Surah Nisa ayat 24 Tafsir Quran 4:24

﴿۞ وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ۖ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَأُحِلَّ لَكُم مَّا وَرَاءَ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَن تَبْتَغُوا بِأَمْوَالِكُم مُّحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحِينَ ۚ فَمَا اسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهِ مِنْهُنَّ فَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً ۚ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا تَرَاضَيْتُم بِهِ مِن بَعْدِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا﴾
[ النساء: 24]

4:24 And [also prohibited to you are all] married women except those your right hands possess. [This is] the decree of Allah upon you. And lawful to you are [all others] beyond these, [provided] that you seek them [in marriage] with [gifts from] your property, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse. So for whatever you enjoy [of marriage] from them, give them their due compensation as an obligation. And there is no blame upon you for what you mutually agree to beyond the obligation. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.

And forbidden to you are wedded women those with spouses that you should marry them before they have left their spouses be they Muslim free women or not; save what your right hands own of captured slave girls whom you may have sexual intercourse with even if they should have spouses among the enemy camp but only after they have been absolved of the possibility of pregnancy after the completion of one menstrual cycle; this is what God has prescribed for you kitāba is in the accusative because it is the verbal noun. Lawful for you read passive wa-uhilla or active wa-ahalla beyond all that that is except what He has forbidden you of women is that you seek women using your wealth by way of a dowry or a price in wedlock and not fornicating in illicitly. Such wives as you enjoy thereby and have had sexual intercourse with give them their wages the dowries that you have assigned them as an obligation; you are not at fault in agreeing together you and they after the obligation is waived decreased or increased. God is ever Knowing of His creatures Wise in what He has ordained for them.

Nor can you marry the women who are married except the captives on hand; a prescriptive rule imposed by Allah on you to observe. But lawful unto you are all who are beyond this limiting provision, with the proviso that you seek to win, with your resources, the women of your choice to unite with them according to Islamic laws of matrimony and not according to vicious indulgence in sexual pleasures. And pay those of them whom you shall enjoy, their dowers; it is a duty incurred by such bond. Nonetheless you shall not fall into consequence if you mutually agree to give her more than what you have dutifully paid or you take back from her what she wishes to remit of her own accord; indeed Allah has always been Alimun and Hakimun

Forbidding Women Already Married, Except for Female Slaves Allah said, وَالْمُحْصَنَـتُ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ إِلاَّ مَا مَلَكْتَ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ ( Also (forbidden are ) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess.) The Ayah means, you are prohibited from marrying women who are already married, إِلاَّ مَا مَلَكْتَ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ ( except those whom your right hands possess ) except those whom you acquire through war, for you are allowed such women after making sure they are not pregnant.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said, "We captured some women from the area of Awtas who were already married, and we disliked having sexual relations with them because they already had husbands.
So, we asked the Prophet about this matter, and this Ayah was revealed, e وَالْمُحْصَنَـتُ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ إِلاَّ مَا مَلَكْتَ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ ( Also (forbidden are ) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess).
Consequently, we had sexual relations with these women." This is the wording collected by At-Tirmidhi An-Nasa'i, Ibn Jarir and Muslim in his Sahih.
Allah's statement, كِتَـبَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ( Thus has Allah ordained for you ) means, this prohibition was ordained for you by Allah.
Therefore, adhere to Allah's Book, do not transgress His set limits, and adhere to His legislation and decrees. The Permission to Marry All Other Women Allah said, وَأُحِلَّ لَكُمْ مَّا وَرَاءَ ذَلِكُمْ ( All others are lawful ) meaning, you are allowed to marry women other than the prohibited types mentioned here, as `Ata' and others have stated.
Allah's statement, أَن تَبْتَغُواْ بِأَمْوَلِكُمْ مُّحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَـفِحِينَ ( provided you seek them (with a dowry ) from your property, desiring chastity, not fornication,) meaning, you are allowed to use your money to marry up to four wives and for ( the purchase of ) as many female slaves as you like, all through legal means, مُّحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَـفِحِينَ ( (desiring ) chastity, not fornication.) Allah's statement, فَمَا اسْتَمْتَعْتُمْ بِهِ مِنْهُنَّ فَـَاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً ( So with those among them whom you have enjoyed, give them their required due, ) means, to enjoy them sexually, surrender to them their rightful dowry as compensation.
In other Ayat, Allah said, وَكَيْفَ تَأْخُذُونَهُ وَقَدْ أَفْضَى بَعْضُكُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ ( And how could you take it (back ) while you have gone in unto each other), وَءَاتُواْ النِّسَآءَ صَدُقَـتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً ( And give to the women (whom you marry ) their dowry with a good heart), and, وَلاَ يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَأْخُذُواْ مِمَّآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ شَيْئًا ( And it is not lawful for you (men ) to take back ( from your wives ) any of what ( dowry ) you gave them) Prohibiting the Mut`ah of Marriage Mujahid stated that, فَمَا اسْتَمْتَعْتُمْ بِهِ مِنْهُنَّ فَـَاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً ( So with those among them whom you have enjoyed, give them their required due, ) was revealed about the Mut`ah marriage.
A Mut`ah marriage is a marriage that ends upon a predeterminied date.
In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that the Leader of the Faithful `Ali bin Abi Talib said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited Mut`ah marriage and eating the meat of domesticated donkeys on the day of Khaybar ( battle )." In addition, in his Sahih, Muslim recorded that Ar-Rabi` bin Sabrah bin Ma`bad Al-Juhani said that his father said that he accompanied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ during the conquest of Makkah, and that the Prophet said,
«يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي كُنْتُ أَذِنْتُ لَكُمْ فِي الاسْتِمْتَاعِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ، وَإنَّ اللهَ قَدْ حَرَّمَ ذَلِكَ إِلى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، فَمَنْ كَانَ عِنَدَهُ مِنْهُنَّ شَيْءٌ فَلْيُخَلِّ سَبِيلَهُ، وَلَا تَأْخُذُوا مِمَّا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ شيئًا»
( O people! I allowed you the Mut`ah marriage with women before.
Now, Allah has prohibited it until the Day of Resurrection.
Therefore, anyone who has any women in Mut`ah, let him let them go, and do not take anything from what you have given them. ) Allah's statement, وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا تَرَاضَيْتُمْ بِهِ مِن بَعْدِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ( but if you agree mutually (to give more ) after the requirement ( has been determined ), there is no sin on you.) is similar to His other statement, وَءَاتُواْ النِّسَآءَ صَدُقَـتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً ( And give to the women their dowry with a good heart ).
The meaning of these Ayat is: If you have stipulated a dowry for her, and she later forfeits it, either totally or partially, then this bears no harm on you or her in this case.
Ibn Jarir said, "Al-Hadrami said that some men would designate a certain dowry, but then fall into financial difficulties.
Therefore, Allah said that there is no harm on you, O people, concerning your mutual agreement after the requirement ( has been determined )." meaning, if she gives up part of the dowry, then you men are allowed to accept that.
Allah's statement, إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيماً حَكِيماً ( Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise. ) is suitable here, after Allah mentioned these prohibitions.

(4:24) And also forbidden to you are all married women (muhsanat) except those women whom your right hands have come to possess (as a result of war). *44 This is Allah's decree and it is binding upon you. But it is lawful for you to seek out all women except these, offering them your wealth and the protection of wedlock rather than using them for the unfettered satisfaction of lust. And in exchange of what you enjoy by marrying them pay their bridal-due as an obligation. But there is no blame on you if you mutually agree to alter the settlement after it has been made. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

And [also prohibited to you are all] meaning

*44).
Women who come as captives of war, leaving their husbands behind in Dar al-Harb ( Domain of War ), are not prohibited, for their marriage is nullified by virtue of their entry into Dar al-Islam ( Domain of Islam ).
A man may marry such women and, if they happen to be his slave-girls, he may have sexual relations with them.
There is disagreement, however, among jurists as to what should be done if both husband and wife have been taken captive together.
Abu Hanifah and the jurists of his school are of the opinion that their marriage should remain intact.
Malik and Shafi'i, on the other hand, argue that their matrimonial contract should be rendered void.

Many misunderstandings seem to persist about the right to have sexual relations with one's slave-girls.
It is pertinent to call attention to the following regulations of Islam:
( 1 ) Islam does not permit soldiers of the Islamic army to have sexual relations with women they capture in war.
Islamic Law requires that such women should first be handed over to the government, which then has the right to decide what should be done with them.
It may either set them free unconditionally, release them on payment of ransom, exchange them for Muslim prisoners of war held by the enemy or distribute them among the soldiers.
A soldier may have sexual relations only with that woman who has been entrusted to him by the government.

( 2 ) Even then, he may not have sexual relations with her until at least one menstrual period has expired; this is in order to establish that she is not already pregnant.
If the woman concerned is pregnant one may not have sexual relations with her until after the birth of her child.

( 3 ) It is not necessary for female captives of war to be People of the Book in order that sexual relations with them be permitted.
The man to whom such a woman is entrusted has the right to have sexual relations with her regardless of her religious affiliations.

( 4 ) Only that person to whom a female captive has been entrusted has the right to have sexual relations with her.
Any child born to her will be regarded as the legitimate child of her master, and will be entitled to all the rights laid down by the Law for one's issue.
Moreover, once such a woman has given birth to a child she may not be sold to anyone, and on the death of her master she automatically becomes a free person.

( 5 ) If the master allows the woman to marry someone else he ceases to have the right to sexual relations with her but retains the right to have her serve him in other ways.

( 6 ) Although the Law has fixed the maximum number of wives at four, it has set no limit with regard to slave-girls.
The Law does not lay down a limit in order to encourage people to accumulate huge armies of slave-girls, and thereby turn their homes into dens of sexual enjoyment.
Rather the Law does not define the limit because the effects of war and the total number of female captives that would have to be disposed of after a certain war are unpredictable.

( 7 ) In the same way as other rights of property are transferable, so are the proprietary rights regarding the captives of war that have been legally entrusted to a man by the state.

( 8 ) Since the regular conferment of property rights is as legal an act as that of marriage, there is no basis for a person who feels no revulsion towards the idea of marriage to feel revulsion towards the idea of having sexual relations with a slave-girl duly entrusted to him.

( 9 ) If a government confers proprietary rights to a man over a female captive of war it forfeits the right to withdraw those rights in the same way as the guardian ( wali ) of a woman ceases to have the right to withdraw his agreement to the marriage proposal after the marriage has been contracted.

( 10 ) If a military commander permitted his soldiers to temporarily use the female captives as objects of sexual desire and distributed them among the soldiers for that purpose, such an act would be considered unlawful by Islamic Law.
Such an act is not essentially different from fornication or adultery.
For details see my book Tafhimat, vol.
2, pp.
366-84, and Rasai'il wa Masa'il, 6th edition, Lahore, 1976, vol.
3, pp.
102-4.

 

Forbidding Women Already Married, Except for Female Slaves Allah said, وَالْمُحْصَنَـتُ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ إِلاَّ مَا مَلَكْتَ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ ( Also (forbidden are ) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess.) The Ayah means, you are prohibited from marrying women who are already married, إِلاَّ مَا مَلَكْتَ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ ( except those whom your right hands possess ) except those whom you acquire through war, for you are allowed such women after making sure they are not pregnant.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said, "We captured some women from the area of Awtas who were already married, and we disliked having sexual relations with them because they already had husbands.
So, we asked the Prophet about this matter, and this Ayah was revealed, e وَالْمُحْصَنَـتُ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ إِلاَّ مَا مَلَكْتَ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ ( Also (forbidden are ) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess).
Consequently, we had sexual relations with these women." This is the wording collected by At-Tirmidhi An-Nasa'i, Ibn Jarir and Muslim in his Sahih.
Allah's statement, كِتَـبَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ( Thus has Allah ordained for you ) means, this prohibition was ordained for you by Allah.
Therefore, adhere to Allah's Book, do not transgress His set limits, and adhere to His legislation and decrees. The Permission to Marry All Other Women Allah said, وَأُحِلَّ لَكُمْ مَّا وَرَاءَ ذَلِكُمْ ( All others are lawful ) meaning, you are allowed to marry women other than the prohibited types mentioned here, as `Ata' and others have stated.
Allah's statement, أَن تَبْتَغُواْ بِأَمْوَلِكُمْ مُّحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَـفِحِينَ ( provided you seek them (with a dowry ) from your property, desiring chastity, not fornication,) meaning, you are allowed to use your money to marry up to four wives and for ( the purchase of ) as many female slaves as you like, all through legal means, مُّحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَـفِحِينَ ( (desiring ) chastity, not fornication.) Allah's statement, فَمَا اسْتَمْتَعْتُمْ بِهِ مِنْهُنَّ فَـَاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً ( So with those among them whom you have enjoyed, give them their required due, ) means, to enjoy them sexually, surrender to them their rightful dowry as compensation.
In other Ayat, Allah said, وَكَيْفَ تَأْخُذُونَهُ وَقَدْ أَفْضَى بَعْضُكُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ ( And how could you take it (back ) while you have gone in unto each other), وَءَاتُواْ النِّسَآءَ صَدُقَـتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً ( And give to the women (whom you marry ) their dowry with a good heart), and, وَلاَ يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَأْخُذُواْ مِمَّآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ شَيْئًا ( And it is not lawful for you (men ) to take back ( from your wives ) any of what ( dowry ) you gave them) Prohibiting the Mut`ah of Marriage Mujahid stated that, فَمَا اسْتَمْتَعْتُمْ بِهِ مِنْهُنَّ فَـَاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً ( So with those among them whom you have enjoyed, give them their required due, ) was revealed about the Mut`ah marriage.
A Mut`ah marriage is a marriage that ends upon a predeterminied date.
In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that the Leader of the Faithful `Ali bin Abi Talib said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited Mut`ah marriage and eating the meat of domesticated donkeys on the day of Khaybar ( battle )." In addition, in his Sahih, Muslim recorded that Ar-Rabi` bin Sabrah bin Ma`bad Al-Juhani said that his father said that he accompanied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ during the conquest of Makkah, and that the Prophet said, «يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي كُنْتُ أَذِنْتُ لَكُمْ فِي الاسْتِمْتَاعِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ، وَإنَّ اللهَ قَدْ حَرَّمَ ذَلِكَ إِلى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، فَمَنْ كَانَ عِنَدَهُ مِنْهُنَّ شَيْءٌ فَلْيُخَلِّ سَبِيلَهُ، وَلَا تَأْخُذُوا مِمَّا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ شيئًا» ( O people! I allowed you the Mut`ah marriage with women before.
Now, Allah has prohibited it until the Day of Resurrection.
Therefore, anyone who has any women in Mut`ah, let him let them go, and do not take anything from what you have given them. ) Allah's statement, وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا تَرَاضَيْتُمْ بِهِ مِن بَعْدِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ( but if you agree mutually (to give more ) after the requirement ( has been determined ), there is no sin on you.) is similar to His other statement, وَءَاتُواْ النِّسَآءَ صَدُقَـتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً ( And give to the women their dowry with a good heart ).
The meaning of these Ayat is: If you have stipulated a dowry for her, and she later forfeits it, either totally or partially, then this bears no harm on you or her in this case.
Ibn Jarir said, "Al-Hadrami said that some men would designate a certain dowry, but then fall into financial difficulties.
Therefore, Allah said that there is no harm on you, O people, concerning your mutual agreement after the requirement ( has been determined )." meaning, if she gives up part of the dowry, then you men are allowed to accept that.
Allah's statement, إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيماً حَكِيماً ( Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise. ) is suitable here, after Allah mentioned these prohibitions.

( And all married women (are forbidden unto you save those (captives ) whom your right hands possess) of captives, even if they have husbands in the Abode of War, after ascertaining that they are not pregnant, by waiting for the lapse of one period of menstruation. ( It is a decree of Allah for you ) that which I have mentioned to you is unlawful in Allah’s Book. ( Lawful unto you are all beyond those mentioned ) as unlawful, ( so that ye seek them ) marry ( with your wealth ) up to four wives; it is also said that this means: so that you buy with your wealth captives; and it is also said that this means: so that you should seek with your money marrying women for an agreed period of time ( zawaj al-mut’ah ) but the lawfulness of this practice was later abrogated, ( in honest wedlock ) He says: be with them as legitimate husbands, ( not debauchery ) not indulging in adultery without having a proper marriage. ( And those of whom ) after marriage ( ye seek content ) from whom you derive benefit, ( give unto them their portions ) give to them their full dowry ( as a duty ) as an obligation upon you from Allah to give the dowry in full. ( And there is no sin for you ) there is no harm for you ( in what ye do by mutual agreement ) in increasing or decreasing the amount of the dowry by mutual agreement ( after the duty hath been done ) after the first obligation to which you have aspired. ( Lo! Allah is ever Knower ) in relation to making lawful to you marriage for an agreed, limited period of time, ( Wise ) in later making this practice unlawful; it is also said that this means: Allah is ever Knower of your compulsion for marriage for an agreed, limited period of time, Wise in making such marriage unlawful.

Also (forbidden are) women already married, except those (captives and slaves) whom your right hands possess. Thus has Allah ordained for you. All others are lawful, provided you seek (them in marriage) with Mahr (bridal money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage) from your property, desiring chastity, not committing illegal sexual intercourse, so with those of whom you have enjoyed sexual relations, give them their Mahr as prescribed; but if after a Mahr is prescribed, you agree mutually (to give more), there is no sin on you. Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.

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