قَدْ أَفْلَحَْ 837 النور
سُورَةٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهَا وَفَرَضْنَاهَا وَأَنْزَلْنَا فِيهَا آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿۱﴾ الزَّانِيَةُ وَالزَّانِي فَاجْلِدُوا كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا مِائَةَ جَلْدَةٍ وَلَا تَأْخُذْكُمْ بِهِمَا رَأْفَةٌ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَلْيَشْهَدْ عَذَابَهُمَا طَائِفَةٌ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿۲﴾
﴾1﴿ Sooratun anzalnaahaa wa faradnaahaa wa anzalnaa feehaaa Aayaatin baiyinaatil la'allakum tazakkaroon
﴾2﴿ Azzaaniyatu wazzaanee fajlidoo kulla waahidim minhumaa mi'ata jaldatinw wa laa taakhuzkum bihimaa raafatun fee deenil laahi in kuntum tu'minoona billaahi wal Yawmil Aakhiri wal yashhad 'azaabahumaa taaa'ifatum minal mu'mineen
﴾1﴿ This is a (great) chapter that We have sent down, and We have made it obligatory (to act upon), and We have sent down in it clear rulings so that you may remember the commandments of Allah, the Exalted
﴾2﴿ The adulteress and the adulterer—lash each of them a hundred lashes. And do not let compassion for them prevent you from executing the law of Allah, if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let a group of believers witness their punishment
Relevancy:
The previous chapter (1) prohibited believers from adopting the attributes of polytheists; in this chapter, the prohibition is against the traits of hypocrites. (2) The previous chapter established the issue of monotheism through both transmitted and rational arguments, while this chapter warns against the causes of reproach toward monotheists, which hypocrites use to slander believers.
Claim of this surah:
The gates of immorality and slander are closed by prohibiting their causes, teaching etiquette when accusing someone, mentioning severe warnings and threats for slanderers, describing the traits of believers and hypocrites for distinction, and inviting to monotheism through examples, rational arguments, and refuting various types of polytheism—whether in knowledge, governance, or worship. Additionally, fifteen of Allah’s beautiful names are mentioned. In the Tafsir Qurtubi, it is written that the purpose of this chapter is to establish the rules of modesty and chastity. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to the people of Kufa, instructing them to teach this chapter to their women.
Summary of the surah:
It is divided into five sections. The first section, up to verse (10), emphasizes encouragement to accept the rulings presented earlier, as this forms the foundation of the chapter’s claim. Furthermore, four rulings are mentioned to prevent acts of immorality, and in the tenth verse, there is additional encouragement.
In this verse, first encouragement is given by highlighting the greatness of this chapter through several aspects: This section holds a significant status in the Quran. second It has been revealed by Allah. third Acting upon it has been made obligatory by Allah the Exalted. fourth Its rulings are clear and evident. fith It contains lessons and admonitions for those who seek to benefit from it.
In this verse, the first ruling to prevent immorality is the implementation of the punishment for adultery, which is one hundred lashes. The apparent meaning of the verse suggests that every adulterous man and woman, whether they have been married or not, are to be given one hundred lashes. However, based on authentic hadiths, for those who are married, the punishment includes stoning (rajm) in addition to lashes, although there is scholarly disagreement on this. For those who are unmarried, the punishment includes one year of exile and expulsion from their homeland, again with differences in opinion among scholars. The adulterous man and woman (zani and zania) are subject to this ruling when their act of adultery is proven, either through their confession or valid Islamic testimony. The term (الزَّانِيَةُ) is mentioned first, as women are often considered the primary instigators in cases of adultery. Another reason for prioritizing women in this context is that adultery carries greater shame and harm for women due to societal and moral perspectives.
The command (فَاجْلِدُوا) is addressed generally to all Muslims, indicating that establishing justice and enforcing this punishment is a collective obligation on the Muslim community. Alternatively, it may be specifically directed at Muslim rulers, emphasizing that the responsibility for enforcing Islamic law lies with them. This further serves as evidence that establishing an Islamic caliphate is a mandatory duty (fard) upon the Muslim community.
The phrase (وَلَا تَأْخُذْكُمْ) emphasizes that there should be no leniency or compromise in executing this divine punishment for adulterers. This means that it is impermissible to reduce the number of lashes, strike softly, or exempt them entirely. The command (وَلْيَشْهَدْ عَذَابَهُمَا) serves two purposes: To ensure that the public can learn a lesson and be deterred from committing such acts. To expose and disgrace the offenders in front of others. This principle applies to all cases of hudud (prescribed punishments) and qisas (retribution) to instill fear and caution among the people. The term (طَائِفَةٌ), while generally referring to a group, can also apply to just one person. There is no specific upper limit on the number of witnesses required, as long as the act fulfills the purpose of public admonishment and accountability.