Anwar Al-Quran

Verse 176

4. An-Nisaa · The Women

Madinan176 verses

يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِى ٱلْكَلَٰلَةِ ۚ إِنِ ٱمْرُؤٌا۟ هَلَكَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌۭ وَلَهُۥٓ أُخْتٌۭ فَلَهَا نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ ۚ وَهُوَ يَرِثُهَآ إِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّهَا وَلَدٌۭ ۚ فَإِن كَانَتَا ٱثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُمَا ٱلثُّلُثَانِ مِمَّا تَرَكَ ۚ وَإِن كَانُوٓا۟ إِخْوَةًۭ رِّجَالًۭا وَنِسَآءًۭ فَلِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۗ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ أَن تَضِلُّوا۟ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۢ

4:176They ask you for a ruling. Say, ‘Allah gives you a ruling concerning the kalalah: If a man dies and has no children [or parents], but has a sister, for her shall be a half of what he leaves, and he shall inherit from her if she has no children. If there be two sisters, then they shall receive two-thirds of what he leaves. But if there be [several] brothers and sisters, then for the male shall be the like of the share of two females. Allah explains [the laws] for you lest you should go astray, and Allah has knowledge of all things.’123

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 176

1.It is a duty of the sister and after this the remaining portion will be given to her as rebuttal. In Ahle Sunnat the remaining portion is given to relatives on the paternal side which finds no mention in the Holy Quran. We should know that the ayat only mentions childlessness. Though for Kalalah it is necessary that there should neither be father nor mother. As it is of the confirmed facts of Islam and also the interpretation of the word Kalalah demands it.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    The dictionary meaning of ‘Kalala’ is ‘surrounding’. This denotes all other relatives except parents and children. Because they surround a person, while the father and ancestors are like his pillars. They cannot be called Kalala or ‘surrounding.’

  2. 2

    ‘Wuld’ (child) is used for both a male child as well as female child.

  3. 3

    Here brother and sister denote real and full brother and sister. The inheritance of maternal siblings is mentioned at the beginning of this chapter.