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 whoever among you does not have in marriage free, believing women due to poverty, should marry from the believing bondwomen you own; and Allah knows well your faith; you are from one another; therefore marry them with the permission of their masters, and give them their bridal money according to custom, they becoming (faithful) wives, not committing mischief or secretly making friends; so when they are married and commit the shameful, for them is half the punishment prescribed for free women; this is for one among you who fears falling into adultery; and to practice patience is better for you; and Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. 25