Verses 122–127
4. An-Nisaa · The Women
Madinan176 verses
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّٰتٍۢ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًۭا ۖ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقًّۭا ۚ وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ قِيلًۭا
4:122But those who have faith and do righteous deeds, We will admit them into gardens with streams running in them, to remain in them forever—a true promise of Allah, and who is truer in speech than Allah?1
لَّيْسَ بِأَمَانِيِّكُمْ وَلَآ أَمَانِىِّ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ ۗ مَن يَعْمَلْ سُوٓءًۭا يُجْزَ بِهِۦ وَلَا يَجِدْ لَهُۥ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِيًّۭا وَلَا نَصِيرًۭا
4:123It will be neither after your hopes nor the hopes of the People of the Book: whoever commits evil shall be requited for it, and he will not find for himself any guardian or helper besides Allah.2
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ مِن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌۭ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ نَقِيرًۭا
4:124And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, should he be faithful—such shall enter paradise and they will not be wronged [so much as] the speck on a date-stone.
وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ دِينًۭا مِّمَّنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُۥ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌۭ وَٱتَّبَعَ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ حَنِيفًۭا ۗ وَٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ خَلِيلًۭا
4:125Who has a better religion than him who submits his will to Allah, being virtuous, and follows the creed of Abraham, a Hanif? And Allah took Abraham for a dedicated friend.
وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ مُّحِيطًۭا
4:126To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and Allah comprehends all things.3
وَيَسْتَفْتُونَكَ فِى ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۖ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِيهِنَّ وَمَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى ٱلْكِتَٰبِ فِى يَتَٰمَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ ٱلَّٰتِى لَا تُؤْتُونَهُنَّ مَا كُتِبَ لَهُنَّ وَتَرْغَبُونَ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ وَٱلْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ ٱلْوِلْدَٰنِ وَأَن تَقُومُوا۟ لِلْيَتَٰمَىٰ بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍۢ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمًۭا
4:127They seek your ruling concerning women. Say, ‘Allah gives you a ruling concerning them and what is announced to you in the Book concerning girl orphans—whom you do not give what has been prescribed for them, and yet you desire to marry them—and about the weak among children: that you should maintain the orphans with justice, and whatever good you do, indeed Allah knows it well.
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 124
1.Islam means religious belief and deeds. It has not based the information of religiosity on the base of nationality or community, such as the followers of hook desired that only Jews and Christians can enter the garden. Some Muslims think that the faithful cannot enter the hell. But Islam gives an open challenge, if you do evil, you will suffer the punishment of Allah and if you do good, you will obtain recompense. This style of thinking is the true Islamic belief and it is clarified by two ways. First it mentions about the virtuous practice and second about good belief and after that pairs the terms of Islam and its solution along with the terms of good deeds. It completely clarifies the command of Allah. Faith does not advent without good deeds and good deed does not advent without faith. Ali (a.s.) has explained elaborately and lucidly about faith and good deeds. Belief guides towards the good deeds and from good deeds we affirm regarding faith.
Verse 127
2.In the beginning of Surah, Allah has mentioned about the rights of women and orphans and now in conclusion of Surah He again mentions the same so that it can become complete amplification and all the uncivilized customs would be rejected which are observed regarding the right of women and orphans like the denial of their right to inheritance and the forcible detention in the houses to retain control of their inheritance. In this way, they do not get justice and the orphaned weak are deprived of their legacy too as they were unable to fight for it. And their point of contention was that the foundation of legacy was relationship. It is not a weakness or strength of male and female.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
- 1
Abiding is used for Paradise there is mention of Abiding forever which shows that there is possibility of coming out of Hell but it is not possible to leave Paradise, And here the abiding denotes abiding forever.
- 2
Every community believes that salvation is possible if one follows the particular beliefs of the community. And they shall not be punished for their sins. The Holy Quran bas settled this matter once and for all. That there is no use of harbouring such hopes. You shall have to bear the consequences of your deeds, whatever may come.
- 3
This shows that the friendship of Ibrahim (a.s.) is not like that of other people, where the relationships of equality come into being. Ibrahim (a.s.) is a slave of Allah in spite of his friendship to Him. While the Almighty is the creator and Lord of the Universe. There are different views regarding the friendship of Ibrahim (a.s.) that it was due to his hospitality, or sacrifice or some other special quality. But the reality is that Allah does not give such a status without absolute obedience of the behaved and every type of sacrifice, It is another matter that the status of Habib’ (beloved) is higher than ‘Khaleel’ (friend).