Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 128–134

4. An-Nisaa · The Women

Madinan176 verses

وَإِنِ ٱمْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِنۢ بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوْ إِعْرَاضًۭا فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَآ أَن يُصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحًۭا ۚ وَٱلصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌۭ ۗ وَأُحْضِرَتِ ٱلْأَنفُسُ ٱلشُّحَّ ۚ وَإِن تُحْسِنُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًۭا

4:128If a woman fears from her husband misconduct or desertion, there is no sin upon the couple if they reach a reconciliation between themselves; and reconcilement is better. The souls are prone to greed; but if you are virtuous and Godwary, Allah is indeed well aware of what you do.12

وَلَن تَسْتَطِيعُوٓا۟ أَن تَعْدِلُوا۟ بَيْنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتُمْ ۖ فَلَا تَمِيلُوا۟ كُلَّ ٱلْمَيْلِ فَتَذَرُوهَا كَٱلْمُعَلَّقَةِ ۚ وَإِن تُصْلِحُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًۭا رَّحِيمًۭا

4:129You will not be able to be fair between wives, even if you are eager to do so. Yet do not turn away from one altogether, leaving her as if in a suspense. But if you are conciliatory and Godwary, Allah is indeed all-forgiving, all-merciful.*

وَإِن يَتَفَرَّقَا يُغْنِ ٱللَّهُ كُلًّۭا مِّن سَعَتِهِۦ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعًا حَكِيمًۭا

4:130But if they separate, Allah will suffice each of them out of His bounty, and Allah is all-bounteous, all-wise.

وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَلَقَدْ وَصَّيْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنِ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ وَإِن تَكْفُرُوا۟ فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَنِيًّا حَمِيدًۭا

4:131To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. We have certainly enjoined those who were given the Book before you, and you, that you should be wary of Allah. But if you are faithless, [you should know that] to Allah indeed belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and Allah is all-sufficient, all-laudable.

وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًا

4:132To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and Allah suffices as trustee.3

إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ أَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَيَأْتِ بِـَٔاخَرِينَ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ قَدِيرًۭا

4:133If He wishes, He will take you away, O mankind, and bring others [in your place]; Allah has the power to do that.

مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ثَوَابَ ٱلدُّنْيَا فَعِندَ ٱللَّهِ ثَوَابُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْءَاخِرَةِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ سَمِيعًۢا بَصِيرًۭا

4:134Whoever desires the reward of this world, [should know that] with Allah is the reward of this world and the Hereafter, and Allah is all-hearing, all-seeing.

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 128

1.Islam has settled the rights of husband over his wife that she should obey him and should not go out of the house without his permission. The woman’s right on her husband is that he should arrange maintenance of her and also have sex with her. If the husband fails in fulfillment of rights or becomes aloof from her both have the right to keep in view their natural niggardliness and reconcile with something less. The status of conjugal rights in not of the grade of obligations that there cannot be any decrease in it. It is a matter of choice in which agreement can be reached on less.

Verse 129

2.Some people have become habitual of going to extremes. It is their philosophy that either they will do complete justice or not at all. Allah has clarified that complete justice is impossible in attention, love. and sexual relations; but it does not mean that there should be no justice in maintenance and sexual intercourse also. And the wife should be left in between. Neither she gets the pleasure of wifehood nor divorce. Be careful! Do not do this because Allah can punish very severely for this. If you can take the advantage of her weakness, Allah can also destroy you due to your helplessness.

Verse 134

3.It is a warning to narrow-minded malicious worldly people who want recompense for their charity and good deeds in this world itself. The Holy Quran has drawn attention to their foolishness. It would have been reasonable if there had been contradiction in the world and the hereafter, that he could have taken only the world but; when it is possible to collect both of, how call he be prepared to be content with comforts of a few days instead of permanent reward of Allah.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    Nashuz : Expression of greatness. It denotes not submitting to the rights of marriage.

  2. 2

    There is a difference between ‘Shuh’ and ‘Bukhl’, ‘Bukhl’ is miserliness and it is only in the miserliness of all kinds, including that of love. And this type of miserliness is a part of human nature. It is present in men as well as women.

  3. Benefit

    In ayat 129 the absence of possibility is according to personal attraction towards a particular partner otherwise giving equal tights is very much possible and on this basis alone that polygamy is permitted. As mentioned in the reply of Imam Sadiq (a.s.) to the objection of Ibne Abil Awja. And it has been the practice of the special creatures of Allah in every age. Where as from the aspect of love equality is sometimes impossible or improper and it may lead to non-fulfillment of rights.

  4. 3

    This phrase is repeated thrice over here. Firstly it intends to state that Allah can make both of them wealthy because He is the owner of the heavens and the earth. The second time it conveys that the infidels are not beyond Allah’s power. His power encompasses the whole universe. The third time it tells that Allah can destroy a nation and in its place bring another one. 1bis is not difficult for Him because His is the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth.