سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 19
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَرِثُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ كَرْهًا ۖ وَلَا تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ لِتَذْهَبُوا۟ بِبَعْضِ مَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ إِلَّآ أَن يَأْتِينَ بِفَـٰحِشَةٍ مُّبَيِّنَةٍ ۚ وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ فَإِن كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ فَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تَكْرَهُوا۟ شَيْـًٔا وَيَجْعَلَ ٱللَّهُ فِيهِ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا ﴿19﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will; and you should not treat them with harshness, that you may take away part of the Mahr you have given them, unless they commit open illegal sexual intercourse; and live with them honourably. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing and Allâh brings through it a great deal of good.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe[d]
لَا
lā
Not
يَحِلُّ
yaḥillu
(is) lawful
لَكُمْ
lakum
for you
أَن
an
that
تَرِثُوا۟
tarithū
you inherit
ٱلنِّسَآءَ
l-nisāa
the women
كَرْهًۭا ۖ
karhan
(by) force
وَلَا
walā
And not
تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ
taʿḍulūhunna
you constraint them
لِتَذْهَبُوا۟
litadhhabū
so that you may take
بِبَعْضِ
bibaʿḍi
a part
مَآ
mā
(of) what
ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ
ātaytumūhunna
you have given them
إِلَّآ
illā
except
أَن
an
that
يَأْتِينَ
yatīna
they commit
بِفَـٰحِشَةٍۢ
bifāḥishatin
immorality
مُّبَيِّنَةٍۢ ۚ
mubayyinatin
open
وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ
waʿāshirūhunna
And live with them
بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ
bil-maʿrūfi
in kindness
فَإِن
fa-in
But if
كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ
karih'tumūhunna
you dislike them
فَعَسَىٰٓ
faʿasā
then perhaps
أَن
an
that
تَكْرَهُوا۟
takrahū
you dislike
شَيْـًۭٔا
shayan
a thing
وَيَجْعَلَ
wayajʿala
and has placed
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
فِيهِ
fīhi
in it
خَيْرًۭا
khayran
good
كَثِيرًۭا
kathīran
much
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
O you who believe! It is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will [32], nor should you detain them so as to take away part of what you have given them (as dowry or gifts), unless they commit a clear act of indecency [33]. And live with them in kindness [34]. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike something in which Allah has placed much [34.1] good.
[32]
In the Age of Ignorance, Women Were Considered Inheritance Property:
That is, women too were considered as inheritance property, and their heir would be the stepson or the deceased’s brother. This is made clear by the following hadith: Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas ؓ states that among the Arabs it was customary that when a man died, his wife would come under the control of the deceased’s heirs (she too was considered inheritance property). If they wished, they would marry her themselves; if they wished, they would marry her off to someone else; and if they wished, they would leave her unmarried. In short, the husband’s heirs had authority over her, while the woman’s own heirs had no authority at all. Then this verse was revealed (through which women were given complete freedom). [بخاري، كتاب التفسير]
[33] That is, the right to confine them in the house is only in the case that they commit indecency, as has already been mentioned in verse 15 of this surah, and this ruling is general, not just for those stepmothers who were in wedlock with your fathers. Otherwise, it is not permissible in any way to detain women merely to seize their wealth.
[34] Regarding good conduct with wives, consider the following Prophetic instructions:
1.
Good Conduct with Wives:
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The most complete of the believers in faith is the one with the best character, and the best of you are those who are best to their wives.”
[ترمذی، ابواب الرضاع۔ باب حق المرأۃ علیٰ زوجھا]
2. The Prophet ﷺ said (during the Farewell Sermon): “Fear Allah regarding women, for you have taken them as a trust from Allah, and their private parts have been made lawful to you by the word of Allah. You have a right over them that they do not allow anyone you dislike to enter your beds. If they do so, you may strike them, but not in a way that causes injury. And they have a right over you that you provide for them with food and clothing in a fair manner.”
[صحیح مسلم، کتاب الحج، باب حجۃ النبی]
3. The Prophet ﷺ said: “No believing man should hate a believing woman (his wife); if he dislikes one of her traits, he will surely be pleased with another.”
[مسلم، کتاب الرضاع۔ باب الوصیۃ بالنساء]
4. The Prophet ﷺ said: “A woman is like a rib; if you try to straighten her, you will break her, and if you wish to benefit from her, you must benefit from her as she is, with her crookedness.”
[بخاری، کتاب النکاح، باب المداراۃ مع النساء مسلم، کتاب الرضاع، باب الوصیۃ بالنساء]
[34۔ 1] For example, your wife may not be beautiful or educated, but she is thrifty, well-versed in household management, and does not unjustly trouble her husband in times of hardship, rather she is obedient and dutiful. Now, if a man wishes to bring a woman into his home merely for her beauty and send the other away, it is possible that the beautiful woman may make life difficult for her husband with her demands, may not be thrifty, and may demand a servant for household chores, making life unbearable for him. Therefore, be content and satisfied with what you have, try your utmost to maintain good relations and kindness, and instead of ruining your domestic life, strive to improve it.
[32]
In the Age of Ignorance, Women Were Considered Inheritance Property:
That is, women too were considered as inheritance property, and their heir would be the stepson or the deceased’s brother. This is made clear by the following hadith: Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas ؓ states that among the Arabs it was customary that when a man died, his wife would come under the control of the deceased’s heirs (she too was considered inheritance property). If they wished, they would marry her themselves; if they wished, they would marry her off to someone else; and if they wished, they would leave her unmarried. In short, the husband’s heirs had authority over her, while the woman’s own heirs had no authority at all. Then this verse was revealed (through which women were given complete freedom). [بخاري، كتاب التفسير]
[33] That is, the right to confine them in the house is only in the case that they commit indecency, as has already been mentioned in verse 15 of this surah, and this ruling is general, not just for those stepmothers who were in wedlock with your fathers. Otherwise, it is not permissible in any way to detain women merely to seize their wealth.
[34] Regarding good conduct with wives, consider the following Prophetic instructions:
1.
Good Conduct with Wives:
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The most complete of the believers in faith is the one with the best character, and the best of you are those who are best to their wives.”
[ترمذی، ابواب الرضاع۔ باب حق المرأۃ علیٰ زوجھا]
2. The Prophet ﷺ said (during the Farewell Sermon): “Fear Allah regarding women, for you have taken them as a trust from Allah, and their private parts have been made lawful to you by the word of Allah. You have a right over them that they do not allow anyone you dislike to enter your beds. If they do so, you may strike them, but not in a way that causes injury. And they have a right over you that you provide for them with food and clothing in a fair manner.”
[صحیح مسلم، کتاب الحج، باب حجۃ النبی]
3. The Prophet ﷺ said: “No believing man should hate a believing woman (his wife); if he dislikes one of her traits, he will surely be pleased with another.”
[مسلم، کتاب الرضاع۔ باب الوصیۃ بالنساء]
4. The Prophet ﷺ said: “A woman is like a rib; if you try to straighten her, you will break her, and if you wish to benefit from her, you must benefit from her as she is, with her crookedness.”
[بخاری، کتاب النکاح، باب المداراۃ مع النساء مسلم، کتاب الرضاع، باب الوصیۃ بالنساء]
[34۔ 1] For example, your wife may not be beautiful or educated, but she is thrifty, well-versed in household management, and does not unjustly trouble her husband in times of hardship, rather she is obedient and dutiful. Now, if a man wishes to bring a woman into his home merely for her beauty and send the other away, it is possible that the beautiful woman may make life difficult for her husband with her demands, may not be thrifty, and may demand a servant for household chores, making life unbearable for him. Therefore, be content and satisfied with what you have, try your utmost to maintain good relations and kindness, and instead of ruining your domestic life, strive to improve it.
