An-Nisa 4:33
The Women · Juz 5 · Page 83
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. ↩
Tafsir · in English
Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Medium · The classic, abridged: ayahs explained by ayahs and hadith.
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Commentary on 4:33
وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مَوَالِىَ
(And to everyone, We have appointed Mawali) means, "Heirs." Ibn `Abbas was also reported to have said that Mawali refers to relatives. Ibn Jarir commented, "The Arabs call the cousin a Mawla." Ibn Jarir continued, "Allah's statement,
مِّمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَلِدَنِ وَالاٌّقْرَبُونَ
(of that (property) left by parents and relatives.) means, from what he inherited from his parents and family members. Therefore, the meaning of the Ayah becomes: `To all of you, O people, We appointed relatives (such as children) who will later inherit what you inherited from your own parents and relatives." Allah's statement,
وَالَّذِينَ عَقَدَتْ أَيْمَنُكُمْ فََاتُوهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ
(To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood), give them their due portion.) means, "Those with whom you have a pledge of brotherhood, give them their share of inheritance, thus fulfilling the ratified pledges that you gave them. Allah has witnessed all of you when you gave these pledges and promises." This practice was followed in the beginning of Islam, but was later on abrogated when Muslims were commanded to fulfill the pledges (brotherhood) they had already given, but to refrain from making any new pledges after that. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said,
وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مَوَالِىَ
(And to everyone, We have appointed Mawali) "meaning, heirs;
وَالَّذِينَ عَقَدَتْ أَيْمَنُكُمْ
(To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood)) When the emigrants came to Al-Madinah, the emigrant would inherit from the Ansari, while the latter's relatives would not inherit from him because of the bond of brotherhood which the Prophet established between them (the emigrants and the Ansar). When the verse,
وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مَوَالِىَ
(And to everyone We have appointed Mawali) was revealed, it cancelled (the pledge of brotherhood regarding inheritance)." Then he said, "The verse,
وَالَّذِينَ عَقَدَتْ أَيْمَنُكُمْ فََاتُوهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ
(To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood), give them their due portion.) remained valid for cases of co-operation and mutual advice, while the matter of inheritance was excluded and it became permissible to assign something in one's will to the person who had the right of inheriting before."
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. ↩