Other translations of verse 33
Let those who cannot afford marriage keep themselves chaste until Allah suffices them from His bounty. If any of your slaves wishes to enter the contract of emancipation24, make this contract with them, if you find goodness in them, and give them some of the wealth that Allah has given you. Do not compel your slave girls into prostitution – if they wish to keep chaste – seeking the worldly gains of this life25. But if anyone compels them, then Allah, after such a compulsion, is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Notes
[24] i.e., those slaves who want to purchase their freedom for a specific price.
[25] As happened with Abdullah ibn ’Ubayy, the head of the hypocrites, who forced his two slave-girls to commit illegal sexual acts for worldly gains, while they wished to keep chaste.
And let those who find not the financial means for marriage keep themselves chaste, until Allâh enriches them of His Bounty. And such of your slaves as seek a writing (of emancipation), give them such writing, if you find that there is good and honesty in them. And give them something (yourselves) out of the wealth of Allâh which He has bestowed upon you. And force not your maids to prostitution, if they desire chastity, in order that you may make a gain in the (perishable) goods of this worldly life. But if anyone compels them (to prostitution), then after such compulsion, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (to those women, i.e. He will forgive them because they have been forced to do this evil act unwillingly).
And let those who cannot find a match keep chaste till Allah give them independence by His grace. And such of your slaves as seek a writing (of emancipation), write it for them if ye are aware of aught of good in them, and bestow upon them of the wealth of Allah which He hath bestowed upon you. Force not your slave-girls to whoredom that ye may seek enjoyment of the life of the world, if they would preserve their chastity. And if one force them, then (unto them), after their compulsion, lo! Allah will be Forgiving, Merciful.
Let those who find not the wherewithal for marriage keep themselves chaste, until Allah gives them means out of His grace. And if any of your slaves ask for a deed in writing (to enable them to earn their freedom for a certain sum), give them such a deed if ye know any good in them: yea, give them something yourselves out of the means which Allah has given to you. But force not your maids to prostitution when they desire chastity, in order that ye may make a gain in the goods of this life. But if anyone compels them, yet, after such compulsion, is Allah, Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (to them),
And let those who do not find the means to marry keep chaste until Allah makes them free from want out of His grace. And (as for) those who ask for a writing from among those whom your right hands possess, give them the writing if you know any good in them, and give them of the wealth of Allah which He has given you; and do not compel your slave girls to prostitution, when they desire to keep chaste, in order to seek the frail good of this world's life; and whoever compels them, then surely after their compulsion Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
And let the ones who do not find (the means) to wed keep abstaining until Allah enriches them of His Grace. And the ones your right hands possess who seek the Book, (Contract of emancipation) then contract with them (accordingly), in case you know that they are in charitable circumstances. And bring them of the wealth of Allah that He has brought you. And do not compel your handmaids to prostitution, in case they are willing to be chaste, (Literally: to be in wedlock) that you may inequitably seek the advantages of the present life; (Literally: the lowly life, i.e., the life of this world) and whoever compels them, then surely Allah, even after their being compelled, is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Merciful.
