But let them who find not [the means for] marriage abstain [from sexual relations] until Allāh enriches them from His bounty. And those who seek a contract [for eventual emancipation] from among whom your right hands possess1 - then make a contract with them if you know there is within them goodness and give them from the wealth of Allāh which He has given you. And do not compel your slave girls to prostitution, if they desire chastity, to seek [thereby] the temporary interests of worldly life. And if someone should compel them, then indeed, Allāh is [to them], after their compulsion, Forgiving and Merciful.
Translation: Saheeh International (English)
1 i.e., those slaves who desire to purchase their freedom from their owners for a price agreed upon by both.
فَكَاتِبُوهُمۡthen give them (the) writingfakātibūhum
إِنۡifin
عَلِمۡتُمۡyou knowʿalim'tum
فِيهِمۡin themfīhim
خَيۡرٗاۖany goodkhayran
وَءَاتُوهُمand give themwaātūhum
مِّنfrommin
مَّالِthe wealth of Allahmāli
ٱللَّهِthe wealth of Allahl-lahi
ٱلَّذِيٓwhichalladhī
ءَاتَىٰكُمۡۚHe has given youātākum
وَلَاAnd (do) notwalā
تُكۡرِهُواْcompeltuk'rihū
فَتَيَٰتِكُمۡyour slave girlsfatayātikum
عَلَىtoʿalā
ٱلۡبِغَآءِ[the] prostitutionl-bighāi
إِنۡifin
أَرَدۡنَthey desirearadna
تَحَصُّنٗاchastitytaḥaṣṣunan
لِّتَبۡتَغُواْthat you may seeklitabtaghū
عَرَضَtemporary gainʿaraḍa
ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ(of) the lifel-ḥayati
ٱلدُّنۡيَاۚ(of) the worldl-dun'yā
وَمَنAnd whoeverwaman
يُكۡرِههُّنَّcompels themyuk'rihhunna
فَإِنَّthen indeedfa-inna
ٱللَّهَAllahl-laha
مِنۢaftermin
بَعۡدِafterbaʿdi
إِكۡرَٰهِهِنَّtheir compulsionik'rāhihinna
غَفُورٞ(is) Oft-Forgivingghafūrun
رَّحِيمٞMost Mercifulraḥīmun
Tafsir
Those who are unable to marry due to their poverty should seek chastity from fornication until Allah makes them wealthy through His vast grace. Those servants who wish to make a contract with their masters, to give money so that they can be free, their masters should accept that of them if they know they have the ability to fulfil and are upright in religion. It is necessary upon them to give them from the wealth Allah has granted them, by discounting them a portion of what they agreed to pay. And do not force your slave girls to fornicate, in pursuit of wealth, as Abdullah ibn Ubayy did with his two slave girls when they requested chastity and staying far from fornication, to seek what she earns through her private parts. Whoever forces them to do that, Allah is Forgiving of their sins after their being forced and Merciful to them, because they are being forced, and the sin is upon the one who forces them.