24. An-Nur
By the one who is denoted by the name Allah (who created my being with His Names in accord with the meaning of the letter ‘B’), the Rahman, the Rahim.
1. This is a chapter that We have revealed and (the rules that We) made obligatory... We have revealed clear signs in it so that you may remember and contemplate.
2. As for the adulterer and the adulteress (who engage out of wedlock), flog each one with a hundred strikes! Let not pity for them prevent you in the religion (system) of Allah if you have believed in Allah, your essential reality with His Names, and the eternal life to come (for this punishment is out of mercy and love)... And let some of the believers witness their punishment.
3. For an adulterer (who engages in sexual relations out of wedlock) can only marry an adulteress or a polytheist (dualist) woman. And an adulteress can only marry an adulterer or a polytheist (dualist) man. This has been forbidden to the believers.
4. Those who slander against chaste women (accuse them of adultery) without bringing four witnesses, flog them with eighty strikes and never accept their testimony again... They are the ones whose faith has become corrupt.
5. Except those who repent and correct themselves... Indeed, Allah is the Ghafur, the Rahim.
6. Those who accuse their own wives of adultery and have no witness other than themselves, shall swear four times ‘by Allah’ that they are among the truthful ones.
7. And the fifth time that Allah’s curse may be upon him if he is of the liars.
8. (And the woman in defense) shall ward off the punishment from herself by swearing four times ‘by Allah’ that he is a liar.
9. And the fifth time that Allah’s curse may be upon her if he is of the truthful.
10. What if Allah’s bounty and grace had not been upon you and Allah had not been the Tawwab and the Hakim!
11. Indeed, those (hypocrites) who came to you with that slander (in regards to Aisha r.a.) is a group among you who have come together only to accuse. Do not think it (that slander against you) is harmful to you! On the contrary, it is beneficial for you... Each one of them shall be held to account of their own crime. And their ringleader, who took the greater part of the crime, shall be subject to great suffering.
12. Should not the believing men and believing women have thought well of each other and said, “This is a clear slander”?
13. Should they (the slanderers) not have brought forth four witnesses? Since they could not bring the witnesses, they are definitely liars in the sight of Allah.
14. If Allah’s bounty and grace had not been upon you in the world and the eternal life to come, a terrible suffering would have afflicted you for your slandering.
15. You accuse based on rumors and speak of things of which you have no definite knowledge as if this is a trivial matter... Yet in the sight of Allah this is a great (crucial) thing!
16. And when you heard (that lie) should you not have said, “It is not our business to speak of such things! We exalt you! This is a great slander!”?
17. Allah warns you so that you never repeat the like of it again, if you are believers!
18. Allah explains His signs to you... Allah is the Aleem, the Hakim.
19. Those who enjoy spreading indecent rumors among the believers shall be subject to a terrible suffering in the world and the eternal life to come... And Allah knows; you do not know.
20. What if Allah’s bounty and grace had not been upon you! Indeed, Allah is the Ra’uf, the Rahim!
21. O believers... Do not follow Satan’s steps (bodily impulses)! Whoever follows the steps of Satan, let him know with certainty that Satan only commands indecency (extreme indulgence in corporeality) and transgression... Had it not been for Allah’s bounty and grace upon you none of you could have been purified and shown any progress... But Allah purifies (from the illusory self; ego) whom He wills... Allah is the Sami, the Aleem.
22. Let not those among you who are graceful and wealthy swear not to give to their kindred, the needy and those who have migrated for the cause of Allah... Would you not like Allah to forgive you? Allah is the Ghafur, the Rahim.
23. Those who live in their cocoons devoid of the knowledge of the reality and accuse the believing chaste women are most definitely cursed both in this world and the eternal life to come... There is a great suffering for them.
24. In that time, their tongues, hands and feet will testify against them about what they did.
25. In that time, Allah (as the requisite of sunnatullah) will make them live the consequences of their deeds in full and they will know that Allah is clearly the Truth itself.
26. Women with corrupt thoughts and ways are for men with corrupt thoughts and ways; and men with corrupt thoughts and ways are for women with corrupt thoughts and ways... Women with pure and good thoughts are for pure men, and men with pure thoughts are for pure women with good thoughts... They are far from their (the slanderers) claims... There is forgiveness and a generous sustenance of life.
27. O believers! Do not enter into houses other than your own without permission and without greeting (salam) its residents! This is better for you; perhaps you will contemplate upon this.
28. If there is no one home do not enter until permission has been given to you... If you are told to go away, then go away... This is more pure for you... Allah (based on the reality denoted by the letter B) is Aleem of what you do.
29. There is nothing wrong in you entering uninhabited houses in which there are things that belong to you... Allah knows what you reveal and what you hide.
30. Tell the believers to lower their gaze (refrain from looking with sexual desire) and guard their sexual organs... This is purer for them... Indeed, Allah knows what you do (as their creator).
31. Tell the believing women to lower their gaze (refrain from looking with sexual desire) and guard their sexual organs and not to reveal their adornments, except what is normally apparent... And let them hang their shawls over their chests (to cover their breasts)... Let them not reveal their adornments (that Allah has bestowed on them), except to their husbands, their fathers, or their husbands’ fathers, or their sons, or their husbands’ sons, or their brothers or their brothers’ sons or their sisters' sons or maidservants or those whom their right hands possess (bondmaids) or their male attendants who have no sexual desire or male children who are not yet aware of the private parts of women. Nor should they stamp their feet while walking to draw attention to their breasts and to provoke men... O believers, repent to Allah all together, so that you may attain liberation.
32. Marry those among you who are single and the righteous ones among your male slaves and female slaves! If they are poor, Allah will bestow wealth upon them from His grace... Allah is the Wasi, the Aleem.
33. Those who do not have the means to marry should keep themselves chaste until Allah bestows wealth on them from His grace... Sign a contract with your slaves who request a deed of freedom, if you find them promising, and give to them from the wealth Allah has given you. If your bondmaids wish to remain chaste, do not force them into prostitution for the sake of temporary worldly benefits... But if anyone forces them, after they have been forced, Allah will be Ghafur and Rahim to them.
34. Indeed, We have revealed clear signs of the Truth to you and examples of those who came before you and exemplary admonition for those who want to protect themselves.
35. Allah is the Nur (NUR is knowledge – life; the essence comprising of knowledge [data]) of the heavens and the earth... The example of His light (the existence and manifestation of His knowledge) is like a lantern (the brain) in which there is a lamp (individual consciousness) and that lamp is within a glass (universal consciousness)! That glass (universal consciousness) is like a star made of pearl (Name compositions given functions according to their creational purposes) lit from an olive tree (the consciousness of Unity within the essence of man), neither of the east or the west (free from time and location). The (tree’s) oil (the observation of the reality in consciousness) would almost glow even if untouched by fire (active cleansing)... It is light upon light! (The individualized manifestation of the knowledge of the Names)... Allah (the Names [the various compositions of the structural qualities constituting existence] within the essence of man) enables the realization of His Nur (the knowledge of His reality) to whom He wills. Allah provides mankind with examples... Allah knows all (as He is ‘all’, through the qualities of His Names).
36. (That Nur; knowledge of the reality) is in the houses (brain, individual consciousness) that Allah has allowed to be raised and in which He has allowed His name (what it references) to be remembered (observed, based on their capacity)! Morning and evening (both extrinsic and intrinsic observation) they are in remembrance therein!
37. They are men who, neither trade nor worldly dealings distracts from the dhikr of Allah (remembering their essential reality) and performance of salat (experiencing their essence) and giving of zakah (unrequited sharing)! They fear a time of transformation due to what their eyes will see (the extrinsic observation of the reality) in their hearts (the reality in their essence that will become manifest in universal consciousness).
38. Hence, Allah will make them live the consequences of their deeds in the best of ways and will bestow more upon them from His bounty... Allah nourishes with sustenance whom He wills without measure!
39. As for those who deny the knowledge of the reality, their works are like a mirage in the desert! When finally he reaches it (the mirage; his works, through death) he finds nothing! He will find Allah with him (in his own essence and realize He comprises his essential reality with His Names, but alas, he will be at a point of no return to evaluate this)! So Allah will make him live the consequences of his past life in full! Allah is swift at reckoning!
40. Or (the consequence of his life) will be like darkness within a deep ocean, covered by a wave upon a wave and overcast with clouds! Darkness upon darkness! If he (the one engulfed by it) reaches out his hand he will hardly be able to see it... Whoever Allah withholds His Nur (knowledge)from shall forever be deprived of Nur (knowledge)!
41. Did you not see how everything in the heavens and the earth and the rows of birds glorify (tasbih) Allah (by actualizing their function of servitude)... Each knows his own salat (the actualization of the Names composing his own essence) and tasbih (the function resulting from his salat)... Allah is Aleem over what they do (as their reality with His Names).
42. The existence of the heavens and the earth is for Allah (He creates them in His knowledge to observe the meanings He wills) and to Allah the return shall be!
43. Did you not see how Allah drives the clouds (ideas) then joins them (unifies them with wisdom) then piles them into layers (the system and order)! Thus you will see rain (grace) pouring from among them... (A cloudburst of the knowledge of the reality) will pour out from the mountainous masses of clouds (source of grace)... He will make it fall upon whom He wills and turn it away from whom He wills! The intense flash of His lightning (a sudden epiphany pertaining to the Absolute Essence in one’s consciousness) will nearly make the observable unobservable!
44. Allah transforms the night and day into one another (the alternation between intrinsic and extrinsic observation)! Indeed, there is wisdom in this for those with insight.
45. Allah has created every creature (animate being) from water... Some of them crawl upon their bellies; others walk on two legs and others on four... Allah creates what He wills... Indeed, Allah is Qadir over all things.
46. Indeed, We have revealed explanatory signs. Allah leads whom He wills to the straight path.
47. They say, “We have believed in Allah, who comprises our essential reality with His Names, and the Rasul (His command manifesting as His Rasul)” yet after having said this, a group of them will turn away! They are not believers!
48. And when they are called to Allah and His Rasul so that they may judge between them, you will see a group of them turn away.
49. Yet, if the truth is in their favor, they are quick to accept and obey it!
50. Are they devoid of healthy thoughts or have they fallen into doubt? Or do they fear Allah and His Rasul will be unjust to them? No, they are the very wrongdoers.
51. When they are invited to Allah and His Rasul so that they may judge between them, the believers will only say, “We hear and we obey”... They are the ones who are liberated.
52. Whoever obeys Allah and His Rasul and experiences the awe of Allah and protects himself from Him, they shall attain their desires.
53. They (the hypocrites) swear by Allah that they will definitely go forth if you order them to... Say “Do not swear... (What is expected of you) is obedience... Indeed, Allah is Habir of what you do.”
54. Say, “Obey Allah and obey His Rasul!” If you turn away, then upon him is only that with which he has been charged (the duty to inform)and upon you is that with which you have been charged (the duty to obey)! If you obey him you will find guidance! There is no responsibility upon the Rasul other than clear notification!
55. Allah has promised those among you who believe and fulfill the requisites of their faith that He will grant them vicegerency on earth just as He had granted it to those before them... And that He will establish for them their religion (lifestyle based on faith) that He has chosen for them and with which He is pleased, and replace their fears with security... So, let them be in servitude to Me and not associate any partners to Me! And whoever denies the knowledge of the reality after this, they are the ones who are corrupt in faith.
56. Establish salat, give zakah (alms) and obey the Rasul so that you may attain grace.
57. Do not think that those who deny the knowledge of the reality will render (the religion and the system) helpless (and invalid)! Their abode shall be fire! What a wretched place of return!
58. O believers! Let those who your right hands possess and who have not yet reached adolescence ask for your permission on three occasions: Before the morning prayer, when you have taken off your garments at noon, and after the evening prayer... These are the three occasions of nakedness... There is no blame upon you or them (other than these three times) to be around you. Thus Allah explains His signs to you... Allah is the Aleem, the Hakim.
59. When your children reach adolescence, let them ask for permission as their elders do... Thus Allah explains His signs... Allah is the Aleem, the Hakim.
60. There is no blame on women who have passed the age of marriage if they do not wear their outer clothing, provided they do not do so with the intention to provoke others with their adornments... It is better for them to be chaste... Allah is the Sami, the Aleem.
61. There is no harm if the blind, the lame, the sick or you yourselves eat in your own houses, or in the houses of your fathers, or mothers, or brothers, or sisters, or paternal uncles, or paternal aunts, or maternal uncles, or maternal aunts, or in houses whose keys you are in charge of, or in the house of a friend... There is no blame upon you whether you eat together or separately. But when you enter houses, salute one another with a greeting from Allah that is blessed and good... Thus does Allah expound to you His signs, so that you may use your intellect.
62. The believers are only those who believe in Allah, their essential reality with His Names, and His Rasul... When they are with him on a matter of common concern, they do not leave until they have asked for his permission... Indeed, those who ask you for your permission, they are the ones who believe in Allah, as their essential reality with His Names, and His Rasul... When they ask you for your permission regarding some of their affairs, grant it to whomever you please and ask for forgiveness for them from Allah... Indeed, Allah is the Ghafur, the Rahim.
63. Do not treat the invitation of the Rasul like the calling of one of you to another. Allah knows those who hide behind others and secretly slip away... So, let those who oppose His command beware being stricken by an affliction or a painful suffering!
64. Be careful! Whatever is in the heavens and the earth is for Allah (to manifest His Names)! He knows well what state you are in... At the time they are returned to Him, He will inform them of what they have done... Allah (as the essential reality of all things with His Names) is the one who knows.