If any of your women is guilty of unnatural offence, bring four of your witnesses to give evidence; if they testify against them, retain them in the houses until death overtakes them or God provides some other way for them. 15 If two among you commit it punish them both. If they repent and make amends, leave them alone. Allah is the Relenter, the Merciful. 16 (And remember that) Allah's acceptance of repentance is only for those who commit evil out of ignorance and then soon repent. It is towards such persons that Allah turns graciously. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. 17 There is no forgiveness for those who commit sin and do not repent until the last moment of their lives nor for those who die as unbelievers. For these people We have prepared a painful torment. 18 O Ye who believe! it is not allowed unto you that ye may heir the women forcibly; nor shut them up that ye may take away from them part of that which ye had given them, except when they be guilty of manifest enormity. And live with them reputably; if ye detest them, belike ye detest a thing and yet Allah hath placed therein abundant good. 19 But if you intend to replace a wife by another and you have given one of them a Cantar (of gold i.e. a great amount) as Mahr, take not the least bit of it back; would you take it wrongfully without a right and (with) a manifest sin? 20 And how could ye take it when ye have gone in unto each other, and they have Taken from you a solemn covenant? 21 And marry not woman whom your fathers married, except what has already passed; this surely is indecent and hateful, and it is an evil way. 22