The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

b
the single among you and those of your male and
female slaves who are 
fit [for marriage].
c
If they are poor, God will
a
Literally ‘beyond what [ordinarily] shows’. This phrase is ambiguous in Arabic.
Recourse is commonly made to the hadith (prophetic tradition), which uses the same
verb dhahara in the sense of its being permissible for a woman to show only her face and
her hands in front of strangers.
b
There is another reading that translates as ‘marry’.
c
Or ‘righteous’.
The Qur
an
24: 23
222

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provide for them from His bounty: God’s bounty is in
finite and He
is all knowing. 
33Those who are unable to marry should keep chaste
until God gives them enough out of His bounty. If any of your slaves
wish to pay for their freedom, make a contract with them accord-
ingly, if you know they have good in them, and give them some of
the wealth God has given you. Do not force your slave-girls into
prostitution, when they themselves wish to remain honourable, in
your quest for the short-term gains of this world, although, if they
are forced, God will be forgiving and merciful to them.
34We have sent verses down to you [people] clarifying the right
path, examples of those who passed away before you, and advice for
those who are mindful of God.
35God is the Light of the heavens and earth. His Light is like this:
there is a niche, and in it a lamp, the lamp inside a glass, a glass like a
glittering star, fuelled from a blessed olive tree from neither east nor
west, whose oil almost gives light even when no 
fire touches it––
light upon light –
– God guides whoever He will to his Light; God
draws such comparisons for people; God has full knowledge of
everything –
–
36shining out in houses of worship. God has ordained
that they be raised high and that His name be remembered in them,
with men in them celebrating His glory morning and evening:
37men who are not distracted,
a
either by commerce or pro
fit, from
remembering God, keeping up the prayer, and paying the pre-
scribed alms, fearing a day when hearts and eyes will turn over.
38God will reward such people according to the best of their actions,
and He will give them more of His bounty: God provides limitlessly
for anyone He will.
39But the deeds of those who disbelieve are like a mirage in a
desert: the thirsty person thinks there will be water but, when he
gets there, he 
finds only God, who pays him his account in full––
God is swift in reckoning. 
40Or like shadows in a deep sea covered by
wave upon wave, with clouds above –
– layer upon layer of darkness –
–
if he holds out his hand, he is scarcely able to see it. The one to
whom God gives no light has no light at all.
41[Prophet], do you not see that all those who are in the heavens
and earth praise God, as do the birds with wings outstretched?
Each knows its [own way] of prayer and glori
fication: God has full
a
Cf. 
62: 11, which makes reference to worshippers who are distracted by trade.
Light
223
24: 41

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knowledge of what they do. 
42Control of the heavens and earth
belongs to God: and to God is the 
final return. 43Do you not see
that God drives the clouds, then gathers them together and piles
them up until you see rain pour from their midst? He sends hail
down from [such] mountains in the sky, pouring it on whoever He
wishes and diverting it from whoever He wishes –
– the
flash of its
lightning almost snatches sight away. 
44God alternates night and
day –
– there truly is a lesson in [all] this for those who have eyes to
see –
–
45and God created each animal out of [its own] fluid:
a
some of
them crawl on their bellies, some walk on two legs, and some on four.
God creates whatever He will; God has power over everything.
46We have sent verses that clarify the right path: God guides
whoever He will to a straight path. 
47They say, ‘We believe in God
and the Messenger; we obey,’ but then some of them turn away:
these people are not true believers 
48and when they are summoned to
God and His Messenger in order for him to judge between them,
some of them turn away. 
49If they were claiming their right, they
would come willingly [to the Prophet]. 
50Do they have sickness in
their hearts? Are they full of doubts? Do they fear that God and His
Messenger might deal with them unjustly? No, it is they who are the
unjust ones. 
51When the true believers are summoned to God and
His Messenger in order for him to judge between them, they say, ‘We
hear and we obey.’ These are the ones who will prosper: 
52whoever
obeys God and His Messenger, stands in awe of God, and keeps his
duty to Him will be triumphant. 
53[The others] solemnly swear by
God that if you [Prophet] commanded them, they would march out.
Tell them, ‘Do not swear: it is reasonable obedience that is required,
and God is aware of everything you do.’
54Say, ‘Obey God; obey the
Messenger. If you turn away, [know that] he is responsible for the
duty placed upon him, and you are responsible for the duty placed
upon you. If you obey him, you will be rightly guided, but the
Messenger’s duty is only to deliver the message clearly.’
55God has made a promise to those among you who believe and
do good deeds: He will make them successors to the land, as He did
those who came before them; He will empower the religion He has
chosen for them; He will grant them security to replace their fear.