An-Nisa 4:32
The Women · Juz 5 · Page 83
وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوۡاْ مَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦ بَعۡضَكُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖۚ لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٞ مِّمَّا ٱكۡتَسَبُواْۖ وَلِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِيبٞ مِّمَّا ٱكۡتَسَبۡنَۚ وَسۡـَٔلُواْ ٱللَّهَ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٗا ٣٢
And do not wish for that by which Allāh has made some of you exceed others. For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of1 what they have earned. And ask Allāh of His bounty. Indeed Allāh is ever, of all things, Knowing.
1 translator’s note
- This may refer to shares of inheritance, wages and reward in the Hereafter. ↩
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Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 4:32–33
Disparity, i.e. the difference between individuals in this world, is in accordance with God’s creation plan. Some are physically and mentally less endowed than others; some are born in favourable and some in unfavourable conditions; some have powerful resources and some barely exist with just minimal resources. The latter become jealous of the former, finding them in a superior position. This situation leads to envy, enmity and conflict in social life. But it is totally wrong to make an assessment of oneself or of others judging solely by externals, as these are of importance only in this world. One receives them only to leave them behind. The issues of real importance, i.e. success and achievement in the Hereafter, have nothing to do with worldly possessions. Success in the Hereafter depends rather on those actions which have been performed in this world with the sole intention of seeking God’s pleasure. It is, therefore, most wise to insulate oneself from envy, and to pray to God for strength, and to continue to direct one’s efforts towards success in the Hereafter. Wherever a group of people live together, whether as a family or as a country, it is necessary to have a leader to take charge. Authority will undisputedly rest in one single person. According to God’s plan for this world, man has been chosen to become the head of the family and has been endowed with the inborn abilities needed to discharge this responsibility. The biological and physiological differences between man and woman are in conformity with God’s creation plan. If there are some who wish to go against God’s plan, they will only cause perversion and discord. For, nature will continue to go ahead creating men and women according to the divine scheme of things, whereby men will be endowed with the qualities needed as protectors and guardians and women will have the quality of submission to be able to assist them without prejudice to the faculties that nature has endowed them with. But, if men and women are given opposite and conflicting roles to perform in social activities, the result will be nothing but perversion in social life.
Page 83
4:27
وَٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَيُرِيدُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلشَّهَوَٰتِ أَن تَمِيلُواْ مَيۡلًا عَظِيمٗا ٢٧
Allāh wants to accept your repentance, but those who follow [their] passions want you to digress [into] a great deviation.
4:28
يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُخَفِّفَ عَنكُمۡۚ وَخُلِقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ ضَعِيفٗا ٢٨
And Allāh wants to lighten for you [your difficulties]; and mankind was created weak.
4:29
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَأۡكُلُوٓاْ أَمۡوَٰلَكُم بَيۡنَكُم بِٱلۡبَٰطِلِ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَ تِجَٰرَةً عَن تَرَاضٖ مِّنكُمۡۚ وَلَا تَقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمۡ رَحِيمٗا ٢٩
O you who have believed, do not consume one another's wealth unjustly1 but only [in lawful] business by mutual consent. And do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allāh is to you ever Merciful.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., unlawfully or under false pretense. ↩
4:30
وَمَن يَفۡعَلۡ ذَٰلِكَ عُدۡوَٰنٗا وَظُلۡمٗا فَسَوۡفَ نُصۡلِيهِ نَارٗاۚ وَكَانَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرًا ٣٠
And whoever does that in aggression and injustice - then We will drive him into a Fire. And that, for Allāh, is [always] easy.
4:31
إِن تَجۡتَنِبُواْ كَبَآئِرَ مَا تُنۡهَوۡنَ عَنۡهُ نُكَفِّرۡ عَنكُمۡ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمۡ وَنُدۡخِلۡكُم مُّدۡخَلٗا كَرِيمٗا ٣١
If you avoid the major sins which you are forbidden, We will remove from you your lesser sins and admit you to a noble entrance [into Paradise].
4:32
وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوۡاْ مَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦ بَعۡضَكُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖۚ لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٞ مِّمَّا ٱكۡتَسَبُواْۖ وَلِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِيبٞ مِّمَّا ٱكۡتَسَبۡنَۚ وَسۡـَٔلُواْ ٱللَّهَ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٗا ٣٢
And do not wish for that by which Allāh has made some of you exceed others. For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of1 what they have earned. And ask Allāh of His bounty. Indeed Allāh is ever, of all things, Knowing.
1 translator’s note
- This may refer to shares of inheritance, wages and reward in the Hereafter. ↩
4:33
وَلِكُلّٖ جَعَلۡنَا مَوَٰلِيَ مِمَّا تَرَكَ ٱلۡوَٰلِدَانِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبُونَۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ عَقَدَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُكُمۡ فَـَٔاتُوهُمۡ نَصِيبَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ شَهِيدًا ٣٣
And for all, We have made heirs to what is left by parents and relatives. And to those whom your oaths have bound [to you] - give them their share.1 Indeed Allāh is ever, over all things, a Witness.
1 translator’s note
- By bequest, as only those relatives mentioned in verses 11 and 12 inherit fixed shares. ↩