Tafseer of The Believers · Al-Muminoon · 23:7
But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors -
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
Concerning His words: فَمَنِ ابْتَغَى وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ (But whoever seeks more than that): that is to say: whoever seeks for his private part a sexual intercourse other than with his wife or what his right hand possesses (mulk al-yamīn), فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ العَادُونَ (those are the transgressors): that is to say: they are the ones who overstep the limits of Allah — who pass beyond what Allah has permitted for them to what He has forbidden for them.
In the spirit of what we have said the exegetes also spoke.
Mention of those who said this:
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: he said: "Allah forbade them with a stern prohibition and said: فَمَنِ ابْتَغَى وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ (But whoever seeks more than that, those are the transgressors) — thus He named the fornicator (the one who commits zinā) one of the transgressors."
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning the words: فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ (those are the transgressors): he said: "Those who overstep the permitted to the forbidden."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, on the authority of Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, concerning the words: فَمَنِ ابْتَغَى وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ (But whoever seeks more than that, those are the transgressors): he said: "Whoever commits fornication (zanā) is a transgressor."
