سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 129
وَلَن تَسْتَطِيعُوٓا۟ أَن تَعْدِلُوا۟ بَيْنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتُمْ ۖ فَلَا تَمِيلُوا۟ كُلَّ ٱلْمَيْلِ فَتَذَرُوهَا كَٱلْمُعَلَّقَةِ ۚ وَإِن تُصْلِحُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا ﴿129﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
You will never be able to do perfect justice between wives even if it is your ardent desire, so do not incline too much to one of them (by giving her more of your time and provision) so as to leave the other hanging (i.e. neither divorced nor married). And if you do justice, and do all that is right and fear Allâh by keeping away from all that is wrong, then Allâh is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَن
walan
And never
تَسْتَطِيعُوٓا۟
tastaṭīʿū
will you be able
أَن
an
to
تَعْدِلُوا۟
taʿdilū
deal justly
بَيْنَ
bayna
between
ٱلنِّسَآءِ
l-nisāi
[the] women
وَلَوْ
walaw
even if
حَرَصْتُمْ ۖ
ḥaraṣtum
you desired
فَلَا
falā
but (do) not
تَمِيلُوا۟
tamīlū
incline
كُلَّ
kulla
(with) all
ٱلْمَيْلِ
l-mayli
the inclination
فَتَذَرُوهَا
fatadharūhā
and leave her (the other)
كَٱلْمُعَلَّقَةِ ۚ
kal-muʿalaqati
like the suspended one
وَإِن
wa-in
And if
تُصْلِحُوا۟
tuṣ'liḥū
you reconcile
وَتَتَّقُوا۟
watattaqū
and fear (Allah)
فَإِنَّ
fa-inna
then indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
كَانَ
kāna
is
غَفُورًۭا
ghafūran
Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمًۭا
raḥīman
Most Merciful
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.
(Ayah 129) ➊ { وَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيْعُوْۤا۠ اَنْ تَعْدِلُوْا … : } That is, to maintain complete equality in every respect between two or more wives is beyond human capacity, because women differ from each other in their temperaments, morals and habits, beauty, age, etc. In such a situation, if a man's inclination is more towards one and less towards the other, this is a natural matter, which he cannot control even if he wishes. Therefore, the Qur'an has emphasized that in the case of having more than one wife, to incline so much towards one that the other remains suspended (hanging), as if she has no husband at all, nor is she unmarried so that she could marry elsewhere, this is forbidden. In apparent rights, women should be treated equally; there is no accountability for the inclination of the heart. That is why the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to say: "O Allah! This is my division among my wives regarding that which I have control over (i.e., food, drink, clothing, sleeping, sitting, etc.), so do not blame me for that which I do not have control over (i.e., inclination and love of the heart)." [ أبو داوٗد، النکاح، باب فی القسم بین النساء : ۲۱۳۴۔ ترمذی : ۱۱۴۰ ]
➋ Some people have combined this verse and verse (3) of this Surah and concluded that justice between more than one wife is not possible at all. The second command is that if there is fear of not being able to do justice, then keep only one wife or a slave woman. It is thus understood that more than one marriage is not permissible. For the answer to this, see the footnote of verse (3) of Surah An-Nisa. In fact, in the verse under commentary, so much concession has been given in justice between women that if Allah had not forbidden, a man could have kept more than four wives, provided that no woman would be left hanging such that the husband would not visit her at all, nor care for her food and drink. If a man reforms and fears (Allah), then whatever shortcomings there are, Allah will forgive.
➋ Some people have combined this verse and verse (3) of this Surah and concluded that justice between more than one wife is not possible at all. The second command is that if there is fear of not being able to do justice, then keep only one wife or a slave woman. It is thus understood that more than one marriage is not permissible. For the answer to this, see the footnote of verse (3) of Surah An-Nisa. In fact, in the verse under commentary, so much concession has been given in justice between women that if Allah had not forbidden, a man could have kept more than four wives, provided that no woman would be left hanging such that the husband would not visit her at all, nor care for her food and drink. If a man reforms and fears (Allah), then whatever shortcomings there are, Allah will forgive.
