Surah Nisa ayat 127 Tafsir Quran 4:127

﴿وَيَسْتَفْتُونَكَ فِي النِّسَاءِ ۖ قُلِ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِيهِنَّ وَمَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ فِي يَتَامَى النِّسَاءِ اللَّاتِي لَا تُؤْتُونَهُنَّ مَا كُتِبَ لَهُنَّ وَتَرْغَبُونَ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الْوِلْدَانِ وَأَن تَقُومُوا لِلْيَتَامَىٰ بِالْقِسْطِ ۚ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِهِ عَلِيمًا﴾
[ النساء: 127]

4:127 And they request from you, [O Muhammad], a [legal] ruling concerning women. Say, "Allah gives you a ruling about them and [about] what has been recited to you in the Book concerning the orphan girls to whom you do not give what is decreed for them - and [yet] you desire to marry them - and concerning the oppressed among children and that you maintain for orphans [their rights] in justice." And whatever you do of good - indeed, Allah is ever Knowing of it.

They will ask you for a pronouncement concerning the matter of women and their inheritance. Say to them ‘God pronounces to you concerning them and what is recited to you in the Book the Qur’ān in the ‘inheritance’ verse Q. 411 and He also pronounces to you concerning the orphan women to whom you do not give what is prescribed what is obligatory for them of inheritance for you O guardians who desire not to marry them because of their ugliness and you prevent them from marrying others coveting their inheritance in other words God pronounces to you not to do this; and concerning the oppressed young children that you give them what is their due and He also commands you that you deal justly equitably with orphans with respect to inheritance and dowry. Whatever good you do God is ever Knower of it’ and He will requite you for it.

And they – those who conformed to Islam - seek counsel from you O Muhammad concerning women; how to act toward them and deal Justly with them! Say to them: Allahs decretal reply to your question, relative to women, is formally announced, “Instructions have been recited to you from the Book -the Quran–. Further instructions concern the female orphans to whom you deny their due and whom you wish to marry: It is not right to take advantage of their helpless position nor of the helpless position of all those who are young. And you must deal justly with orphans and exercise your authority in maintenance of their right. And whatever deed you imprint with wisdom and piety is an honourable deed, it always comes to Allah’s knowledge

The Ruling Concerning Female Orphans Al-Bukhari recorded that `A'ishah said about the Ayah, وَيَسْتَفْتُونَكَ فِى النِّسَآءِ قُلِ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِيهِنَّ ( They ask your instruction concerning women.
Say, "Allah instructs you about them... ) until, وَتَرْغَبُونَ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ ( whom you desire to marry... ) "It is about the man who is taking care of a female orphan, being her caretaker and inheritor.
Her money is joined with his money to such an extent, that she shares with him even the branch of a date that he has.
So he likes ( for material gain ) to marry her himself, and hates to marry her to another man who would have a share in his money, on account of her share in his money.
Therefore, he refuses to let her marry anyone else.
So, this Ayah was revealed." Muslim also recorded it.
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `A'ishah said, "The people asked Allah's Messenger ﷺ ( about orphan girls ), so Allah revealed, وَيَسْتَفْتُونَكَ فِى النِّسَآءِ قُلِ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِيهِنَّ وَمَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ فِى الْكِتَـبِ ( They ask your instruction concerning women.
Say, "Allah instructs you about them and about what is recited unto you in the Book..." ) What is meant by Allah's saying, `And about what is recited unto you in the Book' is the former verse which said, وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلاَّ تُقْسِطُواْ فِى الْيَتَـمَى فَانكِحُواْ مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِّنَ النِّسَآءِ ( If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry (other ) women of your choice.)" `A'ishah said, "Allah's statement, وَتَرْغَبُونَ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ ( whom you desire to marry... ) also refers to the desire of the guardian not to marry an orphan girl under his supervision when she lacks property or beauty.
The guardians were forbidden to marry their orphan girls possessing property and beauty without being just to them, as they generally refrain from marrying them ( when they are neither beautiful nor wealthy )." The basis of this is recorded in Two Sahihs.
Consequently, when a man is the caretaker of a female orphan, he might like to marry her himself.
In this case, Allah commands him to give her a suitable dowry that other women of her status get.
If he does not want to do that, then let him marry other women, for Allah has made this matter easy for Muslims.
Sometimes, the caretaker does not desire to marry the orphan under his care, because she is not attractive to his eye.
In this case, Allah forbids the caretaker from preventing the female orphan from marrying another man for fear that her husband would share in the money that is mutually shared between the caretaker and the girl.
`Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said, "During the time of Jahiliyyah, the caretaker of a female orphan would cover her with his rope, and when he did that, no man would marry her.
If she was beautiful and he desired to marry her, he married her and took control of her wealth.
If she was not beautiful, he did not allow her to marry until she died, and when she died he inherited her money.
Allah prohibited and outlawed this practice.
" He also said about Allah's statement, وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الْوِلْدَنِ ( and the children who are weak and oppressed, ) that during the time of Jahiliyyah, they used to deny young children and females a share of inheritance.
So Allah's statement, لاَ تُؤْتُونَهُنَّ مَا كُتِبَ لَهُنَّ ( you give not what they deserve ) thus prohibiting this practice and designating a fixed share for each, لِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الاٍّنْثَيَيْنِ ( To the male, a portion equal to that of two females.. ) whether they were young or old, as Sa`id bin Jubayr and others stated.
Sa`id bin Jubayr said about Allah's statement, وَأَن تَقُومُواْ لِلْيَتَـمَى بِالْقِسْطِ ( and that you stand firm for justice to orphans. ) "Just as when she is beautiful and wealthy you would want to marry her and have her for yourself, so when she is not wealthy or beautiful, marry her and have her for yourself." Allah's statement, وَمَا تَفْعَلُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِهِ عَلِيماً r( And whatever good you do, Allah is Ever All-Aware of it. ) encourages performing the good deeds and fulfilling the commandments, and states that Allah is knowledgeable of all of this and He will reward for it in the best and most perfect manner. وَإِنِ امْرَأَةٌ خَـفَتْ مِن بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزاً أَوْ إِعْرَاضاً فَلاَ جُنَاْحَ عَلَيْهِمَآ أَن يُصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحاً وَالصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ وَأُحْضِرَتِ الأنفُسُ الشُّحَّ وَإِن تُحْسِنُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيراً

(4:127) They ask you to pronounce laws concerning women, *152 say: 'Allah pronounces to you concerning them, *153 and reminds you of the injunctions which were recited to you in the Book about female orphans whom you do not give what has been ordained for them *154 and whom you wish to marry (out of greed)', *155 and the commandments relating to the children who are weak and helpless. *156 Allah directs you to treat the orphans with justice. Allah is well aware of whatever good you do.

And they request from you, [O Muhammad], meaning

*152).
The actual query about women is not spelled out directly.
The judgement pronounced a little later on in response to that query, however, makes it abundantly clear what the query was.

*153).
This is not a response to the query itself.
Before attending to this, God once again emphasizes that people should implement His directives regarding orphans in general, and orphan girls in particular, as mentioned at the beginning of this surah ( see verses 2 ff.
above ).
This shows the importance of the rights of orphans in the sight of God.
The protection of their rights, as we have pointed out, had already been stressed forcefully ( see beginning of the surah, verses 1-14 ).
But that was not deemed sufficient.
Hence, when problems of family life came up for discussion, the question of the well-being of orphans automatically arose even before answering the questions people raised.

*154).
This alludes to verse 3 of this surah: 'And if you fear that you might not treat the orphans justly, then marry the women that seem good to you.
'
*155).
The words of the text ( ) may be interpreted as: 'Whom you wish to marry ( out of greed )' and also as 'Whom you do not wish to marry.' In explanation of this verse 'A'ishah states that, in those days, guardians of orphan girls who had any significant inheritance from their parents used to perpetrate many wrongs on their wards.
If the girl was both rich and good looking, the guardian desired to marry her and exploit both her attractiveness and wealth without either having to make the bridal-due ( mahr ) or even having to undertake her maintenance.
If the girl was ugly, the guardian would neither marry her nor allow her to get married, for she might thus get a husband who would support her claim to her legitimate rights.
( See the commentary of Ibn Kathir on this verse.
The tradition is quoted by Ibn Kathir from Bukhari.
See also n.
4 above -Ed. )
*156).
The reference here is to the injunctions regarding the protection of the rights of orphans at the beginning of the surah ( see verses 1 ff .
and 11 ff.
above ).

 

The Ruling Concerning Female Orphans Al-Bukhari recorded that `A'ishah said about the Ayah, وَيَسْتَفْتُونَكَ فِى النِّسَآءِ قُلِ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِيهِنَّ ( They ask your instruction concerning women.
Say, "Allah instructs you about them... ) until, وَتَرْغَبُونَ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ ( whom you desire to marry... ) "It is about the man who is taking care of a female orphan, being her caretaker and inheritor.
Her money is joined with his money to such an extent, that she shares with him even the branch of a date that he has.
So he likes ( for material gain ) to marry her himself, and hates to marry her to another man who would have a share in his money, on account of her share in his money.
Therefore, he refuses to let her marry anyone else.
So, this Ayah was revealed." Muslim also recorded it.
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `A'ishah said, "The people asked Allah's Messenger ﷺ ( about orphan girls ), so Allah revealed, وَيَسْتَفْتُونَكَ فِى النِّسَآءِ قُلِ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِيهِنَّ وَمَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ فِى الْكِتَـبِ ( They ask your instruction concerning women.
Say, "Allah instructs you about them and about what is recited unto you in the Book..." ) What is meant by Allah's saying, `And about what is recited unto you in the Book' is the former verse which said, وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلاَّ تُقْسِطُواْ فِى الْيَتَـمَى فَانكِحُواْ مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِّنَ النِّسَآءِ ( If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry (other ) women of your choice.)" `A'ishah said, "Allah's statement, وَتَرْغَبُونَ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ ( whom you desire to marry... ) also refers to the desire of the guardian not to marry an orphan girl under his supervision when she lacks property or beauty.
The guardians were forbidden to marry their orphan girls possessing property and beauty without being just to them, as they generally refrain from marrying them ( when they are neither beautiful nor wealthy )." The basis of this is recorded in Two Sahihs.
Consequently, when a man is the caretaker of a female orphan, he might like to marry her himself.
In this case, Allah commands him to give her a suitable dowry that other women of her status get.
If he does not want to do that, then let him marry other women, for Allah has made this matter easy for Muslims.
Sometimes, the caretaker does not desire to marry the orphan under his care, because she is not attractive to his eye.
In this case, Allah forbids the caretaker from preventing the female orphan from marrying another man for fear that her husband would share in the money that is mutually shared between the caretaker and the girl.
`Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said, "During the time of Jahiliyyah, the caretaker of a female orphan would cover her with his rope, and when he did that, no man would marry her.
If she was beautiful and he desired to marry her, he married her and took control of her wealth.
If she was not beautiful, he did not allow her to marry until she died, and when she died he inherited her money.
Allah prohibited and outlawed this practice.
" He also said about Allah's statement, وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الْوِلْدَنِ ( and the children who are weak and oppressed, ) that during the time of Jahiliyyah, they used to deny young children and females a share of inheritance.
So Allah's statement, لاَ تُؤْتُونَهُنَّ مَا كُتِبَ لَهُنَّ ( you give not what they deserve ) thus prohibiting this practice and designating a fixed share for each, لِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الاٍّنْثَيَيْنِ ( To the male, a portion equal to that of two females.. ) whether they were young or old, as Sa`id bin Jubayr and others stated.
Sa`id bin Jubayr said about Allah's statement, وَأَن تَقُومُواْ لِلْيَتَـمَى بِالْقِسْطِ ( and that you stand firm for justice to orphans. ) "Just as when she is beautiful and wealthy you would want to marry her and have her for yourself, so when she is not wealthy or beautiful, marry her and have her for yourself." Allah's statement, وَمَا تَفْعَلُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِهِ عَلِيماً r( And whatever good you do, Allah is Ever All-Aware of it. ) encourages performing the good deeds and fulfilling the commandments, and states that Allah is knowledgeable of all of this and He will reward for it in the best and most perfect manner. وَإِنِ امْرَأَةٌ خَـفَتْ مِن بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزاً أَوْ إِعْرَاضاً فَلاَ جُنَاْحَ عَلَيْهِمَآ أَن يُصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحاً وَالصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ وَأُحْضِرَتِ الأنفُسُ الشُّحَّ وَإِن تُحْسِنُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيراً

( They consult thee concerning women ) they ask you about the inheritance of women; the one who asked him was ’Uyaynah. ( Say: Allah giveth to you decree ) expounds to you the legal ruling ( concerning them ) concerning their inheritance, ( and the Scripture ) at the beginning of this surah ( which hath been recited unto you (giveth decree ), concerning female orphans) the daughters of Umm Kuhhah ( unto whom ye give not that which is ordained for them ) that which is prescribed for them of inheritance; Allah has already explained this at the beginning of the surah ( though you desire to marry them ) you refrain from marrying them because they are not attractive, so now give them their wealth so that you may desire to marry them for that which they have, ( and (concerning ) the weak among children) and He expounds to you the inheritance of children, ( and that ye should deal justly with orphans ) He explains to you that you should protect justly and fairly the wealth of orphans. ( Whatever good ye do ) by being kind to them, ( lo! Allah is ever Aware of it ) as well as of your intentions.

They ask your legal instruction concerning women, say: Allah instructs you about them, and about what is recited unto you in the Book concerning the orphan girls whom you give not the prescribed portions (as regards Mahr and inheritance) and yet whom you desire to marry, and (concerning) the children who are weak and oppressed, and that you stand firm for justice to orphans. And whatever good you do, Allah is Ever All-Aware of it.

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