سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 20
وَإِنْ أَرَدتُّمُ ٱسْتِبْدَالَ زَوْجٍ مَّكَانَ زَوْجٍ وَءَاتَيْتُمْ إِحْدَىٰهُنَّ قِنطَارًا فَلَا تَأْخُذُوا۟ مِنْهُ شَيْـًٔا ۚ أَتَأْخُذُونَهُۥ بُهْتَـٰنًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا ﴿20﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
But if you intend to replace a wife by another and you have given one of them a Qintâr (of gold i.e. a great amount as Mahr) take not the least bit of it back; would you take it wrongfully without a right and (with) a manifest sin?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِنْ
wa-in
And if
أَرَدتُّمُ
aradttumu
you intend
ٱسْتِبْدَالَ
is'tib'dāla
replacing
زَوْجٍۢ
zawjin
a wife
مَّكَانَ
makāna
(in) place
زَوْجٍۢ
zawjin
(of) a wife
وَءَاتَيْتُمْ
waātaytum
and you have given
إِحْدَىٰهُنَّ
iḥ'dāhunna
one of them
قِنطَارًۭا
qinṭāran
heap (of gold)
فَلَا
falā
then (do) not
تَأْخُذُوا۟
takhudhū
take away
مِنْهُ
min'hu
from it
شَيْـًٔا ۚ
shayan
anything
أَتَأْخُذُونَهُۥ
atakhudhūnahu
Would you take it
بُهْتَـٰنًۭا
buh'tānan
(by) slander
وَإِثْمًۭا
wa-ith'man
and a sin
مُّبِينًۭا
mubīnan
open
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 21,20) ➊ {وَ اِنْ اَرَدْتُّمُ اسْتِبْدَالَ زَوْجٍ …:} This is the fourth ruling regarding women. When in the earlier verses it was stated that if the reason for not living together properly is from the woman's side, then it is permissible to trouble her in order to take back the dowry, here it is explained that when the wrongdoing is from the husband's side, then taking ransom for divorce from the woman is prohibited and unlawful. That is, if you trouble them without reason to take back the dowry, it is as if you are taking it back by slandering, and in this case, you would be committing a double injustice against them: one, troubling them without reason, and second, taking back the dowry. Therefore, it is called {”اِثْمًا مُّبِيْنًا“}.
➋ {وَ اٰتَيْتُمْ اِحْدٰىهُنَّ قِنْطَارًا:} From this, it is understood that there is no fixed limit for a large dowry; the husband can give as much dowry as he wishes according to his means. At this point, the incident is mentioned of a woman during the time of Amir al-Mu’minin Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who recited this verse to justify a large dowry when Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade setting high dowries. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that everyone is more knowledgeable than Umar, and many enemies of the Companions criticize Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) because of this. The incident of the woman is not proven by any authentic chain; for details, see Irwa al-Ghalil (1927).
➌ {وَ كَيْفَ تَاْخُذُوْنَهٗ وَ قَدْ اَفْضٰى …:} From this, it is understood that a dowry given after consummation cannot be taken back. Thus, regarding the demand for the return of dowry by a man who performed li'an, the Prophet said: "If you have spoken the truth about your wife committing adultery, then the dowry is in exchange for what you have made lawful of her private part for yourself, and if you have lied about her, then (the return of the dowry) is even more unlikely." [ بخاری، الطلاق، باب قول الإمام للمتلاعنین… ۵۳۱۲۔ مسلم : ۵؍۱۴۹۳، عن ابن عمر رضی اللہ عنہما ]
➍ {وَ اَخَذْنَ مِنْكُمْ مِّيْثَاقًا غَلِيْظًا:} By "firm covenant" is meant the marriage contract, i.e., your saying that I have accepted marriage with such-and-such woman. Now, in the case of divorce, there are only two ways: «فَاِمْسَاكٌۢ بِمَعْرُوْفٍ اَوْ تَسْرِيْحٌۢ بِاِحْسَانٍ » [ البقرۃ : ۲۲۹ ] and it is obvious that divorcing and not giving the dowry is neither of these two.
➋ {وَ اٰتَيْتُمْ اِحْدٰىهُنَّ قِنْطَارًا:} From this, it is understood that there is no fixed limit for a large dowry; the husband can give as much dowry as he wishes according to his means. At this point, the incident is mentioned of a woman during the time of Amir al-Mu’minin Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who recited this verse to justify a large dowry when Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade setting high dowries. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that everyone is more knowledgeable than Umar, and many enemies of the Companions criticize Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) because of this. The incident of the woman is not proven by any authentic chain; for details, see Irwa al-Ghalil (1927).
➌ {وَ كَيْفَ تَاْخُذُوْنَهٗ وَ قَدْ اَفْضٰى …:} From this, it is understood that a dowry given after consummation cannot be taken back. Thus, regarding the demand for the return of dowry by a man who performed li'an, the Prophet said: "If you have spoken the truth about your wife committing adultery, then the dowry is in exchange for what you have made lawful of her private part for yourself, and if you have lied about her, then (the return of the dowry) is even more unlikely." [ بخاری، الطلاق، باب قول الإمام للمتلاعنین… ۵۳۱۲۔ مسلم : ۵؍۱۴۹۳، عن ابن عمر رضی اللہ عنہما ]
➍ {وَ اَخَذْنَ مِنْكُمْ مِّيْثَاقًا غَلِيْظًا:} By "firm covenant" is meant the marriage contract, i.e., your saying that I have accepted marriage with such-and-such woman. Now, in the case of divorce, there are only two ways: «فَاِمْسَاكٌۢ بِمَعْرُوْفٍ اَوْ تَسْرِيْحٌۢ بِاِحْسَانٍ » [ البقرۃ : ۲۲۹ ] and it is obvious that divorcing and not giving the dowry is neither of these two.
