Now Reading: Surah 4 – An-Nisa (1-35) – Translation & Inferred Meanings
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Surah 4 – An-Nisa (1-35) – Translation & Inferred Meanings
Surah 4 – An-Nisa (1-35) – Translation & Inferred Meanings
4:1
O mankind! Fear your Lord, who created you from a single soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed, Allah is Ever-Watchful over you.
Infers: All of you come from one—there is no superiority in race. True believers are of one creed, united in faith. Marriage and family should be your priority, expanding the Ummah and building homes. A man must take care of his family and responsibilities, as abandoning them weakens the community. Allah watches everything—nothing goes unnoticed.
4:2
Give the orphans their wealth and do not exchange the bad for the good. And do not consume their wealth into your own. Indeed, that is a great sin.
Infers: Do not take advantage of the vulnerable. Do not punish those who have done what they were supposed to do by leaving their children homes. Do not punish their children for Allah taking them away early. Do not steal a man’s life purpose simply because Allah called him back. That is among the worst of sins.
4:3
And if you fear that you will not be just to orphans, then marry those that please you from among the women, two, three, or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or what your right hands possess. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].
Infers: If you cannot care for the vulnerable on your own, then marry their widowed mothers as well, ensuring they’re kept together, protected, and provided for. If you can support more than one, whether it is women escaping abuse or those abandoned, then you may do so, but only if you can remain fair and have the blessings of the women you are married to.
4:4
And give the women their dowries as an obligation. But if they, of their own accord, give up a portion of it to you, then consume it in satisfaction and ease.
Infers: In addition to the prerequisites of marriage—her own home and financial stability—a man must also provide mahr, which is her absolute right and must be agreed upon prior to the marriage contract. A man should not enter marriage while carrying debt, nor should he manipulate her into lowering the mahr out of love or emotional pressure.
4:5
And do not give the weak-minded your wealth, which Allah has made a means of support for you, but provide for them with it and clothe them and speak to them in words of kindness.
Infers: Do not hand over money to the financially irresponsible so they can waste it on things they don’t need. If they are provided for, then lovingly make them understand that this is for their best. Teach them the value of money.
4:6
And test the orphans until they reach the age of maturity. Then if you perceive in them sound judgment, release their wealth to them. And do not consume it excessively and hastily before they grow up. And whoever is rich should abstain [from taking a wage], but whoever is poor may take according to what is reasonable. Then when you release their wealth to them, bring witnesses upon them. And sufficient is Allah as Accountant.
Infers: Teach children the value of money by giving them financial responsibilities and knowledge from a young age. Do not make wealth come easy to them, or they will never understand its worth. Only when they prove financial maturity should they be entrusted with it. Ensure transparency in financial matters by keeping records and having witnesses when necessary.
4:7
For men is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, be it little or much—an obligatory share.
Infers: Treat all children the same—do not discriminate based on gender or personal preference. Do not select a favorite among your children or manipulate inheritance. Always strive to leave them in a better position than you were in. Divide inheritance as preordained by Allah—rizq does not change because of what you think.
4:8
And when relatives, orphans, and the needy are present at the time of division, provide for them from it and speak to them in words of kindness.
Infers: When dividing wealth in front of close family, do not brag or create envy—give them a little so they feel included. Money can be used to strengthen family bonds, or it can be used by Shaitan to divide a family.
4:9
And let those [executors and guardians] be concerned as if they themselves left weak offspring behind and feared for them. So let them fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice.
Infers: Carry yourself with righteousness and set principles in place so people will treat your children how you treated them. This way, if they wrong them, they are not just stealing money—they are screwing over a good man.
4:10
Indeed, those who consume the wealth of orphans unjustly and who wrong themselves are only consuming fire into their bellies. And they will be burned in a Blaze.
Infers: Exploiting the vulnerable is not just theft—it’s self-destruction. The money will never be blessed and will only bring long-term problems, leading to severe punishment.
4:11
Allah commands you concerning your children: for the male, a share equal to that of two females. But if there are only daughters, two or more, they get two-thirds of what he leaves. If there is only one, she gets half. For the parents, each gets a sixth if he has children. But if he has no children and his parents inherit from him, then his mother gets a third. If he has siblings, then his mother gets a sixth, after any will he made or debts. Your fathers and your sons—you do not know which of them is closer to you in benefit. This is an obligation from Allah. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
Infers: Inheritance is preordained by Allah. It is not based on human emotions or personal opinions. Do not displease Allah by trying to alter His command. You cannot change someone’s rizq. Sometimes, just accept that Allah knows best.
4:12
And for you is half of what your wives leave if they have no child. But if they have a child, then you get a fourth, after any will they made or debts. And for them is a fourth of what you leave if you have no child. But if you have a child, then they get an eighth, after any will you made or debts. If a man or woman dies leaving neither parents nor children but has a brother or sister, then each one gets a sixth. But if they are more than two, they share a third, after any will or debts, without causing harm. This is a command from Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, Forbearing.
Infers: Only one-third of your wealth can be distributed through your will—the rest is preordained by Allah. Do not manipulate inheritance by favoring or disinheriting heirs. Debts must be cleared before any wealth is distributed—we must all leave this earth without owing anyone. That should always be the priority, and since we don’t know when we will go, we must handle it early.
4:13
These are the limits set by Allah, and whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will be admitted into Gardens beneath which rivers flow, to remain there forever. That is the great success.
Infers: These are the Divine Laws of the Quran, and those who follow them, no matter how difficult they may seem, are the ones that will be the beneficiaries of everlasting rewards.
4:14
But whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses His limits—He will put him into the Fire, to remain there forever, and for him is a humiliating punishment.
Infers: Those who reject divine laws and overstep their limits will face consequences. There is no escaping accountability. Disobedience leads to humiliation and ruin.
4:15
As for those women who commit lewdness, call four witnesses from among you. If they testify, then confine them to their homes until death takes them or Allah ordains another way for them.
Infers: Burden of proof in accusations is high—false accusations are a grave sin. Justice must be based on verified evidence. Those who bring shame upon the Ummah, like the grooming gangs, should be banished from communities or dealt with accordingly if the opportunity arises.
4:16
And for the two who commit it among you, punish them both. But if they repent and reform, then leave them alone. Indeed, Allah is Ever-Accepting of repentance, Most Merciful.
Infers: Deal with those who corrupt society, but do not let their influence spread. Punish them privately, but if they truly repent and change, do not condemn them endlessly.
4:17
Allah accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and then repent soon after. It is they to whom Allah will turn in mercy. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
Infers: True repentance is immediate and sincere. It comes from those who acknowledge their wrongs, strive to make amends, and learn from their mistakes.
4:18
But repentance is not for those who continue doing evil until death approaches one of them, and then they say, “Now I repent,” nor for those who die as disbelievers. For them, We have prepared a painful punishment.
Infers: Don’t continue doing wrong when you know the truth—you can no longer plead ignorance. Once you have knowledge, you are accountable. Surely you know Allah sees your heart, so you are only harming your soul.
4:19
O you who have believed, it is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will. And do not coerce them to take back part of what you gave them, unless they commit a clear immorality. And live with them in kindness. But if you dislike them, perhaps you dislike something in which Allah has placed much good.
Infers: It is forbidden to force women into relationships through deception, coercion, or empty promises. Commitments and titles should not be taken back unless there is clear disloyalty. Bonds take time to build—challenges in a relationship are not a reason to abandon it.
4:20
But if you intend to replace one wife with another and have given one of them a great amount of wealth, do not take anything from it. Would you take it in injustice and clear sin?
Infers: A woman’s financial security is protected even in divorce—her wealth remains hers. A husband has no right to reclaim gifts, dowries, or financial support if he chooses to leave. Marriage is not a financial contract that can be undone at will—it is a sacred agreement.
4:21
And how could you take it while you have gone in unto each other and they have taken from you a solemn covenant?
Infers: How could you not want the best for a person you have been intimate with after making an unbreakable promise to God to look after them? Marriage is sacred, and once a bond is formed, it carries divine weight. You cannot just walk away without accountability.
4:22
And do not marry women whom your fathers married, except what has already occurred. Indeed, it was a shameful, hateful practice and an evil way.
Infers: Those whom you have become mahram to through marriage—do not sever those sacred ties. Respect and loyalty go a long way in all aspects of life.
4:23
Prohibited to you [for marriage] are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father’s sisters, your mother’s sisters, your brother’s daughters, your sister’s daughters, your [milk] mothers who nursed you, your sisters through nursing, the mothers of your wives, and your stepdaughters under your guardianship born of your wives with whom you have consummated marriage—but if you have not consummated, there is no sin upon you—and the wives of your sons who are from your own loins, and that you take two sisters simultaneously, except for what has already occurred. Indeed, Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Infers: Certain relationships are sacred and untouchable. Family ties must be honored, and lines should never be crossed. When bonds are built on respect, they remain unshakable.
4:24
And [prohibited to you are] married women, except those your right hands possess. This is Allah’s decree upon you. And lawful to you are [all others] beyond these, provided you seek them with your wealth in a marriage contract, not for lust. So for whatever you enjoy from them, give them their due compensation as an obligation. And there is no blame upon you for what you mutually agree to beyond the obligation. Indeed, Allah is Ever-Knowing, All-Wise.
Infers: War captives were a nuclear deterrent in Islam’s past, yet even then, Allah encouraged marrying them instead of using them for fornication and ensuring they were given their rights. Now, what a husband and wife do in their bedroom—is not God’s business.
4:25
And whoever among you cannot afford to marry free, believing women, then [marry] from those whom your right hands possess of believing slave women. And Allah knows best about your faith. You are of one another, so marry them with the permission of their people and give them their due compensation in a fair manner, as [wives], not as those who commit immorality or take them as mistresses. And when they are married, if they commit immorality, then for them is half the punishment of free women. This is for those among you who fear falling into sin. But to be patient is better for you. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Infers: Even though one should wait until he can provide and house a wife, if circumstances prevail and you find someone who doesn’t need housing but values the title instead, then perhaps—if you are sincere and sure—get married to avoid sin. Maybe Allah brought you together for a reason.