walā tankiḥū mā nakaḥa ābāukum mina l-nisāi illā mā qad salafa innahu kāna fāḥishatan wamaqtan wasāa sabīlan
Translation
And do not marry those [women] whom your fathers married, except what has already occurred.175 Indeed, it was an immorality and hateful [to Allāh] and was evil as a way.
Notes
[175] Before Islām. After the ruling was revealed by Allāh, men were required to release those women unlawful to them (e.g., a stepmother, one of two sisters, or any wives over the limit of four). The same obligation applies to one once he has accepted Islām.
Verse 22 of Surah An-Nisa (4:22), a Medinan surah, is in juz 4, on page 81 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 22 of Surah An-Nisa
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Tafsir of verse 22
Al-Mukhtasar
Do not marry women whom your fathers married. That is forbidden, unless it happened before in the time of ignorance, in which case you will not be taken to account for it. Sons marrying the wives of their fathers is a shameful practice, a cause for earning Allah’s anger.
Do not marry the women whom your fathers married, except what happened in the past: it is indeed a shameful, detestable, and evil practice.
And marry not women whom your fathers married, except what has already passed; indeed it was shameful and most hateful, and an evil way.
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.
And marry not women whom your fathers married,- except what is past: It was shameful and odious,- an abominable custom indeed.
And marry not woman whom your fathers married, except what has already passed; this surely is indecent and hateful, and it is an evil way.
And do not marry women that your fathers married, except what has already gone by; surely that is an obscenity and detestation, and an odious way.
Say, "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited to you. [He commands] that you not associate anything with Him, and to parents, good treatment, and do not kill your children out of poverty; We will provide for you and them. And do not approach immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed. And do not kill the soul which Allāh has forbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right. This has He instructed you that you may use reason."
Prohibited to you [for marriage] are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father's sisters, your mother's sisters, your brother's daughters, your sister's daughters, your [milk] mothers who nursed you, your sisters through nursing, your wives' mothers, and your step-daughters under your guardianship [born] of your wives unto whom you have gone in. But if you have not gone in unto them, there is no sin upon you. And [also prohibited are] the wives of your sons who are from your [own] loins, and that you take [in marriage] two sisters simultaneously, except for what has already occurred. Indeed, Allāh is ever Forgiving and Merciful.
And [also prohibited to you are all] married women except those your right hands possess. [This is] the decree of Allāh upon you. And lawful to you are [all others] beyond these, [provided] that you seek them [in marriage] with [gifts from] your property, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse. So for whatever you enjoy [of marriage] from them, give them their due compensation as an obligation. And there is no blame upon you for what you mutually agree to beyond the obligation. Indeed, Allāh is ever Knowing and Wise.
