سورة النور   

Surah Name: An-Noor Meaning: The Light

  • Revealed at Makkah
  • Its basic theme is the guarding of one's shame. The violation of chastity and modesty has been declared as heinous and a punishable crime.

    • Islam authorizes a Qadhi (judge) to adjudge after carefully evaluating eye witness accounts. The circumstantial evidence, the plea of guilty or not guilty by the accused must be duly taken into account. Punishment aims at reforming the society, as well as the criminal, and when awarded by a Qadhi is termed as T'azir. However, there are four aspects in which a Qadhi cannot alter the punishment prescribed by Shari'ah. He can only evaluate the available evidence and decide whether the crime was committed or not. Allah-SWT Himself has prescribed the punishment, termed as Hudud. These crimes are; (1) theft (2) accusing chaste women (3) drinking alcohol and (4) adultery.

    All these crimes are so heinous that wherever committed, the society is divested of peace and tranquillity. It fails to flourish even in the worldly sense, and is ruined from the religious point of view as it loses the very belief in Allah-SWT ’s Greatness. The use of inebriating drinks and adultery in the Western society present great lessons of admonition, including complete deterioration of the sanctity of relationships. There remains no importance of lineage, nor any concept of modesty and honour. The children of Adam are living a life below the moral standards of animals while the very fibre of relationships, both worldly and religious, has frayed. A society stripped of modesty, chastity and sanctity of relationships can, by no stretch of imagination, be termed as a human society. It is only an outward facade of superiority which the West puts up for the world; otherwise they are hollow and feeble inside. Despite employing all its military power, America returned from Vietnam in humiliation. Russia invaded and occupied Afghanistan but was destroyed in her war with the Mujahidin. Forty countries jointly attacked Iraq but could not cause it harm equal to what America, Britain and France incurred in turn. They only use threats and deceit to control the world. If only the Muslim of today would waken and take to Jihad, with Allah-SWT's Grace, these nations would soon realise their worth. They are societies plagued by alcohol and adultery, and are a loathsome burden on the earth. So Islam has enjoined preventive measures to fight these evil forces.

  • Total Number of Rukū / Sections 9
  • Total Number of Āyāt / Parts 64
  • Sūrah / Chapter number 24
  • Rukū / Section 8 contains Āyāt / Parts 4
  • Siparah/ Volume 18

bismillah

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِيَسْتَأْذِنكُمُ الَّذِينَ مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ لَمْ يَبْلُغُوا الْحُلُمَ مِنكُمْ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ مِن قَبْلِ صَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ وَحِينَ تَضَعُونَ ثِيَابَكُم مِّنَ الظَّهِيرَةِ وَمِن بَعْدِ صَلَاةِ الْعِشَاء ثَلَاثُ عَوْرَاتٍ لَّكُمْ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَا عَلَيْهِمْ جُنَاحٌ بَعْدَهُنَّ طَوَّافُونَ عَلَيْكُم بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo liyastathinkumu allatheena malakat aymanukum waallatheena lam yablughoo alhuluma minkum thalatha marratin min qabli salati alfajri waheena tadaAAoona thiyabakum mina a(l)ththaheerati wamin baAAdi salati alAAishai thalathu AAawratin lakum laysa AAalaykum wala AAalayhim junahun baAAdahunna tawwafoona AAalaykum baAAdukum AAala baAAdin kathalika yubayyinu Allahu lakumu alayati wa(A)llahu AAaleemun hakeem(un)

O you who believe! Let those whom your right hands own and those of you who have not attained puberty ask leave of you three times before the morning Salat, and when you lay aside your garments at noon-day and after the night Salat, three times of privacy for you. No fault is there upon you and upon them beyond these times going round upon you, some of you upon some others. In this way does Allah-SWT expound His-SWT Commandments, and Allah-SWT is Knowing, Wise.

(24:58)

وَإِذَا بَلَغَ الْأَطْفَالُ مِنكُمُ الْحُلُمَ فَلْيَسْتَأْذِنُوا كَمَا اسْتَأْذَنَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

Waitha balagha alatfalu minkumu alhuluma falyastathinoo kama istathana allatheena min qablihim kathalika yubayyinu Allahu lakum ayatihi wa(A)llahu AAaleemun hakeem(un)

And when the children among you attain puberty then let them also ask leave as those before them asked leave. In this way Allah-SWT expounds His-SWT Commandments, and Allah-SWT is Knowing, Wise.

(24:59)

وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَاء اللَّاتِي لَا يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحًا فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَن يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَاتٍ بِزِينَةٍ وَأَن يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُنَّ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

Wa(a)lqawaAAidu mina a(l)nnisai allatee la yarjoona nikahan falaysa AAalayhinna junahun an yadaAAna thiyabahunna ghayra mutabarrijatin bizeenatin waan yastaAAfifna khayrun lahunna wa(A)llahu sameeAAun AAaleem(un)

And past child-bearing women who do not expect wed-lock; upon them it is no fault that they lay aside their outer garments not flaunting their adornment. And that they should restrain themselves is better for them; and Allah-SWT is Hearing, Knowing

(24:60)

لَيْسَ عَلَى الْأَعْمَى حَرَجٌ وَلَا عَلَى الْأَعْرَجِ حَرَجٌ وَلَا عَلَى الْمَرِيضِ حَرَجٌ وَلَا عَلَى أَنفُسِكُمْ أَن تَأْكُلُوا مِن بُيُوتِكُمْ أَوْ بُيُوتِ آبَائِكُمْ أَوْ بُيُوتِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ أَوْ بُيُوتِ إِخْوَانِكُمْ أَوْ بُيُوتِ أَخَوَاتِكُمْ أَوْ بُيُوتِ أَعْمَامِكُمْ أَوْ بُيُوتِ عَمَّاتِكُمْ أَوْ بُيُوتِ أَخْوَالِكُمْ أَوْ بُيُوتِ خَالَاتِكُمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكْتُم مَّفَاتِحَهُ أَوْ صَدِيقِكُمْ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَأْكُلُوا جَمِيعًا أَوْ أَشْتَاتًا فَإِذَا دَخَلْتُم بُيُوتًا فَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِكُمْ تَحِيَّةً مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ مُبَارَكَةً طَيِّبَةً كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُون

Laysa AAala alaAAma harajun wala AAala alaAAraji harajun wala AAala almareedi harajun wala AAala anfusikum an takuloo min buyootikum aw buyooti abaikum aw buyooti ommahatikum aw buyooti ikhwanikum aw buyooti akhawatikum aw buyooti aAAmamikum aw buyooti AAammatikum aw buyooti akhwalikum aw buyooti khalatikum aw ma malaktum mafatihahu aw sadeeqikum laysa AAalaykum junahun an takuloo jameeAAan aw ashtatan faitha dakhaltum buyootan fasallimoo AAala anfusikum tahiyyatan min AAindi Allahi mubarakatan tayyibatan kathalika yubayyinu Allahu lakumu alayati laAAallakum taAAqiloon(a)

No restriction is there on the blind, nor is there a restriction on the lame, nor is there a restriction on the sick, nor on yourselves that you eat in your houses or the houses of your fathers or the houses of your mothers or the houses of your brothers or the houses of your sisters or the houses of your uncles or the houses of your paternal aunts or the houses of your maternal uncles or the houses of your maternal aunts or from that house of which you own the keys or from the house of a friend. No fault is there upon you whether you eat together or eat in separate groups. Then when you enter houses, salute each other with a greeting from Allah-SWT , blessed and good. Thus Allah-SWT expounds to you His-SWT Revelation, perhaps you may reflect.

(24:61)
In The Name of Allah-SWT the Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
SECRETS OF REVELATION:

The Islamic Society is a chaste society which cannot be subdued by the ungodly forces. However, upholding and maintaining the honour and strength of this society is the duty of Muslims. The etiquettes of visit and rules for seeking permission before entering a house have been laid down earlier. Now, the orders for the inmates are revealed. If the servants- male or female-and the minors in a house need to go into the room of any member of the family, they must seek permission to enter especially at three occasions (1) Before morning Salat (2) During the afternoon hours when people often prefer to remove extra clothing for a siesta and (3) After night Salat. These are the three casual hours when people do not bother to cover themselves up properly, being within the privacy of their rooms. For instance the spouses maybe availing seclusion or an individual maybe resting in minimum clothes. Therefore, it is imperative that even the children of the family be educated to observe these restraints and not allowed to simply barge into bedrooms. At all other times the members of the house generally meet one another freely, and it is certainly not difficult to avoid disturbing one another during the hours of rest. Apart from these timings there is no restriction in moving to and from the house.

 

Allah-SWT has revealed these codes of conduct in the best interest of the believers, to help inculcate a high standard of moral values as He-SWT is the Knower, the Wisest. And when the children attain puberty, they must follow the rules already laid down for the adults so that the Islamic Society is exquisite, chaste and comfortable, which precisely is its strength. Allah-SWT expounds everything for the betterment and grace of the believers from every angle as He-SWT is Aware of their situation and needs, and suggests the most appropriate methods for the solution of every problem.

 

Similarly those women who have grown old, that is, gone past the marriageable age and have no attraction for the other gender can do without the additional dress required for Pardah. However, they are also not permitted to adorn and display their appearance in public. By virtue of old age if they carry themselves casually there is nothing wrong, but if they avoid even this exposure and remain covered it is far better and wholesome for them. Surely, Allah-SWT listens to everyone and is well Aware of everything.

 

And if the believers eat together in the company of their relatives or invite one another for this purpose, there is no harm in doing so. Or if people physically handicapped because of weakness or disease are invited to join in for a meal, it is good, for in an Islamic society they must never be looked down upon.

 

Encouragement Of The Invalids And Eating Together

It is indeed a pity that in present times once an evil of the infidel society of hating the handicapped and the invalids has been adopted by the Muslims. On the other hand, cheering them up and occasionally inviting them to a meal, a virtue taught to the Muslims, has been adopted by the un-Islamic societies. At the time when Quran was being revealed, the Arab society considered it abject even to speak to the handicapped and the invalids. It was amidst the ambience of this hatred that Quran enjoined that the blind, the disabled or the chronically ill should be invited over so that they are consoled and feel good. The believers can eat at the residence of their parents, brothers, sisters, paternal uncles and aunts, maternal uncles and aunts, or at the residence of close friends, who can even entrust them with the keys of their houses. They may host a meal in such houses, or eat alone and may invite the disabled to join them wherever it is convenient. And a believer, on entering, must greet the members of his household with words that wish them piety and peace. This practice is indeed very auspicious and decent, and a part of the society's excellence. This is how Allah-SWT teaches the believers wisdom and understanding so that their lives become rational and sagacious.

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