سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 6
وَٱبْتَلُوا۟ ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغُوا۟ ٱلنِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ ءَانَسْتُم مِّنْهُمْ رُشْدًا فَٱدْفَعُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تَأْكُلُوهَآ إِسْرَافًا وَبِدَارًا أَن يَكْبَرُوا۟ ۚ وَمَن كَانَ غَنِيًّا فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِيرًا فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ فَإِذَا دَفَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ فَأَشْهِدُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ حَسِيبًا ﴿6﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And try orphans (as regards their intelligence) until they reach the age of marriage; if then you find sound judgement in them, release their property to them, but consume it not wastefully and hastily fearing that they should grow up, and whoever (amongst guardians) is rich, he should take no wages, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable (according to his labour). And when you release their property to them, take witness in their presence; and Allâh is All-Sufficient in taking account.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱبْتَلُوا۟
wa-ib'talū
And test
ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ
l-yatāmā
the orphans
حَتَّىٰٓ
ḥattā
until
إِذَا
idhā
[when]
بَلَغُوا۟
balaghū
they reach[ed]
ٱلنِّكَاحَ
l-nikāḥa
(the age of) marriage
فَإِنْ
fa-in
then if
ءَانَسْتُم
ānastum
you perceive
مِّنْهُمْ
min'hum
in them
رُشْدًۭا
rush'dan
sound judgement
فَٱدْفَعُوٓا۟
fa-id'faʿū
then deliver
إِلَيْهِمْ
ilayhim
to them
أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ ۖ
amwālahum
their wealth
وَلَا
walā
And (do) not
تَأْكُلُوهَآ
takulūhā
eat it
إِسْرَافًۭا
is'rāfan
extravagantly
وَبِدَارًا
wabidāran
and hastily
أَن
an
(fearing) that
يَكْبَرُوا۟ ۚ
yakbarū
they will grow up
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
كَانَ
kāna
is
غَنِيًّۭا
ghaniyyan
rich
فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ ۖ
falyastaʿfif
then he should refrain
وَمَن
waman
and whoever
كَانَ
kāna
is
فَقِيرًۭا
faqīran
poor
فَلْيَأْكُلْ
falyakul
then let him eat (of it)
بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ
bil-maʿrūfi
in a fair manner
فَإِذَا
fa-idhā
Then when
دَفَعْتُمْ
dafaʿtum
you deliver
إِلَيْهِمْ
ilayhim
to them
أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ
amwālahum
their wealth
فَأَشْهِدُوا۟
fa-ashhidū
then take witnesses
عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ
ʿalayhim
on them
وَكَفَىٰ
wakafā
And is sufficient
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
Allah
حَسِيبًۭا
ḥasīban
(as) a Reckoner
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.
6. And test the orphans until they reach the age of marriage. Then if you perceive in them sound judgment [9], hand over their wealth to them. And do not consume it wastefully or hastily before they grow up, fearing that they will claim it. And whoever is well-off should refrain from taking any wage, but whoever is poor may take according to what is fair [11]. And when you hand over their wealth to them, have witnesses present. And [12] Allah is sufficient as a Reckoner.
[9]
Conditions for Returning Wealth to the Inexperienced:
Thus, there are two conditions for returning the wealth to orphans. One is puberty, and the other is maturity, that is, the ability to use wealth properly. To ascertain this ability, you should keep testing them, and these things can be known even from minor matters, such as whether the person is economical or wasteful, how he conducts buying and selling, etc. Until both these conditions are fulfilled, their wealth should not be handed over to them, and in this case, the ruling will be the same as mentioned in the above verse regarding the inexperienced. There is no fixed age for puberty. In hot countries, boys and girls reach puberty earlier, while in cold countries, it happens later. However, there are certain signs for boys and girls that indicate their puberty, such as boys experiencing nocturnal emission and girls beginning menstruation, and the development of breasts is a specific sign. Then there are some signs that are common to both types, such as the growth of wisdom teeth, the voice becoming relatively heavier (which is also called the breaking of the voice), and the growth of hair under the armpits and below the navel, and for men only, the growth of beard and mustache. Among all these, the definite signs are those mentioned earlier, i.e., nocturnal emission for boys and menstruation for girls. Note that the age of puberty recorded on the marriage certificate in Pakistan, that the girl should not be less than 16 years and the boy not less than 18 years, is an un-Islamic restriction. And to restrict marriage to only after reaching puberty is also un-Islamic. Likewise, the condition of obtaining permission from the first wife for a second marriage is also un-Islamic. Similarly, the clause regarding the woman's right to divorce is also un-Islamic.
[10] Here again, two things are mentioned that can harm the orphan. One is spending more wealth than necessary, and the other is spending without need or before the need arises, so that when they grow up, they may not demand it. All these are ways of dishonesty by which the orphan is harmed, therefore every such situation is being prohibited.
[11]
The Right of Service for the Guardian of the Orphan:
If the guardian of the orphan is a well-off person, it is absolutely impermissible for him to take anything from the orphan's wealth as a right of service. However, if the guardian is needy, he may take a reasonable amount as compensation for his labor and for investing the wealth in trade, which even an impartial person would consider reasonable. Also, whatever he takes as a right of service, he should not take it secretly, but rather take it openly and as a specified amount, and keep an account of it.
[12] When both of the above-mentioned conditions are found in the orphan, his wealth should be returned to him, and two witnesses should be appointed for this, so that if any dispute arises later or something is remembered afterwards, it will be easier to resolve it. And if this is done in writing, it is even better. And fulfill this duty with complete honesty, because the greatest witness is Allah Almighty, and in case of dishonesty, He is fully capable of taking a complete account.
[9]
Conditions for Returning Wealth to the Inexperienced:
Thus, there are two conditions for returning the wealth to orphans. One is puberty, and the other is maturity, that is, the ability to use wealth properly. To ascertain this ability, you should keep testing them, and these things can be known even from minor matters, such as whether the person is economical or wasteful, how he conducts buying and selling, etc. Until both these conditions are fulfilled, their wealth should not be handed over to them, and in this case, the ruling will be the same as mentioned in the above verse regarding the inexperienced. There is no fixed age for puberty. In hot countries, boys and girls reach puberty earlier, while in cold countries, it happens later. However, there are certain signs for boys and girls that indicate their puberty, such as boys experiencing nocturnal emission and girls beginning menstruation, and the development of breasts is a specific sign. Then there are some signs that are common to both types, such as the growth of wisdom teeth, the voice becoming relatively heavier (which is also called the breaking of the voice), and the growth of hair under the armpits and below the navel, and for men only, the growth of beard and mustache. Among all these, the definite signs are those mentioned earlier, i.e., nocturnal emission for boys and menstruation for girls. Note that the age of puberty recorded on the marriage certificate in Pakistan, that the girl should not be less than 16 years and the boy not less than 18 years, is an un-Islamic restriction. And to restrict marriage to only after reaching puberty is also un-Islamic. Likewise, the condition of obtaining permission from the first wife for a second marriage is also un-Islamic. Similarly, the clause regarding the woman's right to divorce is also un-Islamic.
[10] Here again, two things are mentioned that can harm the orphan. One is spending more wealth than necessary, and the other is spending without need or before the need arises, so that when they grow up, they may not demand it. All these are ways of dishonesty by which the orphan is harmed, therefore every such situation is being prohibited.
[11]
The Right of Service for the Guardian of the Orphan:
If the guardian of the orphan is a well-off person, it is absolutely impermissible for him to take anything from the orphan's wealth as a right of service. However, if the guardian is needy, he may take a reasonable amount as compensation for his labor and for investing the wealth in trade, which even an impartial person would consider reasonable. Also, whatever he takes as a right of service, he should not take it secretly, but rather take it openly and as a specified amount, and keep an account of it.
[12] When both of the above-mentioned conditions are found in the orphan, his wealth should be returned to him, and two witnesses should be appointed for this, so that if any dispute arises later or something is remembered afterwards, it will be easier to resolve it. And if this is done in writing, it is even better. And fulfill this duty with complete honesty, because the greatest witness is Allah Almighty, and in case of dishonesty, He is fully capable of taking a complete account.
