batch.motif.islamic-koran-sale-gutenberg-l12472-l12544
---
record_id: batch.motif.islamic-koran-sale-gutenberg-l12472-l12544
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
passage_locator:
label: CHAPTER III. / IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD. / CHAPTER IV. / IN THE
NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD; lines 12472-12544
start: '12472'
end: '12544'
translation: The Koran (Al-Qur'an)
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: The passage gives legal and moral instructions to believers concerning
marriage with believing maid-servants, consent and dower, punishment for adultery,
restraint from illicit wealth and self-killing, divine mercy and judgment, cleansing
of lesser faults when grave sins are avoided, entrance into paradise, and equitable
portions for men and women according to what they gain. Notes explain several
legal and interpretive points, including the meaning of grievous sins and 'slay
not your souls.'
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Believers without sufficient means to marry free believing women are permitted
to marry believing maid-servants possessed by their right hands, with the masters'
consent and with dower given according to justice.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The maid-servants to be married are described as true believers, modest, not
guilty of whoredom, and not entertaining lovers.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: If married maid-servants commit adultery, they are assigned half the punishment
appointed for free women.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The passage states that God declares these things, directs believers according
to earlier ordinances, and is knowing and wise.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: Those who follow their lusts are said to desire that believers turn far aside
from the truth.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: Believers are instructed not to consume wealth among themselves in vanity,
except through merchandising by mutual consent.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: Believers are instructed not to slay themselves or their souls.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:8
- id: obs:8
text: A person who acts maliciously and wickedly in this matter is threatened with
being cast into hell fire.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:9
text: Avoiding grievous forbidden sins is followed by cleansing from smaller faults
and introduction into paradise with an honourable entry.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:10
text: Men and women are each said to receive a portion of what they have gained,
and believers are told to ask God of his bounty.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:11
text: A note explains 'slay not your souls' as possibly referring to mortal sins,
self-murder, or killing a true believer.
category: other
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:12
text: A note reports several interpretations of the grievous sins, including a list
of seven sins in a tradition attributed to Mohammed.
category: other
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: God
description: The divine speaker or agent who knows faith, declares ordinances, is
gracious and merciful, judges wicked action, cleanses faults, introduces into
paradise, bestows bounty, and is omniscient.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:9
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: true believers
description: The addressed community receiving instructions about marriage, wealth,
killing, sin, and asking God for bounty.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:9
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: believing maid-servants
description: Maid-servants possessed by the believers' right hands, described as
true believers and potential spouses under specified conditions.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: free believing women
description: Free women who are believers and serve as the comparison class for
marriage means and punishment.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: those who follow their lusts
description: A group said to desire that believers turn aside from the truth with
great deviation.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: malicious and wicked offender
description: Whoever acts maliciously and wickedly in the prohibited matter is threatened
with hell fire.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: men
description: Men are said to receive a portion of what they have gained.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: women
description: Women are said to receive a portion of what they have gained.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
roles:
- id: role:1
label: divine lawgiver and guide
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: God declares the instructions and directs believers according to ordinances.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:2
label: divine judge and benefactor
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: God threatens hell fire for wicked action, cleanses smaller faults, introduces
into paradise, and gives bounty.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:9
- id: role:3
label: addressed religious community
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The passage repeatedly addresses 'true believers' with commands and permissions.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- id: role:4
label: permitted marriage partners under conditions
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Believing maid-servants may be married with consent and dower if the believer
lacks means to marry free believing women.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:5
label: free-status comparison group
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Free believing women are the preferred marriage category and the benchmark
for punishment.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:6
label: tempting deviators
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Those who follow lusts desire that believers turn aside from truth.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:7
label: condemned transgressor
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The malicious and wicked actor is threatened with being cast into hell fire.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:8
label: recipients of earned portions
assigned_to:
- fig:7
- fig:8
basis: The passage assigns men and women portions of what they have gained.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: hell fire
literal_form: fire of hell into which the malicious and wicked offender is cast
to be broiled
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:2
label: paradise
literal_form: paradise entered with an honourable entry after grave sins are avoided
and lesser faults cleansed
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: sym:3
label: dower
literal_form: dower given to maid-servants according to justice as part of marriage
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:4
label: wealth
literal_form: wealth not to be consumed among believers in vanity, except through
merchandising by mutual consent
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:5
label: grievous sins
literal_form: grave forbidden sins whose avoidance is linked to cleansing from smaller
faults
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:10
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Conditional marriage permission
summary: Believers who lack means to marry free believing women are allowed to marry
believing maid-servants, with consent, just dower, and moral conditions specified.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Punishment rule for adultery
summary: Married maid-servants guilty of adultery are assigned half the punishment
of free women.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Divine guidance and human weakness
summary: God is said to declare and guide by earlier ordinances, while those following
lusts seek deviation; God makes religion light because man was created weak.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:5
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: scene:4
label: Prohibitions concerning wealth and killing
summary: Believers are told not to consume wealth vainly except through mutual trade
and not to slay themselves or their souls.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:8
- id: scene:5
label: Judgment by fire and reward of paradise
summary: The malicious and wicked offender is threatened with hell fire, while those
avoiding grievous sins are cleansed of smaller faults and brought into paradise.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: scene:6
label: Portions and divine bounty
summary: Believers are told not to covet unequal bestowals; men and women each receive
portions of what they have gained and are to ask God for bounty.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: divine judgment through punishment and reward
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: The passage contrasts the casting of a wicked offender into hell fire with
cleansing from lesser faults and honourable entry into paradise for those who
avoid grave sins.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
confidence: high
cautions: The motif is expressed in legal-admonitory form rather than narrative
myth.
- id: motif:2
label: moral purification before blessed entry
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Avoidance of grievous sins is followed by cleansing from smaller faults and
entry into paradise.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage does not describe a journey or ritual sequence in detail.
- id: motif:3
label: divine wisdom and merciful guidance
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: God is described as knowing and wise, gracious and merciful, declaring ordinances
and making religion light for weak humanity.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The available taxonomy reference 'wisdom' is broad; the passage presents
divine legal instruction rather than a wisdom tale.
- id: motif:4
label: regulated exchange in marriage and commerce
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_exchange
basis: The passage regulates dower in marriage and permits trade by mutual consent
while forbidding vain consumption of wealth.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
confidence: low
cautions: The passage is legal and ethical; the 'sacred_exchange' taxonomy fit is
tentative.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: A translator's note compares the reported list of seven grievous sins to
the Christian category of deadly sins by number.
claim_level: same_function
target: Christian deadly sins
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: low
limitations: This comparison appears in the commentary note rather than the main
passage, and the note reports multiple Islamic interpretations of the grievous
sins.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 12472-12478
quote_or_summary: Believers lacking means to marry free believing women may marry
believing maid-servants possessed by their right hands, with masters' consent
and just dower; the women are to be modest and not sexually illicit.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: 12479-12483
quote_or_summary: When married maid-servants are guilty of adultery, they receive
half the punishment appointed for free women; abstaining from marrying slaves
is said to be better, and God is gracious and merciful.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: 12484-12487
quote_or_summary: God is willing to declare these things, direct believers according
to ordinances of those before them, and be merciful; God is knowing and wise.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 12488-12491
quote_or_summary: God desires to be gracious, while those who follow lusts desire
believers to deviate from truth; God makes religion light because man was created
weak.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: 12492-12495
quote_or_summary: True believers are told not to consume wealth among themselves
in vanity except by mutual merchandising, and not to slay themselves, for God
is merciful.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:6
type: quote
locator: 12496-12498
quote_or_summary: '"he will surely cast him to be broiled in hell fire"'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: 12499-12501
quote_or_summary: If believers turn aside from grievous forbidden sins, they will
be cleansed from smaller faults and introduced into paradise with an honourable
entry.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: 12520-12524
quote_or_summary: The note says 'slay not your souls' is interpreted as forbidding
mortal sins, self-murder, or killing a true believer.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: 12502-12506
quote_or_summary: Believers are told not to covet what God has bestowed unequally;
men and women each receive a portion of what they have gained, and believers should
ask God of his bounty.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: 12526-12535
quote_or_summary: 'The note reports interpretations of grievous sins, including
a tradition listing seven sins: idolatry, murder, falsely accusing modest women,
wasting orphans'' substance, usury, desertion in a religious expedition, and disobedience
to parents; it notes the number equals Christian deadly sins.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: low
notes: Extraction is based on a supplied public-domain English translation and its
notes. Motif assignment is cautious because the passage is primarily legal and
ethical rather than narrative.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Used only the supplied passage text and metadata. Long quotations were avoided in favor of summaries.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:islamic-koran-sale-gutenberg__l12472-l12544
passage_sha256=ff1765c21a26e878af6eb1673e3f98a8971191c618e1c915af6bd2bdf18d3125