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4. An-Nisaa

The Women · Medinan · 176 ayahs

سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ

Reading Al-Mukhtasar in Interpreting the Noble Qur'an by Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies

Ayahs 31–40 of 176

31

إِن تَجْتَنِبُوا۟ كَبَآئِرَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ وَنُدْخِلْكُم مُّدْخَلًۭا كَرِيمًۭا

If you avoid the major sins which you are forbidden, We will remove from you your lesser sins and admit you to a noble entrance [into Paradise].

O believers, if you avoid the major sins, such as worshipping others gods with Allah, disrespecting your parents, killing, and receiving interest on loans, then Allah will forgive you for smaller sins, wiping them out and erasing them. Then Allah will enter you into a noble place near to Him: Paradise.

32

وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا۟ مَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ ۚ لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌۭ مِّمَّا ٱكْتَسَبُوا۟ ۖ وَلِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِيبٌۭ مِّمَّا ٱكْتَسَبْنَ ۚ وَسْـَٔلُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مِن فَضْلِهِۦٓ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمًۭا

And do not wish for that by which Allah has made some of you exceed others. For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned. And ask Allah of his bounty. Indeed Allah is ever, of all things, Knowing.

O believers, do not wish for what Allah favours some of you over others with, so that this does not lead to resentment and envy. Women should not wish for what Allah has given to men in particular: for men is a share from what they do, and for women is a share from what they do – neither of them is rewarded except through what they earn. Ask Allah to answer your prayers out of His favour to you. Allah knows all things. In His wisdom, He gives and withholds.

33

وَلِكُلٍّۢ جَعَلْنَا مَوَٰلِىَ مِمَّا تَرَكَ ٱلْوَٰلِدَانِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبُونَ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ عَقَدَتْ أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ فَـَٔاتُوهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ شَهِيدًا

And for all, We have made heirs to what is left by parents and relatives. And to those whom your oaths have bound [to you] - give them their share. Indeed Allah is ever, over all things, a Witness.

For every one of you I have made relations to inherit from what parents and relatives leave in their inheritance; and for those who you have made a promise of allegiance with as an ally and helper, give them their share of the inheritance. I am a witness to everything, and I witness your oaths and promises. The ally inheriting was a ruling at the beginning of Islam, but this ruling was later replaced.

34

ٱلرِّجَالُ قَوَّٰمُونَ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ وَبِمَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ ۚ فَٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ قَٰنِتَٰتٌ حَٰفِظَٰتٌۭ لِّلْغَيْبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَٱلَّٰتِى تَخَافُونَ نُشُوزَهُنَّ فَعِظُوهُنَّ وَٱهْجُرُوهُنَّ فِى ٱلْمَضَاجِعِ وَٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ ۖ فَإِنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلَا تَبْغُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلًا ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيًّۭا كَبِيرًۭا

Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allah would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand.

Men are responsible for women, protecting and taking care of them, because of the bounty He has given men over them, and because of their duty to maintain and take care of them. Righteous women are devoted to their Lord, and devoted to their husbands, protecting things for them in their absence through Allah’s help. The women who you fear would not show devotion to their husbands in what they say or do, first remind them of how they should act according to the sacred laws; if they do not change their ways, then leave them alone in bed, turning your back to them and not having sexual relations; and if they still do not change their ways, then strike them without any ferocity. If they become loyal again, then do not do anything against them, not wronging them nor blaming them. Allah is High in His essence, Great in His attributes, so be mindful of Him.

35

وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ شِقَاقَ بَيْنِهِمَا فَٱبْعَثُوا۟ حَكَمًۭا مِّنْ أَهْلِهِۦ وَحَكَمًۭا مِّنْ أَهْلِهَآ إِن يُرِيدَآ إِصْلَٰحًۭا يُوَفِّقِ ٱللَّهُ بَيْنَهُمَآ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا خَبِيرًۭا

And if you fear dissension between the two, send an arbitrator from his people and an arbitrator from her people. If they both desire reconciliation, Allah will cause it between them. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Acquainted [with all things].

If you fear that a disagreement between the two of them is leading to aggression and incompatibility, then send a just man from the family of the husband, and a just man from the family of the wife to judge what the benefits of them separating or staying together might be. Staying together is preferable and better. If the two judges want this, using the best methods to get them back together, then Allah will make them come to an understanding, and the argument between them will be resolved. Allah is Knowing. Nothing about His creatures is hidden from Him, and He is Aware of what they hide in their hearts.

36

۞ وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِهِۦ شَيْـًۭٔا ۖ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَٰنًۭا وَبِذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱلْجَارِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْجَارِ ٱلْجُنُبِ وَٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلْجَنۢبِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالًۭا فَخُورًا

Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess. Indeed, Allah does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful.

Worship Allah alone faithfully and do not worship next to Him anything else. Be good to your parents, honouring them and treating them with respect, and be good to relatives, orphans and the poor. Be good to the neighbour who is a relative and the neighbour who is not a relative; the friend you spend time with; the traveller who is a stranger and has no means whereby to complete his journey; and to slaves. Allah does not like those who think too much of themselves and are arrogant with people, and praise themselves as a way of boasting.

37

ٱلَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلْبُخْلِ وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۗ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابًۭا مُّهِينًۭا

Who are stingy and enjoin upon [other] people stinginess and conceal what Allah has given them of His bounty - and We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment -

Allah does not like those who do not spend what Allah made a duty on them from the wealth He gave them out of His provision, and who instruct others through their words and actions to do the same as them: hiding the wealth, knowledge and other things which Allah has given them out of His grace; not showing people the truth, but hiding it instead and showing falsehood. These are among the traits of disbelief, and Allah has prepared a humiliating punishment for those who disbelieve.

38

وَٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ رِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَلَا بِٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ ۗ وَمَن يَكُنِ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ لَهُۥ قَرِينًۭا فَسَآءَ قَرِينًۭا

And [also] those who spend of their wealth to be seen by the people and believe not in Allah nor in the Last Day. And he to whom Satan is a companion - then evil is he as a companion.

Allah has prepared this humiliating punishment for those who spend their wealth so that people notice them and praise them, and those who do not have faith in Allah and the Last Day. It is through following Satan that they have gone the wrong way. Whoever has Satan for a friend and companion has a terrible companion.

39

وَمَاذَا عَلَيْهِمْ لَوْ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ وَأَنفَقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِمْ عَلِيمًا

And what [harm would come] upon them if they believed in Allah and the Last Day and spent out of what Allah provided for them? And Allah is ever, about them, Knowing.

What harm would it have done these people if they had faith in Allah and the Last Day and had spent their wealth for Allah’s sake, being sincere to Him? Rather, they would have received everything that is good by doing so. Allah has full knowledge of them. Nothing about them is hidden from Him and everyone will be rewarded according to what they do.

40

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍۢ ۖ وَإِن تَكُ حَسَنَةًۭ يُضَٰعِفْهَا وَيُؤْتِ مِن لَّدُنْهُ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًۭا

Indeed, Allah does not do injustice, [even] as much as an atom's weight; while if there is a good deed, He multiplies it and gives from Himself a great reward.

Allah is Just and does not wrong His creatures in any way. He does not lessen the good they do by the weight of even a tiny particle or dust, and He does not add to their disobedience in any way. Even if only an atom’s worth of good is done, He multiplies the reward, from His grace, and through this increase He gives a great reward.

Commentary: Al-Mukhtasar in Interpreting the Noble Qur'an by Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies. Qur'an text and translation via AlQuran Cloud.