Women
IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE DISPENSER OF GRACE[4:24]
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.

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* v.24 : The term muhsanah signifies literally “a woman who is fortified [against unchastity],” and carries three senses: (1) “a married woman,” (2) “a chaste woman,” and (3) “a free woman.” According to almost all the authorities, al-muhsanāt denotes in the above context “married women.” As for the expression mā malakat aymānukum (“those whom your right hands possess,” i.e., “those whom you rightfully possess”), it is often taken to mean female slaves captured in a war in God’s cause (see in this connection 8:67, and the corresponding note). The commentators who choose this meaning hold that such slave-girls can be taken in marriage irrespective of whether they have husbands in the country of their origin or not. However, quite apart from the fundamental differences of opinion, even among the Companions of the Prophet, regarding the legality of such a marriage, some of the most outstanding commentators hold the view that mā malakat aymānukum denotes here “women whom you rightfully possess through wedlock”; thus Rāzī in his commentary on this verse, and Tabarī in one of his alternative explanations (going back to ‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Abbās, Mujāhid, and others). Rāzī, in particular, points out that the reference to “all married women” (al-muhsanāt min an-nisā’), coming as it does after the enumeration of prohibited degrees of relationship, is meant to stress the prohibition of sexual relations with any woman other than one’s lawful wife.
* Lit., “with your possessions” – i.e., offering them, as the Law demands, an appropriate dower.
* Cf. verse 4 of this sūrah, and the corresponding note.