Quran Universe
24:3

ٱلزَّانِي لَا يَنكِحُ إِلَّا زَانِيَةً أَوۡ مُشۡرِكَةٗ وَٱلزَّانِيَةُ لَا يَنكِحُهَآ إِلَّا زَانٍ أَوۡ مُشۡرِكٞۚ وَحُرِّمَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ

Alzzanee la yankihu illa zaniyatan aw mushrikatan waalzzaniyatu la yankihuha illa zanin aw mushrikun wahurrima thalika AAala almumineena

The fornicator does not marry except a [female] fornicator or polytheist, and none marries her except a fornicator or a polytheist, and that has been made unlawful to the believers.

Word by word
  1. ٱلزَّانِيThe fornicator
  2. لَا(will) not
  3. يَنكِحُmarry
  4. إِلَّاexcept
  5. زَانِيَةًa fornicatress
  6. أَوۡor
  7. مُشۡرِكَةٗa polytheist woman
  8. وَٱلزَّانِيَةُand the fornicatress
  9. لَا(will) not
  10. يَنكِحُهَآmarry her
  11. إِلَّاexcept
  12. زَانٍa fornicator
  13. أَوۡor
  14. مُشۡرِكٞۚa polytheist man
  15. وَحُرِّمَAnd is forbidden
  16. ذَٰلِكَthat
  17. عَلَىto
  18. ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَthe believers
An-Nur · 24:3Madinah

Who you bind your life to says who you are becoming.

Like is drawn to like in the choice of a spouse

What the verse observes
an open sinnerwho sees no wrong in it
is matched with
the sameor one who denies it is wrong
but
the believerskept away from this
What a marriage choice is
just chemistrycharacter comes later
a mirrorchastity seeks chastity

Ibn Kathir reports that a believer asked the Prophet ﷺ about marrying a woman known for selling herself, who had offered to support him. The Prophet ﷺ recited this verse in reply. Qatadah and Muqatil said it kept believers from marrying into open immorality.

Your friend is choosing someone mostly for the money, the looks, or the follower count. You know the values do not match, but nobody says it. This verse says it plainly: the person you choose shapes the home you will live in.

Character can be fixed after the wedding.

The character I look for in a spouse shows the character I want for myself.

Try this

Write down the three qualities you would most want in a life partner. Ask if you are building them in yourself.

Related4:255:5
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

The Zani marries not but a Zaniyah or a Mushrikah; and the Zaniyah, none marries her except a Zani or a Mushrik. Such a thing is forbidden to the believers (3)

Here Allah tells us that the Zani (male who is guilty of illegal sex) does not have intercourse except with a Zaniyah (female who is guilty of illegal sex) or a Mushrikah (female idolator), meaning that no one would go along with him in this action except a sinful woman who is also guilty of Zina, or a Mushrikah who does not think it is unlawful. By the same token,

وَالزَّانِيَةُ لَا يَنكِحُهَا إِلَّا زَانٍ

(and the Zaniyah, none marries her except a Zani) a sinful man who is guilty of fornication,

 أَوْ مُشْرِكٌ

(or a Mushrik)(a man) who does not think it is unlawful.

وَحُرِّمَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

(Such a thing is forbidden to the believers.) meaning, indulging in this, or marrying prostitutes, or marrying chaste women to immoral men. Qatadah and Muqatil bin Hayyan said: "Allah forbade the believers from marrying prostitutes." This Ayah is like the Ayah (about marrying slave-girls):

مُحْصَنَاتٍ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحَاتٍ وَلَا مُتَّخِذَاتِ أَخْدَانٍ

(they should be chaste, not committing illegal sex, nor taking boyfriends.)(4:25) And His saying:

مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحِينَ وَلَا مُتَّخِذِي أَخْدَانٍ

(desiring chastity not committing illegal sexual intercourse, nor taking them as girlfriends)(5:5).

Imam Ahmad recorded that 'Abdullah bin 'Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, said that a man among the believers asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for permission (to marry) a woman known as Umm Mahzul, who used to commit adultery, and who had stated the condition that she should spend on him. So he asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for permission, or he mentioned the matter to him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited to him:

الزَّانِي لَا يَنكِحُ إِلَّا زَانِيَةً أَوْ مُشْرِكَةً وَالزَّانِيَةُ لَا يَنكِحُهَا إِلَّا زَانٍ أَوْ مُشْرِكٌ ۚ وَحُرِّمَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

(The Zani marries not but a Zaniyah or a Mushrikah; and the Zaniyah, none marries her except Zani or a Mushrik. Such a thing is forbidden to the believers.)(24:3)

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said,

لَا يَنْكِحُ الزَّانِي الْمَجْلُودُ إِلَّا مِثْلَهُ

(A Zani who has been flogged should not marry anyone except someone who is like him.) A similar report was recorded by Abu Dawud in his Sunan.