Forbidden to you are your mothers and daughters, your sisters, your aunts paternal and maternal, your brother's daughters, your sister's daughters, your mothers who have given suck to you, your suckling sisters, your wives' mothers, your stepdaughters who are in your care being born of your wives you have been in to -- but if you have not yet been in to them it is no fault in you - and the spouses of your sons who are of your loins, and that you should take to you two sisters together, unless it be a thing of the past; God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate; 23 ۞ Also (prohibited are) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess: Thus hath Allah ordained (Prohibitions) against you: Except for these, all others are lawful, provided ye seek (them in marriage) with gifts from your property,- desiring chastity, not lust, seeing that ye derive benefit from them, give them their dowers (at least) as prescribed; but if, after a dower is prescribed, agree Mutually (to vary it), there is no blame on you, and Allah is All-knowing, All-wise. 24 If any one of you do not have the affluence to be able marry free believing women, (let him marry) from among the believing women that your right hand owns. Allah knows best your belief, you are from each other. Marry them with the permission of their people and give them their wages (dowry) honorably being women in marriage and chaste, not taking lovers. If, after marriage they commit adultery, they shall be liable to half the punishment of a married (free) woman. That is for those of you who fear fornication, but it is better for you to be patient. Allah is the Forgiver, the Most Merciful. 25