Discover the Holy Quran, Surah 4 An-Nisa'(Women) Verses 1-18

[taul]

--In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.



1- O mankind! reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, His mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;- reverence Allah, through whom ye demand your mutual (rights), and (reverence) the wombs (That bore you): for Allah ever watches over you.

2- To orphans restore their property (When they reach their age), nor substitute (your) worthless things for (their) good ones; and devour not their substance (by mixing it up) with your own. For this is indeed a great sin.

3- If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, Marry women of your choice, Two or Three or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hand possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice.

4- And give the women (on marriage) their dower as a free gift, but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, Take it and enjoy it with right good cheer.

5- To those weak of understanding Make not over your property, which Allah hath made a means of support for you, but feed and clothe them therewith, and speak to them words of kindness and justice.

6- Make trail of orphans until they reach the age of marriage; if then ye find sound judgment in them, release their property to them; but consume it not wastefully, nor in haste against their growing up. If the guardian is well-off, Let him claim no remuneration, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable. When ye release their property to them, take witnesses in their presence: But all-sufficient is Allah in taking account.

7- From what is left by parents and those nearest related there is a share for men and a share for women, whether the property by small or large,-a determinate share.

8- But if at the time of division other relatives, or orphans or poor, are present, feed them out of the (property), and speak to them words of kindness and justice.

9- Let those (disposing of an estate) have the same fear in their minds as they would have for their own if they had left a helpless family behind: Let them fear Allah, and speak words of appropriate (comfort).

10- Those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, eat up a Fire into Their own bodies: They will soon be enduring a Blazing Fire!

11- Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equals to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases) 's after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah. and Allah is All-knowing, All-wise.

12- In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendents, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah. and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing.

13- Those are limits set by Allah. those who obey Allah and His Messenger will be admitted to Gardens with rivers flowing beneath, to abide therein (for ever) and that will be the supreme achievement.

14- But those who disobey Allah and His Messenger and transgress His limits will be admitted to a Fire, to abide therein: And they shall have a humiliating punishment.

15- If any of your women are guilty of lewdness, Take the evidence of four (Reliable) witnesses from amongst you against them; and if they testify, confine them to houses until death do claim them, or Allah ordain for them some (other) way.

16- If two men among you are guilty of lewdness, punish them both. If they repent and amend, Leave them alone; for Allah is Oft-returning, Most Merciful.

17- Allah accept the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and repent soon afterwards; to them will Allah turn in mercy: For Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.

18- Of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil, until death faces one of them, and he says, "Now have I repented indeed," nor of those who die rejecting Faith: for them have We prepared a punishment most grievous.


May Allah Help us follow the guidance we receive from the Holy Quran.

 

[patriot]

Surah 4. An-Nisaa The Women
[Authors Note] This is the 4th Surah of the Quran. It has 176 verses. In general, Nisaa means women in the society unless the description involves husbands, when it would mean wives. Azwaaj means spouses, Zaujah is wife and Zauj means husband. Zauj also refers to either of the spouses - a companion for life. The context will define the exact connotation of these terms on each occasion.
The Quran is the foremost guardian of women's rights. Sir Iqbal once commented that if he were an atheist, he would have thought that the Quran was the authorship of a group of intelligent women!
Respected readers might have already noticed that any discussion whether a particular Surah was revealed in Makkah or in Madinah is completely unnecessary and irrelevant to the Message of the Quran. The same observation applies to the conjecture of Shaan-e-Nuzool (the circumstances of any particular Revelation). These futile exercises cause disputes among commentators, confuse the reader, and take up everyone's time in a vain sport. More noxiously, this deplorable practice tends to bind the verses of the Glorious and Timeless Book to events that are supposed to have happened.
While confirming the ongoing evolution in the entire Universe, the Quran does not support every facet of Darwin's Theory.

With the Glorious Name of Allah, the Instant and Sustaining Source of all Mercy and Kindness

4:1 [The noble goal of the development of human personality can be easier achieved in a benevolent society (9:111, 16:71, 43:32, 59:9). In this situation the individual and the society complement each other (14:34). At the outset, it is imperative for you to know]
O Mankind (men and women!) You have a common origin. Your Lord began the creation of life at the unicellular level. There was one life cell that divided into two, male and female (6:99). (Evolution took place, as has been alluded to in this Book (16:8, 20:50, 21:30, 22:45, 30:20, 31:28, 51:49). Eventually, numerous men and women came into existence on the earth. Since all of you have this common origin, you must consider all mankind as one community (10:19, 57:25). Your first step in that direction is to strengthen your family relations. Be careful of your duty to God in Whose Name you expect rights from one another. God ever Watches over you.

4:2 Orphans in the community are like your family members (33:5). Be vigilant in guarding their rights (4:127). Protect their property honestly, and give it to them when they have come of age. Do not exchange their valuables with your worthless items, nor consume their property by combining it with yours; doing such would be a grave offense.

4:3 If you fear that you (the society) shall not be able to do justice with the orphans, (as may happen in times of war and political turbulence, the government shall announce a state of Emergency), then, in order to accommodate widows and orphans, men of sound finances and character shall be encouraged to marry these widows; two, three, and four (4:127). But, if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly, then, you must not take additional wives, and may continue with what you already have (4:129). This will be more suitable to prevent you from doing injustice and face financial hardship. [Second marriage during peace time is a frank violation of the Quran note if you fear ]

4:4 Upon marriage, give women their marital gifts, a generous portion of your property, unless they forgo it voluntarily. In that case you are welcome to accept it as rightfully yours.

4:5 Do not let the immature orphans manage their property that God has entrusted with you as guardians, until they are able to make sound financial decisions. Feed and clothe them decently, take care of all their needs and interact with them kindly.

4:6 Train and educate the orphans well. When they reach the age of marriage, and attain sound judgment, release their property to them. The marriageable age shall mean attainment of physical and mental maturity when one can legally make a solemn contract (4:21). Do not consume their property or let it be wasted. Nor hastily spend it fearing that they will come of age. If the guardian is well off, let him claim no compensation for the management of the property. But, if he is poor he may have a just and reasonable amount. When you are releasing the property to the orphans be sure to take witnesses. Remember that God is Competent in taking account.

4:7 Men get a share of what the parents and near relatives leave behind. Women get a share of what the parents and near relatives leave behind. Whether the inheritance is small or large, these shares have been ordained as a duty. [4:12]

4:8 If at the time of distribution of the inheritance, relatives, orphans, and the needy are present, give them from it and treat them kindly.

4:9 The distribution of inheritance must be done responsibly and according to Law. Treat others, as you would like to be treated. You will never want injustice to be done to your children, if you leave them behind. In matters such as these, speak clearly and straight to the point.

4:10 Those who unjustly consume the wealth of orphans, are filling their bellies with fire and will be exposed to burning Flame.

4:11 Preparing a will is a duty ordained (2:180-183). God Decrees a will for the benefit of your children. (Since the sons have the responsibility to take care of the family, and daughters will be cared for by their husbands, or if unmarried, by other males in the family), sons get twice the share of daughters.
- If two or more daughters are the only inheritors, they get two-thirds.
- If only one daughter is left, she gets one-half.
- If the deceased has left any children, then parents get one-sixth each.
- If there are no children, and parents are the only heirs, the mother gets a third and the father gets two-thirds, since the male has the fiscal responsibility of the family.
- If the deceased has left brothers or sisters, the mother gets one-sixth and the father gets one third.
Remember, this distribution shall take place after fulfilling the will of the deceased and after paying off all debts. As for your parents and your children, you know not which of them is more deserving of benefit from you. Such is the Ordinance from God. Surely, God is All Knowing, Wise.

4:12 Additionally:
- If a couple had no children, the husband gets half of what the wife leaves behind.
- If they had children, the husband gets one-fourth.
- If they had no children, then the wives get one-fourth of what the husband leaves behind.
- If they had children then the wife gets one-eighth.
- If a man or a woman, whose inheritance is in question, was a loner, in the sense of leaving behind no ascendants or descendants, but leaves behind a sister and a brother, each of them gets one-sixth of the inheritance. If there are more than two siblings, they equally share one-third of the inheritance.
The above applies after fully satisfying the will, and after paying off all debts, so that no one's rights are infringed upon. This is the will decreed by God Who is All-Knowing, Clement. [Please see 2:219, 2:180, 2:240, 4:8. For a deceased who has no ascendants or descendants, see further 4:176]

4:13 [Protection of life, honor and property is the springboard of a vibrant social order. It is the pre-requisite for freedom, equality and character building to the point of self-actualization 4:24, 5:32, 13:24, 17:32, 38:52, 69:21, 89:27] God has drawn Boundaries of Law to help you safeguard this crucial pre-requisite. Those who obey God and His Messenger will be admitted to the Garden with rivers flowing beneath (all the aesthetic elegance that the human mind could ever imagine). That is the Supreme Success. [Those who refrain from overstepping these Boundaries are the ones who have obeyed the Divine System established by the Messenger]

4:14 Conversely, those who disobey God and the Messenger by going against the Divine System established by the Messenger, trespass the Boundaries of the Divine Law and they will be admitted into an everlasting Fire of humiliation and regret.

4:15 (Protection of honor and chastity for men and women, both, is the cornerstone of a virtuous society. 17:32, 4:24.) If any woman or a group of women spread sexual immorality or lewdness in the society, it is required that the appropriate court takes four honorable and reliable witnesses. If their testimony corroborates with other evidence (12:26), confine them to their houses, since immorality is as contagious as good conduct. This confinement would be for an indefinite period, unless such women seek the Way of God, such as repentance and making amendment, or the singles among them get honorably married.

4:16 If the two of you spread such immorality or lewdness in the society, both of them shall be punished (as determined by the appropriate court of law). But if they repent and mend their ways, leave them alone. God is the Acceptor of repentance, Merciful. (This includes homosexuality, male and female.)

4:17 God graciously accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance, and then return quickly to the right conduct. God blesses them with Mercy. He is the Knower, the Wise.

4:18 The forgiveness is not for those who commit transgressions until death comes to one of them and he says, Indeed, I repent now. (They have no time to make amends.) Nor is the forgiveness for those who die as deniers of the Truth. We have prepared an awful suffering for them.