“Also forbidden to you are married women, except those whom your right hands possess. This is Allah’s decree binding upon you. Lawful to you are all beyond these, provided that you seek them with your wealth, desiring chastity and not fornication. So give those from whom you have enjoyed marriage their bridal dues as an obligation. There is no blame upon you concerning whatever you mutually agree to after the obligation has been set. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

And among those forbidden in marriage are “married women,” meaning women who have husbands. It is forbidden to marry them while they remain bound in marriage, until they are divorced and their waiting periods have ended. “Except those whom your right hands possess” means those acquired through captivity. If a married unbelieving woman is taken captive, she becomes lawful to the Muslims once it has been established that her womb is free of pregnancy. However, if a married bondwoman is sold or given as a gift, her marriage is not annulled, because the second owner takes the place of the first. This is also indicated by the story of Barīra, when the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—gave her the choice.

His words, “This is Allah’s decree binding upon you,” mean: Adhere to it and seek guidance through it, for it contains healing and light, and distinguishes in detail between what is lawful and what is forbidden.

His words, “Lawful to you are all beyond these,” include everything not mentioned in this verse, for it is lawful and wholesome. What is forbidden is restricted and finite, whereas what is lawful has neither limit nor number—all as a kindness and mercy from Allah and to make matters easy for His servants.

His words, “provided that you seek them with your wealth,” mean that you may seek whichever women you desire and choose from among those Allah has made lawful to you, while “desiring chastity”—that is, refraining from fornication and preserving the chastity of your wives.

“And not fornicators.” The term safḥ (pouring forth) refers to the discharge of sexual fluid, whether lawfully or unlawfully. A man who engages in fornication does not preserve his wife’s chastity, because he directs his desire toward what is forbidden; his desire for what is lawful consequently weakens, and he no longer keeps his wife chaste. This also indicates that an unchaste man should not be married off, in accordance with Allah’s words: “A man who fornicates may marry only a woman who fornicates or a polytheist, and a woman who fornicates may be married only by a man who fornicates or a polytheist.”

“So give those from whom you have enjoyed marriage”—meaning those whom you have married—“their bridal dues”; that is, their bridal dues are given in return for marital enjoyment. Hence, once a husband consummates the marriage with his wife, her full dower becomes binding upon him. “As an obligation” means that giving them their bridal dues is a duty Allah has imposed upon you. It is not like a voluntary gift, which a person may either carry through or withdraw. Alternatively, “as an obligation” means a fixed amount that you have determined; it has therefore become binding upon you, so do not reduce it in any way.

“There is no blame upon you concerning whatever you mutually agree to after the obligation has been set.” This refers to any increase offered by the husband or any amount willingly waived by the wife, provided that it is done with her consent and wholehearted approval. [Many commentators hold this view. Many others have said that it was revealed concerning temporary marriage with women, which was lawful at the beginning of Islam but was subsequently prohibited by the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—and that its duration and payment were to be specified. Then, when the agreed term expired, if the two mutually agreed to something after the stipulated obligation, there was no blame upon them. Allah knows best]. (1)

“Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise”—that is, perfect and vast in knowledge, and perfect in wisdom. It is therefore out of His knowledge and wisdom that He has prescribed these laws for you and established these boundaries separating the lawful from the forbidden.

(1) An addition from the margin of manuscript Bāʾ. The addition is unclear, and I completed it from the Salafiyya edition.