with kindness," meaning: what they have agreed upon regarding the dowry. "Being chaste, not committing unlawful intercourse," meaning: married, not adulterous. "Nor taking secret lovers." "Musafaha" (unlawful intercourse) is public adultery, and the "Dhat al-Khidan" (one having a secret lover) is she who had a male companion in secret. "And when they are married," Qatada said: meaning, when marriage has protected them. "Then if they should commit an indecency," meaning: adultery, "upon them is half of the punishment for free, chaste women," meaning: the free women, "of the punishment," meaning: of the lashing; she is lashed fifty lashes, there is no stoning for her even if she has a husband. "That is for whoever among you fears sin," Qatada said: Allah only permitted the marriage of believing slave girls for whoever feared sin for himself—and the "Anat" (sin/hardship) is distress—meaning: he cannot find the means to maintain chastity, and he cannot be patient and thus commits adultery. "And to be patient is better for you," meaning: better than marrying slave girls.
بِالْمَعْرُوفِ﴾ يَعْنِي: مَا تراضوا عَلَيْهِ من الْمهْر ﴿محصنات غير مسافحات﴾ يَعْنِي: ناكحات غير زانيات ﴿وَلا متخذات أخدان﴾ المسافحة: المجاهرة بِالزِّنَا، وَذَات الخدن: الَّتِي كَانَ لَهَا خَلِيل فِي السِّرّ ﴿فَإِذا أحصن﴾ قَالَ قَتَادَة: يَعْنِي: أحصنتهن البعولة ﴿فَإِن أتين بِفَاحِشَة﴾ يَعْنِي: الزِّنَا ﴿فَعَلَيْهِنَّ نِصْفُ مَا على الْمُحْصنَات﴾ يَعْنِي: الْحَرَائِر ﴿من الْعَذَاب﴾ يَعْنِي: من الْجلد؛ تجلد خمسين جلدَة لَيْسَ عَلَيْهَا رجم، وَإِن كَانَ لَهَا زوج. ﴿ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ الْعَنَتَ مِنْكُم﴾ قَالَ قَتَادَة: إِنَّمَا أَمر الله نِكَاح الْإِمَاء الْمُؤْمِنَات لمن خشِي الْعَنَت على نَفسه - والعنت: الضّيق - أَي: لايجد مَا يستعف بِهِ، وَلَا يصبر فيزني. ﴿وَأَنْ تَصْبِرُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ﴾ يَعْنِي: عَن نِكَاح الْإِمَاء.
