An-Nisa
The Women
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.
ﱁOﱂmankindﱃFearﱄyour Lordﱅthe One Whoﱆcreated youﱇfromﱈa soulﱉsingleﱊand createdﱋfrom itﱌits mateﱍand dispersedﱎfrom both of themﱏmenﱐmanyﱑﱒand womenﱓAnd fearﱔAllahﱕ(through) Whomﱖyou askﱗ[with it]ﱘﱙand the wombsﱚIndeedﱛAllahﱜisﱝover youﱞEver-Watchfulﱟ
O humanity! Be mindful of your Lord Who created you from a single soul, and from it He created its mate, and through both He spread countless men and women. And be mindful of Allah—in Whose Name you appeal to one another—and ˹honour˺ family ties. Surely Allah is ever Watchful over you.
- Reflections
ﱠAnd giveﱡ(to) the orphansﱢﱣtheir wealthﱤand (do) notﱥexchangeﱦthe badﱧﱨwith the goodﱩand (do) notﱪconsumeﱫtheir wealthﱬwithﱭﱮyour wealthﱯIndeed, itﱰisﱱa sinﱲgreatﱳ
Give orphans their wealth ˹when they reach maturity˺, and do not exchange your worthless possessions for their valuables, nor cheat them by mixing their wealth with your own. For this would indeed be a great sin.
- Reflections
ﱴAnd ifﱵyou fearﱶthat notﱷyou will be able to do justiceﱸwithﱹthe orphansﱺthen marryﱻwhatﱼseems suitableﱽto youﱾfromﱿthe womenﲀtwoﲁor threeﲂﲃor fourﲄBut ifﲅyou fearﲆthat notﲇyou can do justiceﲈthen (marry) oneﲉorﲊwhatﲋpossessesﲌﲍyour right handﲎThatﲏ(is) more appropriateﲐthat (may) notﲑyou oppressﲒ
If you fear you might fail to give orphan women their ˹due˺ rights ˹if you were to marry them˺, then marry other women of your choice—two, three, or four. But if you are afraid you will fail to maintain justice, then ˹content yourselves with˺ one or those ˹bondwomen˺ in your possession. This way you are less likely to commit injustice.
- Reflections
ﲓAnd giveﲔthe womenﲕtheir dowerﲖﲗgraciouslyﲘBut ifﲙthey remitﲚto youﲛofﲜanythingﲝof itﲞ(on their) ownﲟthen eat itﲠ(in) satisfactionﲡ(and) easeﲢ
Give women ˹you wed˺ their due dowries graciously. But if they waive some of it willingly, then you may enjoy it freely with a clear conscience.
- Reflections
ﲣAnd (do) notﲤgiveﲥthe foolishﲦyour wealthﲧwhichﲨ(was) madeﲩ(by) Allahﲪfor youﲫa means of supportﲬ(but) provide (for) themﲭwith itﲮand clothe themﲯand speakﲰto themﲱwordsﲲ(of) kindnessﲳ
Do not entrust the incapable ˹among your dependants˺ with your wealth which Allah has made a means of support for you—but feed and clothe them from it, and speak to them kindly.
- Reflections
ﲴAnd testﲵthe orphansﲶuntilﲷ[when]ﲸthey reach[ed]ﲹ(the age of) marriageﲺthen ifﲻyou perceiveﲼin themﲽsound judgementﲾthen deliverﲿto themﳀﳁtheir wealthﳂAnd (do) notﳃeat itﳄextravagantlyﳅand hastilyﳆ(fearing) thatﳇﳈthey will grow upﳉAnd whoeverﳊisﳋrichﳌﳍthen he should refrainﳎand whoeverﳏisﳐpoorﳑthen let him eat (of it)ﳒﳓin a fair mannerﳔThen whenﳕyou deliverﳖto themﳗtheir wealthﳘthen take witnessesﳙﳚon themﳛAnd is sufficientﳜAllahﳝ(as) a Reckonerﳞ
Test ˹the competence of˺ the orphans until they reach a marriageable age. Then if you feel they are capable of sound judgment, return their wealth to them. And do not consume it wastefully and hastily before they grow up ˹to demand it˺. If the guardian is well-off, they should not take compensation; but if the guardian is poor, let them take a reasonable provision. When you give orphans back their property, call in witnesses. And sufficient is Allah as a ˹vigilant˺ Reckoner.
- Reflections