سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 23
حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَّهَـٰتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُكُمْ وَأَخَوَٰتُكُمْ وَعَمَّـٰتُكُمْ وَخَـٰلَـٰتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُ ٱلْأَخِ وَبَنَاتُ ٱلْأُخْتِ وَأُمَّهَـٰتُكُمُ ٱلَّـٰتِىٓ أَرْضَعْنَكُمْ وَأَخَوَٰتُكُم مِّنَ ٱلرَّضَـٰعَةِ وَأُمَّهَـٰتُ نِسَآئِكُمْ وَرَبَـٰٓئِبُكُمُ ٱلَّـٰتِى فِى حُجُورِكُم مِّن نِّسَآئِكُمُ ٱلَّـٰتِى دَخَلْتُم بِهِنَّ فَإِن لَّمْ تَكُونُوا۟ دَخَلْتُم بِهِنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَحَلَـٰٓئِلُ أَبْنَآئِكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِنْ أَصْلَـٰبِكُمْ وَأَن تَجْمَعُوا۟ بَيْنَ ٱلْأُخْتَيْنِ إِلَّا مَا قَدْ سَلَفَ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا ﴿23﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Forbidden to you (for marriage) are: your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father’s sisters, your mother’s sisters, your brother’s daughters, your sister’s daughters, your foster mother who gave you suck, your foster milk suckling sisters, your wives’ mothers, your step daughters under your guardianship, born of your wives to whom you have gone in - but there is no sin on you if you have not gone in them (to marry their daughters), - the wives of your sons who (spring) from your own loins, and two sisters in wedlock at the same time, except for what has already passed; verily, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
حُرِّمَتْ
ḥurrimat
Forbidden
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
to you
أُمَّهَـٰتُكُمْ
ummahātukum
(are) your mothers
وَبَنَاتُكُمْ
wabanātukum
and your daughters
وَأَخَوَٰتُكُمْ
wa-akhawātukum
and your sisters
وَعَمَّـٰتُكُمْ
waʿammātukum
and your father's sisters
وَخَـٰلَـٰتُكُمْ
wakhālātukum
and your mother's sisters
وَبَنَاتُ
wabanātu
and daughters
ٱلْأَخِ
l-akhi
(of) brothers
وَبَنَاتُ
wabanātu
and daughters
ٱلْأُخْتِ
l-ukh'ti
(of) sisters
وَأُمَّهَـٰتُكُمُ
wa-ummahātukumu
and (the) mothers
ٱلَّـٰتِىٓ
allātī
who
أَرْضَعْنَكُمْ
arḍaʿnakum
nursed you
وَأَخَوَٰتُكُم
wa-akhawātukum
and your sisters
مِّنَ
mina
from
ٱلرَّضَـٰعَةِ
l-raḍāʿati
the nursing
وَأُمَّهَـٰتُ
wa-ummahātu
and mothers
نِسَآئِكُمْ
nisāikum
(of) your wives
وَرَبَـٰٓئِبُكُمُ
warabāibukumu
and your step daughters
ٱلَّـٰتِى
allātī
who
فِى
fī
(are) in
حُجُورِكُم
ḥujūrikum
your guardianship
مِّن
min
of
نِّسَآئِكُمُ
nisāikumu
your women
ٱلَّـٰتِى
allātī
whom
دَخَلْتُم
dakhaltum
you had relations
بِهِنَّ
bihinna
with them
فَإِن
fa-in
but if
لَّمْ
lam
not
تَكُونُوا۟
takūnū
you had
دَخَلْتُم
dakhaltum
relations
بِهِنَّ
bihinna
with them
فَلَا
falā
then (there is) no
جُنَاحَ
junāḥa
sin
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
on you
وَحَلَـٰٓئِلُ
waḥalāilu
And wives
أَبْنَآئِكُمُ
abnāikumu
(of) your sons
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
مِنْ
min
(are) from
أَصْلَـٰبِكُمْ
aṣlābikum
your loins
وَأَن
wa-an
and that
تَجْمَعُوا۟
tajmaʿū
you gather together
بَيْنَ
bayna
[between]
ٱلْأُخْتَيْنِ
l-ukh'tayni
two sisters
إِلَّا
illā
except
مَا
mā
what
قَدْ
qad
has
سَلَفَ ۗ
salafa
passed before
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
كَانَ
kāna
is
غَفُورًۭا
ghafūran
Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمًۭا
raḥīman
Most-Merciful
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.
23. 1. The details of the women with whom marriage is forbidden are being explained. Among them are seven blood-related (nasabi) prohibited women, seven milk-related (rada’i) prohibited women, and four in-law (susrali) prohibited women. In addition, it is established from the hadith of the Messenger that it is forbidden to combine a niece and paternal aunt, and a niece and maternal aunt in one marriage. The seven blood-related prohibited women are mothers, daughters, sisters, paternal aunts, maternal aunts, nieces (brother’s daughters), and nieces (sister’s daughters). The seven milk-related prohibited women are milk-mothers, milk-daughters, milk-sisters, milk-paternal aunts, milk-maternal aunts, milk-nieces (brother’s daughters), and milk-nieces (sister’s daughters). Among the in-law prohibited women are mother-in-law, (daughters of a consummated wife from a previous husband), daughter-in-law, and combining two real sisters in one marriage. In addition, the wife of the father (as mentioned in the previous verses), and according to hadith, as long as a wife is in the bond of marriage, it is forbidden to marry her paternal aunt, her maternal aunt, her niece (brother’s daughter), and her niece (sister’s daughter) as well.
The details of blood-related prohibited women: In "ummahat" (mothers), the mothers of mothers (maternal grandmothers), their paternal grandmothers, and the mothers of fathers (paternal grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and those above) are included. In "banat" (daughters), granddaughters (son’s daughters), granddaughters (daughter’s daughters), and the daughters of granddaughters (downwards) are included. There is a difference of opinion regarding whether a girl born from adultery is included among daughters or not. The three Imams include her among daughters and consider marriage with her forbidden. However, Imam Shafi’i says that she is not a legal daughter, so just as she is not included in (يُوْصِيْكُمُ اللّٰهُ فِيْٓ اَوْلَادِكُمْ) 4:11 (اللہ تعالیٰ تمہیں اولاد میں مال متروکہ تقسیم کرنے کا حکم دیتا ہے) and by consensus does not inherit, similarly she is not included in this verse either. And Allah knows best (Ibn Kathir).
"Sisters" (akhawat), whether full, paternal, or maternal. "Paternal aunts" (ammat), this includes all sisters of the father’s male ancestors, i.e., maternal grandfather, paternal grandfather, of all three types. "Maternal aunts" (khalat), this includes all sisters of the mother’s female ancestors (i.e., maternal grandmother, paternal grandmother) of all three types. "Nieces" (brother’s daughters), this includes the daughters of all three types of brothers, whether directly or indirectly (i.e., through lineage or branch). "Nieces" (sister’s daughters), this includes the daughters of all three types of sisters, whether directly or indirectly (i.e., through lineage or branch).
Second category, milk-related prohibited women: Milk-mother, whose milk you drank within the period of suckling (i.e., two and a half years). Milk-sister, the woman whom your real or milk-mother nursed, whether she was nursed with you, before you, or after you, or with your siblings. Or the woman whose real mother nursed you, even if at different times. Through suckling, all those relationships become forbidden which are forbidden by blood. The details are that the real and milk children of the woman who becomes a milk-mother become siblings of the child who drank the milk, her husband becomes his father, the sisters of that man become his paternal aunts, the sisters of that woman become his maternal aunts, and the brothers-in-law of that woman become his milk-paternal uncles. However, the real siblings of the child who drank the milk do not become forbidden to that household due to suckling.
Third category, in-law prohibited women: The wife’s mother, i.e., mother-in-law (this includes the wife’s maternal and paternal grandmothers). If someone marries a woman and divorces her without consummation, even then marriage with her mother (mother-in-law) is forbidden. However, if someone marries a woman and divorces her without consummation, then marriage with her daughter is permissible. (Fath al-Qadir)
"Rabibah": The daughter of a wife from a previous husband. Her prohibition is conditional, i.e., if her mother has been consummated with, then marriage with the rabibah is forbidden, otherwise it is permissible. "Fi hujurikum" (those rabibah who are raised in your lap) is a condition based on the majority of cases, not as a requirement. If this girl is being raised or residing elsewhere, even then marriage with her is forbidden.
"Halail" is the plural of "halilah". This is from "hal yuhill" (to descend), on the pattern of "fa’ilah" meaning "fa’ilah". The wife is called "halilah" because her place of residence is with the husband, i.e., wherever the husband descends or resides, she also descends or resides there. In sons, grandsons (son’s sons) and grandsons (daughter’s sons) are also included, i.e., marriage with their wives is also forbidden. Similarly, the spouses of milk-children are also forbidden. "Min aslabikum" (wives of your biological sons) clarifies that marriage with the wives of adopted sons is not forbidden.
Two sisters (whether milk-related or blood-related), it is forbidden to marry them at the same time. However, after the death of one or after divorce and completion of the waiting period, marriage with the other sister is permissible. Similarly, after divorcing one of four wives, a fifth marriage is not allowed until the divorced woman completes her waiting period.
Note: Will prohibition be established through adultery or not? There is a difference of opinion among the scholars. The majority say that if a person commits adultery with a woman, that woman does not become forbidden to him due to that adultery. Similarly, if someone commits adultery with his wife’s mother (mother-in-law) or her daughter (from another husband), his wife does not become forbidden to him (for evidences, see Fath al-Qadir). According to the Hanafi scholars and some others, prohibition is also established through adultery.
The details of blood-related prohibited women: In "ummahat" (mothers), the mothers of mothers (maternal grandmothers), their paternal grandmothers, and the mothers of fathers (paternal grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and those above) are included. In "banat" (daughters), granddaughters (son’s daughters), granddaughters (daughter’s daughters), and the daughters of granddaughters (downwards) are included. There is a difference of opinion regarding whether a girl born from adultery is included among daughters or not. The three Imams include her among daughters and consider marriage with her forbidden. However, Imam Shafi’i says that she is not a legal daughter, so just as she is not included in (يُوْصِيْكُمُ اللّٰهُ فِيْٓ اَوْلَادِكُمْ) 4:11 (اللہ تعالیٰ تمہیں اولاد میں مال متروکہ تقسیم کرنے کا حکم دیتا ہے) and by consensus does not inherit, similarly she is not included in this verse either. And Allah knows best (Ibn Kathir).
"Sisters" (akhawat), whether full, paternal, or maternal. "Paternal aunts" (ammat), this includes all sisters of the father’s male ancestors, i.e., maternal grandfather, paternal grandfather, of all three types. "Maternal aunts" (khalat), this includes all sisters of the mother’s female ancestors (i.e., maternal grandmother, paternal grandmother) of all three types. "Nieces" (brother’s daughters), this includes the daughters of all three types of brothers, whether directly or indirectly (i.e., through lineage or branch). "Nieces" (sister’s daughters), this includes the daughters of all three types of sisters, whether directly or indirectly (i.e., through lineage or branch).
Second category, milk-related prohibited women: Milk-mother, whose milk you drank within the period of suckling (i.e., two and a half years). Milk-sister, the woman whom your real or milk-mother nursed, whether she was nursed with you, before you, or after you, or with your siblings. Or the woman whose real mother nursed you, even if at different times. Through suckling, all those relationships become forbidden which are forbidden by blood. The details are that the real and milk children of the woman who becomes a milk-mother become siblings of the child who drank the milk, her husband becomes his father, the sisters of that man become his paternal aunts, the sisters of that woman become his maternal aunts, and the brothers-in-law of that woman become his milk-paternal uncles. However, the real siblings of the child who drank the milk do not become forbidden to that household due to suckling.
Third category, in-law prohibited women: The wife’s mother, i.e., mother-in-law (this includes the wife’s maternal and paternal grandmothers). If someone marries a woman and divorces her without consummation, even then marriage with her mother (mother-in-law) is forbidden. However, if someone marries a woman and divorces her without consummation, then marriage with her daughter is permissible. (Fath al-Qadir)
"Rabibah": The daughter of a wife from a previous husband. Her prohibition is conditional, i.e., if her mother has been consummated with, then marriage with the rabibah is forbidden, otherwise it is permissible. "Fi hujurikum" (those rabibah who are raised in your lap) is a condition based on the majority of cases, not as a requirement. If this girl is being raised or residing elsewhere, even then marriage with her is forbidden.
"Halail" is the plural of "halilah". This is from "hal yuhill" (to descend), on the pattern of "fa’ilah" meaning "fa’ilah". The wife is called "halilah" because her place of residence is with the husband, i.e., wherever the husband descends or resides, she also descends or resides there. In sons, grandsons (son’s sons) and grandsons (daughter’s sons) are also included, i.e., marriage with their wives is also forbidden. Similarly, the spouses of milk-children are also forbidden. "Min aslabikum" (wives of your biological sons) clarifies that marriage with the wives of adopted sons is not forbidden.
Two sisters (whether milk-related or blood-related), it is forbidden to marry them at the same time. However, after the death of one or after divorce and completion of the waiting period, marriage with the other sister is permissible. Similarly, after divorcing one of four wives, a fifth marriage is not allowed until the divorced woman completes her waiting period.
Note: Will prohibition be established through adultery or not? There is a difference of opinion among the scholars. The majority say that if a person commits adultery with a woman, that woman does not become forbidden to him due to that adultery. Similarly, if someone commits adultery with his wife’s mother (mother-in-law) or her daughter (from another husband), his wife does not become forbidden to him (for evidences, see Fath al-Qadir). According to the Hanafi scholars and some others, prohibition is also established through adultery.
