Surah Nisa ayat 25 Tafsir Quran 4:25

﴿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﴾
[ النساء: 25]

4:25 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.

And whoever has not the means wherewith whoever is not wealthy enough to be able to marry believing al-mu’mināt ‘believing’ is in accordance with the prevalent practice and does not add to the import free women in wedlock let him take in marriage believing maids whom your right hands own. God knows very well your faith so suffice yourself with its outward manifestation and leave the innermost matters to Him for He is the One to know her true merit many a slavegirl may be more excellent in faith than a free woman and this is meant to encourage marriage with slavegirls; the one of you is as the other being equal in religion so do not disdain to marry with them. So marry them with the permission of their folk their guardians and give them their wages their dowries honourably without procrastination or diminution as women in wedlock muhsanāt a circumstantial qualifier in decency not illicitly openly fornicating or taking lovers companions fornicating in secret. But when they are given in wedlock when they are married off a variant reading for the passive uhsinna ‘they are given in wedlock’ has the active ahsanna ‘they enter into wedlock’ if they commit lewdness such as adultery they shall be liable to half the chastisement the legal punishment of married free virgin women who commit adultery and are thus given fifty lashes and banished for half a year; male slaves by analogy are liable to the same punishment. Here God has not made wedlock the precondition for the prescribed punishment to show that stoning does not apply in their case sc. slavegirls. That marrying of slavegirls on account of insufficient means is for those of you who fear the distress of sin fornication al-‘anat originally means distress but is used to mean zinā ‘fornication’ because of the distress that it causes in the way of the punishment in this world and in the Hereafter as opposed to those of you who might not have such a fear of distress with regard to their free women and for whom it is unlawful to marry her the slavegirl; likewise for one who has sufficient means to marry a free woman it is unlawful for him to marry a slavegirl instead this is the opinion of al-Shāfi‘ī. Moreover God’s words ‘believing maids’ precludes unbelieving women whom it is unlawful to marry even if one should find no believing women and fear the distress of fornication; yet it is better for you to be patient and abstain from marrying slavegirls lest the child should become enslaved also. God is Forgiving Merciful by allowing room for manoeuvre in these matters.

And those of you who do not have enough resources to marry the Muslim, -women who enjoy civil liberty, may turn the course and resort to the young unmarried Muslim women among those reduced to a servile state; and Allah Knows best those of you who justify faith as a conviction operative on their character and will. You take them in marriage by permission of their guardians and pay them themselves, their dowers with good will, and choose those of them who are characterized with the attribute of chastity, faith and fidelity and ornamented with the flower of honesty and not enamoured of other men. And when once they are united in wedlock, they have to guard-themselves from being supposed (temptation). And should they commit themselves to an evil line of conduct, then they shall suffer for their offence, but their punishment shall be half that inflicted on free women for the same offence. Such course of action is ordained for those who are afraid to live in celibacy lest they commit themselves to an evil line of conduct and incur the undesirable consequence. And if you be patient and quietly await the course of events, it is better for you, and Allah is Ghafurun and Rahimun

Marrying a Female Slave, if One Cannot Marry a Free Woman Allah said, those who do not have, مِنكُمْ طَوْلاً ( the means ), financial capability, أَن يَنكِحَ الْمُحْصَنَـتِ الْمُؤْمِنَـتِ ( Wherewith to wed free believing women ) meaning, free faithful, chaste women. فَمِنْ مَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـنُكُم مِّن فَتَيَـتِكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَـتِ ( They may wed believing girls from among those whom your right hands possess, ) meaning, they are allowed to wed believing slave girls owned by the believers. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَـنِكُمْ بَعْضُكُمْ مِّن بَعْضٍ ( and Allah has full knowledge about your faith; you are one from another. ) Allah knows the true reality and secrets of all things, but you people know only the apparent things.
Allah then said, فَانكِحُوهُنَّ بِإِذْنِ أَهْلِهِنَّ ( Wed them with the permission of their own folk ) indicating that the owner is responsible for the slave girl, and consequently, she cannot marry without his permission.
The owner is also responsible for his male slave and they cannot wed without his permission.
A Hadith states,
«أَيُّمَا عَبْدٍتَزَوَّجَ بِغَيْرِ إِذْنِ مَوَالِيهِ،فَهُوَ عَاهِر»
( Any male slave who marries without permission from his master, is a fornicator. ) When the owner of the female slave is a female, those who are allowed to give away the free woman in marriage, with her permission, become responsible for giving away her female slave in marriage, as well.
A Hadith states that
«لَا تُزَوِّجِ الْمَرْأَةُ الْمَرْأَةَ، وَلَا الْمَرْأَةُ نَفْسَهَا، فَإِنَّ الزَّانِيَةَ هِيَ الَّتِي تُزَوِّجُ نَفْسَهَا»
( The woman does not give away another woman, or herself in marriage, for only the adulteress gives herself away in marriage. ) Allah's statement, وَءَاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ( And give them their due in a good manner; ) meaning, pay them their dowry with a good heart, and do not keep any of it, belittling the matter due to the fact that they are owned slaves.
Allah's statement, مُحْصَنَـت ( they should be chaste ) means, they are honorable women who do not commit adultery, and this is why Allah said, غَيْرَ مُسَـفِحَـتٍ ( not fornicators ) referring to dishonorable women, who do not refrain from illicit sexual relations with those who ask.
Ibn `Abbas said that the fornicating women are the whores, who do not object to having relations with whomever seeks it, while, وَلاَ مُتَّخِذَاتِ أَخْدَانٍ ( nor promiscuous.
) refers to taking boyfriends.
Similar was said by Abu Hurayrah, Mujahid, Ash-Sha`bi, Ad-Dahhak, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Yahya bin Abi Kathir, Muqatil bin Hayyan and As-Suddi. The Slave Girl's Punishment for Adultery is Half that of a Free Unmarried Woman Allah said, فَإِذَآ أُحْصِنَّ فَإِنْ أَتَيْنَ بِفَـحِشَةٍ فَعَلَيْهِنَّ نِصْفُ مَا عَلَى الْمُحْصَنَـتِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ ( And after they have been taken in wedlock, if they commit Fahishah, their punishment is half of that for free (unmarried ) women.) this is about the slave women who got married, as indicated by the Ayah; وَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ مِنكُمْ طَوْلاً أَن يَنكِحَ الْمُحْصَنَـتِ الْمُؤْمِنَـتِ فَمِنْ مَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـنُكُم مِّن فَتَيَـتِكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَـتِ ( And whoever of you have not the means wherewith to wed free believing women, they may wed believing girls from among those whom your right hands possess, ) Therefore, since the honorable Ayah is about believing slave girls, then, فَإِذَآ أُحْصِنَّ ( And after they have been taken in wedlock, ) refers to when they ( believing slave girls ) get married, as Ibn `Abbas and others have said.
Allah's statement, نِصْفُ مَا عَلَى الْمُحْصَنَـتِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ ( their punishment is half of that for free (unmarried ) women.) indicates that the type of punishment prescribed here is the one that can be reduced to half, lashes in this case, not stoning to death, and Allah knows best.
Allah's statement, ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِىَ الْعَنَتَ مِنْكُمْ ( This is for him among you who is afraid of being harmed in his religion or in his body; ) indicates that marrying slave girls, providing one satisfies the required conditions, is for those who fear for their chastity and find it hard to be patient and refrain from sex.
In this difficult circumstance, one is allowed to marry a slave girl.
However, it is better to refrain from marrying slave girls and to observe patience, for otherwise, the offspring will become slaves to the girl's master.
Allah said, وَأَن تَصْبِرُواْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ( but it is better for you that you practice self-restraint, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. )

(4:25) And those of you who cannot afford to marry free, believing women (muhsanat), then marry such believing women whom your right hands possess. Allah knows all about your faith. All of you belong to one another. *45 Marry them, then, with the leave of their guardians, and give them their bridal-due in a fair manner that they may live in the protection of wedlock rather than be either mere objects of unfettered lust or given to secret love affairs. Then if they become guilty of immoral conduct after they have entered into wedlock, they shall be liable to half the penalty to which free women (muhsanat) are liable. *46 This relaxation is for those of you who fear to fall into sin by remaining unmarried. *47 But if you persevere, it is better for you. Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate.

And whoever among you cannot [find] the meaning

*45).
The difference between the status of people is relative.
All Muslims are alike.
If there is any true distinction its basis is a person's faith and faith is not an exclusive privilege of the rich or so-called upper classes of the society.
So it is possible for a slave-girl to be superior, in respect of her faith and morals, to a woman belonging to the elite of a society.

*46).A superficial reading of this verse can lead to the mistaken conclusion, as Khawarij and others have done, that stoning is not the prescribed punishment for adultery.
Such people ask: If stoning is the prescribed punishment for extra-marital sexual intercourse, then how is it possible to halve that punishment with regard to slave-girls? Such people have not noted carefully the wording of this verse.
In this section ( see verses 24-5 ) the term muhsanat ( protected women ) is used in two different meanings.
First, it is used in the sense of 'married women', that is, those who enjoy the protection of their husbands.
Second, it is used in the sense of 'women belonging to families', i.e.
those who enjoy the protection of families even though they may not be married.
In the verse under discussion, the word muhsanat is used in the latter sense, i.e.
in the sense of women who enjoy the protection of families as opposed to slave-girls.
At the same time, the word is also used in the first meaning, when slave-girls have acquired the protection accorded by the contract of marriage ( fa idha uhsinna ), they will be liable to the punishment laid down in this verse if they have unlawful Sexual intercourse.

It is therefore apparent that a free woman enjoys two kinds of protection.
One is the protection of her family through which she remains protected even when she is not married.
The second is the protection of her husband, which reinforces the protection of the family that she already enjoys.
As long as the slave-girl remains a slave, she does not enjoy the protection of the family.
However, when she is married she has the protection of her husband - and of her husband alone.
This protection is partial.
Even after marriage she is neither liberated from the bond of her master nor does she attain the status enjoyed by free women.
The punishment prescribed for a married slave-girl is accordingly half the punishment of an unmarried free woman rather than half that of a married free woman.

This also explains that the punishment for unlawful sexual intercourse ( zina ) laid down in Surah al-Nur 24: 2 refers to the offence committed by unmarried free women alone, and it is in comparison with their punishment that the punishment of married slave women has been laid down as half.
As for free married women, they deserve more severe punishment than the unmarried free women ( muhsanat ) for they violate the double protection.
Even though the Qur'an does not specifically mention punishment by stoning it does allude to it in a subtle manner.

*47).
That is, if a man cannot afford to marry a free woman then he should marry a slave-girl with the permission of her master.

 

Marrying a Female Slave, if One Cannot Marry a Free Woman Allah said, those who do not have, مِنكُمْ طَوْلاً ( the means ), financial capability, أَن يَنكِحَ الْمُحْصَنَـتِ الْمُؤْمِنَـتِ ( Wherewith to wed free believing women ) meaning, free faithful, chaste women. فَمِنْ مَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـنُكُم مِّن فَتَيَـتِكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَـتِ ( They may wed believing girls from among those whom your right hands possess, ) meaning, they are allowed to wed believing slave girls owned by the believers. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَـنِكُمْ بَعْضُكُمْ مِّن بَعْضٍ ( and Allah has full knowledge about your faith; you are one from another. ) Allah knows the true reality and secrets of all things, but you people know only the apparent things.
Allah then said, فَانكِحُوهُنَّ بِإِذْنِ أَهْلِهِنَّ ( Wed them with the permission of their own folk ) indicating that the owner is responsible for the slave girl, and consequently, she cannot marry without his permission.
The owner is also responsible for his male slave and they cannot wed without his permission.
A Hadith states, «أَيُّمَا عَبْدٍتَزَوَّجَ بِغَيْرِ إِذْنِ مَوَالِيهِ،فَهُوَ عَاهِر» ( Any male slave who marries without permission from his master, is a fornicator. ) When the owner of the female slave is a female, those who are allowed to give away the free woman in marriage, with her permission, become responsible for giving away her female slave in marriage, as well.
A Hadith states that «لَا تُزَوِّجِ الْمَرْأَةُ الْمَرْأَةَ، وَلَا الْمَرْأَةُ نَفْسَهَا، فَإِنَّ الزَّانِيَةَ هِيَ الَّتِي تُزَوِّجُ نَفْسَهَا» ( The woman does not give away another woman, or herself in marriage, for only the adulteress gives herself away in marriage. ) Allah's statement, وَءَاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ( And give them their due in a good manner; ) meaning, pay them their dowry with a good heart, and do not keep any of it, belittling the matter due to the fact that they are owned slaves.
Allah's statement, مُحْصَنَـت ( they should be chaste ) means, they are honorable women who do not commit adultery, and this is why Allah said, غَيْرَ مُسَـفِحَـتٍ ( not fornicators ) referring to dishonorable women, who do not refrain from illicit sexual relations with those who ask.
Ibn `Abbas said that the fornicating women are the whores, who do not object to having relations with whomever seeks it, while, وَلاَ مُتَّخِذَاتِ أَخْدَانٍ ( nor promiscuous.
) refers to taking boyfriends.
Similar was said by Abu Hurayrah, Mujahid, Ash-Sha`bi, Ad-Dahhak, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Yahya bin Abi Kathir, Muqatil bin Hayyan and As-Suddi. The Slave Girl's Punishment for Adultery is Half that of a Free Unmarried Woman Allah said, فَإِذَآ أُحْصِنَّ فَإِنْ أَتَيْنَ بِفَـحِشَةٍ فَعَلَيْهِنَّ نِصْفُ مَا عَلَى الْمُحْصَنَـتِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ ( And after they have been taken in wedlock, if they commit Fahishah, their punishment is half of that for free (unmarried ) women.) this is about the slave women who got married, as indicated by the Ayah; وَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ مِنكُمْ طَوْلاً أَن يَنكِحَ الْمُحْصَنَـتِ الْمُؤْمِنَـتِ فَمِنْ مَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـنُكُم مِّن فَتَيَـتِكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَـتِ ( And whoever of you have not the means wherewith to wed free believing women, they may wed believing girls from among those whom your right hands possess, ) Therefore, since the honorable Ayah is about believing slave girls, then, فَإِذَآ أُحْصِنَّ ( And after they have been taken in wedlock, ) refers to when they ( believing slave girls ) get married, as Ibn `Abbas and others have said.
Allah's statement, نِصْفُ مَا عَلَى الْمُحْصَنَـتِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ ( their punishment is half of that for free (unmarried ) women.) indicates that the type of punishment prescribed here is the one that can be reduced to half, lashes in this case, not stoning to death, and Allah knows best.
Allah's statement, ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِىَ الْعَنَتَ مِنْكُمْ ( This is for him among you who is afraid of being harmed in his religion or in his body; ) indicates that marrying slave girls, providing one satisfies the required conditions, is for those who fear for their chastity and find it hard to be patient and refrain from sex.
In this difficult circumstance, one is allowed to marry a slave girl.
However, it is better to refrain from marrying slave girls and to observe patience, for otherwise, the offspring will become slaves to the girl's master.
Allah said, وَأَن تَصْبِرُواْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ( but it is better for you that you practice self-restraint, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. )

( And whoso is not able to afford to marry free, believing women, let them marry from the believing maids whom your right hands possess ) who are in the hands of the believers. ( Allah knoweth best (concerning ) your faith) He knows best that your hearts are firm in faith. ( Ye (proceed ) one from another) You are all the children of Adam; it is also said that this means: some of you follow the religion of others; and it is also said that this means: you are strengthened by one another; ( so wed them ) marry the maids ( by permission of their folk ) their owners, ( and give unto them ) the maids ( their portions ) their dowry ( in kindness ) on top of the price given to the prostitute for providing sex, ( they being honest ) He says: marry those maids who are chaste, ( not debauched ) not those who commit adultery in the open ( nor of loose conduct ) nor those who have lovers who commit adultery with them in secret. ( And if when they are honourably married ) if when they marry maids ( they commit lewdness ) fornication ( they ) the maids ( shall incur the half of the punishment (prescribed )) lashing ( for free women (in that case ). This is) marrying maids is lawful ( for him among you who feareth to commit sin ) adultery and debauchery. ( But to have patience ) and refrain from marrying maids ( would be better for you ) in that your children would be free. ( Allah is Forgiving ) of the adultery you might commit, ( Merciful ) when He gave you a legal dispensation to marry captives in cases of necessity.

And whoever of you have not the means wherewith to wed free, believing women, they may wed believing girls from among those (captives and slaves) whom your right hands possess, and Allah has full knowledge about your Faith, you are one from another. Wed them with the permission of their own folk (guardians, Auliya' or masters) and give them their Mahr according to what is reasonable; they (the above said captive and slave-girls) should be chaste, not adulterous, nor taking boy-friends. And after they have been taken in wedlock, if they commit illegal sexual intercourse, their punishment is half that for free (unmarried) women. This is for him among you who is afraid of being harmed in his religion or in his body; but it is better for you that you practise self-restraint, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

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