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 ۞ Also forbidden are married women unless they are captives (of war). Such is the decree of God. Lawful for you are women besides these if you seek them with your wealth for wedlock and not for debauchery. Then give those of these women you have enjoyed, the agreed dower. It will not be sinful if you agree to something (else) by mutual consent after having settled the dowry. God is certainly all-knowing and all-wise. 24 Any one of you who has not the affluence to be able to marry believing freewomen in wedlock, let him take believing handmaids that your right hands own; God knows very well your faith; the one of you is as the other. So marry them, with their people's leave, and give them their wages honourably as women in wedlock, not as in licence or taking lovers. But when they are in wedlock, if they commit indecency, they shall be liable to half the chastisement of freewomen. That provision is for those of you who fear fornication; yet it is better for you to be patient. God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate. 25