سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 5
وَلَا تُؤْتُوا۟ ٱلسُّفَهَآءَ أَمْوَٰلَكُمُ ٱلَّتِى جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ قِيَـٰمًا وَٱرْزُقُوهُمْ فِيهَا وَٱكْسُوهُمْ وَقُولُوا۟ لَهُمْ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا ﴿5﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And give not unto the foolish your property which Allâh has made a means of support for you, but feed and clothe them therewith, and speak to them words of kindness and justice.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَا
walā
And (do) not
تُؤْتُوا۟
tu'tū
give
ٱلسُّفَهَآءَ
l-sufahāa
the foolish
أَمْوَٰلَكُمُ
amwālakumu
your wealth
ٱلَّتِى
allatī
which
جَعَلَ
jaʿala
(was) made
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
(by) Allah
لَكُمْ
lakum
for you
قِيَـٰمًۭا
qiyāman
a means of support
وَٱرْزُقُوهُمْ
wa-ur'zuqūhum
(but) provide (for) them
فِيهَا
fīhā
with it
وَٱكْسُوهُمْ
wa-ik'sūhum
and clothe them
وَقُولُوا۟
waqūlū
and speak
لَهُمْ
lahum
to them
قَوْلًۭا
qawlan
words
مَّعْرُوفًۭا
maʿrūfan
(of) kindness
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.
5. And do not give the weak-minded their wealth [8], which Allah has made a means of sustenance for you. But provide for them from it, clothe them, and speak to them kindly and with words for their benefit.
[8]
The Limit of Ownership Rights for the Incompetent:
In this verse, the term "incompetent" does not refer only to an incompetent orphan, but can be any individual; for example, if the younger brother is incompetent, the elder brother should not give him his wealth, and if the younger is intelligent and the elder is incompetent, then the younger brother should not place the elder's wealth at his disposal. The reason is that wealth is a means of sustaining life; if it falls into the hands of an incompetent person, he will squander it on useless, unlawful, or sinful activities, and its negative effects will impact the entire society. The rights of ownership that a person has over his property are not so unlimited that even if he is not capable of using it properly, his rights cannot be curtailed. In such cases, a close relative or the government will have authority over the incompetent person's wealth. His food and clothing should be provided from his wealth, and whatever is said to him should be said with his welfare in mind. And if the orphan's wealth can be invested in trade or Mudarabah (profit-sharing partnership), it should be invested in trade, and the expenses for his food and clothing should be met from the profits. Sayyiduna Umar ؓ used to say: "Invest the wealth of orphans in trade, lest zakat alone consumes their wealth." Two things are learned from this: first, that if the wealth of orphans reaches the nisab (minimum amount), zakat will also be obligatory on it; and second, that as far as possible, goodwill towards orphans and their wealth is necessary.
[8]
The Limit of Ownership Rights for the Incompetent:
In this verse, the term "incompetent" does not refer only to an incompetent orphan, but can be any individual; for example, if the younger brother is incompetent, the elder brother should not give him his wealth, and if the younger is intelligent and the elder is incompetent, then the younger brother should not place the elder's wealth at his disposal. The reason is that wealth is a means of sustaining life; if it falls into the hands of an incompetent person, he will squander it on useless, unlawful, or sinful activities, and its negative effects will impact the entire society. The rights of ownership that a person has over his property are not so unlimited that even if he is not capable of using it properly, his rights cannot be curtailed. In such cases, a close relative or the government will have authority over the incompetent person's wealth. His food and clothing should be provided from his wealth, and whatever is said to him should be said with his welfare in mind. And if the orphan's wealth can be invested in trade or Mudarabah (profit-sharing partnership), it should be invested in trade, and the expenses for his food and clothing should be met from the profits. Sayyiduna Umar ؓ used to say: "Invest the wealth of orphans in trade, lest zakat alone consumes their wealth." Two things are learned from this: first, that if the wealth of orphans reaches the nisab (minimum amount), zakat will also be obligatory on it; and second, that as far as possible, goodwill towards orphans and their wealth is necessary.
