سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 22
وَلَا تَنكِحُوا۟ مَا نَكَحَ ءَابَآؤُكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ إِلَّا مَا قَدْ سَلَفَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فَـٰحِشَةً وَمَقْتًا وَسَآءَ سَبِيلًا ﴿22﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And marry not women whom your fathers married, except what has already passed; indeed it was shameful and most hateful, and an evil way.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَا
walā
And (do) not
تَنكِحُوا۟
tankiḥū
marry
مَا
mā
whom
نَكَحَ
nakaḥa
married
ءَابَآؤُكُم
ābāukum
your fathers
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلنِّسَآءِ
l-nisāi
the women
إِلَّا
illā
except
مَا
mā
what
قَدْ
qad
has
سَلَفَ ۚ
salafa
passed before
إِنَّهُۥ
innahu
indeed it
كَانَ
kāna
was
فَـٰحِشَةًۭ
fāḥishatan
an immorality
وَمَقْتًۭا
wamaqtan
and hateful
وَسَآءَ
wasāa
and (an) evil
سَبِيلًا
sabīlan
way
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 22) {وَ لَا تَنْكِحُوْا مَا نَكَحَ …:} In the customs of Jahiliyyah, it was permissible for a son to marry his father's wife (stepmother). Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "The people of Jahiliyyah considered those relationships forbidden which Allah has declared forbidden, except for the father's wife and combining two sisters. Upon this, Allah revealed these verses: «وَ لَا تَنْكِحُوْا مَا نَكَحَ اٰبَآؤُكُمْ مِّنَ النِّسَآءِ» [النساء : ۲۲ ] and «وَ اَنْ تَجْمَعُوْا بَيْنَ الْاُخْتَيْنِ» [ النساء : ۲۳ ] [ ابن جریر : 369/4 صحیح ] Allah has declared it strictly forbidden, so much so that even if the father has only contracted marriage (without consummation), it is still forbidden for the son to marry her. This is a severe indecency and a cause of Allah's severe anger and an evil path, that today you marry your father's wife, tomorrow your son will marry your wife. Allah has completely closed this path. Bara bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates from his maternal uncle Abu Burdah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent him to a man who had married his father's wife after him, to kill him and seize his wealth. [ أبو داوٗد، الحدود، باب فی الرجل یزنی بحریمہ : ۴۴۵۷۔ ترمذی : ۱۳۶۲۔ نسائی : ۳۳۳۴۔ ابن ماجہ : ۲۶۰۷ و قال الألبانی صحیح ] It is clear that such a person is liable to be killed.
