سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 33
وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مَوَٰلِىَ مِمَّا تَرَكَ ٱلْوَٰلِدَانِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبُونَ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ عَقَدَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُمْ فَـَٔاتُوهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيدًا ﴿33﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And to everyone, We have appointed heirs of that (property) left by parents and relatives. To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood), give them their due portion (by Wasiyyah - will). Truly, Allâh is Ever a Witness over all things.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلِكُلٍّۢ
walikullin
And for all
جَعَلْنَا
jaʿalnā
We (have) made
مَوَٰلِىَ
mawāliya
heirs
مِمَّا
mimmā
of what
تَرَكَ
taraka
(is) left
ٱلْوَٰلِدَانِ
l-wālidāni
(by) the parents
وَٱلْأَقْرَبُونَ ۚ
wal-aqrabūna
and the relatives
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
And those whom
عَقَدَتْ
ʿaqadat
pledged
أَيْمَـٰنُكُمْ
aymānukum
your right hands
فَـَٔاتُوهُمْ
faātūhum
then give them
نَصِيبَهُمْ ۚ
naṣībahum
their share
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
كَانَ
kāna
is
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
over
كُلِّ
kulli
every
شَىْءٍۢ
shayin
thing
شَهِيدًا
shahīdan
a Witness
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.
33. 1. مَوَالِیْ is the plural of مولیٰ. مولیٰ has several meanings: friend, freed slave, paternal cousin, neighbor, but here it refers to heirs. The meaning is that whatever any man or woman leaves behind, its heirs will be their parents and other close relatives.
33. 2. There is a difference among the commentators regarding whether this verse is Muhkam (firm) or abrogated. Ibn Jarir Tabari and others consider it non-abrogated (Muhkam), and take اَیْمَانُکُمْ (agreement) to mean the oath and agreement that used to take place between two individuals or two tribes for mutual assistance before Islam, and which continued even after Islam. نصیبھم (share) refers to the share of cooperation and support according to the commitment of this oath and agreement. According to Ibn Kathir and other commentators, this verse is abrogated. Because, according to them, اَیْمَانُکُمْ refers to the agreement that took place after the migration between an Ansari and a Muhajir in the form of brotherhood. In this, a Muhajir would inherit the wealth of the Ansari instead of his relatives, but since this was a temporary arrangement, then (وَاُولُوا الْاَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ اَوْلٰى بِبَعْضٍ فِيْ كِتٰبِ اللّٰهِ) 33:6 "Relatives are more entitled to each other by Allah's command" was revealed and abrogated it. Now, "فاتوھم نصیبھم" means friendship, love, and mutual assistance, and giving something as a bequest is also included in this. In the contract of Mawalat, oath of Mawalat, or brotherhood of Mawalat, the concept of inheritance will no longer exist. A group of scholars has taken this to refer to such persons, at least one of whom is without heirs, and makes an agreement with another person that "I am your مولیٰ. If I commit any crime, help me, and if I am killed, take my blood money." After the death of this heirless person, the mentioned person will take his wealth, provided that he truly has no heir. Some other scholars have given another meaning of this verse. They say that "وَالَّذِيْنَ عَقَدَتْ اَيْمَانُكُمْ" (4:33) refers to wife and husband, and its conjunction is with الاقربون. The meaning is that parents, relatives, and those with whom you have made a covenant, i.e., husband or wife, for whatever they have left in inheritance, We have appointed rightful heirs, i.e., shareholders. Therefore, give these rightful heirs their shares. In other words, after the detailed shares mentioned in the previous verses of inheritance, here, in summary, their payment is further emphasized.
33. 2. There is a difference among the commentators regarding whether this verse is Muhkam (firm) or abrogated. Ibn Jarir Tabari and others consider it non-abrogated (Muhkam), and take اَیْمَانُکُمْ (agreement) to mean the oath and agreement that used to take place between two individuals or two tribes for mutual assistance before Islam, and which continued even after Islam. نصیبھم (share) refers to the share of cooperation and support according to the commitment of this oath and agreement. According to Ibn Kathir and other commentators, this verse is abrogated. Because, according to them, اَیْمَانُکُمْ refers to the agreement that took place after the migration between an Ansari and a Muhajir in the form of brotherhood. In this, a Muhajir would inherit the wealth of the Ansari instead of his relatives, but since this was a temporary arrangement, then (وَاُولُوا الْاَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ اَوْلٰى بِبَعْضٍ فِيْ كِتٰبِ اللّٰهِ) 33:6 "Relatives are more entitled to each other by Allah's command" was revealed and abrogated it. Now, "فاتوھم نصیبھم" means friendship, love, and mutual assistance, and giving something as a bequest is also included in this. In the contract of Mawalat, oath of Mawalat, or brotherhood of Mawalat, the concept of inheritance will no longer exist. A group of scholars has taken this to refer to such persons, at least one of whom is without heirs, and makes an agreement with another person that "I am your مولیٰ. If I commit any crime, help me, and if I am killed, take my blood money." After the death of this heirless person, the mentioned person will take his wealth, provided that he truly has no heir. Some other scholars have given another meaning of this verse. They say that "وَالَّذِيْنَ عَقَدَتْ اَيْمَانُكُمْ" (4:33) refers to wife and husband, and its conjunction is with الاقربون. The meaning is that parents, relatives, and those with whom you have made a covenant, i.e., husband or wife, for whatever they have left in inheritance, We have appointed rightful heirs, i.e., shareholders. Therefore, give these rightful heirs their shares. In other words, after the detailed shares mentioned in the previous verses of inheritance, here, in summary, their payment is further emphasized.
