Surah 4. An-Nisa

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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]

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Quran Text of Verse 34-424. An-Nisa Page 84اَلرِّجَالُ[The] menقَوّٰمُوْنَ(are) protectorsعَلَیofالنِّسَآءِthe womenبِمَاbecauseفَضَّلَ(has) bestowedاللّٰهُAllahبَعْضَهُمْsome of themعَلٰیoverبَعْضٍothersوَّ بِمَاۤand becauseاَنْفَقُوْاthey spendمِنْfromاَمْوَالِهِمْ ؕtheir wealthفَالصّٰلِحٰتُSo the righteous womenقٰنِتٰتٌ(are) obedientحٰفِظٰتٌguardingلِّلْغَیْبِin the unseenبِمَاthat whichحَفِظَ(orders) them to guardاللّٰهُ ؕ(by) Allahوَ الّٰتِیْAnd those (from) whomتَخَافُوْنَyou fearنُشُوْزَهُنَّtheir ill-conductفَعِظُوْهُنَّthen advise themوَ اهْجُرُوْهُنَّand forsake themفِیinالْمَضَاجِعِthe bedوَ اضْرِبُوْهُنَّ ۚand set forth to them فَاِنْThen ifاَطَعْنَكُمْthey obey youفَلَاthen (do) notتَبْغُوْاseekعَلَیْهِنَّagainst themسَبِیْلًا ؕa wayاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahكَانَisعَلِیًّاMost Highكَبِیْرًا Most Great وَ اِنْAnd ifخِفْتُمْyou fearشِقَاقَa dissensionبَیْنِهِمَاbetween (the) two of themفَابْعَثُوْاthen sendحَكَمًاan arbitratorمِّنْfromاَهْلِهٖhis familyوَ حَكَمًاand an arbitratorمِّنْfromاَهْلِهَا ۚher familyاِنْIfیُّرِیْدَاۤthey both wishاِصْلَاحًاreconciliationیُّوَفِّقِwill cause reconciliationاللّٰهُAllahبَیْنَهُمَا ؕbetween both of themاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahكَانَisعَلِیْمًاAll-Knowerخَبِیْرًا All-Aware وَ اعْبُدُواAnd worshipاللّٰهَAllahوَ لَاAnd (do) notتُشْرِكُوْاassociateبِهٖwith Himشَیْـًٔاanythingوَّ بِالْوَالِدَیْنِand to the parentsاِحْسَانًا(do) goodوَّ بِذِیand withالْقُرْبٰیthe relativesوَ الْیَتٰمٰیand the orphansوَ الْمَسٰكِیْنِand the needyوَ الْجَارِand the neighborذِی(who is)الْقُرْبٰیnearوَ الْجَارِand the neighborالْجُنُبِ(who is) farther awayوَ الصَّاحِبِand the companionبِالْجَنْۢبِby your sideوَ ابْنِand theالسَّبِیْلِ ۙtravelerوَ مَاand whatمَلَكَتْpossess[ed]اَیْمَانُكُمْ ؕyour right handsاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahلَا(does) notیُحِبُّloveمَنْ(the one) whoكَانَisمُخْتَالًا[a] proudفَخُوْرَاۙ(and) [a] boastful لَّذِیْنَThose whoیَبْخَلُوْنَare stingyوَ یَاْمُرُوْنَand orderالنَّاسَthe peopleبِالْبُخْلِ[of] stinginessوَ یَكْتُمُوْنَand hideمَاۤwhatاٰتٰىهُمُ(has) given themاللّٰهُAllahمِنْofفَضْلِهٖ ؕHis Bountyوَ اَعْتَدْنَاand We (have) preparedلِلْكٰفِرِیْنَfor the disbelieversعَذَابًاa punishmentمُّهِیْنًاۚhumiliating 4. An-Nisa Page 85وَ الَّذِیْنَAnd those whoیُنْفِقُوْنَspendاَمْوَالَهُمْtheir wealthرِئَآءَto be seenالنَّاسِ(by) the peopleوَ لَاand notیُؤْمِنُوْنَthey believeبِاللّٰهِin Allahوَ لَاand notبِالْیَوْمِin the Dayالْاٰخِرِ ؕthe Lastوَ مَنْand whoeverیَّكُنِhasالشَّیْطٰنُthe Shaitaanلَهٗfor himقَرِیْنًا(as) companionفَسَآءَthen evilقَرِیْنًا (is he as) a companion وَ مَا ذَاAnd whatعَلَیْهِمْ(is) against themلَوْifاٰمَنُوْاthey believedبِاللّٰهِin Allahوَ الْیَوْمِand the Dayالْاٰخِرِthe Lastوَ اَنْفَقُوْاand spentمِمَّاfrom whatرَزَقَهُمُ(has) provided themاللّٰهُ ؕAllahوَ كَانَAnd isاللّٰهُAllahبِهِمْabout themعَلِیْمًا All-Knower اِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahلَا(does) notیَظْلِمُwrongمِثْقَالَ(as much as) weightذَرَّةٍ ۚ(of) an atomوَ اِنْAnd ifتَكُthere isحَسَنَةًa goodیُّضٰعِفْهَاHe doubles itوَ یُؤْتِand givesمِنْfromلَّدُنْهُnear Himاَجْرًاa rewardعَظِیْمًا great فَكَیْفَSo how (will it be)اِذَاwhenجِئْنَاWe bringمِنْfromكُلِّeveryاُمَّةٍۭnationبِشَهِیْدٍa witnessوَّ جِئْنَاand We bringبِكَyouعَلٰیagainstهٰۤؤُلَآءِthese (people)شَهِیْدًاؕؔ(as) a witness یَوْمَىِٕذٍ(On) that Dayیَّوَدُّwill wishالَّذِیْنَthose whoكَفَرُوْاdisbelievedوَ عَصَوُاand disobeyedالرَّسُوْلَthe Messengerلَوْifتُسَوّٰیwas leveledبِهِمُwith themالْاَرْضُ ؕthe earthوَ لَاand notیَكْتُمُوْنَthey will (be able to) hideاللّٰهَ(from) Allahحَدِیْثًا۠(any) statement

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Translation of Verse 34-42

34. Men have authority⁸⁴ over women, because Allah has made the one superior to the other, and because they spend of their wealth (to support women). Therefore, the righteous women are obedient ⁸⁵ and guard (the husband’s) secrets under the protection of Allah.⁸⁶As for those women from whom you fear defiance, admonish them, leave them alone in their beds and beat them.⁸⁷ Then if they obey you seek not an excuse against them . Verily Allah is Most High, Great .

35. And if you fear a breach between the two appoint an arbiter from his relatives and an arbiter from her relatives.⁸⁸ If they both desire reconciliation, Allah will effect harmony between them. Verily,Allah has full knowledge. And is aware of everything.

36. And worship Allah⁸⁹ and do not associate anything with Him ; and do good to parents⁹⁰ and to kinsfolk, to orphans, to the needy, to neighbours who are near,⁹¹ to neighbours who are strangers, to the companions,⁹² to the way-farer and the male and female slaves⁹³ in your possession. Verily, Allah likes not the arrogant, the vainglorious.⁹⁴

37. Those who are niggardly themselves, and enjoin others to niggardliness, and hide the bounties which Allah has bestowed on them; we have prepared a disgraceful punishment for such ungrateful people;

38. And those who spend their wealth in order to be seen by the people, and believe not in Allah nor the Last Day; and whosoever has Satan as a comrade, an evil comrade is he!

39. And what would befall them if they were to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and if they spent out of what Allah had given them? Allah knows them well.

40. Allah does not do injustice to the weight of a grain; if it is a good deed He shall multiply it and shall give from His own self a great reward.⁹⁵

41. Then what will be their condition on the Day when We shall bring out from each community a witness, and shall bring you as a witness against these people.⁹⁶

42. On that day those who disbelieved and disobeyed the messenger will wish that the earth would be levelled with them, and they will not be able to hide any fact from Allah.

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Commentary

84. Allah has granted men the position of authority. One reason for this is stated to be that man is superior to woman on account of his nature and constitution, which provide him the ability to shoulder this reponsibility. Accordingly, man has also the ability to guard and protect woman. and also to strive for earning the livelihood. The second reason is that the responsibility of maintaining and feeding his wife and children falls on the shoulder of man.

The Western civilization which has presented the highly exaggerated theory of equality of men and women has been unsuccessful in fixing the leadership of the family, as a result of which the family life in the western society has been deprived of discipline. While obviously it is an undeniable reality that man has superiority over woman in strength, activity and courage:

“ A connected result of male superiority in strength, activity and courage is the element of protection in male love and of trust on the side of female.’’ —ERE Vol. VIII P. 156). (For further explanation. please see Note No. 337. Surah Baqarah).

85. In a hadith the Prophet is reported to have said:

“The best of women is that woman who when seen by you, pleases you, who when you give her an order, obeys you, who in your absence, guards her self and your property.” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer with ref. to Ibn Jarir).

From this verse the negative aspect of this quality also becomes clear, that is: those women who disobey their husbands and want to live like men are not righteous but are transgressors.

86. That is: A righteous woman is a trustee of man’s secrets. and a protector of his house. wealth and her own honour.

87. These are the disciplinary authorities that have been given to man and these are to be brought into use only when a woman is found to be defiant. It would not be proper to take severe steps against a woman for every kind of default and error. In the matter of beating a woman, in the hadith directions are given that the woman should not be beaten up so severely that she may be wounded or the marks of beating are left on her body.

To keep the woman within the moral limits and to run the home in the right way; it was necessary to give man these rights, but it does not mean that man should use these rights in an arbitrary way. At the end of the verse, the mention of Allah’s attributes of His being Most High and Great is to remind man that in his pride of leadership he may not be excessive in his treatment of his wife and should remember that an Exalted and High Being is over and above him watching his every action.

88. In the event of a dispute between the spouses, this last method has been advised here to be adopted, which is that an arbiter may be appointed from among the relatives of the spouses and two arbiters from the two parties should sit together and try to reach a reconciliation formula. As against going to the court of law, this method is more suitable because going to the court brings out matters between the husband and wife before the general public, which is not a desirable thing and besides the possibility of a reconciliation recedes in the background.

As for the question of the right and authority of the arbiters (panchas), the very word arbiter (Hakam) points to the fact that the decision would be joint and this decision can be of either reconciling and re-joining the spouses or of separating them and the majority of ulema support this view. (See.Tafseer Ibn Katheer V. I.,P .493)

89. After the commands concerning the family life, come the directions about worshipping Allah and not joining any partners with Him, which point to the fact that the main thrust of all the commands of Shariah is Tawheed (Unity of Allah), and man can correctly follow the Shariah commands about the family life only when he is worshipping Allah in the right manner, for Allah’s worship provided it is being performed with consciousness, prevents man from following his desires and passions.

90. After God the next greatest right is that of the parents for they took care of the growing children. This right requires that they should be treated kindly and decently.

91. In the hadith too great stress is laid on giving good and kind treatment to neighbours. The prophet has said:

“Jibril had been regularly stressing on giving good treatment to the neighbour,so much so that I thought that he would declare him an heir.”

92. Means a friend and also a person who may become a companion temporarily, e.g. a fellow-traveller, a partner in trade, class-fellow. participants in gatherings, etc. Care should be taken to see that no haram or hurt should come to them and that good treatment should be meted out to them.

93. In the hadith, the Prophet has shown what kind of treatment should be given to the slaves:

“These are your brothers whom Allah has placed under your control. Then the person under whose control his brother is should give him the same food which he eats, should clothe him in the same kind of clothes which he himself puts on. and see that you do not place such a burden on them that they are unable to bear it and if you put a heavy burden on them then assist them.”—(Tafseer Ibn Katheer Vol.l.P.495 Ref. Bukhari and Muslim)

94. To be vainglorious and to be conceited is contradictory to good and kind treatment. Those who think that the favour bestowed by Allah are the result of their own abilities are likely to have conceit and pride and this mentality keeps them away from paying the due rights of the people and meting out good treatment.

Allah does not do injustice to the weight of a grain ; if it is a good deed He shall multiply it and shall give from His own self a great reward. Then what will be their condition on the Day when We shall bring out from each community a witness, and shall bring you as a witness against these people. (Al- Quran)

95. The reward of every righteous or virtuous deed will be doubled Besides this, Allah will add something more from His own bounty for which there is no limit.

96. It is narrated in the hadith that when Abdullah Ibn Masood, reciting Quran before the prophet, reached this verse the Prophet was so much moved that tears appeared in his eyes because as this verse confers an honour on him, it also places a heavy burden on him. On the Day of Judgement every prophet will have to give witness before Allah to the effect that he had conveyed the religion of Allah, without any kind of alteration to those people to whom he was sent and Prophet Muhammad (Sallal Lahu Alaihi wa sallam) will also have to give this witness. And Quran clarifies that the last prophet was sent for all the nations of the world and that he is the last of the prophets therefore the period of his prophethood is till the Doomsday.