وَلَا تَنكِحُوا۟ مَا نَكَحَ ءَابَآؤُكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ إِلَّا مَا قَدْ سَلَفَ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فَٰحِشَةً وَمَقْتًا وَسَآءَ سَبِيلًا
Easy-read (simplified)walaa tankihoo maa nakaha aabaa'ukum mina n-nisaa'i illaa maa qad salafa innahu kaana faahishatan wamaqtan wasaa'a sabeelaa
DIN 31635walā tankiḥū mā nakaḥa ʾābāʾukum mina n-nisāʾi ʾillā mā qad salafa ʾinnahu kāna fāḥišatan wamaqtan wasāʾa sabīlan
EditionTanzil Qur'an text (Uthmani) ·Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Marked words appear in this translation and in no other English translation of this verse. Common small words and older spellings are not marked. The marks show where the wording differs, not where the meaning does.
And do not marry women your fathers married,- except bygones,- for it is abominable and hateful, and an evil way
Translation Edward Henry Palmer, English translation of the Qur'an·Public domain — copyright term expired
Edward Henry Palmer, English translation of the Qur'an ·1880 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
Do not marry women whom your fathers married, except what is already past. That is improper, indecent, and a bad custom.
Talal Itani, ClearQuran ·ClearQuran, "God" edition, EPUB·Talal Itani / ClearQuran.com ·Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International·retrieved 7 Sep 2026
Translation by Talal Itani, ClearQuran.com https://clearquran.com
And marry not those women whom your fathers married, except what hath already happened (of that nature) in the past. Lo! it was ever lewdness and abomination, and an evil way
Translation Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran·Public domain — copyright term expired
Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran ·1930 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
And marry not women whom your fathers have married: for this is a shame, and hateful, and an evil way: though what is past may be allowed
Translation John Medows Rodwell, English translation of the Qur'an·Public domain — copyright term expired
John Medows Rodwell, English translation of the Qur'an ·1861 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
Marry not women, whom your fathers have had to wife; -- except what is already past: -- For this is uncleanness, and an abomination, and an evil way
Translation George Sale, English translation of the Qur'an·Public domain — copyright term expired
George Sale, English translation of the Qur'an ·1734 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
Mos u martoni me ato gra me të cilat kanë qenë të martuar baballarët tuaj, përveç asaj që tashmë ka kaluar, sepse vërtet kjo vepër është e poshtër, e urryer dhe rrugë e shëmtuar!
তোমরা তাদেরকে বিয়ে করো না, যাদেরকে বিয়ে করেছিল তোমাদের পিতৃ পুরুষগণ। তবে পূর্বে যা সংঘটিত হয়েছে । নিশ্চয় তা ছিল অশ্লীল, মারাত্মক ঘৃণ্য ও চরম নিকৃষ্ট পন্থা।
I ne ženite se onima koje su oženili očevi vaši nakon onoga što je bilo – to su bili razvrat, mržnja i ružan put.
I ne ženite se onima koje su oženili očevi vaši nakon onoga što je bilo – to su bili razvrat, mržnja i ružan put.
Wata on nes ɓen ɓe baabiraaɓe mon ndesno e suddiiɓe si wanaa ɗum ko feƴƴunoo. Pellet, ɗum laatinoke paŋkare e hutaare e bonde laawol.
და ნუ დაქორწინდებით იმ ქალებზე, რომლებზეც (ოდესღაც) თქვენი მამები იყვნენ დაქორწინებულნი — გარდა იმისა, რაც უკვე მოხდა ადრე [ამ აკრძალვამდე]. ჭეშმარიტად, ეს არის სისაძაგლე, საძულველი ქმედება და ცუდი გზა!
Und heiratet nicht die Frauen, die (vorher) eure Väter geheiratet haben, außer dem, was bereits geschehen ist. Wahrlich, das ist eine Abscheulichkeit und etwas Hassenswertes und ein schlechter Weg.
Μην παντρεύεστε τις γυναίκες που παντρεύτηκαν οι πατέρες σας, εκτός απ' αυτό που συνέβη στο παρελθόν: είναι πράγματι αισχρή και απεχθής πράξη (που ο Αλλάχ απεχθάνεται αυτόν που την κάνει) και είναι ένας κακός δρόμος (γι' όσους τον πήραν).
और उन स्त्रियों से विवाह[17] न करो, जिनसे तुम्हारे पिताओं ने विवाह किया हो, परंतु जो पहले हो चुका[18] (सो हो चुका)। वास्तव में, यह निर्लज्जता तथा क्रोध की बात और बुरी रीति है।
E non prendetevi come spose donne che sono state mogli dei vostri padri, tranne nei casi precedenti: In verità si tratta di una nefandezza e una cosa abominevole e un infausto percorso!
22. Ir neveskite moterų, kurias jūsų tėvas vedė, išskyrus tai, kas jau praėjo. Iš tiesų, tai gėdinga ir labiausiai nekenčiama ir tai blogas kelias.
Dubartoota irraa isaan abbootiin keessan fuudhan hin fuudhinaa. waan dabre malee, inni fokkataa, jibbamaafi karaan isaa hamaa ta'ee jira.[12]
Не женитесь на тех женщинах, на которых были женаты ваши отцы, [если] только это уже не случилось прежде. Воистину, это — мерзость, ненавистный поступок и скверный путь.
И не жените се онима које су оженили очеви ваши након онога што је било - то су били разврат, смутња и ружан пут.
Wala msiwaoe wale waliowaoa baba zenu, isipokuwa yale yaliyokwishapita. Hakika, huo ni uchafu, na uchukizo, na ni njia mbaya.
Gift er inte med de kvinnor som era fäder varit gifta med, undantaget det som redan har skett. Det var sannerligen ett skamlöst och förhatligt beteende och en avskyvärd sed.
Kadınlardan babalarınızın nikâhladıklarını nikâhlamayın. Ancak geçmişte olan müstesnâ. Çünkü bu bir hayâsızlık, öfke ve nefret gerektiren bir iştir. Bu, ne kötü bir yoldur.
اور ان عورتوں سے نکاح نہ کرو جن سے تمہارے باپوں نے نکاح کیا ہے[1] مگر جو گزر چکا ہے، یہ بے حیائی کا کام اور بغض کا سبب ہے اور بڑی بری راه ہے۔
5 cleared translations, newest first, by year of publication, so the modern English comes before the historical ones. That is an ordering by date, not a judgement. Each is shown complete — this platform never excerpts a translation — and each renders under its translator's name. No translation here is marked as the correct one.
Which translations appear here is set by copyright: they are the ones whose rights could be documented and cleared. The selection is not a judgement that these are the best.
Easy-read is a simplified pronunciation, not authoritative — a rule-by-rule romanisation, not a reading. Each verse ends in its pause form, as it is said when you stop there. Pauses inside a verse and other tajwid rules are not shown. It is derived from the Tanzil Simple edition, while the Arabic above is the Uthmani edition; both are cleared, but they are not the same edition and their orthography differs.
shown so it's never read alone
وَإِنْ أَرَدتُّمُ ٱسْتِبْدَالَ زَوْجٍ مَّكَانَ زَوْجٍ وَءَاتَيْتُمْ إِحْدَىٰهُنَّ قِنطَارًا فَلَا تَأْخُذُوا۟ مِنْهُ شَيْـًٔا أَتَأْخُذُونَهُۥ بُهْتَٰنًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا
Easy-read (simplified)wa'in aradttumu stibdaala zawjin makaana zawjin wa'aataytum ihdaahunna qintaaran falaa ta'khudhoo minhu shay'an ata'khudhoonahu buhtaanan wa'ithman mubeenaa
DIN 31635waʾin ʾaradttumu stibdāla zawǧin makāna zawǧin waʾātaytum ʾiḥdāhunna qinṭāran falā taʾḫuḏū minhu šayʾan ʾataʾḫuḏūnahu buhtānan waʾiṯman mubīnan
If you wish to replace one wife with another, and you have given one of them a fortune, take nothing back from it. Would you take it back fraudulently and sinfully?
And if ye wish to exchange one wife for another and ye have given unto one of them a sum of money (however great), take nothing from it. Would ye take it by the way of calumny and open wrong
But if ye wish to exchange one wife for another, and have given one of them a talent, then take not from it anything. What! would you take it for a calumny and a manifest crime
And if ye be desirous to exchange one wife for another, and have given one of them a talent, make no deduction from it. Would ye take it by slandering her, and with manifest wrong
If ye be desirous to exchange a wife for another wife, and ye have already given one of them a talent; take not away any thing therefrom; Will ye take it by slandering her, and doing her manifest unjustice
وَكَيْفَ تَأْخُذُونَهُۥ وَقَدْ أَفْضَىٰ بَعْضُكُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَأَخَذْنَ مِنكُم مِّيثَٰقًا غَلِيظًا
Easy-read (simplified)wakayfa ta'khudhoonahu waqad afdaa ba'dukum ilaa ba'din wa'akhadhna minkum meethaaqan ghaleezaa
DIN 31635wakayfa taʾḫuḏūnahu waqad ʾafḍā baʿḍukum ʾilā baʿḍin waʾaḫaḏna minkum mīṯāqan ġalīẓan
And how can you take it back, when you have been intimate with one another, and they have received from you a solid commitment?
How can ye take it (back) after one of you hath gone in unto the other, and they have taken a strong pledge from you
How care ye take it when one of you has gone in unto the other, and they have taken from you a rigid compact
How, moreover, could ye take it, when one of you hath gone in unto the other, and they have received from you a strict bond of union
And how can ye take it, since the one of you hath gone in unto the other, and they have received from you a firm covenant
4:22 — the verse above
حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَّهَٰتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُكُمْ وَأَخَوَٰتُكُمْ وَعَمَّٰتُكُمْ وَخَٰلَٰتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُ ٱلْأَخِ وَبَنَاتُ ٱلْأُخْتِ وَأُمَّهَٰتُكُمُ ٱلَّٰتِىٓ أَرْضَعْنَكُمْ وَأَخَوَٰتُكُم مِّنَ ٱلرَّضَٰعَةِ وَأُمَّهَٰتُ نِسَآئِكُمْ وَرَبَٰٓئِبُكُمُ ٱلَّٰتِى فِى حُجُورِكُم مِّن نِّسَآئِكُمُ ٱلَّٰتِى دَخَلْتُم بِهِنَّ فَإِن لَّمْ تَكُونُوا۟ دَخَلْتُم بِهِنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَحَلَٰٓئِلُ أَبْنَآئِكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِنْ أَصْلَٰبِكُمْ وَأَن تَجْمَعُوا۟ بَيْنَ ٱلْأُخْتَيْنِ إِلَّا مَا قَدْ سَلَفَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
Easy-read (simplified)hurrimat 'alaykum ummahaatukum wabanaatukum wa'akhawaatukum wa'ammaatukum wakhaalaatukum wabanaatu l-'akhi wabanaatu l-'ukhti wa'ummahaatukumu llaatee arda'nakum wa'akhawaatukum mina r-radaa'ati wa'ummahaatu nisaa'ikum warabaa'ibukumu llaatee fee hujoorikum min nisaa'ikumu llaatee dakhaltum bihinna fa'in lam takoonoo dakhaltum bihinna falaa junaaha 'alaykum wahalaa'ilu abnaa'ikumu lladheena min aslaabikum wa'an tajma'oo bayna l-'ukhtayni illaa maa qad salafa inna llaaha kaana ghafooran raheemaa
DIN 31635ḥurrimat ʿalaykum ʾummahātukum wabanātukum waʾaḫawātukum waʿammātukum waḫālātukum wabanātu l-ʾaḫi wabanātu l-ʾuḫti waʾummahātukumu llātī ʾarḍaʿnakum waʾaḫawātukum mina r-raḍāʿati waʾummahātu nisāʾikum warabāʾibukumu llātī fī ḥuǧūrikum min nisāʾikumu llātī daḫaltum bihinna faʾin lam takūnū daḫaltum bihinna falā ǧunāḥa ʿalaykum waḥalāʾilu ʾabnāʾikumu llaḏīna min ʾaṣlābikum waʾan taǧmaʿū bayna l-ʾuḫtayni ʾillā mā qad salafa ʾinna llāha kāna ġafūran raḥīman
Forbidden for you are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your paternal aunts, your maternal aunts, your brother's daughters, your sister's daughters, your foster-mothers who nursed you, your sisters through nursing, your wives' mothers, and your stepdaughters in your guardianship-born of wives you have gone into-but if you have not gone into them, there is no blame on you. And the wives of your genetic sons, and marrying two sisters simultaneously. Except what is past. God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Forbidden unto you are your mothers, and your daughters, and your sisters, and your father's sisters, and your mother's sisters, and your brother's daughters and your sister's daughters, and your foster-mothers, and your foster-sisters, and your mothers-in-law, and your step-daughters who are under your protection (born) of your women unto whom ye have gone in - but if ye have not gone in unto them, then it is no sin for you (to marry their daughters) - and the wives of your sons who (spring) from your own loins. And (it is forbidden unto you) that ye should have two sisters together, except what hath already happened (of that nature) in the past. Lo! Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful
unlawful for you are your mothers, and your daughters, and your sisters, and your paternal aunts and maternal aunts, and your brother's daughters, and your sister's daughters, and your foster mothers, and your foster sisters, and your wives' mothers, and your step daughters who are your wards, born of your wives to whom ye have gone in; but if ye have not gone in unto them, then it is no crime in you; and the lawful spouses of your sons from your own loins, and that ye form a connexion between two sisters,- except bygones,- verily, God is forgiving, merciful
Forbidden to you are your mothers, and your daughters, and your sisters, and your aunts, both on the father and mother's side, and your nieces on the brother and sister's side, and your foster-mothers, and your foster-sisters, and the mothers of your wives, and your step-daughters who are your wards, born of your wives to whom ye have gone in: (but if ye have not gone in unto them, it shall be no sin in you to marry them;) and the wives of your sons who proceed out of your loins; and ye may not have two sisters; except where it is already done. Verily, God is Indulgent, Merciful
Ye are forbidden to marry your mothers, and your daughters, and your sisters, and your aunts both on the fathers and on the mothers side, and your brothers daughters, and your sisters daughters, and your mothers who have given you suck, and your foster-sisters, and your wives mothers, and your daughters-in-law which are under your tuition, born of your wives unto whom ye have gone in, -- but if ye have not gone in unto them, it shall be no sin in you to marry them, -- and the wives of your sons who proceed out of your loins; and ye are also forbidden to take to wife two sisters; except what is already past: For God is gracious and merciful
وَٱلْمُحْصَنَٰتُ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ كِتَٰبَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأُحِلَّ لَكُم مَّا وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَن تَبْتَغُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِكُم مُّحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَٰفِحِينَ فَمَا ٱسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهِۦ مِنْهُنَّ فَـَٔاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا تَرَٰضَيْتُم بِهِۦ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱلْفَرِيضَةِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
Easy-read (simplified)wal-muhsanaatu mina n-nisaa'i illaa maa malakat aymaanukum kitaaba llaahi 'alaykum wa'uhilla lakum maa waraa'a dhaalikum an tabtaghoo bi'amwaalikum muhsineena ghayra musaafiheena famaa stamta'tum bihi minhunna fa'aatoohunna ujoorahunna fareedatan walaa junaaha 'alaykum feemaa taraadaytum bihi min ba'di l-fareedati inna llaaha kaana 'aleeman hakeemaa
DIN 31635wal-muḥṣanātu mina n-nisāʾi ʾillā mā malakat ʾaymānukum kitāba llāhi ʿalaykum waʾuḥilla lakum mā warāʾa ḏālikum ʾan tabtaġū biʾamwālikum muḥṣinīna ġayra musāfiḥīna famā stamtaʿtum bihi minhunna faʾātūhunna ʾuǧūrahunna farīḍatan walā ǧunāḥa ʿalaykum fīmā tarāḍaytum bihi min baʿdi l-farīḍati ʾinna llāha kāna ʿalīman ḥakīman
The translators word this verse differently
And all married women, except those you rightfully possess. This is God's decree, binding upon you. Permitted for you are those that lie outside these limits, provided you seek them in legal marriage, with gifts from your property, seeking wedlock, not prostitution. If you wish to enjoy them, then give them their dowry-a legal obligation. You commit no error by agreeing to any change to the dowry. God is All-Knowing, Most Wise.
And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess. It is a decree of Allah for you. Lawful unto you are all beyond those mentioned, so that ye seek them with your wealth in honest wedlock, not debauchery. And those of whom ye seek content (by marrying them), give unto them their portions as a duty. And there is no sin for you in what ye do by mutual agreement after the duty (hath been done). Lo! Allah is ever Knower, Wise
and married women, save such as your right hands possess,- God's Book against you! - but lawful for you is all besides this, for you to seek them with your wealth, marrying them and not fornicating; but such of them as ye have enjoyed, give them their hire as a lawful due; for there is no crime in you about what ye agree between you after such lawful due, verily, God is knowing and wise
Forbidden to you also are married women, except those who are in your hands as slaves: This is the law of God for you. And it is allowed you, beside this, to seek out wives by means of your wealth, with modest conduct, and without fornication. And give those with whom ye have cohabited their dowry. This is the law. But it shall be no crime in you to make agreements over and above the law. Verily, God is Knowing, Wise
Ye are also forbidden to take to wife free women who are married, except those women whom your right hands shall possess as slaves. This is ordained you from God. Whatever is beside this, is allowed you; that ye may with your substance provide wives for your selves, acting that which is right, and avoiding whoredom. And for the advantage which ye receive from them, give them their reward, according to what is ordained: But it shall be no crime in you to make any other agreement among your selves, after the ordinance shall be complied with; for God is knowing and wise
EditionTanzil Qur'an text (Uthmani) ·Uthmani, Version 1.1·Tanzil Project ·Creative Commons Attribution 3.0·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
وَلَا تَنكِحُوا مَا نَكَحَ آبَاؤُكُم مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلَّا مَا قَدْ سَلَفَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَمَقْتًا وَسَاءَ سَبِيلًا
EditionTanzil Qur'an text (Simple) ·Simple, Version 1.1·Tanzil Project ·Creative Commons Attribution 3.0·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
In plain words — none yet for this verse
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SourceTanzil Qur'an text (Simple) ·Simple, Version 1.1·Tanzil Project ·Creative Commons Attribution 3.0·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
SourceTanzil Qur'an text (Simple) ·Simple, Version 1.1·Tanzil Project ·Creative Commons Attribution 3.0·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
7 sources stand behind this page. Each is listed once, in the order the page first cites it, with the licence it was cleared under and what was actually read. Nothing on this page rests on a source that is not here.
CLEARED. Licence read verbatim from the block embedded in this very file. Ingested exactly as shipped: no normalisation, no stripping of marks, no Unicode recomposition.
CLEARED on a licence read first-hand from the translator's own download page, not from an aggregator. Tanzil also hosts this translation, but under a blanket "non-commercial purposes only" term that directs the user to the translator or publisher for permission - a hosting disclaimer, not a grant - so the grant was taken from the licensor directly. The "God" edition was ingested; ClearQuran also publishes an "Allah" edition, differing in how the divine name is rendered, which is not ingested.
CLEARED ON THE WORK, WITH TWO RECORDED CAVEATS ON THIS COPY. (1) Rights basis is the expired copyright term, NOT the redistributing repository's licence. That repository dedicates its contents to the public domain under the Unlicense while also redistributing plainly in-copyright translations (Abdel Haleem, Saheeh International, The Study Quran), so it is dedicating rights it cannot hold and its blanket grant is not relied upon here. (2) The file declares its own upstream as tanzil.net, and Tanzil attaches a non-commercial condition to its TRANSLATION distributions, though not to its Qur'anic text. Since Pickthall's copyright has expired, nobody holds rights in these words and no licence is required from anyone; Tanzil's terms are a contract binding those who download from Tanzil, which we did not. The chain is nonetheless not spotless and Anwar may prefer a clean digitisation of the 1930 printing. NOT VERIFIED: that this digital text matches the 1930 first printing rather than a later revised edition. No page images were collated. Recorded as unverified rather than presented as established. SERVED TEXT DIFFERS FROM THE CITED FILE AT ONE VERSE, 37:97: the file reads "red-hotfire" (a glued token, also in Gutenberg #16955); the served row reads "red-hot fire", restored 2026-09-13 from Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (London: George Allen & Unwin, printed for Alfred A. Knopf; 1930), p. 460, XXXVII 97 - scan archive.org in.ernet.dli.2015.216140, PDF page 475; banked data/derivation-sources/pickthall-1930-dli-2015.216140-text.pdf (sha256 70e81146c97fa3a590243a82e04e349108546074787e2551a78c616202138870) on Anwar Malik's grant.
CLEARED ON THE WORK. Term expired by every measure. The digital edition's upstream is not stated by the redistributor and the printing is unverified. No statement of purpose is recorded for Palmer because none was sourced from his own preface in this pass; nothing is asserted on his behalf.
CLEARED ON THE WORK. Term expired by every measure. TWO edition caveats. (1) The upstream is not stated by the redistributor. (2) Rodwell's own edition PRESENTS THE SURAHS IN HIS OWN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER, not the mushaf order — he says so in his preface. This digital text is keyed to mushaf order, so it derives from a restored-order printing (such as the Everyman edition) rather than from Rodwell's own arrangement. Which printing is not stated and has not been established.
CLEARED ON THE WORK. Term expired by every measure. The digital edition's upstream is NOT STATED by the redistributor, so the printing it represents is unverified; Sale's text was reprinted and re-edited many times between 1734 and 1900. Recorded as unverified rather than assumed to be the first edition.
CLEARED. Parallel edition, held in ayah_text_variants. It sits alongside the Uthmani spine for search normalisation and is never used to correct it.
Qur'anic text from the Tanzil Project. Copyright (C) 2007-2026 Tanzil Project License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Source: tanzil.net · Updates: tanzil.net/updates/ https://tanzil.net/updates/