Surah An-Nisa (النساء) • The Women

Quran 4:19

4:19

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

yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū lā yaḥillu lakum an tarithū l-nisāa karhan walā taʿḍulūhunna litadhhabū bibaʿḍi mā ātaytumūhunna illā an yatīna bifāḥishatin mubayyinatin waʿāshirūhunna bil-maʿrūfi fa-in karih'tumūhunna faʿasā an takrahū shayan wayajʿala l-lahu fīhi khayran kathīran

O you who have believed, it is not lawful for you to inherit women by compulsion. And do not make difficulties for them in order to take [back] part of what you gave them unless they commit a clear immorality [i.e., adultery]. And live with them in kindness. For if you dislike them - perhaps you dislike a thing and Allāh makes therein much good.

— Saheeh International

You who believe, it is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will, nor should you treat your wives harshly, hoping to take back some of the bride-gift you gave them, unless they are guilty of something clearly outrageous. Live with them in accordance with what is fair and kind: if you dislike them, it may well be that you dislike something in which God has put much good.

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

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.

— Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Juz 4Page 80medinan

Word by Word

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَاyāayyuhāO you
ٱلَّذِينَalladhīnawho
ءَامَنُوا۟āmanūbelieve[d]
لَاlāNot
يَحِلُّyaḥillu(is) lawful
لَكُمْlakumfor you
أَنanthat
تَرِثُوا۟tarithūyou inherit
ٱلنِّسَآءَl-nisāathe women
كَرْهًۭاۖkarhan(by) force
وَلَاwalāAnd not
تَعْضُلُوهُنَّtaʿḍulūhunnayou constraint them
لِتَذْهَبُوا۟litadhhabūso that you may take
بِبَعْضِbibaʿḍia part
مَآmā(of) what
ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّātaytumūhunnayou have given them
إِلَّآillāexcept
أَنanthat
يَأْتِينَyatīnathey commit
بِفَـٰحِشَةٍۢbifāḥishatinimmorality
مُّبَيِّنَةٍۢۚmubayyinatinopen
وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّwaʿāshirūhunnaAnd live with them
بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِۚbil-maʿrūfiin kindness
فَإِنfa-inBut if
كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّkarih'tumūhunnayou dislike them
فَعَسَىٰٓfaʿasāthen perhaps
أَنanthat
تَكْرَهُوا۟takrahūyou dislike
شَيْـًۭٔاshayana thing
وَيَجْعَلَwayajʿalaand has placed
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah
فِيهِfīhiin it
خَيْرًۭاkhayrangood
كَثِيرًۭاkathīranmuch