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 61–70 of 176

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ وَإِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ رَأَيْتَ ٱلْمُنَٰفِقِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَنكَ صُدُودًۭا

And when it is said to them, "Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger," you see the hypocrites turning away from you in aversion.

If these hypocrites are told to come to the law that Allah has revealed in His Scripture, and to the Messenger to judge between them in their disagreements, you will see them, O Messenger, turning away from you completely to others.

An-Nisaa 4:61Listen in Qur'an →

فَكَيْفَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ جَآءُوكَ يَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلَّآ إِحْسَٰنًۭا وَتَوْفِيقًا

So how [will it be] when disaster strikes them because of what their hands have put forth and then they come to you swearing by Allah, "We intended nothing but good conduct and accommodation."

How will their situation be when misfortunes come upon them because of the sins they have committed, and then they come to you, O Messenger, apologising and swearing by Allah that when they turned to other things to try and settle their disagreements they were only trying to do good and bring about reconciliation between the people who were disagreeing. What they say is false, and doing good involves following the rulings of Allah’s sacred law.

An-Nisaa 4:62Listen in Qur'an →

أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ ٱللَّهُ مَا فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَعِظْهُمْ وَقُل لَّهُمْ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ قَوْلًۢا بَلِيغًۭا

Those are the ones of whom Allah knows what is in their hearts, so turn away from them but admonish them and speak to them a far-reaching word.

Allah knows what hypocrisy and ulterior motives these people hide in their hearts, so turn away from them, O Messenger, and make clear to them the laws of Allah: encouraging them to be loyal to Allah, making clear to them how wrong it is to turn away from Him, and advise them in a way that will move them.

An-Nisaa 4:63Listen in Qur'an →

وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآءُوكَ فَٱسْتَغْفَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابًۭا رَّحِيمًۭا

And We did not send any messenger except to be obeyed by permission of Allah. And if, when they wronged themselves, they had come to you, [O Muhammad], and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Accepting of repentance and Merciful.

Allah did not send any messenger except to be followed in what they instructed by Allah’s will and decree. If, when they wronged themselves by committing sins, they had come to you, O Messenger, confessing what they had done and regretting it, repenting from what they did, and if they had asked for forgiveness from Allah, and you had asked for forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Forgiving and Compassionate with them.

An-Nisaa 4:64Listen in Qur'an →

فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا۟ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًۭا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًۭا

But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.

What these hypocrites claim is not true. Allah swears by Himself that they will not have real faith until they refer for judgements to the Messenger, during his lifetime, and to the sacred law after his death, in every disagreement between them, and are happy with the Messenger’s ruling, without feeling hatred about it, or doubting it, and accepting it completely and faithfully, outwardly and inwardly.

An-Nisaa 4:65Listen in Qur'an →

وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ ٱقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ أَوِ ٱخْرُجُوا۟ مِن دِيَٰرِكُم مَّا فَعَلُوهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌۭ مِّنْهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوا۟ مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِۦ لَكَانَ خَيْرًۭا لَّهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتًۭا

And if We had decreed upon them, "Kill yourselves" or "Leave your homes," they would not have done it, except for a few of them. But if they had done what they were instructed, it would have been better for them and a firmer position [for them in faith].

If I had ordered them to kill one another or to leave their homes, then only a small number of them would have obeyed My instruction. So they should thank Me for not ordering them to do some¬ thing which would have been very difficult for them. If they had done what they were advised to do, it would have been better than going against the order, as well as being a stronger confirmation of their faith.

An-Nisaa 4:66Listen in Qur'an →

وَإِذًۭا لَّءَاتَيْنَٰهُم مِّن لَّدُنَّآ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًۭا

And then We would have given them from Us a great reward.

If they had acted in obedience, I would have given them a great reward from Myself

An-Nisaa 4:67Listen in Qur'an →

وَلَهَدَيْنَٰهُمْ صِرَٰطًۭا مُّسْتَقِيمًۭا

And We would have guided them to a straight path.

And I would have enabled them to come on to the straight path that leads to Me and My Paradise.

An-Nisaa 4:68Listen in Qur'an →

وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّۦنَ وَٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ وَٱلشُّهَدَآءِ وَٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ۚ وَحَسُنَ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ رَفِيقًۭا

And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger - those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions.

Those who follow Allah and the Messenger will be with those whom Allah has blessed with entry into Paradise from amongst the prophets, the truthful ones whose acceptance of what the prophets brought was complete and who practised it, the martyrs who were killed in Allah’s path, and the righteous whose outward and inward states and actions are virtuous. What excellent companions these are in Paradise!

An-Nisaa 4:69Listen in Qur'an →

ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَضْلُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ عَلِيمًۭا

That is the bounty from Allah, and sufficient is Allah as Knower.

This reward is Allah’s grace to His servants. Allah knows the states of the people and will reward them all accordingly.

An-Nisaa 4:70Listen in Qur'an →

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