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 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.
And if you wish to replace one wife with another and you have given one of them a great amount of wealth, do not take anything back from it. Would you take it back by slandering her and committing a clear sin?
[35]
Attempting to Seize Wealth from the Woman at the Time of Divorce:
Here, "giving" does not refer only to the dowry (mahr). Whatever else you may have given to your wives besides this, it should never be taken back. The wife, after all, has a rightful claim. Even if a person gives something to someone else, he should not take it back. For the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The one who takes back his charity (and in another narration, his gift) is like a dog that vomits and then licks it up." [بخاری، کتاب الہبہ، باب ھبۃ الرجل لامراتہ و المرأۃ لزوجھا]
And this accusation and clear sin is in the sense that at the time of marriage, you acknowledged the payment of the dowry in front of witnesses in a public gathering. Therefore, to take back the full dowry, a part of it, or any gifted item from the woman, or to use various tricks to retrieve it, is a most heinous crime. In fact, Allah's command is that if you divorce them, then at the time of divorce, let them go in a good manner by giving them something more. How then can you even think of taking back anything you have already given? (Also, see footnote number 7 of this surah regarding this matter.)
[35]
Attempting to Seize Wealth from the Woman at the Time of Divorce:
Here, "giving" does not refer only to the dowry (mahr). Whatever else you may have given to your wives besides this, it should never be taken back. The wife, after all, has a rightful claim. Even if a person gives something to someone else, he should not take it back. For the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The one who takes back his charity (and in another narration, his gift) is like a dog that vomits and then licks it up." [بخاری، کتاب الہبہ، باب ھبۃ الرجل لامراتہ و المرأۃ لزوجھا]
And this accusation and clear sin is in the sense that at the time of marriage, you acknowledged the payment of the dowry in front of witnesses in a public gathering. Therefore, to take back the full dowry, a part of it, or any gifted item from the woman, or to use various tricks to retrieve it, is a most heinous crime. In fact, Allah's command is that if you divorce them, then at the time of divorce, let them go in a good manner by giving them something more. How then can you even think of taking back anything you have already given? (Also, see footnote number 7 of this surah regarding this matter.)
