Surah 4. An-Nisa

---

Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-14 [2], 15-22 [3], 23-25 [4], 26-33 [5], 34-42 [6], 43-50 [7], 51-56 [8], 57-70 [9], 71-76 [10], 77-87 [11], 88-91 [12], 92-96 [13], 97-100 [14], 101-104 [15], 105-112 [16], 113-115 [17], 116-126 [18], 127-134 [19], 135-141 [20], 142-152 [21], 153-162 [22], 163-171 [23], 172-176 [24]

---

Quran Text of Verse 127-134وَ یَسْتَفْتُوْنَكَAnd they seek your rulingفِیconcerningالنِّسَآءِ ؕthe womenقُلِSayاللّٰهُAllahیُفْتِیْكُمْgives you the rulingفِیْهِنَّ ۙabout themوَ مَاand whatیُتْلٰیis recitedعَلَیْكُمْto youفِیinالْكِتٰبِthe Bookفِیْconcerningیَتٰمَیorphansالنِّسَآءِ[the] girlsالّٰتِیْ(to) whomلَاnotتُؤْتُوْنَهُنَّ(do) you give themمَاwhatكُتِبَis ordainedلَهُنَّfor themوَ تَرْغَبُوْنَand you desireاَنْtoتَنْكِحُوْهُنَّmarry themوَ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِیْنَand the ones who are weakمِنَofالْوِلْدَانِ ۙthe childrenوَ اَنْand toتَقُوْمُوْاstandلِلْیَتٰمٰیfor orphansبِالْقِسْطِ ؕwith justiceوَ مَاAnd whateverتَفْعَلُوْاyou doمِنْofخَیْرٍgoodفَاِنَّthen indeedاللّٰهَAllahكَانَisبِهٖabout itعَلِیْمًا All-Knowing 4. An-Nisa Page 99وَ اِنِAnd ifامْرَاَةٌa womanخَافَتْfearsمِنْۢfromبَعْلِهَاher husbandنُشُوْزًاill-conductاَوْorاِعْرَاضًاdesertionفَلَاthen (there is) noجُنَاحَsinعَلَیْهِمَاۤon both of themاَنْthatیُّصْلِحَاthey make terms of peaceبَیْنَهُمَاbetween themselvesصُلْحًا ؕa reconciliationوَ الصُّلْحُand [the] reconciliationخَیْرٌ ؕ(is) bestوَ اُحْضِرَتِAnd are swayedالْاَنْفُسُthe soulsالشُّحَّ ؕ(by) greedوَ اِنْBut ifتُحْسِنُوْاyou do goodوَ تَتَّقُوْاand fear (Allah)فَاِنَّthen indeedاللّٰهَAllahكَانَisبِمَاof whatتَعْمَلُوْنَyou doخَبِیْرًا All-Aware وَ لَنْAnd neverتَسْتَطِیْعُوْۤاwill you be ableاَنْtoتَعْدِلُوْاdeal justlyبَیْنَbetweenالنِّسَآءِ[the] womenوَ لَوْeven ifحَرَصْتُمْyou desiredفَلَاbut (do) notتَمِیْلُوْاinclineكُلَّ(with) allالْمَیْلِthe inclinationفَتَذَرُوْهَاand leave her (the other)كَالْمُعَلَّقَةِ ؕlike the suspended oneوَ اِنْAnd ifتُصْلِحُوْاyou reconcileوَ تَتَّقُوْاand fear (Allah)فَاِنَّthen indeedاللّٰهَAllahكَانَisغَفُوْرًاOft-Forgivingرَّحِیْمًا Most Merciful وَ اِنْAnd ifیَّتَفَرَّقَاthey separateیُغْنِwill be enrichedاللّٰهُ(by) Allahكُلًّاeach (of them)مِّنْfromسَعَتِهٖ ؕHis abundanceوَ كَانَand isاللّٰهُAllahوَاسِعًاAll-Encompassingحَكِیْمًا All-Wise وَ لِلّٰهِAnd for Allahمَا(is) whateverفِی(is) inالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ مَاand whateverفِی(is) inالْاَرْضِ ؕthe earthوَ لَقَدْAnd surelyوَصَّیْنَاWe have instructedالَّذِیْنَthose whoاُوْتُواwere givenالْكِتٰبَthe Bookمِنْfromقَبْلِكُمْbefore youوَ اِیَّاكُمْand yourselvesاَنِthatاتَّقُواyou fearاللّٰهَ ؕAllahوَ اِنْBut ifتَكْفُرُوْاyou disbelieveفَاِنَّthen indeedلِلّٰهِfor Allahمَا(is) whateverفِی(is) inالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ مَاand whateverفِی(is) inالْاَرْضِ ؕthe earthوَ كَانَAnd isاللّٰهُAllahغَنِیًّاFree of needحَمِیْدًا Praiseworthy وَ لِلّٰهِAnd for Allahمَا(is) whateverفِی(is) inالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ مَاand whateverفِی(is) inالْاَرْضِ ؕthe earthوَ كَفٰیAnd is sufficientبِاللّٰهِAllahوَكِیْلًا (as) a Disposer of affairs اِنْIfیَّشَاْHe willsیُذْهِبْكُمْHe can take you awayاَیُّهَاOالنَّاسُpeopleوَ یَاْتِand bringبِاٰخَرِیْنَ ؕothersوَ كَانَAnd isاللّٰهُAllahعَلٰیoverذٰلِكَthatقَدِیْرًا All-Powerful مَنْWhoeverكَانَ[is]یُرِیْدُdesiresثَوَابَrewardالدُّنْیَا(of) the worldفَعِنْدَthen withاللّٰهِAllahثَوَابُ(is the) rewardالدُّنْیَا(of) the worldوَ الْاٰخِرَةِ ؕand the Hereafterوَ كَانَAnd isاللّٰهُAllahسَمِیْعًۢاAll-Hearingبَصِیْرًا۠All-Seeing

---

Translation of Verse 127-134

127. And people ask you for a decree²⁰⁸ concerning women. Say: “ Allah enjoins you about them, and (reminds you of the commands) that are being recited in the Book concerning the orphan girls²⁰⁹ – those orphan girls to whom you do not give their prescribed rights, and whom you desire to marry²¹⁰. Similarly those commands which have been given concerning the helpless children²¹¹ ( reminds of that too); moreover of that command also - that you should deal justly²¹² with the orphans. And whatever good that you would do, Allah is aware of it”.

128. And if a woman fears indifference or excess from her husband, there is nothing wrong if they arrange an amicable settlement between themselves; and settlement is better²¹³. Human natures tend to be narrow- minded²¹⁴ but if you deal kindly²¹⁵ and fear Him, then be sure that Allah is well aware of what you do.

129. And you can never be able to be just between women even if it is your ardent desire; but do not incline towards one altogether, so as to leave the other as if suspended. If you act in a peaceful way and fear Allah, then verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving. Most Merciful²¹⁶.

130. And if they separate from one another, Allah will, from His abundance, make both of them independent of one another²¹⁷. And Allah is ever All-Embracing and Wise.

131. And to Allah belong all things in the heavens and on the earth. Verily, We had enjoined the people of the Book before you, and enjoin you too to fear Allah. And if you disbelieve, then (remember) to Allah belong all things in the heavens and on the earth. And Allah is free of all wants, Worthy of Praise.

132. And to Allah belong all things in the heavens and on the earth ²¹⁸, and Allah is enough to carry through all affairs.

133. If He will, O people! He can remove you and bring others (in your stead). Allah is powerful to do this.

134. Whoever desires the reward of the world, (let him know that) with Allah is the reward both of the world and the Hereafter²¹⁹. And Allah hears and sees all things.

---

Commentary

208. In the beginning of the Surah permission is given to marry more than one wife with the condition of doing justice to all. In that connection certain questions had arisen which are being answered here. This answer appears in Verse No.128, and from this answer the nature of the question can be understood.

209. Before answering the main question of the people, they are reminded of the directions given concerning the rights of the orphans and particularly dealing justly with the orphan girls. It shows how much importance is given by Quran to the rights of the orphans. and how emphatically the people have been asked to take care of their rights.

210. Refers to verse no. 3 in which it was stated: “If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry of women, who are’ lawful for you, two or three or four. Here in this verse it is stated: “Those orphan girls to whom you do not give their prescribed rights and whom you desire to marry.’’ It is clear that in Verse No.3, orphan means orphan girls, and not to deal justly with them means not to give them their dues. In this prescribed right is included their right of inheritance (the property left by their fathers), and also this point that if anyone is already having a wife marries an orphan girl, he will have to deal with her also justly, and equitably.

Although the address is general, but here specifically the guardians of the orphan girls are meant. From the narration of Ayesha (R) it is learnt that those orphan girls who were wealthy as well as beautiful their guardians generally used to marry them themselves and used to appropriate their properties. They avoided to marry them elsewhere for fear of giving them their inherited properties. -(Tafseer Ibn Katheer! Vol. I. page 561 ).

It should not be misconstrued that Quran discourages marrying of the orphan girls. To make an orphan girl as one’s better half is in itself a virtuous deed but if this act is performed with the ulterior motive of appropriating her property. or if one marries her inspite of already having a wife, considering her to be of no significance and throwing all the demands of justice and fairplay to the winds thus taking undue advantage of the permission to have more than one wife, then such an act does no more remains an act of virtue or righteousness.

It also throws light on the point that in Islam the real importance is attached to a person’s moral behaviour and attitude therefore this permission should be considered from this aspect only. and not as a means of ‘solving problems’.

211. Refers to those commands which were given in the beginning of the Surah concerning handing over of the properties of the orphans who were intellectually immature and inexperienced, and concerning the right of inheritance of the children.

212. Refers to those commands that have been given in the begininng verses of the Surah concerning orphans.

213. This is the answer to the main query. The condition of dealing justly with all if more than one wife is taken, put by Quran has created a problem. If a man after marrying a second wife does not deal justly with his first wife, and if the first one insists on having all her rights then she fears that he would divorce her, and she does not want to be divorced then in such a situation, the question arises whether the first wife can forgo some of her rights and placate her husband not to divorce her ? Allah has answered this query in the affirmative, that is: if the wife feels that her husband does not deal with her justly, and her insistence for justice would result in a divorce, then the better course is to reach an amicable settlement. In such a case, the wife can forgo some of her rights, because in the matter of divorce, compromise is better in all conditions.

214. That is: Narrow-mindedness plays a big part in vitiating the relationship, and this narrow- mindedness can be shown by the husband or by the wife. If both of them treat one another with broad-mindedness, then the rights of both of them can be taken care of, and the atmosphere in the home can also be pleasant.

215. Here man has been exhorted to adopt the attitude of kindness with his partner in life.

216. Binding the permission to have more than one wife with the condition of dealing justly with all the wives raises a point : there cannot be the same amount of love and consideration for all the wives. In such a circumstance, can the condition of dealing justly with all the wives be fulfilled’’? This question is answered thus: Total fulfilment of this condition that is equal justice to all in every respect is not within the powers of man because there is always a difference between the wives in many respects, e.g. beauty, temperament age, health and ability. etc. One of them may be better than the others in any one or more of these respects and therefore the attraction of man towards a particular wife would be greater than towards others. Therefore Shariah does not want to establish such relationship of equality among them as is not humanly possible but it demands that as far as possible deal justly with the wives, and do not be inclined towards one wife to such an extent that the other ones are left suspended; you have to safeguard the rights of both or all the wives. If any defect is noticed, it should be removed. If after adopting the attitude of righteousness, still some faults are committed, then man should seek and hope to get forgiveness from Allah.

217. That is: If after making efforts, it is considered that compromise would not be possible, then they should separate and put their trust in Allah that He would make them independent of one another, by His grace.

218. “To Allah belong all the things in the heavens and on the earth” has been repeated here three times (In Verse No.131 twice and In Verse No.132 once). This is not mere repetition, the idea is to bring home to the people from different aspects that the sole master is the One Almighty Being and they should hope to get the fulfilment of their desire from Him alone. only He should be feared and He should be the central point of efforts. In the first place this sentence is used with a view to stressing that the Being who is the Master of the heavens and earth cannot be narrow-minded and miserly and that He must be very broad-minded and very generous, therefore you (the spouses in the event of your separation) can hope that He, with His graciousness will make you independent of one another By repeating it the second time, it is intended to show that the social directions that have been given are for your own good and Allah is not going to benefit from it, for the entire universe is His and He is independent of everything and possesses every kind of perfection. And its third repetition is to instruct the slaves that they should have trust only in Him.

219. That is: With Allah are the benefits of this world as well as of the next world. Now it is up to you to decide what benefits you want to collect, merely of this world or of both the worlds. If you want to gain the benefits of this life and that of the life in the Hereafter, then adopt the line of obeying Allah.