سورة النساء   

Surah Name: An-Nisa' Meaning:The Women

  • 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 Allah-SWT , and motivates him to perform his duties to gain His-SWT Pleasure, He-SWT , Whose-SWT Providence he enjoys every moment and Who-SWT knows him inside out; Whose-SWT Nearness is his destination; Whose-SWT Pleasure is his aim of life; and Whose-SWT 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 Allah-SWT's Pleasure. Since this Surah deals especially with the rights of women, it has been named An-Nisa'
  • Total Number of Rukū / Sections 24
  • Total Number of Āyāt / Parts 176
  • Sūrah / Chapter number 4
  • Rukū / Section 24 contains Āyāt / Parts 5
  • Siparah/ Volume 4, 5 & 6

bismillah

لَّن يَسْتَنكِفَ الْمَسِيحُ أَن يَكُونَ عَبْداً لِّلّهِ وَلاَ الْمَلآئِكَةُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ وَمَن يَسْتَنكِفْ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَيَسْتَكْبِرْ فَسَيَحْشُرُهُمْ إِلَيهِ جَمِيعًا

Lan yastankifa almaseehu an yakoona AAabdan lillahi wala almalaikatu almuqarraboona waman yastankif AAan AAibadatihi wayastakbir fasayahshuruhum ilayhi jameeAAa(n)

The Messiah-AS does not disdain that he should be a Servant of Allah-SWT, nor do the angels brought near to him. And he who disdains serving Him and is stiff-necked, soon He-SWT shall gather them all unto Him-SWT ,

(4:172)

فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ فَيُوَفِّيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَيَزيدُهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ اسْتَنكَفُواْ وَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ فَيُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلُيمًا وَلاَ يَجِدُونَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِ اللّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلاَ نَصِيرًا

Faamma allatheena amanoo waAAamiloo a(l)ssalihati fayuwaffeehim ojoorahum wayazeeduhum min fadlihi waamma allatheena istankafoo wa(i)stakbaroo fayuAAaththibuhum AAathaban aleeman wala yajidoona lahum min dooni Allahi waliyyan wala naseera(n)

Then as to those who have believed and worked righteous works He-SWT will give them their wages in full and will give an increase out of His-SWT Grace. And as to those who disdained and were stiff-necked, He-SWT will torment them with a torment afflictive. And they shall not find for themselves, against Allah-SWT, a protector or a friend.

(4:173)

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءكُم بُرْهَانٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ نُورًا مُّبِينًا

Ya ayyuha a(l)nnasu qad jaakum burhanun min rabbikum waanzalna ilaykum nooran mubeena(n)

O’ mankind! There surely has come to you an argument from your Rabb-SWT and We-SWT have sent down to you a manifest light.

(4:174)

فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ بِاللّهِ وَاعْتَصَمُواْ بِهِ فَسَيُدْخِلُهُمْ فِي رَحْمَةٍ مِّنْهُ وَفَضْلٍ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَيْهِ صِرَاطًا مُّسْتَقِيمًا

Faamma allatheena amanoo bi(A)llahi wa(i)AAtasamoo bihi fasayudkhiluhum fee rahmatin minhu wafadlin wayahdeehim ilayhi siratan mustaqeema(n)

Then as to those who believe in Allaah-SWT and hold fast by Him-SWT , soon He-SWT will admit them to His-SWT Mercy and Grace and will lead them to Himself-SWT by a path straight.

(4:175)

يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ قُلِ اللّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِي الْكَلاَلَةِ إِنِ امْرُؤٌ هَلَكَ لَيْسَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ وَلَهُ أُخْتٌ فَلَهَا نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ وَهُوَ يَرِثُهَآ إِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّهَا وَلَدٌ فَإِن كَانَتَا اثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُمَا الثُّلُثَانِ مِمَّا تَرَكَ وَإِن كَانُواْ إِخْوَةً رِّجَالاً وَنِسَاء فَلِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الأُنثَيَيْنِ يُبَيِّنُ اللّهُ لَكُمْ أَن تَضِلُّواْ وَاللّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

Yastaftoonaka quli Allahu yufteekum fee alkalalati ini imruon halaka laysa lahu waladun walahu okhtun falaha nisfu ma taraka wahuwa yarithuha in lam yakun lahawaladun fain kanata ithnatayni falahuma a(l)ththuluthani mimma taraka wain kanoo ikhwatan rijalan wanisaan fail(l)ththakari mithlu haththi alonthayayni yubayyinu Allahu lakum an tadilloo wa(A)llahu bikulli shayin AAaleem(un)

They ask you-SW  for a pronouncement. Say you-SW  : Allaah-SWT pronounces thus in the matter of one without father or child; if a person perishes and has no child but has a sister, hers will be the half of what he has left; and he will be her heir if she has no child: if there be two sisters, then theirs shall be two-third of what he has left; and if there be both brothers and sisters, then male will have as much as the portion of two females. Allaah-SWT explains this to you lest you err, and Allaah-SWT is Knower of everything.

(4:176)

In The Name of Allah-SWT the Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
SECRETS OF REVELATION:

Prophet 'Isa-AS himself took great pride in being a humble servant of Allah-SWT , a fact amply supported by his worldly life and even as he lives in the heavens, he feels no scorn in being Allah-SWT's slave, nor do the favoured angels. Rather, they are all concerned to earn Allah-SWT's Pleasure by obeying Him-SWT and carrying out His-SWT Commands. For them it is a matter of great pride and honour to be slaves of Allah-SWT . Whereas the misguided people feel embarrassed in prostrating before Him-SWT , as it probably makes them realize how weak they are, and as a result they start to display arrogance in their speech and in their actions. When all of them will be assembled before Allah-SWT , their insolence shall certainly vanish. There, people will be judged on the basis of their obedience and total submission to Allah-SWT . Those with the right beliefs alongwith practical efforts to obey shall not only be compensated, but rewarded generously by Allah-SWT . He-SWT will amplify their rewards and blessings in keeping with His-SWT Own Grace, as much as He chooses. But those who are contemptuous of His-SWT worship and display impudence will be punished severely. They shall be inflicted with such pain and misery that they shall lose all hopes of salvation, and they will not find any supporter or helper.

 

O' Children of Adam"-AS! The truth is that you have received a great manifestation from Allah-SWT . It is a part of human behaviour that people await some major event to happen to spring into action. On such occasions, people usually get together to help each other and treat one another kindly. For instance, if two brothers are not on good terms, they wouldn't normally care for their father's effort for their reconciliation, but his death would bring them together. Similarly, no one would usually bother about scores of starved people inhabiting a city, but a fallen roof, a devastating fire or any other mishap would make everyone rush for help. Similarly, the birth and the raising of the Holy Prophet-SW were considered as the greatest events by the astrologers and the wizards of that time. When the Holy Prophet-SW was born, Harqal, a famous astrologer, is said to have exclaimed that a grand event had come about that day, as the Holy Prophet-SW who was to be raised in latter times had been born.

 

The word Burhan (Manifestation), means such a clear proof which satisfies all questions and leaves no room for any further argument. Here the entire mankind is being invited to witness the various aspects of life of the Holy Prophet-SW. Can anyone find someone even remotely parallel in terms of childhood, youth, beauty and serenity, radiance and enchanting voice, knowledge and expertise, piety and sanctity? The whole mankind is challenged to search for someone like the Holy Prophet"-SW. So when a truthful and trustworthy person like him-SW is inviting you towards Allah-SWT and warns you of deeds not approved by Him-SWT , what greater event do you still await? Allah-SWT has sent down unto you a clear light which is His Message, the Quran. Certain scholars have used this particular Ayah in the discourse whether the Holy Prophet'-SW was human or light. But this argument is not relevant here. If someone is interested in the subject, he may consult the pamphlet (Nur-o-Bashar Ki Haqeeqat) by the author. Here the personage of Holy Prophet-SW is being presented as a living proof, an undeniable evidence of the truth, and the Quran, the light of guidance is also given to us through him. The same explanation was also given by Hadhrat lbn-e-Abbas'-RAU.In short, people who believe in Allah-SWT , and hold on strongly to this manifestation and light or in other words cling to the Holy Prophet-SW’s and adopt his-SW obedience will be embraced by Allah-SWT's Mercy and Guidance.

 

In the end of the Surah a law of inheritance is discussed. It is said that people used to question the Holy Prophet-SW about Kalalah. Allah-SWT gave them an answer. Just look at the blessings of the revelation of Quran, that the Companions-RAU asked a question, and were honoured with an answer directly from Allah-SWT . Moreover, such incidents also serve as a source to determine the meaning, and the circumstances of revelation of a particular Ayah and also for keeping a record of it. Thus from the beginning of the sequence of revelations, till the death of the Holy Prophet-SW  , people had this unique honour that they put forth their queries to the Holy Prophet-SW  and the answers would come from Allah-SWT . Once Hadhrat Abu Bakr Siddiq-RAU and Hadhrat Umar-RAU went to visit Hadhrat Umme Aiman-RAU. She was a servant of the Holy Prophet'-SW and was very old and sick when they visited her. She cried in such agony that these noble souls began to cry too. Hadhrat Abu Bakr Siddiq-RAU " asked her "Umme Aiman why do you cry so much, is it because the Holy Prophet'-SW has left us?" She replied: ""No, this is not the reason, I cry because the Chain of Revelations has ended; and now there never will be any answer coming from Allah-SWT ."

 

The Jews and the Christians used to raise absurd objections, while the Companions'-RAU sought guidance from the Holy Prophet-SW on each and every matter. They asked him-SW about the inheritance of Kalalah, a person who has no children or parents. Allah-SWT decreed that if such a person is survived by one sister, then she will inherit half after the payment of all dues, and the rest will go to distant relatives if there are any, or else she will get their share too! If a sister dies as Kalalah and is survived by a brother then he will inherit everything. If a male leaves behind two sisters or more, then they all will jointly inherit 2/3rd of the heritage; and if the survivors include many brothers and sisters, the brothers will receive twice the share of the sisters. Allah-SWT reveals these instructions unto you to guide you to the straight path and to prevent you from going astray as He-SWT is All knowing. He-SWT is not dependent on anyone for a counsel before taking a decision. Therefore, whatever is decided in the light of the Commandments of Allah-SWT and His-SWT Prophet-SW should be accepted and followed. This is the best course of action. May Allah-SWT grant us the capacity to act according to His-SWT Commands and may He-SWT accept our humble endeavours!

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