Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And those past child-bearing among the women who have no hope of marriage: they do no wrong that they lay aside their garments, without displaying adornment; but that they refrain is best for them. And God is hearing and knowing.

وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَٓاءِ الّٰت۪ي لَا يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحاً فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ اَنْ يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَاتٍ بِز۪ينَةٍۜ وَاَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَهُنَّۜ وَاللّٰهُ سَم۪يعٌ عَل۪يمٌ
WalqawaAAidu mina annisa-iallatee la yarjoona nikahan falaysaAAalayhinna junahun an yadaAAna thiyabahunnaghayra mutabarrijatin bizeenatin waan yastaAAfifna khayrunlahunna wallahu sameeAAun AAaleem
#wordmeaningroot
1wal-qawāʿiduAnd postmenopausalقعد
2minaamong
3l-nisāithe womenنسو
4allātīwho
5(do) not
6yarjūnahave desireرجو
7nikāḥan(for) marriageنكح
8falaysathen not isليس
9ʿalayhinnaon them
10junāḥunany blameجنح
11anthat
12yaḍaʿnathey put asideوضع
13thiyābahunnatheir (outer) garmentsثوب
14ghayranotغير
15mutabarrijātindisplayingبرج
16bizīnatintheir adornmentزين
17wa-anAnd that
18yastaʿfif'nathey modestly refrainعفف
19khayrun(is) betterخير
20lahunnafor them
21wal-lahuAnd Allah
22samīʿun(is) All-Hearerسمع
23ʿalīmunAll-Knowerعلم
  • Aisha Bewley

    As for women who are past child-bearing age and no longer have any hope of getting married, there is nothing wrong in their removing their outer clothes, provided they do not flaunt their adornments; but to refrain from doing so is better for them. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And the women who are past child bearing and who do not seek to get married have no sin upon them if they put-off their garments, provided they are not adorned for beauty. And if they remain as they were, then it is better for them. God is Hearer, Knower.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    And the elderly women who have no interest in getting married, there is nothing wrong for them if they lay aside their outer garments in such a way as not to show adornment (24:31), (33:33). Even so, it is best for them to maintain modesty. Allah is Hearer, Knower.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And those past child-bearing among the women who have no hope of marriage: they do no wrong that they lay aside their garments, without displaying adornment; but that they refrain is best for them. And God is hearing and knowing.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And the women who are past child bearing, who no longer seek to get married, have no sin upon them if they put-off their garments, provided they are not adorned for beauty. And if they remain as they were, then it is better for them. God is Hearer, Knower.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    The women who are past child bearing and who do not seek to get married have no sin upon them if they put-off their garments, provided they do not display their attraction. If they remain as they were, then it is better for them. God is Hearer, Knower.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    The elderly women who do not expect to get married commit nothing wrong by relaxing their dress code, provided they do not reveal too much of their bodies. To maintain modesty is better for them. GOD is Hearer, Knower.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    As for your women past the age of bearing children, who have no hope of marriage, there is no harm if they take off their outer garments, but in such a way that they do not display their charms; yet if they avoid this it would be better for them. God is all-hearing and all-knowing.

  • Sahih International (Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)

    And women of post-menstrual age who have no desire for marriage - there is no blame upon them for putting aside their outer garments not displaying adornment. But to modestly refrain is better for them. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.

  • Muhammad Asad

    AND women advanced in years, who no longer feel any sexual desire, incur no sin if they discard their garments, provided they do not aim at a showy display of charms. But it is better for them to abstain : and God is all-hearing, all-knowing.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    As for women past child-bearing, who have no hope of marriage, it is no sin for them if they discard their (outer) clothing in such a way as not to show adornment. But to refrain is better for them. Allah is Hearer, Knower.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    The women who are past their youth (and can no longer bear children) and do not look forward to marriage* will incur no sin if they cast off their outer garments* without displaying their adornment.* But if they remain modest, that is still better for them. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And those of the women who are past reproductive life ( post menopausal) who have lost hope of matrimonial union are absolved to take oft their outer vestment provided they do not show or display any fictitious additions or adventitious ornaments which draw forth men's interest or cause them to come to them by influencing their appetites. However, if they conform their life and conduct to the principles of morality and use their outer garment, it is much better for them and may guard them against temptation and from being supposed. And Allah is Sami'un and 'Alimun

  • Bijan Moeinian

    The elderly women, who have given up the idea of marriage may relax their dress code, provided they do not reveal too much of their bodies. It will be the best, if they continue observing their dress code. Know that God hears everything and knows everything.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And as for women past child-bearing who do not expect wed-lock, it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer) clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment. But to refrain (i.e. not to discard their outer clothing) is better for them. And Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Such elderly women as are past the prospect of marriage,- there is no blame on them if they lay aside their (outer) garments, provided they make not a wanton display of their beauty: but it is best for them to be modest: and Allah is One Who sees and knows all things.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    As for elderly women past the age of marriage, there is no blame on them if they take off their ˹outer˺ garments, without revealing their adornments. But it is better for them if they avoid this ˹altogether˺. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

  • Taqi Usmani

    And those old women who have no hope for marriage, there is no sin on them, if they take off their (extra) clothes while they do not display their adornment. Still, that they refrain (even from this) is better for them. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

  • Abdul Haleem

    No blame will be attached to elderly women who are not hoping for sex, if they take off their outer garments without flaunting their charms, but it is preferable for them not to do this: God is all hearing, all seeing.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Such women as are past child- bearing and have no hope of marriage -- there is no fault in them that they put off their clothes, so be it that they flaunt no ornament; but to abstain is better for them; and God is All-hearing, All-knowing.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And those women who have stopped (child-bearing), who do not hope for a match, it is no crime on them that they put off their clothes so as not to display their ornaments; but that they abstain is better for them, for God both hears and knows.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And when your children reach puberty let them ask leave as those before them asked leave. Thus does Allah explain to you His revelations, for Allah is Knower, Wise.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And women sitting (advanced in years) who do not hope being married, then it is no fault in them that they lay aside their (outer) clothes, without flaunting their adornment; and to keep abstaining is more charitable for them, and Allah is Ever-Hearing, Ever-Knowing.

  • George Sale

    As to such women as are past child-bearing, who hope not to marry again, because of their advanced age; it shall be no crime in them, if they lay aside their outer garments, not shewing their ornaments; but if they abstain from this, it will be better for them. God both heareth and knoweth.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And such older women who are over the possible chances of marriage— There is no blame on them if they put away their (outer) garments, so long as they make not a willful show of their beauty: But it is best for them to be decent. And Allah is All Hearing (Sami’), All Knowing (Aleem).

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And (as to the elderly spinsters who are past child-bearing age and) who do not hope for sexual intercourse, it is no offence for them to lay aside their outer garments provided they do not do it to display their beauty. But if they abstain (even from that) it is much better for them. Indeed Allâh is All-Hearing, All- Knowing.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    As for women advanced in years who do not expect to marry, there will be no sin upon them if they put off their cloaks, without displaying their adornment. But it is better for them to be continent, and Allah is all-hearing, all-knowing.