سورة النساء
Surah Name: An-Nis'aa Meaning: The Women
Key Points
- Revealed at Madinah
- The evolution of a society is based upon the determination of rights and duties. It is the responsibility of the ruler or the State to ensure compliance by the people and to punish the negligent. Since the duty of one is the right of another, any failure in the performance will surely lead to the extortion of people's rights. This is the basic concept of every social system though we may not like its particular manner of determination of duties. Islam far surpasses others in this regard. It begins by fixing the rights and duties of people. It reminds the State of its responsibilities. It goes still further and makes an individual stand before Allaah-SWT, and motivates him to perform his duties to gain His Pleasure, He, Whose Providence he enjoys every moment and Who knows him inside out; Whose Nearness is his destination; Whose Pleasure is his aim of life; and Whose Grace is his ambition and desire. Abiding by the rules and regulations is one thing, and feelings of the Qalb is another. Spending on parents, wives, children and orphans is a noble act; but emotions, such as respect, love, kindness, cannot be measured by any scale, nor can be commanded. Therefore, the reward for such noble feelings will be Allaah-SWT's Pleasure. Since this Surah deals especially with the rights of women, it has been named An-Nis'aa.
- Total Number of Ruku / Sections 24
- Total Number of Ayat / Parts 176
- Surah / Chapter number 4
- Ruku / Section 16 contains Ayat / Parts 8
- Siparah/ Volume 4, 5 & 6
Surah An-Nis'aa
Surah An-Nis'aa Ruku 16
|
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِتَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِمَا أَرَاكَ اللّهُ وَلاَ تَكُن لِّلْخَآئِنِينَ خَصِيمًا
Inna anzalna ilayka alkitaba bi(a)lhaqqi litahkuma bayna a(l)nnasi bima araka Allaahu wala takun lilkhaineena khaseema(n) Verily We ; it is We Who have sent down the Book to you-SW with truth, that you-SW might judge between people by what Allaah-SWT has shown you-SW; and be not you a pleaser on behalf of the deceivers. |
|
وَاسْتَغْفِرِ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
Wa(i)staghfiri Allaaha inna Allaaha kana ghafooran raheema(n) And beg you forgiveness of Allaah-SWT; verily Allaah-SWT is ever Forgiving, Merciful. |
|
وَلاَ تُجَادِلْ عَنِ الَّذِينَ يَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ خَوَّانًا أَثِيمًا
Wala tujadil AAani allatheena yakhtanoona anfusahum inna Allaaha la yuhibbu man kana khawwanan atheema(n) And plead not you for those who defraud their souls, verily Allaah-SWT does not love the one who is a defrauder, sinner. |
|
يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلاَ يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ اللّهِ وَهُوَ مَعَهُمْ إِذْ يُبَيِّتُونَ مَا لاَ يَرْضَى مِنَ الْقَوْلِ وَكَانَ اللّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطًا
Yastakhfoona mina a(l)nnasi wala yastakhfoona mina Allaahi wahuwa maAAahum ith yubayyitoona ma la yarda mina alqawli wakana Allaahu bima yaAAmaloona muheeta(n) They feel ashamed of men and do not feel ashamed of Allaah-SWT, whereas He is present with them when by night they plan together of discourse, which does not please Him; and Allaah-SWT is ever an Encompasser of what they do. |
|
هَاأَنتُمْ هَـؤُلاء جَادَلْتُمْ عَنْهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فَمَن يُجَادِلُ اللّهَ عَنْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَم مَّن يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكِيلاً
Haantum haolai jadaltum AAanhum fee alhayati a(l)ddunya faman yujadilu Allaaha AAanhum yawma alqiyamati am man yakoonu AAalayhim wakeela(n) Lo! It is you who have contended for them in the life of this world; then who will contend for them with Allaah-SWT on the Day of Judgement, or who will be their champion? |
|
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ اللّهَ يَجِدِ اللّهَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
Waman yaAAmal sooan aw yathlim nafsahu thumma yastaghfiri Allaaha yajidi Allaaha ghafooran raheema(n) And he who works an evil or wrongs his own soul and thereafter begs forgiveness of Allaah-SWT, shall find Allaah-SWT Forgiving, Merciful. |
|
وَمَن يَكْسِبْ إِثْمًا فَإِنَّمَا يَكْسِبُهُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَكَانَ اللّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
Waman yaksib ithman fainnama yaksibuhu AAala nafsihi wakana Allaahu AAaleeman hakeema(n) And he who earns a sin, only against his own soul earns it; and Allaah-SWT is ever Knowing, Wise. |
|
وَمَن يَكْسِبْ خَطِيئَةً أَوْ إِثْمًا ثُمَّ يَرْمِ بِهِ بَرِيئًا فَقَدِ احْتَمَلَ بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا
Waman yaksib khateeatan aw ithman thumma yarmi bihi bareean faqadi ihtamala buhtanan waithman mubeena(n) And he, who earns a vice or a sin and thereafter casts it on an innocent one, has certainly borne a calumny and a manifest sin. |
Secrets Of Revelation
Allaah-SWT has revealed unto the Holy Prophet-SW the true Book so that he could give mankind justice in accordance with what Allaah-SWT has shown him-SW. The first and foremost thing to highlight here is that the only purpose of the revelation of Qura'an is that it should be implemented. Each one of us must enforce Qura'an in all those areas, which are within our control. If someone only has authority over his own self, he must implement Islam on his own being. Similarly spiritual leaders have control over their disciples, scholars over their followers, a head of the family over his family, and the head of the State over the entire country. We are all responsible for the implementation of Islam in proportion to the authority we hold, which is a major reason why it was sent. Justice must be provided to people according to what has been revealed and explained to the Holy Prophet-SW. BimaArak Allaah-SWT here means that to explain and interpret the Qura'an is a responsibility singular to the status of the Holy Prophet-SW. Those coming after him must benefit and derive knowledge from the sayings of the Holy Prophet-SW,who is being instructed never to take sides with embezzlers and to ask for Allaah-SWT’s Forgiveness for them.
It so happened that a man from Banu Ubayriq tribe, who was a flagrant hypocrite but professed to be Muslim, would write poetry against the Muslims and publish it under fictitious names. Once this man broke into the house of a Companion-RAU and stole a few weapons and some wheat flour as wheat was imported from Syria, which the Madinites would store for guests as a gesture of hospitality. When the theft was discovered and there was uproar this man tried to implicate another Companion-RAU. The latter was infuriated and vowed not to rest until the real culprit was taken to task. When the hypocrite saw this he blamed another Jew, whom he had already handed over some of the stolen articles. Later on he got those recovered from the Jew's house. He created such circumstances that for a while even the Holy Prophet-SW thought that the Jew was guilty. But Allaah-SWT revealed the truth unto the Holy Prophet-SW, and the Jew was absolved of the blame. Banu Ubayriq surrendered all the goods, which the Holy Prophet-SW returned to the owner. The owner gave away the weapons in Allaah-SWT’s Cause. The hypocrite ran away to Makkah, and died in disgrace there. He could not escape Allaah-SWT’s grip in this world nor can he escape it in the Hereafter. He was attempting burglary in Makkah the wall collapsed, crushing him to death.
Allaah-SWT declares that Qura'an has been revealed only to be enforced and practised. It is the true Book. The meanings of the Qura'an have been explained to the Holy Prophet-SW. And he-SW is at the distinguished position to decide the matters about which Allaah-SWT's Commands have not yet been revealed, according to his opinion or judgement. By Allaah-SWT's Grace and Protection his decision can never be wrong, as he is always informed about the reality behind matters at hand. The Ahadith of the Holy Prophet-SW are also revelations from Allaah-SWT, although the words are of the Holy Prophet-SW yet the meanings are from Allaah-SWT. Qura'an is a revelation, of which the words and meanings are both revealed by Allaah-SWT. The Holy Prophet-SAAW is also instructed to ask for forgiveness from Allaah-SWT, as he too is Allaah-SWT's servant and is also directed not to plead on behalf of deceitful people nor be lenient towards them. Allaah-SWT does not approve of dishonest and sinful folk. Although the people of Banu Ubayriq were not generally bad or hypocrites, but they did try to side with the culprit because he belonged to their tribe. Because of their efforts to help the culprit Allaah-SWT called them all as Khawanan Athima meaning treacherous and sinful. It clearly shows that supporting the criminal makes the supporters a party to crime.
It is said that these people wish to prove their tribes man innocent because they fear it will be disgraceful for the tribe if he is exposed. They feel afraid of what people might say about their community, but they do not feel ashamed before Allaah-SWT! Should they not fear Allaah-SWT more than they fear people, Who is close to them even when they weave evil designs at nights? It is possible that someone may favour a criminal in this world and misguide the judge, for no one else would be told the truth through Divine Revelation like the Holy Prophet-SW. But what will happen on the Day of Judgement? Who will dare to plead or unjustly favour anyone before Allaah-SWT? It implies that to practise law is a legitimate profession, but only to the extent where a lawyer represents someone who cannot speak for himself and thus pleads his case. But that too will be permissible only if the lawyer fights for the legal right of the client. If the counsel tries to mislead the court by telling lies, it will be illegitimate and he should be prepared to stand before the ultimate Court, where no lie will be admissible.
People who are involved in, or support criminal activities because of family ties, etc. are equally guilty. But Allaah-SWT gives a way out for them. No matter how grave a sin one commits regardless of how mercilessly he has wronged his own self, whenever he repents and begs Allaah-SWT’s Forgiveness, he will find Allaah-SWT Forgiving and Merciful. Repentance involves a sense of regret over past deeds, a decision to instantly give up the sin, and a firm resolve never to indulge in it again. Its acceptance means not only that Allaah-SWT forgives all the past sins of the repentant but also makes it easy for him to abstain from them in the future. Still if someone does not wish to mend his evil ways, it is up to him, since he only harms his own self. Allaah-SWT is all Knowing. It is part of His Wisdom when a certain thing would be exposed and what the outcome of various events would be.
In any case, whoever blames another for his own offence, commits the grave sin of false accusation. Such people should neither be favoured nor should their case be pleaded.
