Surah An-Nur 24:33 — translation and meaning

النور · Verse 33 / 64 · Page 354

ۚ ۚ ۖ ۗ وَلْيَسْتَعْفِفِ الَّذِينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ نِكَاحًا حَتَّى 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

Word by Word

ۚ
ۚ
ۖ
ۗ
وَلْيَسْتَعْفِفِ
walyasta'fifi
And let be chaste
الَّذِينَ
alladhina
those who
لَا
la
(do) not
يَجِدُونَ
yajiduna
find
نِكَاحًا
nikahan
(means for) marriage
حَتَّى
hatta
until
يُغْنِيَهُمُ
yugh'niyahumu
Allah enriches them
اللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah enriches them
مِن
min
from
فَضْلِهِ
fadlihi
His Bounty
وَالَّذِينَ
wa-alladhina
And those who
يَبْتَغُونَ
yabtaghuna
seek
الْكِتَابَ
al-kitaba
the writing
مِمَّا
mimma
from (those) whom
مَلَكَتْ
malakat
possess
أَيْمَانُكُمْ
aymanukum
your right hands
فَكَاتِبُوهُمْ
fakatibuhum
then give them (the) writing
إِنْ
in
if
عَلِمْتُمْ
alim'tum
you know
فِيهِمْ
fihim
in them
خَيْرًا
khayran
any good
وَآتُوهُم
waatuhum
and give them
مِّن
min
from
مَّالِ
mali
the wealth of Allah
اللَّهِ
al-lahi
the wealth of Allah
الَّذِي
alladhi
which
آتَاكُمْ
atakum
He has given you
وَلَا
wala
And (do) not
تُكْرِهُوا
tuk'rihu
compel
فَتَيَاتِكُمْ
fatayatikum
your slave girls
عَلَى
ala
to
الْبِغَاءِ
al-bighai
[the] prostitution
إِنْ
in
if
أَرَدْنَ
aradna
they desire
تَحَصُّنًا
tahassunan
chastity
لِّتَبْتَغُوا
litabtaghu
that you may seek
عَرَضَ
arada
temporary gain
الْحَيَاةِ
al-hayati
(of) the life
الدُّنْيَا
al-dun'ya
(of) the world
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
يُكْرِههُّنَّ
yuk'rihhunna
compels them
فَإِنَّ
fa-inna
then indeed
اللَّهَ
al-laha
Allah
مِن
min
after
بَعْدِ
ba'di
after
إِكْرَاهِهِنَّ
ik'rahihinna
their compulsion
غَفُورٌ
ghafurun
(is) Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمٌ
rahimun
Most Merciful

Transliteration

Wal yasta'fifil lazeena laa yajidoona nikaahan hata yughniyahumul laahu mi fadlih; wallazeena yabtaghoonal kitaaba mimmaa malakat aimaanukum fakaatiboohum in 'alimtum feehim khairanw wa aatoohum mimmaalil laahil lazeee aataakum; wa laa tukrihoo fatayaatikum 'alal bighaaa'i in aradna tahassunal litabtaghoo 'aradal hayaatid dunyaa; wa mai yukrihhunna fa innal laaha mim ba'di ikraahihinna Ghafoor Raheem

Translation

But let them who find not [the means for] marriage abstain [from sexual relations] until Allah enriches them from His bounty. And those who seek a contract [for eventual emancipation] from among whom your right hands possess - then make a contract with them if you know there is within them goodness and give them from the wealth of Allah which He has given you. And do not compel your slave girls to prostitution, if they desire chastity, to seek [thereby] the temporary interests of worldly life. And if someone should compel them, then indeed, Allah is [to them], after their compulsion, Forgiving and Merciful.

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

Those who are unable to marry due to their poverty should seek chastity from fornication until Allah makes them wealthy through His vast grace. Those servants who wish to make a contract with their masters, to give money so that they can be free, their masters should accept that of them if they know they have the ability to fulfil and are upright in religion. It is necessary upon them to give them from the wealth Allah has granted them, by discounting them a portion of what they agreed to pay. And do not force your slave girls to fornicate, in pursuit of wealth, as Abdullah ibn Ubayy did with his two slave girls when they requested chastity and staying far from fornication, to seek what she earns through her private parts. Whoever forces them to do that, Allah is Forgiving of their sins after their being forced and Merciful to them, because they are being forced, and the sin is upon the one who forces them.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

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