushrikatanw wazzaaniyatu laa yankihuhaaa illaa zaanin aw mushrik; wa hurrima zaalika ‘alal mu’mineen
Those who accuse married women of adultery, then fail to produce four witnesses, you shall whip them eighty lashes, and do not accept any testimony from them; they are wicked.
وَالَّذينَ يَرمونَ المُحصَنٰتِ ثُمَّ لَم يَأتوا بِأَربَعَةِ شُهَداءَ فَاجلِدوهُم ثَمٰنينَ جَلدَةً وَلا تَقبَلوا لَهُم شَهٰدَةً أَبَدًا وَأُولٰئِكَ هُمُ الفٰسِقونَ
wallazeena yarmoonal muhsanaati summa lam yaatoo bi-arba’ati shuhadaaa’a fajlidoohum samaaneena jaldatanw wa laa taqbaloo lahum shahaadatan abadaa; wa ulaaa’ika humul faasiqoon
If they repent afterwards and reform, then God is Forgiver, Merciful.
إِلَّا الَّذينَ تابوا مِن بَعدِ ذٰلِكَ وَأَصلَحوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفورٌ رَحيمٌ
illal lazeena taaboo mim ba’di zaalika wa aslahoo fa innal laaha Ghafoorur Raheem
As for those who accuse their own spouses, without any other witnesses, then the testimony may be accepted if he swears by God four times that he is telling the truth.
وَالَّذينَ يَرمونَ أَزوٰجَهُم وَلَم يَكُن لَهُم شُهَداءُ إِلّا أَنفُسُهُم فَشَهٰدَةُ أَحَدِهِم أَربَعُ شَهٰدٰتٍ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الصّٰدِقينَ
wallazeena yarmoona azwaajahum wa lam yakul lahum shuhadaaa’u illaaa anfusuhum fashahaadatu ahadihim arba’u shahaadaatim billaahi innahoo laminas saadiqeen
The fifth oath shall be to incur God’s condemnation upon him, if he was lying.
وَالخٰمِسَةُ أَنَّ لَعنَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيهِ إِن كانَ مِنَ الكٰذِبينَ
wal khaamisatu anna la’natal laahi ‘alaihi in kaana minal kaazibeen
She shall be considered innocent if she swears by God four times that he is a liar.
وَيَدرَؤُا۟ عَنهَا العَذابَ أَن تَشهَدَ أَربَعَ شَهٰدٰتٍ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الكٰذِبينَ
wa yadra’u anhal ‘azaaba an tashhada arba’a shahaa daatim billaahi innahoo laminal kaazibeen
The fifth oath shall incur God’s wrath upon her if he was telling the truth.
وَالخٰمِسَةَ أَنَّ غَضَبَ اللَّهِ عَلَيها إِن كانَ مِنَ الصّٰدِقينَ
wal khaamisata anna ghadabal laahi ‘alaihaaa in kaana minas saadiqeen
This is God’s grace and mercy towards you. God is Redeemer, Most Wise.
وَلَولا فَضلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيكُم وَرَحمَتُهُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ تَوّابٌ حَكيمٌ
wa law laa fadlul laahi ‘alaikum wa rahmatuhoo wa annal laaha Tawwaabun Hakeem