سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 1
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَٰحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَآءً ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا ﴿1﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwâ (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women; and fear Allâh through Whom you demand (your mutual rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allâh is Ever an All-Watcher over you.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O
ٱلنَّاسُ
l-nāsu
mankind
ٱتَّقُوا۟
ittaqū
Fear
رَبَّكُمُ
rabbakumu
your Lord
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
the One Who
خَلَقَكُم
khalaqakum
created you
مِّن
min
from
نَّفْسٍۢ
nafsin
a soul
وَٰحِدَةٍۢ
wāḥidatin
single
وَخَلَقَ
wakhalaqa
and created
مِنْهَا
min'hā
from it
زَوْجَهَا
zawjahā
its mate
وَبَثَّ
wabatha
and dispersed
مِنْهُمَا
min'humā
from both of them
رِجَالًۭا
rijālan
men
كَثِيرًۭا
kathīran
many
وَنِسَآءًۭ ۚ
wanisāan
and women
وَٱتَّقُوا۟
wa-ittaqū
And fear
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
(through) Whom
تَسَآءَلُونَ
tasāalūna
you ask
بِهِۦ
bihi
[with it]
وَٱلْأَرْحَامَ ۚ
wal-arḥāma
and the wombs
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
كَانَ
kāna
is
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
over you
رَقِيبًۭا
raqīban
Ever-Watchful
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
Surah An-Nisa is Madinan. It is narrated from Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that Surah Al-Baqarah and Surah An-Nisa were revealed at a time when I had come to the house of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) after my marriage. [ بخاری، فضائل القرآن، باب تألیف القرآن : ۴۹۹۳ ] This Surah is named Surah An-Nisa because of the issues related to women mentioned in it.
(Ayah 1) ➊ {خَلَقَكُمْ مِّنْ نَّفْسٍ وَّاحِدَةٍ:} That is, the entire human race is from the progeny of Adam (peace be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “(On the Day of Resurrection) people will go to Adam (peace be upon him) and say, O Adam! You are the father of mankind, Allah created you with His own hands.” [ بخاری، أحادیث الأنبیاء، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : «و لقد أرسلنا …» : ۳۳۴۰، عن أبی ھریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ] The purpose of mentioning ‘created from a single soul’ is also to draw attention to the fact that all of you are the children of one person; even if there is no other relationship, is this relationship not enough? Just consider this and keep helping your weak ones.
➋ {وَ خَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا:} The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Woman was created from a rib, and the most crooked part of the rib is its upper part. So if you try to straighten it, you will break it, and if you benefit from her, you will benefit from her while there is crookedness in her.” [ بخاری، أحادیث الأنبیاء، باب خلق آدم و ذریتہ : ۳۳۳۱، ۵۱۸۴، عن أبی ھریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ] In some narrations it is mentioned: [وَ كَسْرُهَا طَلاَقُهَا ] “And breaking her is divorcing her.” [ مسلم، الرضاع، باب الوصیۃ بالنساء : 715/59 بعد ح : ۱۴۶۶۔ بخاری : ۵۱۸۴ ] From the verse of the Qur’an, it is understood that Hawwa (peace be upon her) was created from Adam (peace be upon him). From the hadith, it is established that she was created from a rib; the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not explain its exact nature. Some people interpret this to mean that there is always some crookedness in a woman, hence she is likened to a rib, but the clear words of the Qur’an that his wife was created from Adam, when combined with the hadith, prove that she was created from a rib. Yes, her crookedness is also correct in its own place.
➌ {تَسَآءَلُوْنَ بِهٖ وَ الْاَرْحَامَ:} That is, fear Allah by whose name you ask one another. { ”وَ الْاَرْحَامَ“ } Its conjunction is with the word {’’ اللّٰهَ ‘‘}, that is, {’’وَاتَّقُوا الْأَرْحَامَ‘‘} that you should avoid severing ties and mistreating relatives. To read { ”الْاَرْحَامَ“ } with a kasrah on the meem is incorrect and not correct according to the rules of grammar, though in terms of meaning it is correct, i.e., the relationship by whose name you ask one another. (Qurtubi) Shawkani (may Allah have mercy on him) says that all scholars of Shariah and language agree that {”الْاَرْحَامَ“} includes all relationships, both mahram and non-mahram. Severing ties of kinship is greatly condemned in the Qur’an and Hadith. See Surah Muhammad (22, 23). The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “The one who severs the ties of kinship will not enter Paradise.” [ بخاری، الأدب، باب إثم القاطع : ۵۹۸۴، عن جبیر بن مطعم رضی اللہ عنہ ] And he said: “Whoever wishes that his provision be expanded and his footsteps be prolonged, let him maintain his ties of kinship.” [ بخاری، الأدب، باب فضل صلۃ الرحم… : ۵۹۸۳، عن أبی أیوب الأنصاری رضی اللہ عنہ ]
➍ {رَقِيْبًا:} The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Worship Allah as if you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He surely sees you.” [ بخاری، الإیمان، باب سؤال جبریل النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم : ۵۰ ۔ مسلم : ۸، عن أبی ہریرۃ و عمر رضی اللہ عنہما ]
(Ayah 1) ➊ {خَلَقَكُمْ مِّنْ نَّفْسٍ وَّاحِدَةٍ:} That is, the entire human race is from the progeny of Adam (peace be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “(On the Day of Resurrection) people will go to Adam (peace be upon him) and say, O Adam! You are the father of mankind, Allah created you with His own hands.” [ بخاری، أحادیث الأنبیاء، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : «و لقد أرسلنا …» : ۳۳۴۰، عن أبی ھریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ] The purpose of mentioning ‘created from a single soul’ is also to draw attention to the fact that all of you are the children of one person; even if there is no other relationship, is this relationship not enough? Just consider this and keep helping your weak ones.
➋ {وَ خَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا:} The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Woman was created from a rib, and the most crooked part of the rib is its upper part. So if you try to straighten it, you will break it, and if you benefit from her, you will benefit from her while there is crookedness in her.” [ بخاری، أحادیث الأنبیاء، باب خلق آدم و ذریتہ : ۳۳۳۱، ۵۱۸۴، عن أبی ھریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ] In some narrations it is mentioned: [وَ كَسْرُهَا طَلاَقُهَا ] “And breaking her is divorcing her.” [ مسلم، الرضاع، باب الوصیۃ بالنساء : 715/59 بعد ح : ۱۴۶۶۔ بخاری : ۵۱۸۴ ] From the verse of the Qur’an, it is understood that Hawwa (peace be upon her) was created from Adam (peace be upon him). From the hadith, it is established that she was created from a rib; the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not explain its exact nature. Some people interpret this to mean that there is always some crookedness in a woman, hence she is likened to a rib, but the clear words of the Qur’an that his wife was created from Adam, when combined with the hadith, prove that she was created from a rib. Yes, her crookedness is also correct in its own place.
➌ {تَسَآءَلُوْنَ بِهٖ وَ الْاَرْحَامَ:} That is, fear Allah by whose name you ask one another. { ”وَ الْاَرْحَامَ“ } Its conjunction is with the word {’’ اللّٰهَ ‘‘}, that is, {’’وَاتَّقُوا الْأَرْحَامَ‘‘} that you should avoid severing ties and mistreating relatives. To read { ”الْاَرْحَامَ“ } with a kasrah on the meem is incorrect and not correct according to the rules of grammar, though in terms of meaning it is correct, i.e., the relationship by whose name you ask one another. (Qurtubi) Shawkani (may Allah have mercy on him) says that all scholars of Shariah and language agree that {”الْاَرْحَامَ“} includes all relationships, both mahram and non-mahram. Severing ties of kinship is greatly condemned in the Qur’an and Hadith. See Surah Muhammad (22, 23). The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “The one who severs the ties of kinship will not enter Paradise.” [ بخاری، الأدب، باب إثم القاطع : ۵۹۸۴، عن جبیر بن مطعم رضی اللہ عنہ ] And he said: “Whoever wishes that his provision be expanded and his footsteps be prolonged, let him maintain his ties of kinship.” [ بخاری، الأدب، باب فضل صلۃ الرحم… : ۵۹۸۳، عن أبی أیوب الأنصاری رضی اللہ عنہ ]
➍ {رَقِيْبًا:} The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Worship Allah as if you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He surely sees you.” [ بخاری، الإیمان، باب سؤال جبریل النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم : ۵۰ ۔ مسلم : ۸، عن أبی ہریرۃ و عمر رضی اللہ عنہما ]
