The Holy Quran
Introduction: Surah An Nisa - Women
It is a fourth surah of Holy Quran in order. Surah An Nisa "Women" was revealed in Medina, Arabia on Prophet and Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him). Surah An Nisa "Women" is so called because it deals largely with women rights.History tell's us that quite a few muslims were killed at the battle of Uhud, hence the concern of orphans and widows in the opening verses of surah which lead to declaration of rights of women of which they were deprived among the pagan arabs (of that time).The total number verse in surah An Nisa are 176.
Summary of Surah : verse 1-176
1: O humanity! adhere to the Laws of your Sustainer Who initiated your creation with a single life-cell (6/99, 39/6) which split into two parts - one male and the other female - and through them spread so many men and women in the world.
(It is thus clear from this example that the origin of mankind is one and the same and therefore subsequent man-made divisions have no justification. You consider entire humanity as one entity) and follow the Laws of Niz'am-e-Rabubiyyat, through which all those necessities of yours are fulfilled for which you seek each other's assistance (14/34). The first step, while establishing this Niz'am, would be with your own kith and kin (and then keep on expanding the circle, till the entire community comes inside) and if you succeed in doing this, you will see how Allah's Laws continue in keeping watch over you!
2: To begin with, if those persons who are alone in society e.g. orphans, come under your guardianship, you should make over to them what belongs to them. Do not substitute worthless stuff for what is valuable. Do not consume their property by amalgamating it with your own. This is a serious crime.
3: But the problem of orphans (or those left alone in the society) is not solved simply by taking care of their property - it has other implications as well. For instance, if a situation arises, out of a war or otherwise - where a large number of men die, leaving behind widows and orphans, or you have a large number of marriageable women who cannot find husbands (4/127) and they cannot marry outside your circle; so if you cannot find an equitable solution to this problem then permission is hereby given to you to relax the Law of monogamy and those amongst you who can afford it and can treat all justly can marry two or three or four women of their liking. But if you fear that you cannot do justice, then only one or the female captives who are already in your charge. This will relieve you from the burden of a large family.
4: Give your wives their dower willingly since they have a right to it (4/20). If they forego a part of it out of their own free will, then you may utilise it as you like.
5: Wealth is the mainstay of a nation, so take good care of it. And do not entrust to those who are immature and of weak understanding, the possessions which Allah Almighty has placed in your charge for their support, but let them have their sustenance and clothe them, give them good education and explain to them in a gentle way why their property is not being returned to them.
6: With regards to the orphans in your care, ascertain if they are of sound understanding. If so, hand over their property to them when they attain the age of marriage. Thinking that you may have to return the property of orphans to them after a short time, do not devour it or expend it wastefully. Those who have means should not charge anything for their stewardship and those who are in need may charge a fair and reasonable sum. When you are going to return the property of orphans to them, call witnesses and keep in mind that you are accountable to Allah.
7: As regards the distribution of inheritance, men have a share in what their parents and nearest kin have left, and women also have a share in what their parents and nearest kin have left, whether it be little or much. This is their legal share.
8: At the time of the distribution of inheritance if some relatives, orphans or those in want (who have no legal share in the inheritance) are present, give them something out of kindness and speak to them gently.
9: Those who are responsible for the distribution of inheritance should do so strictly in accordance with Allah's Laws. They should keep in mind how they would feel if, in case of their death, someone were to treat their helpless dependants unjustly: therefore speak to them in straight, clear and proper language.
10: Those who devour the property of orphans unjustly, fill their bellies with fire which will burn them into ashes.
11: Now Allah Almighty explains to you the Laws of inheritance:
1. The portion of a son is equal to the portion of two daughters,
2. If there are two or more daughters, they shall have together 2/3rds of the inheritance,
3. If there is only one daughter, her share shall be one half of the inheritance,
4. The father and mother of the deceased shall each have one-sixth of the inheritance, if he left children,
5. If the deceased left no children and his parents alone are the heirs, his mother shall have one-third (and his father two-thirds) of the inheritance, but if he left brothers or sisters along with his parents, his mother shall have one-sixth of the inheritance. (The shares of his brothers and sisters are determined under 12(3).
The distribution of inheritance, in all cases, is after the provisions of the deceased's will have been fulfilled and his debts have been paid. Allah Almighty has appointed these shares because you could not know who amongst the inheritors of the deceased are deserving and to what extent. Certainly Allah Almighty is All-Knowing, Wise.
12:
1. You shall have one-half of what your wives leave behind if they leave no child, but if they leave a child, you shall have one-fourth of what they have left behind. This is after the provisions of the deceased's will have been fulfilled and her debts have been paid.
2. Your wives shall have one-fourth of what you have left behind, if you have no child, but if you have child, they shall have one-eighth of what you leave behind, after the provisions of your will have been fulfilled and your debts have been paid.
3. If the deceased leaves no children and his heirs are parents and brothers and sisters*, then:-
a) In case there is one brother and one sister, each of them gets one-sixth of the inheritance,
b) in case there are more than two then together they will get one-third of the inheritance.
This is after the provisions of the deceased's will have been fulfilled and his debts have been paid.
The distribution of the inheritance should be in such a way that no loss is caused to anyone. This is an injunction from Allah, Who knows ALL and is not carried away by emotions.
13: These are the limits set by Allah. Whoever obeys Allah's System will be admitted to gardens where streams flow to abide therein. This will be a great achievement**.
14: Whosoever disobeys Allah's System and transgresses the limits prescribed by Him, will be thrown into hell to abide therein and lead a life of great degradation.
15: If any of your women commit indecency, take the evidence of four witnesses from amongst yourselves. If they are proven guilty, restrict their movement by confining them to their houses for life or until Allah Almighty opens out a way for them.
16: If two men from amongst you are found guilty of something similar, punish them. But if they repent and make amends, then leave them alone. The Divine System makes room for repentance and thereafter the restoration of the means of development.
17: Repentance (Taubah) is only accepted from those who do something wrong in ignorance and repent immediately thereafter: for Allah Almighty is All-Knowing, Wise.
18: Of no avail is the repentance (Taubah) of those who persist in wrong doing until they are confronted by death and they say: "Now we have repented indeed." These people as well as those who die in the state of Kufr will suffer a most grievous punishment.
19: O Jama'at-ul-Momineen, you cannot marry women against their will and become their master instead of their companion. Do not treat them harshly in order to appropriate a part of their dower unless they are guilty of open indecency. (The matter will, of course, be decided by the proper authority.) On the contrary, live with them honourably. If you dislike something about them do not resolve immediately to separate from them. It is possible that something you dislike may bring about abundant good for you.
20-21: If you intend to marry another woman in place of your present wife and you have given the latter a whole treasure as dower you should not take back even a portion of it. You should not slander her or accuse her of open wrong in order to compel her to surrender a part of her dower. How can you do that when your wives have taken a solemn covenant from you, and you also have enjoyed marital relations with each other.
22: Marry not women whom your fathers had married. What is past is past, but this was a very shameful, indecent, and abominable custom indeed!
23: Forbidden to you in 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 foster mothers
* Your foster sisters
* Mothers of your wives
* Your step-daughters, who have been brought up under your guardianship and are born of wives with whom you have had marital relations. If you have not had marital relations, then the prohibition does not apply.
* Wives of your real sons.
* It is also prohibited to have in marriage two sisters at the same time.
However, what is past is past. Allah Almighty overlooks your shortcomings, but remember that the protection and nourishment of your personality can only be, if you follow His Laws.
24: Also forbidden to you in marriage are those women who are already married except those whom you already possess.
These are the Divine Laws.
Except for these women, all others are lawful for you in marriage provided you pay them their dower and marry them for the purpose of leading a conjugal life and not for the mere satisfaction of your lust. Pay the dower to the women whom you take into marriage. By mutual agreement, the original dower may be altered.
Allah's Laws are based upon knowledge and wisdom.
25: Whoever amongst you cannot afford to marry a free believing woman, may marry a believing woman who is a captive. If you marry a captive woman, do not treat her as an inferior (because once she accepts Islam and marries you, she is at par with others). Allah Almighty knows all about your Ei'man (and Ei'man is the only consideration for distinction, otherwise) the one of you is as the other. Marry captive women with the permission of their custodians and pay them their appropriate dowers. If you marry these women, marry them for the purpose of leading a conjugal life and not for the mere satisfaction of your lust. Do not have a secret relationship with them.
If captive women are guilty of adultery, after they have entered into wedlock, their punishment is one-half that of free believing women*** (24/2).
Permission to marry captive women is given only to those men who fear that they might falter if they remain unmarried but it is better for them if they practise continence (24/33). Remember Allah Almighty is the Protector and Raheem.
26-27: These Family Laws have been explained to you in detail and with clarity because they pertain not only to individuals but also have great impact upon the life of nations. The history of earlier nations testifies to this - those who obeyed these Laws led blissful lives while those who disobeyed them were ruined. Allah Almighty is All-Knowing, Wise.
Allah Almighty wants that you should be protected from such ruin. Lewdness and indecency are prevalent in the present society and people who act thus would like you to drift away from the right path and become like them.
28: Allah Almighty wants to lighten your burdens. He knows that if your emotions are not channeled by means of the Divine Laws and you are left to yourselves then you would be overpowered by your emotions, which would result in destruction and there would be chaos in the society. Limitations are essential to control the emotions.
29-30: O Jama'at-ul-Momineen do not devour each other's wealth unlawfully. You will destroy each other that way whereas Allah Almighty desires the nourishment of all of you. But if you defy Allah's Laws, it would be tantamount to zulm which brings about society's ruin according to the Law of Mukaf'at. This can happen very easily. Trade by mutual agreement is the proper way for exchanging wealth.
31: Should you abstain from the serious crimes which you have been forbidden to commit, it will save your society from chaos and you will lead an honorable life.
32: The earning capacity of individuals differs but each person should strive hard to increase his or her capacity to earn. Men shall have what they earn and women shall have whatever they earn. Allah Almighty has knowledge of all things.
33: Men and women own not only what they earn but also have their prescribed shares in inheritance as explained earlier (4/12-13). In distribution of inheritance contractual relatives have precedence over blood relatives. Truly Allah Almighty is witness to all things.
34: As stated earlier, women own what they earn but due to biological reasons, they are incapacitated for considerable periods of time, to earn a living. Due to this fact it is obvious and natural that the responsibility for maintaining the family is vested in men. When women are given such protection then they must fulfill their functions as women faithfully and safeguard their potentialities.
If notwithstanding all this, those in authority apprehend defiance on the part of women with regards to the performance of their natural functions, they should, in order to correct such a behaviour, first admonish the women, then, if required, separate them temporarily from their husbands, or intern them, and finally, if necessary, punish them otherwise. Allah's Laws must prevail. If they submit to them then seek no occasion against them.
35: The above directive concerns men and women in general. As regards husbands and wives, if you apprehend a breach between the couple, then the concerned authority should constitute a board of arbitration consisting of two members, one from the husband's family and the other from the wife's. If they want to reach a settlement then appropriate reconciliation should be effected between the couple. Surely, Allah Almighty is the knowing and apprised of everything. (If a settlement cannot be reached then divorce is to be resorted to for which directives have been given separately.)
36: Next, comes the matter of relatives other than spouses. In dealing with them, Allah's Laws must be adhered to strictly and no man-made Laws should be mixed with them.
According to these Laws, you should do good to:
* parents,
* kin-folk,
* orphans,
* others in need,
* neighbours irrespective of whether they are your relatives or not,
* wayfarers who stand in need of your help and,
* those in your charge or those who work under you.
Allah Almighty does not like those who are proud and boastful.
37: These people are those who try to keep as much as possible for themselves. They bid others to do likewise and try to keep hidden whatever bounty Allah Almighty has given them. For such ungrateful people Allah Almighty has prepared a humiliating life.
38: As regards those who spend for the sake of making a show and do not believe in Allah Almighty and the Hereafter, Shait'an becomes their companion. What a dreadful companion he is!
39: If these people had believed in Allah Almighty and the Hereafter and spent in the cause of Allah Almighty instead of their own glory, what harm would have come to them? Surely Allah Almighty has full knowledge of them.
40: Allah Almighty does not lessen aught from the compensation given to those who spend in His Cause, but doubles the compensation of His own accord.
41: Those who act hypocritically think that their hypocrisy will remain unknown. Ask them what their situation would be when they are confronted by a meeting of representatives from each group presided over by the Rasool.
42: Those people who were bent upon denying the truth and also paid no heed to the Rasool's directives would wish that they had been levelled to the ground so that their hypocrisy had remained veiled, but nothing shall remain concealed from Allah!