1[This is] a sūrah which We have sent down and made [that within it] obligatory and revealed therein verses of clear evidence that you might remember.

2The [unmarried] woman or [unmarried] man found guilty of sexual intercourse⁹⁰⁴ – lash each one of them with a hundred lashes,⁹⁰⁵ and do not be taken by pity for them in the religion [i.e., law] of Allāh,⁹⁰⁶ if you should believe in Allāh and the Last Day. And let a group of the believers witness their punishment.

3The fornicator does not marry except a [female] fornicator or polytheist, and none marries her except a fornicator⁹⁰⁷ or a polytheist, and that [i.e., marriage to such persons] has been made unlawful to the believers.

4And those who accuse chaste women and then do not produce four witnesses – lash them with eighty lashes and do not accept from them testimony ever after. And those are the defiantly disobedient,

5Except for those who repent thereafter and reform, for indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.

6And those who accuse their wives [of adultery] and have no witnesses except themselves – then the witness of one of them⁹⁰⁸

[shall be] four testimonies [swearing] by Allāh that indeed, he is of the truthful.

7And the fifth [oath will be] that the curse of Allāh be upon him if he should be among the liars.

8But it will prevent punishment from her if she gives four testimonies [swearing] by Allāh that indeed, he is of the liars.

9And the fifth [oath will be] that the wrath of Allāh be upon her if he was of the truthful.

10And if not for the favor of Allāh upon you and His mercy...⁹⁰⁹ and because Allāh is Accepting of repentance and Wise.

11Indeed, those who came with falsehood⁹¹⁰ are a group among you. Do not think it bad for you; rather, it is good for you. For every person among them is what [punishment] he has earned from the sin, and he who took upon himself the greater portion thereof⁹¹¹ – for him is a great punishment [i.e., Hellfire].

12Why, when you heard it, did not the believing men and believing women think good of themselves [i.e., one another] and say, "This is an obvious falsehood"?

13Why did they [who slandered] not produce for it four witnesses? And when they do not produce the witnesses, then it is they, in the sight of Allāh, who are the liars.

14And if it had not been for the favor of Allāh upon you and His mercy in this world and the Hereafter, you would have been touched for that [lie] in which you were involved by a great punishment

15When you received it with your tongues⁹¹² and said with your mouths that of which you had no knowledge and thought it was insignificant while it was, in the sight of Allāh, tremendous.

16And why, when you heard it, did you