سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 176
يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِى ٱلْكَلَـٰلَةِ ۚ إِنِ ٱمْرُؤٌا۟ هَلَكَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌ وَلَهُۥٓ أُخْتٌ فَلَهَا نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ ۚ وَهُوَ يَرِثُهَآ إِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّهَا وَلَدٌ ۚ فَإِن كَانَتَا ٱثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُمَا ٱلثُّلُثَانِ مِمَّا تَرَكَ ۚ وَإِن كَانُوٓا۟ إِخْوَةً رِّجَالًا وَنِسَآءً فَلِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۗ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ أَن تَضِلُّوا۟ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۢ ﴿176﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They ask you for a legal verdict. Say: "Allâh directs (thus) about Al-Kalâlah (those who leave neither descendants nor ascendants as heirs). If it is a man that dies leaving a sister, but no child, she shall have half the inheritance. If (such a deceased was) a woman, who left no child, her brother takes her inheritance. If there are two sisters, they shall have two-thirds of the inheritance; if there are brothers and sisters, the male will have twice the share of the female. (Thus) does Allâh make clear to you (His Law) lest you go astray. And Allâh is the All-Knower of everything."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ
yastaftūnaka
They seek your ruling
قُلِ
quli
Say
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
يُفْتِيكُمْ
yuf'tīkum
gives you a ruling
فِى
fī
concerning
ٱلْكَلَـٰلَةِ ۚ
l-kalālati
the Kalala
إِنِ
ini
if
ٱمْرُؤٌا۟
im'ru-on
a man
هَلَكَ
halaka
died
لَيْسَ
laysa
(and) not
لَهُۥ
lahu
he has
وَلَدٌۭ
waladun
a child
وَلَهُۥٓ
walahu
and he has
أُخْتٌۭ
ukh'tun
a sister
فَلَهَا
falahā
then for her
نِصْفُ
niṣ'fu
(is) a half
مَا
mā
(of) what
تَرَكَ ۚ
taraka
he left
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
And he
يَرِثُهَآ
yarithuhā
will inherit from her
إِن
in
if
لَّمْ
lam
not
يَكُن
yakun
is
لَّهَا
lahā
for her
وَلَدٌۭ ۚ
waladun
a child
فَإِن
fa-in
But if
كَانَتَا
kānatā
there were
ٱثْنَتَيْنِ
ith'natayni
two females
فَلَهُمَا
falahumā
then for them
ٱلثُّلُثَانِ
l-thuluthāni
two thirds
مِمَّا
mimmā
of what
تَرَكَ ۚ
taraka
he left
وَإِن
wa-in
But if
كَانُوٓا۟
kānū
they were
إِخْوَةًۭ
ikh'watan
brothers and sisters
رِّجَالًۭا
rijālan
men
وَنِسَآءًۭ
wanisāan
and women
فَلِلذَّكَرِ
falildhakari
then the male will have
مِثْلُ
mith'lu
like
حَظِّ
ḥaẓẓi
share
ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۗ
l-unthayayni
(of) the two females
يُبَيِّنُ
yubayyinu
makes clear
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
لَكُمْ
lakum
to you
أَن
an
lest
تَضِلُّوا۟ ۗ
taḍillū
you go astray
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
بِكُلِّ
bikulli
of every
شَىْءٍ
shayin
thing
عَلِيمٌۢ
ʿalīmun
(is) All-Knower
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
176. 1. The matter of kalalah has already been mentioned earlier, that it refers to the deceased who has neither a father nor a son. Here, again, its inheritance is being discussed. Some people have defined kalalah as a person who only does not have a son, i.e., the father is present. But this is not correct. The first definition of kalalah is correct because, in the presence of the father, the sister is not an heir at all. The father becomes a barrier (hajib) for her. But here Allah Almighty is saying that if he has a sister, she will inherit half of his wealth. From this, it is clear that kalalah is one who has neither a son nor a father. That is, the absence of the son is proven by the text, and the absence of the father is proven by the indication of the text.
176. 2. Similarly, the father is also not present. because the father is a closer relative than the brother; in the presence of the father, the brother is not an heir at all. If the kalalah woman’s husband or any maternal brother is present, then after taking out their share, the brother will be considered the heir of the remaining wealth. (Ibn Kathir)
176. 3. The same ruling will apply in the case of two or more sisters. Thus, the meaning is that if a kalalah person has two or more sisters, they will receive two-thirds of the total wealth.
176. 4. That is, if the heirs of kalalah are mixed (both men and women), then the inheritance will be distributed according to the principle that one male is equal to two females.
176. 2. Similarly, the father is also not present. because the father is a closer relative than the brother; in the presence of the father, the brother is not an heir at all. If the kalalah woman’s husband or any maternal brother is present, then after taking out their share, the brother will be considered the heir of the remaining wealth. (Ibn Kathir)
176. 3. The same ruling will apply in the case of two or more sisters. Thus, the meaning is that if a kalalah person has two or more sisters, they will receive two-thirds of the total wealth.
176. 4. That is, if the heirs of kalalah are mixed (both men and women), then the inheritance will be distributed according to the principle that one male is equal to two females.
