Any of you who cannot afford to marry respectable believing matrons, should then [seek] one of your believing maids under your control. God is quite Aware as to what your faith consists of. Each one of you has ties to others, so marry them off with their family's consent and give them their marriage portions decently as matrons rather than taking them on as mistresses, nor having [any secret affairs with] them as girlfriends. Once they are so married off and should they then commit some sexual offence, they should have half the punishment that [ordinary] matrons would receive. That goes for any of you who worries lest he may not control his [sexual] impulses however it is better for you to discipline yourselves. God is Forgiving, Merciful.