Verses 35–41
4. An-Nisaa · The Women
Madinan176 verses
وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ شِقَاقَ بَيْنِهِمَا فَٱبْعَثُوا۟ حَكَمًۭا مِّنْ أَهْلِهِۦ وَحَكَمًۭا مِّنْ أَهْلِهَآ إِن يُرِيدَآ إِصْلَٰحًۭا يُوَفِّقِ ٱللَّهُ بَيْنَهُمَآ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا خَبِيرًۭا
4:35If you fear a split between the two of them, then appoint an arbiter from his relatives and an arbiter from her relatives. If they desire reconcilement, Allah shall reconcile them. Indeed Allah is all-knowing, all-aware.1
۞ وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِهِۦ شَيْـًۭٔا ۖ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَٰنًۭا وَبِذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱلْجَارِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْجَارِ ٱلْجُنُبِ وَٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلْجَنۢبِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالًۭا فَخُورًا
4:36Worship Allah and do not ascribe any partners to Him, and be good to parents, the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the near neighbour and the distant neighbour, the companion at your side, the traveller, and your slaves. Indeed Allah does not like those who are arrogant and boastful.2
ٱلَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلْبُخْلِ وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۗ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابًۭا مُّهِينًۭا
4:37—Those who are [themselves] stingy and bid [other] people to be stingy, and conceal whatever Allah has given them out of His bounty; and We have prepared for the faithless a humiliating punishment.
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ رِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَلَا بِٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ ۗ وَمَن يَكُنِ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ لَهُۥ قَرِينًۭا فَسَآءَ قَرِينًۭا
4:38And those who spend their wealth to be seen by people, and believe neither in Allah nor in the Last Day. As for him who has Satan for his companion—an evil companion is he!
وَمَاذَا عَلَيْهِمْ لَوْ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ وَأَنفَقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِمْ عَلِيمًا
4:39What harm would it have done them had they believed in Allah and the Last Day, and spent out of what Allah has provided them? Allah knows them well.3
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍۢ ۖ وَإِن تَكُ حَسَنَةًۭ يُضَٰعِفْهَا وَيُؤْتِ مِن لَّدُنْهُ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًۭا
4:40Indeed Allah does not wrong [anyone] [even to the extent of] an atom’s weight, and if it be a good deed He doubles it[s reward], and gives from Himself a great reward.
فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍۭ بِشَهِيدٍۢ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَىٰ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ شَهِيدًۭا
4:41So how shall it be, when We bring a witness from every nation and We bring you as a witness to them?
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
The blessed verse has mentioned husband and wife as man and woman in that all husbands are not encompassing in capability. He has distinctive qualities of being a man. Allah has made him a maintainer and this power is not his birthright but it is due to other proficiency and capability. If he loses this proficiency, his right will be concluded and his distinctive quality will be taken by the religious leaders and he will be compelled to divorce. Be it known, there are only three authorities of husband. (i) Husband has an authority to give divorce. (ii) A wife can’t refuse intercourse to her husband. (iii) She can’t leave the house without the permission of her husband. Besides this the husband is not supposed to be a despot and a wife is not his maidservant and for this reason it is unlawful to force her to do the housework. There are three remedies if the wife is disobedient : (i) Admonish her and if there is no effect, leave her in the bed and if this too has no effect beat her slightly. But disobedience must be legal otherwise the judge will punish the husband for illegal demand. He cannot force his wife. In the end Allah is called The High, The Great. Holding sway does not mean that you are the superior. Allah is the Greater and the Higher than you.
Verse 38
1.Hypocrisy is among the most detestable attributes in Islam. The Holy Quran has stated that hypocrites will surrender to Shaitan for whom he instigated and he will be disgraced from Allah’s favour. The same is applicable for the miserly as Ali (a.s.) remarked: Stingy people are among the unfortunate, they lead their lives like destitute in the world and render an account like affluent in hereafter.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
- 1
Rijal means husband and Nisa means wives. Qawwam is the caretaker or ruler and the cause of rulership besides personal superiorities is maintenance, which is the responsibility of the husband, The wife is not responsible for that
- 2
Some people consider the subject fact of this to be Hakmeen but the question is their job itself is to make peace so why is the word ‘if’ used there. Thus some commentators take it to denote the husband and wife.
- 3
Zilqurba like the brother, uncle etc. orphan is one whose father is dead, Miskeen are those who have no livelihood, Jaar Zilgurba is the neighbour of the relative. Jar-e-Junub is a distant neighbour, Saheb Bil Junb is a close companion whether at home or in journey or in lesson, or action etc. Ahsan does not denote only monetary help, It can be any type of good gesture like asking for the well-being, advice, counselling, fulfilment of needs, keeping secrets, overlooking mistakes. keeping trusts or loaning.
Benefit
In ayat 35 we have a formation of a family court where sentiments of love and closeness are brought into play. Family matters remain within the family, Both the parties employ hidden wisdom and expenses are avoided.