4:19 An-Nisaa (The Women)

كانوا في الجاهلية إذا مات أحدهم عن زوجته، رأى قريبُه كأخيه وابن عمه ونحوهما أنه أحق بزوجته من كل أحد، وحماها عن غيره، أحبت أو كرهت. فإن أحبها تزوجها على صداق يحبه دونها، وإن لم يرضها عضلها فلا يزوجها إلا من يختاره هو، وربما امتنع من تزويجها حتى تبذل له شيئًا من ميراث قريبه أو من صداقها، وكان الرجل أيضا يعضل زوجته التي [يكون] يكرهها ليذهب ببعض ما آتاها، فنهى الله المؤمنين عن جميع هذه الأحوال إلا حالتين: إذا رضيت واختارت نكاح قريب زوجها الأول، كما هو مفهوم قوله: { كَرْهًا } وإذا أتين بفاحشة مبينة كالزنا والكلام الفاحش وأذيتها لزوجها فإنه في هذه الحال يجوز له أن يعضلها، عقوبة لها على فعلها لتفتدي منه إذا كان عضلا بالعدل. ثم قال: { وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ } وهذا يشمل المعاشرة القولية والفعلية، فعلى الزوج أن يعاشر زوجته بالمعروف، من الصحبة الجميلة، وكف الأذى وبذل الإحسان، وحسن المعاملة، ويدخل في ذلك النفقة والكسوة ونحوهما، فيجب على الزوج لزوجته المعروف من مثله لمثلها في ذلك الزمان والمكان، وهذا يتفاوت بتفاوت الأحوال. { فَإِنْ كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ فَعَسَى أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَيَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا } أي: ينبغي لكم -أيها الأزواج- أن تمسكوا زوجاتكم مع الكراهة لهن، فإن في ذلك خيرًا كثيرًا. من ذلك امتثال أمر الله، وقبولُ وصيته التي فيها سعادة الدنيا والآخرة. ومنها أن إجباره نفسَه -مع عدم محبته لها- فيه مجاهدة النفس، والتخلق بالأخلاق الجميلة. وربما أن الكراهة تزول وتخلفها المحبة، كما هو الواقع في ذلك. وربما رزق منها ولدا صالحا نفع والديه في الدنيا والآخرة. وهذا كله مع الإمكان في الإمساك وعدم المحذور. فإن كان لا بد من الفراق، وليس للإمساك محل، فليس الإمساك بلازم.

قال البخاري حدثنا محمد بن مقاتل حدثنا أسباط بن محمد حدثنا الشيباني عن عكرمة عن ابن عباس قال الشيباني وذكره أبو الحسن السوائي ولا أظنه ذكره إلا عن ابن عباس "يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا يحل لكم أن ترثوا النساء كرها" قال كانوا إذا مات الرجل كان أولياؤه أحق بامرأته إن شاء بعضهم تزوجها وإن شاءوا زوجوها وإن شاءوا لم يزوجوها فهم أحق بها من أهلها; فنزلت هذه الآية "يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا يحل لكم أن ترثوا النساء كرها" هكذا ذكره البخاري وأبو داود والنسائي وابن مردويه وابن أبي حاتم من حديث أبى إسحاق الشيباني واسمه سليمان بن أبي سليمان عن عكرمة وعن أبي الحسن السوائي واسمه عطاء كوفي أعمى كلاهما عن ابن عباس بما تقدم وقال أبو داود حدثنا محمد بن أحمد بن ثابت المروزي حدثني علي بن حسين عن أبيه عن يزيد النحوي عن عكرمة عن ابن عباس قال "لا يحل لكم أن ترثوا النساء كرها ولا تعضلوهن لتذهبوا ببعض ما آتيتموهن إلا أن يأتين بفاحشة مبينة" وذلك أن الرجل كان يرث امرأة ذي قرابته فيعضلها حتى تموت أو ترد إليه صداقها فأحكم الله تعالى عن ذلك أي نهى عن ذلك تفرد به أبو داود وقد رواه عن غير واحد عن ابن عباس بنحو ذلك. وروى وكيع عن سفيان عن علي بن نديمة عن مقسم عن ابن عباس كانت المرأة في الجاهلية إذا توفي عنها زوجها فجاء رجل فألقى عليها ثوبا كان أحق بها فنزلت "يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا يحل لكم أن ترثوا النساء كرها". وروى علي بن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس في قوله "يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا يحل لكم أن ترثوا النساء كرها " قال كان الرجل إذا مات وترك جارية ألقى عليها حميمه ثوبه فمنعها من الناس فإن كانت جميلة تزوجها وإن كانت دميمة حبسها حتى تموت فيرثها وروى العوفي عنه عن الرجل من أهل المدينة إذا مات حميم أحدهم ألقى ثوبه على امرأته فورث نكاحها ولم ينكحها أحد غيره وحبسها عنده حتى تفتدى منه بفدية. فأنزل الله "يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا يحل لكم أن ترثوا النساء كرها". وقال زيد بن أسلم في الآية عن أهل يثرب إذا مات الرجل منهم في الجاهلية ورث امرأته من يرث ماله وكان يعضلها حتى يرثها أو يزوجها من أراد وكان أهل تهامة يسيء الرجل صحبة المرأة حتى يطلقها ويشترط عليها أن لا تنكح إلا من أراد حتى تفتدي منه ببعض ما أعطاها فنهى الله المؤمنين عن ذلك رواه ابن أبي حاتم وقال أبو بكر بن مردويه: حدثنا محمد بن أحمد بن إبراهيم حدثنا موسى بن إسحاق حدثنا علي بن المنذر. حدثنا محمد بن فضيل عن يحيى بن سعيد عن محمد بن أبي أمامة بن سهل بن حنيف عن أبيه قال: لما توفي أبو قيس بن الأسلت أراد ابنه أن يتزوج امرأته وكان لهم ذلك في الجاهلية فأنزل الله "لا يحل لكم أن ترثوا النساء كرها". ورواه ابن جرير من حديث محمد بن فضيل به ثم روى من طريق ابن جريج قال: أخبرني عطاء أن أهل الجاهلية كانوا إذا هلك الرجل وترك امرأة حبسها أهله على الصبي يكون فيهم فنزلت "لا يحل لكم أن ترثوا النساء كرها" الآية. وقال ابن جريج قال مجاهد كان الرجل إذا توفي كان ابنه أحق بامرأته ينكحها إن شاء إذا لم يكن ابنها أو ينكحها من شاء أخاه أو ابن أخيه. وقال ابن جريج قال عكرمة نزلت في كبيشة بنت معن بن عاصم بن الأوس توفي عنها أبو قيس بن الأسلت فجنح عليها ابنه فجاءت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: فقالت يا رسول الله: لا أنا ورثت زوجي ولا أنا تركت فأنكح ! فأنزل الله هذه الآية وقال السدي عن أبي مالك: كانت المرأة في الجاهلية إذا مات زوجها جاء وليه فألقى عليها ثوبا فإن كان له ابن صغير أو أخ حبسها حتى يشب أو تموت فيرثها فإن هي انفلتت فأتت أهلها ولم يلق عليها ثوبا نجت فأنزل الله "لا يحل لكم أن ترثوا النساء كرها". وقال مجاهد في الآية: كان الرجل يكون في حجره اليتيمة هو يلي أمرها فيحبسها رجاء أن تموت امرأته فيتزوجها أو يزوجها ابنه رواه ابن أبى حاتم ثم قال وروى عن الشعبي وعطاء بن أبي رباح وأبي مجلز والضحاك والزهري وعطاء الخراساني ومقاتل بن حيان نحو ذلك. قلت: فالآية تعم ما كان يفعله أهل الجاهلية وما ذكره مجاهد ومن وافقه وكل ما كان فيه نوع من ذلك والله أعلم وقوله "ولا تعضلوهن لتذهبوا ببعض ما آتيتموهن" أي لا تضاروهن في العشرة لتترك ما أصدقتها أو بعضه أو حقا من حقوقها عليك أو شيئا من ذلك على وجه القهر لها والإضرار. وقال علي بن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس في قوله "ولا تعضلوهن" يقول ولا تقهروهن "لتذهبوا ببعض ما آتيتموهن" يعني الرجل تكون له المرأة وهو كاره لصحبتها ولها عليه مهر فيضرها لتفتدي به وكذا قال الضحاك وقتادة وغير واحد واختاره ابن جرير وقال ابن المبارك وعبدالرزاق أخبرنا معمر أخبرني سماك بن الفضل عن ابن السلماني قال: نزلت هاتان الآيتان إحداهما في أمر الجاهلية والأخرى في أمر الإسلام. قال عبدالله بن المبارك يعني قوله "لا يحل لكم أن ترثوا النساء كرها" في الجاهلية "ولا تعضلوهن" في الإسلام وقوله "إلا أن يأتين بفاحشة مبينة" قال ابن مسعود وابن عباس وسعيد بن المسيب ; والشعبي والحسن البصري ومحمد بن سيرين وسعيد بن جبير ومجاهد وعكرمة وعطاء الخراساني والضحاك وأبو قلابة وأبو صالح السدي وزيد بن أسلم وسعيد بن أبي هلال يعني بذلك الزنا يعني إذا زنت فلك أن تسترجع منها الصداق الذي أعطيتها وتضاجرها حتى تتركه لك وتخالعها كما قال تعالى في سورة البقرة "ولا يحل لكم أن تأخذوا مما آتيتموهن شيئا إلا أن يخافا أن لا يقيما حدود الله" الآية وقال ابن عباس وعكرمة والضحاك: الفاحشة المبينة النشوز والعصيان واختار ابن جرير أنه يعم ذلك كله الزنا والعصيان والنشوز وبذاء اللسان وغير ذلك. يعني أن هذا كله يبيح مضاجرتها حتى تبرئه من حقها أو بعضه ويفارقها وهذا جيد والله أعلم. وقد تقدم فيما رواه أبو داود منفردا به من طريق يزيد النحوي عن عكرمة عن ابن عباس في قوله "لا يحل لكم أن ترثوا النساء كرها ولا تعضلوهن لتذهبوا ببعض ما آتيتموهن إلا أن يأتين بفاحشة مبينة" قال وذلك أن الرجل كان يرث امرأة ذي قرابته فيعضلها حتى تموت أو ترد إليه صداقها فأحكم الله عن ذلك أي نهى عن ذلك. قال عكرمة والحسن البصري: وهذا يقتضي أن يكون السياق كله كان في أمر الجاهلية ولكن نهى المسلمون عن فعله في الإسلام. وقال عبدالرحمن بن زيد كان العضل في قريش بمكة ينكح الرجل المرأة الشريفة فلعلها لا توافقه فيفارقها على أن لا تتزوج إلا بإذنه فيأتي بالشهود فيكتب ذلك عليها ويشهد فإذا جاء الخاطب فإن أعطته وأرضته أذن لها وإلا عضلها. قال فهذا قوله "ولا تعضلوهن لتذهبوا ببعض ما آتيتموهن" الآية وقال مجاهد في قوله "ولا تعضلوهن لتذهبوا ببعض ما آتيتموهن" هو كالعضل في سورة البقرة. وقوله تعالى "وعاشروهن بالمعروف" أي طيبوا أقوالكم لهن وحسنوا أفعالكم وهيئاتكم بحسب قدرتكم كما تحب ذلك منها فافعل أنت بها مثله كما قال تعالى "ولهن مثل الذي عليهن بالمعروف" وقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " خيركم خيركم لأهله ; وأنا خيركم لأهلي " وكان من أخلاقه صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه جميل العشرة دائم البشر ; يداعب أهله ; ويتلطف بهم ويوسعهم نفقة ويضاحك نساءه حتى إنه كان يسابق عائسة أم المؤمنين رضي الله عنها يتودد إليها بذلك قالت سابقني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فسبقته وذلك قبل أن أحمل اللحم ; ثم سابقته بعدما حملت اللحم فسبقني فقال " هذه بتلك " ويجمع نساءه كل ليلة في بيت التي يبيت عندها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فيأكل معهن العشاء في بعض الأحيان ثم تنصرف كل واحدة إلى منزلها وكان ينام مع المرأة من نسائه في شعار واحد يضع عن كتفيه الرداء وينام بالإزار وكان إذا صلى العشاء يدخل منزله يسمر مع أهله قليلا قبل أن ينام يؤانسهم بذلك صلى الله عليه وسلم. وقد قال الله تعالى "لقد كان لكم في رسول الله أسوة حسنة" وأحكام عشرة النساء وما يتعلق بتفصيل ذلك موضعه كتب الأحكام ولله الحمد. وقوله تعالى "فإن كرهتموهن فعسى أن تكرهوا شيئا ويجعل الله فيه خيرا كثيرا" أي فعسى أن يكون صبركم في إمساكهن مع الكراهة فيه خير كثير لكم في الدنيا والآخرة كما قال ابن عباس في هذه الآية هو أن يعطف عليها فيرزق منها ولدا ويكون في ذلك الولد خير كثير وفي الحديث الصحيح " لا يفرك مؤمن مؤمنة إن سخط منها خلقا رضي منها آخر".

Meaning of `Inheriting Women Against Their Will

Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said about the Ayah,

يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَرِثُواْ النِّسَآءَ كَرْهاً

(O you who believe! You are not permitted to inherit women against their will,) "Before, the practice was that when a man dies, his male relatives used to have the right to do whatever they wanted with his wife. If one of them wants, he would marry her, give her in marriage, or prevent her from marriage, for they had more right to her than her own family. Thereafter, this Ayah was revealed about this practice,

يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَرِثُواْ النِّسَآءَ كَرْهاً

(O you who believe! You are not permitted to inherit women against their will)."

Women Should not Be Treated with Harshness

Allah said,

وَلاَ تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ لِتَذْهَبُواْ بِبَعْضِ مَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ

(nor to prevent them from marriage, in order to take part of what you have given them,) Allah commands: Do not treat the woman harshly so that she gives back all or part of the dowry that she was given, or forfeits one of her rights by means of coercion and oppression. Allah's statement,

إِلاَّ أَن يَأْتِينَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُّبَيِّنَةٍ

(unless they commit open Fahishah.) Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, Ash-Sha`bi, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Muhammad bin Sirin, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Ad-Dahhak, Abu Qilabah, Abu Salih, As-Suddi, Zayd bin Aslam and Sa`id bin Abi Hilal said that this refers to illicit sex. Meaning that if the wife commits adultery, you are allowed to take back the dowry you gave her. You are also allowed to annoy her, until she gives back the dowry in return for a Khula`." In Surat Al-Baqarah, Allah said,

وَلاَ يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَأْخُذُواْ مِمَّآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ شَيْئًا إِلاَّ أَن يَخَافَآ أَلاَّ يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ اللَّهِ

(And it is not lawful for you (men) to take back (from your wives) any of what you have given them, except when both parties fear that they would be unable to keep the limits ordained by Allah) 2:229. Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah and Ad-Dahhak said that Fahishah refers to disobedience and defiance. Ibn Jarir chose the view that it is general, encompasses all these meanings, adultery, disobedience, defiance, rudeness, and so forth. Meaning that he is allowed to annoy his wife when she does any of these acts until she forfeits all or part of her rights and he then separates from her, and this view is good, and Allah knows best.

Live With Women Honorably

Allah said,

وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ

(And live with them honorably), by saying kind words to them, treating them kindly and making your appearance appealing for them, as much as you can, just as you like the same from them. Allah said in another Ayah,

وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ الَّذِى عَلَيْهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ

(And they have rights similar over them to what is reasonable) 2:228. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«خَيْرُكُمْ خَيْرُكُمْ لِأَهْلِهِ، وَأَنَا خَيْرُكُمْ لِأَهْلِي»

(The best among you is he who is the best with his family. Verily, I am the best one among you with my family.) It was the practice of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to be kind, cheerful, playful with his wives, compassionate, spending on them and laughing with them. The Messenger ﷺ used to race with `A'ishah, the Mother of the Faithful, as a means of kindness to her. `A'ishah said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ raced with me and I won the race. This occurred before I gained weight, and afterwards I raced with him again, and he won that race. He said,

«هذِهِ بِتِلْك»

(This victory is for that victory.)" When the Prophet was at the home of one of his wives, sometimes all of his wives would meet there and eat together, and they would then go back to their homes. He and his wife would sleep in the same bed, he would remove his upper garment, sleeping in only his lower garment. The Prophet used to talk to the wife whose night it was, after praying `Isha' and before he went to sleep. Allah said,

لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ

(Indeed in the Messenger of Allah ﷺ you have a good example to follow) 33:21. Allah said,

فَإِن كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ فَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئاً وَيَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ خَيْراً كَثِيراً

(If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing and Allah brings through it a great deal of good.) Allah says that your patience, which is demonstrated by keeping wives whom you dislike, carries good rewards for you in this life and the Hereafter. Ibn `Abbas commented on this Ayah, "That the husband may feel compassion towards his wife and Allah gives him a child with her, and this child carries tremendous goodness." An authentic Hadith states,

«لَا يَفْرَكْ مُؤْمِنٌ مُؤْمِنَةً، إِنْ سَخِطَ مِنْهَا خُلُقًا، رَضِيَ مِنْهَا آخَر»

(No believing man should hate his believing wife. If he dislikes a part of her conduct, he would surely like another.)

The Prohibition of Taking Back the Dowry

Allah said,

وَإِنْ أَرَدْتُّمُ اسْتِبْدَالَ زَوْجٍ مَّكَانَ زَوْجٍ وَءَاتَيْتُمْ إِحْدَاهُنَّ قِنْطَاراً فَلاَ تَأْخُذُواْ مِنْهُ شَيْئاً أَتَأْخُذُونَهُ بُهْتَـناً وَإِثْماً مُّبِيناً

(But if you intend to replace a wife by another and you have given one of them a Qintar, take not the least bit of it back; would you take it wrongfully without a right and (with) a manifest sin) The Ayah commands: When one of you wants to divorce a wife and marry another one, he must not take any portion of the dowry he gave to the first wife, even if it were a Qintar of money. We mentioned the meaning of Qintar in the Tafsir of Surah Al `Imran. This Ayah is clear in its indication that the dowry could be substantial. `Umar bin Al-Khattab used to discourage giving a large dowry, but later on changed his view. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Al-`Ajfa' As-Sulami said that he heard `Umar bin Al-Khattab saying, "Do not exaggerate with the dowry of women, had this practice been an honor in this world or a part of Taqwa, then the Prophet would have had more right to practice it than you. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never gave any of his wives, nor did any of his daughters receive a dowry more than twelve Uwqiyah. A man used to pay a substantial dowry and thus conceal enmity towards his wife!" Ahmad and the collectors of Sunan collected this Hadith through various chains of narration, and At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih". Al-Hafiz Abu Ya`la recorded that Masruq said, "`Umar bin Al-Khattab stood up on the Minbar of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, `O people! Why do you exaggerate concerning the dowry given to women The Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his Companions used to pay up to four hundred Dirhams for a dowry, or less than that. Had paying more for a dowry been a part of Taqwa or an honor, you would not have led them in this practice. Therefore, I do not want to hear about a man who pays more than four hundred Dirhams for a dowry.' He then went down the Minbar, but a woman from Quraysh said to him, `O Leader of the Faithful! You prohibited people from paying more than four hundred Dirhams in a dowry for women' He said, `Yes.' She said, `Have you not heard what Allah sent down in the Qur'an' He said, `Which part of it' She said, `Have you not heard Allah's statement,

وَءَاتَيْتُمْ إِحْدَاهُنَّ قِنْطَاراً

(And you have given one of them a Qintar)' He said, `O Allah! Forgive me...' He then went back and stood up on the Minbar saying, `I had prohibited you from paying more than four hundred Dirhams in a dowry for women. So, let everyone pay what he likes from his money."' The chain of narration for this Hadith is strong.

وَكَيْفَ تَأْخُذُونَهُ وَقَدْ أَفْضَى بَعْضُكُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ

(And how could you take it (back) while you have gone in unto each other) how can you take back the dowry from the woman with whom you had sexual relations and she had sexual relations with you Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, As-Suddi and several others said that this means sexual intercourse. The Two Sahihs record that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said three times to the spouses who said the Mula`anah;

«اللهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمَا كَاذِبٌ، فَهَلْ مِنْكُمَا تَائِبٌ؟»

(Allah knows that one of you is a liar, so would any of you repent ) The man said, "O Messenger of Allah! My money," referring to the dowry that he gave his wife. The Messenger said ﷺ,

«لَا مَالَ لَكَ، إِنْ كُنْتَ صَدَقْتَ عَلَيْهَا فَهُوَ بِمَا اسْتَحْلَلْتَ مِنْ فَرْجِهَا، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ كَذَبْتَ عَلَيْهَا فَهُوَ أَبْعَدُ لَكَ مِنْهَا»

(You have no money. If you are the one who said the truth, the dowry is in return for the right to have sexual intercourse with her. If you are the one who uttered the lie, then this money is even farther from your reach.) Similarly Allah said;

وَكَيْفَ تَأْخُذُونَهُ وَقَدْ أَفْضَى بَعْضُكُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ وَأَخَذْنَ مِنكُم مِّيثَـقاً غَلِيظاً

(And how could you take it (back) while you have gone in unto each other and they have taken from you a firm and strong covenant) (Be kind with women, for you have taken them by Allah's covenant and earned the right to have sexual relations with them by Allah's Word.)

Marrying the Wife of the Father is Prohibited

Allah said,

وَلاَ تَنكِحُواْ مَا نَكَحَ ءَابَاؤُكُمْ مِّنَ النِّسَآءِ

(And marry not women whom your fathers married,) Allah prohibits marrying the women whom the father married, in honor and respect to the fathers, not allowing their children to have sexual relations with their wives after they die. A woman becomes ineligible for the son of her husband as soon as the marriage contract is conducted, and there is a consensus on this ruling. Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "During the time of Jahiliyyah, the people used to prohibit what Allah prohibits (concerning marriage), except marrying the stepmother and taking two sisters as rival wives. Allah sent down,

وَلاَ تَنكِحُواْ مَا نَكَحَ ءَابَاؤُكُمْ مِّنَ النِّسَآءِ

(And marry not women whom your fathers married,) and,

وَأَن تَجْمَعُواْ بَيْنَ الاٍّخْتَيْنِ

(and two sisters in wedlock at the same time) 4:23." Similar was reported from `Ata' and Qatadah. Therefore, the practice that the Ayah mentions is prohibited for this Ummah, being disgraced as an awful sin, r

إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَـحِشَةً وَمَقْتاً وَسَآءَ سَبِيلاً

(Indeed it was shameful and Maqtan, and an evil way.) Allah said in other Ayat,

وَلاَ تَقْرَبُواْ الْفَوَحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ

(Come not near to Al-Fawahish (shameful acts) whether committed openly or secretly) 6:151, and,

وَلاَ تَقْرَبُواْ الزِّنَى إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَآءَ سَبِيلاً

(And come not near to unlawful sex. Verily, it is a Fahishah and an evil way.) 17:32 In this Ayah (4:22), Allah added,

وَمَقْتاً

(and Maqtan), meaning, offensive. It is a sin itself and causes the son to hate his father after he marries his wife. It is usual that whoever marries a woman dislikes those who married her before him. This is one reason why the Mothers of the Faithful were not allowed for anyone in marriage after the Messenger ﷺ. They are indeed the Mothers of the Faithful since they married the Messenger ﷺ , who is like the father to the believers. Rather, the Prophet's right is far greater than the right of a father, and his love comes before each person loving himself, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him. `Ata' bin Abi Rabah said that the Ayah,

وَمَقْتاً

(and Maqtan), means, Allah will hate him,

وَسَآءَ سَبِيلاً

(and an evil way), for those who take this way. Therefore, those who commit this practice will have committed an act of reversion from the religion and deserve capital punishment and confiscation of their property, which will be given to the Muslim Treasury. Imam Ahmad and the collectors of Sunan recorded that Al-Bara' bin `Azib said that his uncle Abu Burdah was sent by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to a man who married his stepmother to execute him and confiscate his money.

O you who believe it is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will read either karhan or kurhan as alternative forms that is to say coercing them into this. In pre-Islamic times they used to inherit women from their kin and if they so wished they could marry a woman without a dowry or marry her off and take the dowry for themselves or prevent her from marriage until she gave up what she had inherited or until she died and they could inherit from her. They were thus forbidden such practices; neither debar them your former wives from marrying others by retaining them while you have no desire for them yourselves only to harm them; so that you may go off with part of what you have given them of the dowry except when they commit flagrant read mubayyina ‘making it clear’ or mubayyana ‘clear’ lewdness such as adultery or rebellion then you have the right to coerce them until they redeem themselves to you or forfeit their dowries. Consort with them in kindness that is being decent in speaking to them with regard to their expenditure and lodging; for if you hate them then be patient; it may happen that you hate a thing wherein God has set much good that is to say perhaps He does this when He provides you with a righteous child through them.

Sequence of verses

Repentance was mentioned in the previous verses in proportion to the related requirement of the text. Before this, there was a series of injunctions pertaining to women. The present verses too carry some more imperatives against the excesses suffered by women at the hands of their husbands, even heirs. Details appear in the Commentary.

The aim is to correct such social disorders. It may be noted that husbands have been particularly addressed in وَعَاشِرُ‌وهُنَّ (live with them). Verses 20 and 21 conclude the subject.

Commentary

Women before Islam: Eradication of Injustices

Given in these three verses are steps taken to eliminate injustices to which women were commonly subjected:

1. The most glaring of these was that men used to act as owners of the life and property of women, so much so, that a woman taken in marriage was passed on as a piece of property after her husband's death, on to his heirs. They were considered as the new owners and inheritors of the property, plus the wife. They could, if they wished to, marry her or give her in marriage to somebody else against payment. The son of the husband from another wife could himself marry her after the death of his father. When a living human being has been taken as an article of ownership, what would have happened to the normal property is all too obvious. This one basic social ill became the cause of hundreds of other unjust practices against women, some of which are pointed out below:

(a) If a woman received some property in inheritance or some gift from her parents, the poor thing stayed deprived of it. Everything received in her name was devoured by men at her husband's home.

(b) If, somehow the woman did come in possession of her share of the property, men would prevent her from remarrying so that she could not take her share out of the house - they wanted her to die right there where she was, leaving her property which they could possess after her.

(c) In some places there was the practice that if the husband did not like his wife because of whimsical factors and not because of any shortcoming of the wife, then, while he skipped relating to her as his wife, did not get rid of her by giving her a divorce. This was to harass her to the limit that she was forced to give him back the jewellery and dower money he had given her; or, if he had not yet given these as due, he expected that she would forgo her claim before she could hope to be released. There were situations when the husband, despite having divorced her would not let the divorced wife remarry so that she breaks up and returns to him the amount of dower he had given her, or forgoes the dower still unpaid.

(d) On occasions, following the death of her husband, his heirs would not let the widow remarry. They would do so either to satisfy their false sense of prestige, or to let her go only after they get some-thing for themselves in the deal.

As said earlier, all these injustices were perpetrated on the basis of the central assumption that man owned not only the property but also the very life of the woman. The Holy Qur'an struck at the very root of this evil which produced other injustices and openly declared:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَرِ‌ثُوا النِّسَاءَ كَرْ‌هًا

O those who believe, it is not lawful for you that you should forcibly take women as inheritance.

The word "forcibly" does not appear here as a condition which would have given the impression that their becoming owners of women with the latter’ s approval was all right, but this restriction has been introduced here as a statement of fact. It means that taking over the charge of the life and property of women as self-appointed owners without any legal or rational basis whatsoever could, obviously, be only "forcibly". How could a woman, in her normal senses, ever agree to such a proposition? (a1-Bahr al-Muh, it). This is why the Shari'ah of Islam does not accept her approval in this matter as effective. If any woman, so out of her mind, approves of being owned by somebody, the Islamic law is not willing to concede this position.

The common method of preventing injustice and disorder would be to use a prohibitive order, but the Holy Qur'an has avoided this common method at this place and has expressed the element of prohibition by negating the lawfulness of this act by saying: لَا یَحِلُّ لَکُم 'it is not lawful for you'. Here, in addition to stressing upon the severe sinfulness of this matter, the purpose may also be to indicate that, should it be that someone does go on to marry an adult woman without her consent and permission, the marriage thus entered into shall not be lawful and, in fact, it is null and void. Being totally non-sequitur, no husband-wife relationship between the man and woman gets established from such a marriage, nor do the injunctions of inheritance or lineage follow from it.

Similarly, if someone forces a woman and takes back the dower he had given her, or compels her to forgo the outstanding dower, this forced return or forgiveness is not valid in the sight of the Shari'ah. Money or property taken in this manner do not make them lawful for the man, nor does it cause any due right to be forgiven. This subject has been further clarified in: وَلَا تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ لِتَذْهَبُوا بِبَعْضِ مَا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ

It means: 'Do not prevent women from marrying at their choice with the intention of taking back what you, or a relative, have already given to them as dower or gift.' So, the giving and the taking back of dower is inclusive of the incidence of making the woman forgive the dower the payment of which is due, fixed and agreed upon. Whether one forces the woman to return the dower amount already paid or forces her to forgo the dower still outstanding, both are impermissible and patently Haram (forbidden). Similarly, whatever has been given to the wife as gift, or something of which she has become the 'owner', cannot be taken back by the husband, or the heirs, for it is not lawful for them to do so. However, this rule applies only to a situation where anything has been assigned to her as an owner. If something was given to her for a temporary use, like jewellery or any other article, not making her the owner of it, then, that simply does not enter into the 'ownership' of the wife and, therefore, asking for their return is not forbidden.

The text, after that, by saying: إِلَّا أَن يَأْتِينَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُّبَيِّنَةٍ exempts some such situations under which it becomes permissible for the husband to take back what he has given, including the dower. It means that should the woman commit an act which is clearly shameful and which naturally compels the man to divorce her, then, this will be a situation in which it does not matter if the husband holds back the word of divorce until such time that the woman returns the dower he had given her or forgoes the outstanding dower, if that is the case.

According to Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، Sayyidah A’ shah ؓ and Hadrat Dahhak (رح) and others, the word, فاحشا "fahisha" (translated as 'a shameful act' ) here means disobedience to the husband and indecent abuses against him; while, Abu Qilabah and Hasan al-Bari رحمۃ اللہ علیہما take it to mean immodesty and adultery in this particular place. Thus, the sense would come to be: If these women happen to commit some shameful act or they behave disobediently and vituperatively which forces the husband to think of a divorce, then, this being a fault of the woman, the husband has the right to hold her in the bond of marriage, until he receives back what he had given her, or has the outstanding dower forgiven by her.

O you who have faith, it is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will, neither debar them from marriage that you may go off with part of what you have given them, unless they commit a flagrant indecency. Consort with them honorably. For, if you are averse to them, it may be that you are averse to something within which God has placed much good. This is a call, an admonishment, an allusion, a bearing witness, and a ruling. O is the call, you is the admonishment, who is the allusion, have faith is the bearing witness. It is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will is the ruling. The explanation of the ruling is that women are considered weak, and they are imprisoned beneath your severity. Beware of tormenting them, and do not rule over them by way of scheming and deceit. Do not be severe, and do not ask of them what the Shariah does not approve. On the contrary, live with them honorably. Consort with them honorably, that is, with the teachings of the religion and by modeling one's courtesy on the character traits of the submitted.3 Show them the road of the religion and religios- ity and teach them the courteous acts of being a Muslim and the Shariah. And protect them from the Fire, as He says in another place: “Shield yourselves and your families from a fire” [66:6]. Preserve the courteous acts of companionship when consorting with them and tolerate suffering from them, but do not place on them the burden of your service, making them suffer for you. Although outwardly and specifically He is talking about women, by way of allusion He is talking generally about all Muslims. He is saying, “Watch out so that you never see yourself as having a mandatory rightful due from, or an excellence over, any other Muslim. Do not ask those above you to serve you, and do not push yourself on those beneath you. Do not use force against the folk of weakness, but rather strive to show consideration and give comfort to them and seek proximity to them.” Revelation came to David: “O David, if you see someone broken in My road, or someone whose heart has been lost in My work, take care to serve him.