The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

222
The Quran 24: 23
23 Those who accuse honourable but unwary believing women are
rejected by God, in this life and the next. A painful punishment
awaits them 24 on the Day when their own tongues, hands, and feet
will testify against them about what they have done – 25 on that Day,
God will pay them their just due in full – and they will realize that
God is the Truth that makes everything clear. 26 Corrupt women are
for corrupt men, and corrupt men are for corrupt women; good
women are for good men and good men are for good women. The
good are innocent of what has been said against them; they will have
forgiveness and a generous provision.
27 Believers, do not enter other people’s houses until you have
asked permission to do so and greeted those inside – that is best for
you: perhaps you will bear this in mind. 28 If you find no one in, do
not enter unless you have been given permission to do so. If you are
told, ‘Go away’, then do so – that is more proper for you. God knows
well what you do. 29 You will not be blamed for entering houses where
no one lives, and which could provide you with some useful service.
God knows everything you do openly and everything you conceal.
30 [Prophet], tell believing men to lower their glances and guard their
private parts: that is purer for them. God is well aware of everything
they do. 31 And tell believing women that they should lower their
glances, guard their private parts, and not display their charms
beyond what [it is acceptable] to reveal; a they should let their headscarves
fall to cover their necklines and not reveal their charms
except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their
sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their
sisters’ sons, their womenfolk, their slaves, such men as attend them
who have no sexual desire, or children who are not yet aware of
women’s nakedness; they should not stamp their feet so as to draw
attention to any hidden charms. Believers, all of you, turn to God so
that you may prosper.
32 Marry off b the single among you and those of your male and
female slaves who are fit [for marriage]. c If they are poor, God will
a Literally ‘beyond what [ordinarily] shows’. This phrase is ambiguous in Arabic.
Recourse is commonly made to the hadith (prophetic tradition), which uses the same
verb dhahara in the sense of its being permissible for a woman to show only her face and
her hands in front of strangers.
b There is another reading that translates as ‘marry’.
c Or ‘righteous’.