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Practice these MCQs in the appQuick fact: Al-Muhsanāt in Surah An-Noor refers to chaste married women.
The term "Al-Muhsanāt" in Surah An-Noor (24:4, 24:23) linguistically derives from "ihsān" meaning fortification or protection. In Islamic legal terminology, it refers specifically to chaste, married women who are protected by the bond of marriage. The Quran prescribes severe punishment (80 lashes) for those who falsely accuse Al-Muhsanāt of adultery (Qadhf) without producing four witnesses, emphasizing the gravity of slandering a married woman's honor.
Surah An-Noor (Chapter 24) is a Madinan surah that lays down important social and moral regulations. The concept of Muhsanāt is central to the law of Qadhf (false accusation of adultery) mentioned in verses 4 and 23. The term also appears in Surah An-Nisa (4:24-25) with similar connotations. The protection of chaste women's reputation is so important in Islam that the punishment for Qadhf is fixed at eighty lashes, and the accuser's testimony becomes permanently inadmissible.
