Surah An-Nisa Verse 25 - Read, Listen, Translation, English : And whoever among you cannot [find] the means to marry…

An-Nisa · 25/176

Translation Transliteration — An-Nisa

وَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ مِنكُمْ طَوْلًا أَن يَنكِحَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ فَمِن مَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُم مِّن فَتَيَاتِكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَانِكُم ۚ بَعْضُكُم مِّن بَعْضٍ ۚ فَانكِحُوهُنَّ بِإِذْنِ أَهْلِهِنَّ وَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ مُحْصَنَاتٍ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحَاتٍ وَلَا مُتَّخِذَاتِ أَخْدَانٍ ۚ فَإِذَا أُحْصِنَّ فَإِنْ أَتَيْنَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ فَعَلَيْهِنَّ نِصْفُ مَا عَلَى الْمُحْصَنَاتِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ الْعَنَتَ مِنكُمْ ۚ وَأَن تَصْبِرُوا خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ۝٢٥

🔤 Transliteration

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

📖 Translation (English Meaning)

📖 English Meaning

And whoever among you cannot [find] the means to marry free, believing women, then [he may marry] from those whom your right hands possess of believing slave girls. And Allah is most knowing about your faith. You [believers] are of one another. So marry them with the permission of their people and give them their due compensation according to what is acceptable. [They should be] chaste, neither [of] those who commit unlawful intercourse randomly nor those who take [secret] lovers. But once they are sheltered in marriage, if they should commit adultery, then for them is half the punishment for free [unmarried] women. This [allowance] is for him among you who fears sin, but to be patient is better for you. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

🌐 Additional reference in Français

📜

Translation — Tafsir

Key Words and Phrases:

Tawl (طَوْلًا): Financial capability or means.
Muhsanat (الْمُحْصَنَاتِ): Free, chaste, and married women (here, free women of good character).
Ma Malakat Aymanukum (مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُم): Those whom your right hands possess — i.e., female slaves (bondwomen).
Fatyatikum (فَتَيَاتِكُم): Your believing young female slaves.
Ujur (أُجُورَهُن): Their dowries (mahr).
Musafihat (مُسَافِحَات): Women who commit fornication openly.
Mutakhidhat Akhdan (مُتَّخِذَاتِ أَخْدَانٍ): Women who take secret lovers for illicit relations.
Uhsinna (أُحْصِنَّ): They are married (i.e., after they have entered marriage).
Fahishah (فَاحِشَة): Immorality — here, specifically adultery/fornication.
Azab (الْعَذَاب): The prescribed legal punishment (hadd).
Anata (الْعَنَت): Hardship, sin, or fear of falling into fornication.

Tafsir (Explanation):

This verse is a profound demonstration of Allah’s mercy and His desire to make the path of purity and chastity accessible to every believer, regardless of financial standing. Allah, the Most Wise, addresses the believers with a practical and compassionate solution for those who wish to marry but cannot afford the dowry of a free believing woman.

Allah says: If any of you does not possess the financial means to marry a free, chaste believing woman, then he is permitted to marry a believing bondwoman (female slave) from among those whom your right hands possess — provided she is a believer in her outward profession, for Allah alone knows the true reality of faith in the hearts. Allah then reminds us of a profound spiritual truth: "Some of you are from others" — meaning, you and these bondwomen share the same origin (Adam), the same humanity, and the same religion (Islam). There is no room for arrogance or social superiority in matters of faith and marriage; all believers are equal in the sight of Allah.

The marriage to such a woman must be conducted with full dignity and legality: it requires the permission of her guardians (her owners), and the husband must pay her dowry willingly and fairly, without delay or reduction. The purpose of this marriage is clearly defined: it must be for chastity and protection — "muhsanat" — meaning the woman should be chaste and pure, not one who commits fornication openly, nor one who takes secret lovers. The marriage bond is a sacred shield against sin, not a cover for immorality.

Then Allah clarifies the legal ruling for such a wife: if she commits adultery after being married, her punishment is half of that prescribed for a free married woman — i.e., fifty lashes instead of one hundred, and she is not subject to stoning. This reflects the principle of proportionality in Islamic law, considering her status.

This permission, however, is not an open invitation for all. Allah specifies: "That is for those among you who fear hardship (al-anat)" — meaning, those who fear they may fall into the sin of fornication due to overwhelming desire and lack of means to marry a free woman. It is a concession for necessity, not a preferred choice.

Finally, Allah concludes with a beautiful guidance: "And that you be patient is better for you." Patience — refraining from what is permissible but less ideal — is better, because it preserves the lineage and avoids subjecting one’s children to the status of slavery. Yet, Allah is Ghafoorur Raheem — Forgiving and Merciful — and His permission is a manifestation of His mercy, accommodating human weakness while guiding toward the highest standard.

This verse teaches us that Islam is a religion of ease and practicality. It does not leave a believer trapped between sin and impossible demands. Instead, it opens lawful doors, protects dignity, and always reminds us that Allah’s mercy encompasses all situations. How beautiful is this religion that cares for the poorest among us, the weakest in means, and still elevates them to a life of chastity and honor! Let us embrace these teachings with gratitude, knowing that every command of Allah is designed for our own good, in this life and the next.

🎧 Listen

📜 Verse 23-27 — An-Nisa

23حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَّهَاتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُكُمْ وَأَخَوَاتُكُمْ وَعَمَّاتُكُمْ وَخَالَاتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُ الْأَخِ وَبَنَاتُ الْأُخْتِ وَأُمَّهَاتُكُمُ اللَّاتِي أَرْضَعْنَكُمْ وَأَخَوَاتُكُم مِّنَ الرَّضَاعَةِ وَأُمَّهَاتُ نِسَائِكُمْ وَرَبَائِبُكُمُ اللَّاتِي فِي حُجُورِكُم مِّن نِّسَائِكُمُ اللَّاتِي دَخَلْتُم بِهِنَّ فَإِن لَّمْ تَكُونُوا دَخَلْتُم بِهِنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَحَلَائِلُ أَبْنَائِكُمُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ أَصْلَابِكُمْ وَأَن تَجْمَعُوا بَيْنَ الْأُخْتَيْنِ إِلَّا مَا قَدْ سَلَفَ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Prohibited to you [for marriage] are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father's sisters, your mother's sisters, your brother's daughters, your sister's daughters, your [milk] mothers who nursed you, your sisters through nursing, your wives' mothers, and your step-daughters under your guardianship [born] of your wives unto whom you have gone in. But if you have not gone in unto them, there is no sin upon you. And [also prohibited are] the wives of your sons who are from your [own] loins, and that you take [in marriage] two sisters simultaneously, except for what has already occurred. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.

24۞ وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ۖ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَأُحِلَّ لَكُم مَّا وَرَاءَ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَن تَبْتَغُوا بِأَمْوَالِكُم مُّحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحِينَ ۚ فَمَا اسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهِ مِنْهُنَّ فَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً ۚ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا تَرَاضَيْتُم بِهِ مِن بَعْدِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا

And [also prohibited to you are all] married women except those your right hands possess. [This is] the decree of Allah upon you. And lawful to you are [all others] beyond these, [provided] that you seek them [in marriage] with [gifts from] your property, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse. So for whatever you enjoy [of marriage] from them, give them their due compensation as an obligation. And there is no blame upon you for what you mutually agree to beyond the obligation. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.

25وَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ مِنكُمْ طَوْلًا أَن يَنكِحَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ فَمِن مَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُم مِّن فَتَيَاتِكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَانِكُم ۚ بَعْضُكُم مِّن بَعْضٍ ۚ فَانكِحُوهُنَّ بِإِذْنِ أَهْلِهِنَّ وَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ مُحْصَنَاتٍ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحَاتٍ وَلَا مُتَّخِذَاتِ أَخْدَانٍ ۚ فَإِذَا أُحْصِنَّ فَإِنْ أَتَيْنَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ فَعَلَيْهِنَّ نِصْفُ مَا عَلَى الْمُحْصَنَاتِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ الْعَنَتَ مِنكُمْ ۚ وَأَن تَصْبِرُوا خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

26يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْ وَيَهْدِيَكُمْ سُنَنَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَيَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

Allah wants to make clear to you [the lawful from the unlawful] and guide you to the [good] practices of those before you and to accept your repentance. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.

27وَاللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَيُرِيدُ الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الشَّهَوَاتِ أَن تَمِيلُوا مَيْلًا عَظِيمًا

Allah wants to accept your repentance, but those who follow [their] passions want you to digress [into] a great deviation.

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An-NisaQuran Index

176Verse

MedinanRevelation

25Verse

Translation — An-Nisa 25

Surah An-Nisa Verse 25 - Read, Listen, Translation, English : And whoever among you cannot [find] the means to marry…

Surah Verse 25/176 — An-Nisa النساء (Medinan). Read Listen Translation (English). Listen: An-Nisa Listen, An-Nisa Translation, An-Nisa mp3, An-Nisa pdf. Verse 23–27. English Meaning: Français.

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