Back to Surah
Word Analysis & Comparison
24. Surah • 58. Verse
Word Analysis
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you who believe
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
O you who believe
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those whom
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
and those who
لَمْ
lam
(have) not
مِنكُمْ
minkum
among you
مِّن
min
before
مِّنَ
mina
at
وَمِنۢ
wamin
and after
لَّكُمْ ۚ
lakum
for you
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
on you
وَلَا
walā
and not
عَلَيْهِمْ
ʿalayhim
on them
عَلَيْكُم
ʿalaykum
among you
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
among
كَذَٰلِكَ
kadhālika
Thus
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah makes clear
لَكُمُ
lakumu
for you
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
and Allah
Rashad Khalifa
The Final Testament
O you who believe, permission must be requested by your servants and the children who have not attained puberty (before entering your rooms). This is to be done in three instances - before the Dawn Prayer, at noon when you change your clothes to rest, and after the Night Prayer. These are three private times for you. At other times, it is not wrong for you or them to mingle with one another. GOD thus clarifies the revelations for you. GOD is Omniscient, Most Wise.
The Monotheist Group
The Quran: A Monotheist Translation
O you who believe, let those among you who are maintained by your oaths, and those who have not attained puberty, request your permission regarding three times: before the dawn contact prayer, and when you put off your garments from the noon time, and after the evening contact prayer. These are three private times for you. Other than these times, it is not wrong for you or them to intermingle with one another. God thus clarifies the revelations for you. And God is Knowledgeable, Wise.
Edip-Layth
Quran: A Reformist Translation
O you who acknowledge, let those whom are under your contract and have not yet attained puberty request your permission regarding three times: Before the dawn contact prayer, and when you take off your attire from the heat of the noon, and after the dusk contact prayer. These are three private times for you. Other than these times, it is not wrong for you or them to intermingle with one another. God thus clarifies the revelations for you. God is Knowledgeable, Wise.
Taqi Usmani
Holy Quran Translation
O you who believe, the slaves owned by you, and those of you who have not reached puberty, must seek your permission (to see you) at three times: before the prayer of Fajr, and when you take off your clothes at noon, and after the prayer of ‘Ishā’. These are three times of privacy for you. There is no harm, neither to you nor to them, after these (three times). They are your frequent visitors, as some of you are (frequent visitors) of the others. This is how Allah explains the verses to you. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
Al-Hilali & Khan
Holy Quran Translation
O you who believe! Let your slaves and slave-girls, and those among you who have not come to the age of puberty ask your permission (before they come to your presence) on three occasions: before Fajr (morning) Salât (prayer), and while you put off your clothes for the noonday (rest), and after the ‘Ishâ’ (late-night) Salât (prayer). (These) three times are of privacy for you; other than these times there is no sin on you or on them to move about, attending to each other. Thus Allâh makes clear the Ayât (the Verses of this Qur’ân, showing proofs for the legal aspects of permission for visits) to you. And Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
Marmaduke Pickthall
Holy Quran Translation
O ye who believe! Let your slaves, and those of you who have not come to puberty, ask leave of you at three times (before they come into your presence): Before the prayer of dawn, and when ye lay aside your raiment for the heat of noon, and after the prayer of night. Three times of privacy for you. It is no sin for them or for you at other times, when some of you go round attendant upon others (if they come into your presence without leave). Thus Allah maketh clear the revelations for you. Allah is Knower, Wise.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Holy Quran Translation
O ye who believe! let those whom your right hands possess, and the (children) among you who have not come of age ask your permission (before they come to your presence), on three occasions: before morning prayer; the while ye doff your clothes for the noonday heat; and after the late-night prayer: these are your three times of undress: outside those times it is not wrong for you or for them to move about attending to each other: Thus does Allah make clear the Signs to you: for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.
Abul A'la Maududi
Tafhim commentary
Believers![1] At three times let those whom your right hands possess and those of your children[2] who have not yet reached puberty[3] ask leave of you before entering your quarters: before the Morning Prayer and when you take off your clothes at noon, and after the Night Prayer. These are the three times of privacy for you.[4] If they come to you at other times then there is no sin for them[5] nor for you, for you have to visit one another frequently.[6] Thus does Allah clearly explain His directives to you. Allah is All- Knowing, All-Wise.
4
Literally aurat is a place of danger and trouble; it also means a private part of the body which one would not like to expose before others, and something which is not fully secured. All these meanings are close to each other and all are implied in the meaning of this verse. The verse means to say that these are your times of privacy when you are either alone or with your wives in a state when it is not proper for your children and servants to come in to see you unannounced. Therefore, they should be instructed that they must take your permission before coming in to see you in your places of privacy at these three times.
6
This is the reason for the general permission for children and slaves to come without permission at other times than those mentioned above. This throws light on a fundamental fiqh principle that every religious injunction is based on some wisdom or good reason, whether it has been explained or not.
5
That is, at other times than these, there is no restriction on the entry of minor children and slaves in your private rooms without permission. If on such an occasion you are not properly dressed and they enter without permission, you will have no right to take them to task. For in that case, it will be your own folly to have kept yourself in an improper state at a time when you should have been properly dressed for the day’s business. However, if they enter without permission during the times of privacy, the blame will lie with them provided they have been taught the necessary etiquette.
1
From here again, the commandments for social life are being resumed. It is just possible that this portion of Surah An-Noor was revealed at a later date.
3
Another translation can be: Who have not yet reached the age of seeing wet dreams. From this the jurists have deduced the principle that in case of boys puberty starts when they begin having nocturnal emissions. But the translation that we have adopted is preferable because the injunction is meant both for boys and for girls. If nocturnal emission is taken as the sign of attaining puberty, the injunction would be confined to boys only, because in the case of girls it is the menstrual discharge, and not nocturnal emission, which marks the beginning of puberty. In our opinion the intention is that the children of the house should follow this procedure till the time that they become sex conscious. After they have become sex conscious they have to follow the injunction that follows.
2
According to the majority of commentators and jurists, this refers to both male and female slaves. Ibn Umar and Mujahid, however, have expressed the opinion that it refers to the male slaves only. But in view of the commandment that follows there appears to be no reason for making this distinction. Violation of one’s privacy by his children is as undesirable as by his female slaves. All jurists agree that the commandment given in this verse is applicable both to the minor and to the grown up slaves.
Abdul Haleem
Holy Quran Translation
Believers, your slaves and any who have not yet reached puberty should ask your permission to come in at three times of day: before the dawn prayer; when you lay your garments aside in the midday heat; and after the evening prayer. These are your three times for privacy; at other times, there is no blame on you or them if you move around each other freely. In this way God makes messages clear: God is all knowing, all wise.
Mustafa Khattab
The Clear Quran
O believers! Let those ˹bondspeople˺ in your possession and those of you who are still under age ask for your permission ˹to come in˺ at three times: before dawn prayer, when you take off your ˹outer˺ clothes at noon, and after the late evening prayer. ˹These are˺ three times of privacy for you. Other than these times, there is no blame on you or them to move freely, attending to one another. This is how Allah makes the revelations clear to you, for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
Aisha Bewley
Holy Quran Translation
You who have iman! those you own as slaves and those of you who have not yet reached puberty should ask your permission to enter at three times: before the Dawn Prayer, when you have undressed at noon, and after the Salat al-‘Isha’ – three times of nakedness for you. There is nothing wrong for you or them at other times in moving around among yourselves from one to another. In this way Allah makes the Signs clear to you. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
Mohamed Ahmed - Samira
Holy Quran Translation
O you who believe, let your dependants and those who have not yet reached the age of puberty, ask permission (to enter your presence) on three occasions: Before the early morning prayer; when you disrobe for the mid-day siesta; and after prayer at night. These are the three occasions of dishabille for you. There is no harm if you or they visit one another at other times (without permission). God thus explains things to you clearly, for God is all-knowing and all-wise.
Ali Quli Qarai
Holy Quran Translation
O you who have faith! Let your permission be sought by your slaves and those of you who have not reached puberty three times: before the dawn prayer, and when you put off your garments at noon, and after the night prayer. These are three times of privacy for you. Apart from these, it is not sinful of you or them to frequent one another [freely]. Thus does Allah clarify the signs for you, and Allah is all-knowing, all-wise.
George Sale
Holy Quran Translation
O true believers, let your slaves and those among you who shall not have attained the age of puberty, ask leave of you, before they come into your presence, three times in the day; namely, before the morning prayer, and when ye lay aside your garments at noon, and after the evening prayer. These are the three times for you to be private: It shall be no crime in you, or in them, if they go into you without asking permission after these times, while ye are in frequent attendance, the one of you on the other. Thus God declareth his signs unto you; for God is knowing and wise.
Hamid S. Aziz
Holy Quran Translation
Think not that those who disbelieve can frustrate (the plan of Allah) on earth; their resort is the Fire, and it is indeed an ill destination.
Mahmoud Ghali
Holy Quran Translation
O you who have believed, let the ones your right hands possess and the ones of you who have not reached puberty ask permission of you three times: right before the dawn prayer, and (the time) while you lay aside your clothes during mid-day, and right after the eventide prayer-three privacies for you. It is no fault in you or them, after these (times), that you go about one to the other (Literally: some of you to some others). Thus Allah makes evident to you the signs, and Allah is Ever-Knowing, Ever-Wise.
E. Henry Palmer
Holy Quran Translation
O ye who believe! let those whom your right hands possess, and those amongst you who have not reached puberty, ask leave of you three times: before the prayer of dawn, and when ye put off your clothes at noon, and after the evening prayer;- three times of privacy for you: there is no crime on either you or them after these while ye are continually going one about the other. Thus does God explain to you His signs, for God is knowing, wise.
Bijan Moeinian
Holy Quran Translation
O’ you who believe, You may have privacy of your own three times a day: Before the Dawn Prayer, at noon (when you usually change your clothes to have a siesta,) and after the Night Prayer. Your servants and the children who have not attained puberty must ask permission to disturb your privacy. At other times, it does not matter if you mingle with one another. GOD thus makes His revelations clear for you. GOD knows everything and is the Most Wise.
Arthur John Arberry
Holy Quran Translation
O believers, let those your right hands own and those of you who have not reached puberty ask leave of you three times -- before the prayer of dawn, and when you put off your garments at the noon, and after the evening prayer -- three times of nakedness for you. There is no fault in you or them, apart from these, that you go about one to the other. So God makes clear to you the signs; and God is All-knowing, All-wise.
Amatul Rahman Omar
Holy Quran Translation
O you who believe! it is binding on those whom your right hands possess (domestic servants) and those (of your children) who have not reached the age of puberty to ask your permission (before coming into your private rooms) in three instances, before the morning Prayer, and when you lay aside your clothes due to the heat (in summer) at noon and after the night Prayer. These are three times when your privacy should be respected. At other times no blame shall lie on you or on them (if they come to you without permission), for they have to move about (waiting upon you) some of you (attending) upon others (according to need). That is how Allâh explains to you His commandments, for Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
Muhammad Asad
Holy Quran Translation
O YOU who have attained to faith! At three times [of day], let [even] those whom you rightfully possess, as well as those from among you who have not yet attained to puberty, ask leave of you [before intruding upon your privacy]: before the prayer of daybreak, and whenever you lay aside your garments in the middle of the day, and after the prayer of nightfall: the three occasions on which your nakedness is likely to be bared. Beyond these [occasions], neither you nor they will incur any sin if they move [freely] about you, attending to [the needs of] one another. In this way God makes clear unto you His messages: for God is all-knowing, wise!
Abdel Khalek Himmat
Al- Muntakhab
O you who have conformed to Islam: Those on hand serving, you and the children who have not reached the age of discretion must ask your permission before entering your rooms when you are improperly dressed: before dawn prayer, when undressed for the afternoon rest -siesta-, and following your last night prayer (when you are reedy to go to sleep); three prescribed periods of privacy. Other than these particular periods you are absolved and so are they to move freely and to come round -in an informal way- attending to each other. Thus does Allah distinctly express to you people His revelations guiding you to the proper way of life relative to moral conduct. Allah is 'Alimun and Hakimun
Progressive Muslims
Holy Quran Translation
O you who believe, let those who are your dependants and have not yet attained puberty request your permission regarding three times: Before the dawn contact-method, and should you take off your attire from being outdoors, and after the evening contact-method. These are three private times for you. Other than these times, it is not wrong for you or them to intermingle with one another. God thus clarifies the revelations for you. And God is Knowledgeable, Wise.
Syed Vickar Ahamed
Holy Quran Translation
O you who believe! Let those whom your right hands possess, (servants and servant-girls) and the (children) among you who have not come of age (to puberty) ask your permission (before they come in your presence), on three occasions: Before the morning prayer; And the time you take off your clothes for the mid-day (afternoon) heat; And after the late-night prayer: (These) are your (three) times for privacy: At times other than these, it is not wrong for you or for them to move about taking care of each other. Thus Allah makes the Signs clear to you: And Allah is All Knowing (Aleem) and All Wise (Hakeem).
Shabbir Ahmed
Holy Quran Translation
(Your social mannerism begins at home. ) O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! Let your servants and children who have not yet come of age ask your permission before coming in to see you on three occasions: Before you engage in your assignments at dawn, at noon when you are resting with light clothes, and after you have completed your assignments at night. These are your three times of privacy. At other times it is not wrong for you or for them to move about freely, attending to one another. In this way, Allah makes clear to you the revelations, for, Allah is All Knowing, Wise.
Sahih International
(Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)
O you who have believed, let those whom your right hands possess and those who have not [yet] reached puberty among you ask permission of you [before entering] at three times: before the dawn prayer and when you put aside your clothing [for rest] at noon and after the night prayer. [These are] three times of privacy for you. There is no blame upon you nor upon them beyond these [periods], for they continually circulate among you - some of you, among others. Thus does Allah make clear to you the verses; and Allah is Knowing and Wise.
Sam Gerrans
The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation
O you who heed warning: let ask leave of you those whom your right hands possess and those who have not reached puberty among you at three times: before the duty of the dawn, and when you lay aside your garments at noon, and after the duty of the night: three times of nakedness for you; you and they do no wrong beyond them, some of you moving about among others of you. Thus God makes plain to you the proofs; and God is knowing and wise.