Forbidden unto you are your mothers and your daughters and your sisters and your father's sisters and your mother's sisters and your brother's daughters and your sister's daughters and your foster mothers and your foster sisters and the mothers of your wives and your step-daughters that are in your wards born of your wives unto whom ye have gone in, but if ye have not gone in unto them no sin shall be on you, and the wives of your sons that are from your own loins and also that ye should have two sisters together, except that which hath already passed; verily Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful. 23 ۞ And [forbidden to you are] all married women other than those whom you rightfully possess [through wedlock]: this is God's ordinance, binding upon you. But lawful to you are all [women] beyond these, for you to seek out, offering them of your possessions, taking them in honest wedlock, and not in fornication. And unto those with whom you desire to enjoy marriage, you shall give the dowers due to them; but you will incur no sin if, after [having agreed upon] this lawful due, you freely agree with one another upon anything [else]: behold, God is indeed all-knowing, wise. 24 And whoso is not able to afford to marry free, believing women, let them marry from the believing maids whom your right hands possess. Allah knoweth best (concerning) your faith. Ye (proceed) one from another; so wed them by permission of their folk, and give unto them their portions in kindness, they being honest, not debauched nor of loose conduct. And if when they are honourably married they commit lewdness they shall incur the half of the punishment (prescribed) for free women (in that case). This is for him among you who feareth to commit sin. But to have patience would be better for you. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. 25