Those among you who cannot afford to marry free believing women, may marry believing slave women. God knows best about your belief, and you are equal to one another, as far as belief is concerned. You shall obtain permission from their guardians before you marry them, and pay them their due dowry equitably. They shall maintain moral behavior, by not committing adultery, or having secret lovers. Once they are freed through marriage, if they commit adultery, their punishment shall be half of that for the free women.* Marrying a slave shall be a last resort for those unable to wait. To be patient is better for you. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
وَمَن لَم يَستَطِع مِنكُم طَولًا أَن يَنكِحَ المُحصَنٰتِ المُؤمِنٰتِ فَمِن ما مَلَكَت أَيمٰنُكُم مِن فَتَيٰتِكُمُ المُؤمِنٰتِ وَاللَّهُ أَعلَمُ بِإيمٰنِكُم بَعضُكُم مِن بَعضٍ فَانكِحوهُنَّ بِإِذنِ أَهلِهِنَّ وَءاتوهُنَّ أُجورَهُنَّ بِالمَعروفِ مُحصَنٰتٍ غَيرَ مُسٰفِحٰتٍ وَلا مُتَّخِذٰتِ أَخدانٍ فَإِذا أُحصِنَّ فَإِن أَتَينَ بِفٰحِشَةٍ فَعَلَيهِنَّ نِصفُ ما عَلَى المُحصَنٰتِ مِنَ العَذابِ ذٰلِكَ لِمَن خَشِىَ العَنَتَ مِنكُم وَأَن تَصبِروا خَيرٌ لَكُم وَاللَّهُ غَفورٌ رَحيمٌ
wa mal lam yastati’ minkum tawlan ai yankihal muhsanaatil mu’minaati famimmaa malakat aimaanukum min fatayaatikumul mu’minaat; wallaahu a’lamu bi eemaanikum; ba’dukum mim ba’d; fankihoohunna bi izni ahlihinna wa aatoohunna ujoorahunna bilma’roofi muhsanaatin ghaira musaa fihaatinw wa laa muttakhizaati akhdaan; fa izaaa uhsinna fa in ataina bifaahi shatin fa’alaihinnna nisfu maa ‘alal muhsanaati minal ‘azaab; zaalika liman khashiyal ‘anata minkum; wa an tasbiroo khairul lakum; wallaahu Ghafoorur Raheem
*4:25 This law proves that the punishment for adultery could not possibly be stoning to death as stated in the laws of corrupted Muslims (see 24:2).