4:9 An-Nisaa (The Women)

قيل: إن هذا خطاب لمن يحضر مَنْ حضره الموت وأجنف في وصيته، أن يأمره بالعدل في وصيته والمساواة فيها، بدليل قوله: { وَلْيَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا } أي: سدادا، موافقا للقسط والمعروف. وأنهم يأمرون من يريد الوصية على أولاده بما يحبون معاملة أولادهم بعدهم. وقيل: إن المراد بذلك أولياء السفهاء من المجانين والصغار والضعاف أن يعاملوهم في مصالحهم الدينية والدنيوية بما يحبون أن يعامل به مَنْ بعدهم من ذريتهم الضعاف { فَلْيَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ } في ولايتهم لغيرهم، أي: يعاملونهم بما فيه تقوى الله، من عدم إهانتهم والقيام عليهم، وإلزامهم لتقوى الله.

وقوله تعالى وليخش الذين لو تركوا من خلفهم الآية. قال علي بن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس: هذا في الرجل يحضره الموت فيسمعه رجل يوصي بوصية تضر بورثته فأمر الله تعالى الذي يسمعه أن يتقي الله ويوفقه ويسدده للصواب فينظر لورثته كما كان يحب أن يصنع بورثته إذا خشي عليهم الضيعة وهكذا قال مجاهد وغير واحد وثبت في الصحيحين أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لما دخل على سعد بن أبي وقاص يعوده قال: يا رسول الله إنى ذو مال ولا يرثني إلا ابنة أفأتصدق بثلثي مالي قال " لا " قال: فالشطر قال "لا" قال فالثلث قال "الثلث ; والثلث كثير" ثم قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " إنك أن تذر ورثتك أغنياء خير من أن تذرهم عالة يتكففون الناس" وفي الصحيح عن ابن عباس قال: لو أن الناس غضوا من الثلث إلى الربع فإن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم قال "الثلث والثلث كثير" قال الفقهاء: إن كان ورثة الميت أغنياء استحب للميت أن يستوفي في وصيته الثلث وإن كانوا فقراء استحب أن ينقص الثلث وقيل: المراد بالآية فليتقوا الله في مباشرة أموال اليتامى "ولا يأكلوها إسرافا وبدارا" حكاه ابن جرير من طريق العوفي عن ابن عباس وهو قول حسن يتأيد بما بعده من التهديد في أكل أموال اليتامى ظلما أي كما تحب أن تعامل ذريتك من بعدك فعامل الناس في ذرياتهم إذا وليتهم ثم أعلمهم أن من أكل أموال اليتامى ظلما فإنما يأكل في بطنه نارا.

The Necessity of Surrendering the Inheritance According to the Portions that Allah Ordained

Sa`id bin Jubayr and Qatadah said, "The idolators used to give adult men a share of inheritance and deprive women and children of it. Allah revealed;

لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصيِبٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَلِدَنِ وَالاٌّقْرَبُونَ

(There is a share for men from what is left by parents and those nearest in relation)." Therefore, everyone is equal in Allah's decision to inherit, even though their shares vary according to the degree of their relationship to the deceased, whether being a relative, spouse, etc. Ibn Marduwyah reported that Jabir said, "Umm Kujjah came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said to him, `O Messenger of Allah! I have two daughters whose father died, and they do not own anything.' So Allah revealed;

لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصيِبٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَلِدَنِ وَالاٌّقْرَبُونَ

(There is a share for men from what is left by parents and those nearest in relation.)" We will mention this Hadith when explaining the two Ayat about inheritance. Allah knows best. Allah said,

وَإِذَا حَضَرَ الْقِسْمَةَ

(are present at the time of division,) those who do not have a share in the inheritance,

وَالْيَتَـمَى وَالْمَسَـكِينُ

(and the orphans and the poor), are also present upon dividing the inheritance, give them a share of the inheritance. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah,

وَإِذَا حَضَرَ الْقِسْمَةَ أُوْلُواْ الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَـمَى وَالْمَسَـكِينُ

(And when the relatives and the orphans and the poor are present at the time of division), was not abrogated. Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that this Ayah still applies and should be implemented. Ath-Thawri said that Ibn Abi Najih narrated from Mujahid that implementing this Ayah, "Is required from those who have anything to inherit, paid from whatever portions their hearts are satisfied with giving away." Similar explanation was reported from Ibn Mas`ud, Abu Musa, `Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakr, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ash-Sha`bi and Al-Hasan. Ibn Sirin, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Makhul, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, `Ata' bin Abi Rabah, Az-Zuhri and Yahya bin Ya`mar said this payment is obligatory. Others say that this refers to the bequeathal at the time of death. And others say that it was abrogated. Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said that this Ayah,

وَإِذَا حَضَرَ الْقِسْمَةَ

(And when are present at the time of division), refers to divisions of inheritance. So, when poor relatives, who are ineligible for inheritance, orphans, and the poor attend the division of the inheritance, which is sometimes substantial, their hearts will feel eager to have a share, seeing each eligible person assuming his share; while they are desperate, yet are not given anything. Allah the Most Kind, Most Compassionate, commands that they should have a share in the inheritance as an act of kindness, charity, compassion and mercy for them.

Observing Fairness in the Will

Allah said,

وَلْيَخْشَ الَّذِينَ لَوْ تَرَكُواْ مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ

(And let those have the same fear in their minds as they would have for their own, if they had left behind...) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said that this part of the Ayah, "Refers to a man who is near death and he dictates a will and testament that harms some of the rightful inheritors. Allah commands whoever hears such will to fear Allah, and direct the dying man to do what is right and to be fair, being as eager to protect the inheritors of the dying man as he would be with his own." Similar was reported from Mujahid and several others. The Two Sahihs record that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ visited Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas during an illness he suffered from, Sa`d said to the Messenger, "O Messenger of Allah! I am wealthy and have no inheritors except a daughter. Should I give two-thirds of my property in charity" He said, "No." Sa`d asked, "Half" He said, "No." Sa`d said, "One-third" The Prophet said;

«الثُّلُثُ، وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِير»

(One-third, and even one-third is too much.) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said,

«إِنَّكَ أَنْ تَذَرَ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَذَرَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاس»

(You'd better leave your inheritors wealthy rather than leaving them poor, begging from others.)

A Stern Warning Against Those Who Use Up the Orphan's Wealth

It was also said that the Ayah

وَلاَ تَأْكُلُوهَآ إِسْرَافاً وَبِدَاراً أَن يَكْبَرُواْ

(consume it not wastefully and hastily, fearing that they should grow up,) means, let them have Taqwa of Allah when taking care of the orphan's wealth, as Ibn Jarir recorded from Al-`Awfi who reported this explanation from Ibn `Abbas. This is a sound opinion that is supported by the warning that follows against consuming the orphan's wealth unjustly. In this case, the meaning becomes: Just as you would want your offspring to be treated fairly after you, then treat other people's offspring fairly when you are given the responsibility of caring for them. Allah proclaims that those who unjustly consume the wealth of orphans, will be eating fire into their stomach, this is why Allah said,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَلَ الْيَتَـمَى ظُلْماً إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِى بُطُونِهِمْ نَاراً وَسَيَصْلَوْنَ سَعِيراً

(Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they eat up only a fire into their bellies, and they will be burnt in the blazing Fire!) meaning, when you consume the orphan's wealth without a right, then you are only consuming fire, which will kindle in your stomach on the Day of Resurrection. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«اجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ الْمُوبِقَات»

(Avoid the seven great destructive sins. ) The people asked, "O Allah's Messenger! What are they" He said,

«الشِّرْكُ بِاللهِ، وَالسِّحْرُ، وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ، وَأَكْلُ الرِّبَا، وَأَكْلُ مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ، وَالتَّوَلِّي يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ، وَقَذْفُ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ الْغَافِلَات»

(To join others in worship along with Allah, magic, to kill the life which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause, to consume interest, to consume an orphan's property, to turn your back to the enemy and flee from the battlefield at the time of fighting, and to accuse chaste women who never even think of anything harmful to their chastity being good believers.)

And let them fear let them be concerned for the orphans those who if they are about to leave behind them that is after their death weak offspring young children would be afraid for them; that they be ruined; let them fear God in the matter concerning orphans and let them give what they would love for their own offspring after their death; and speak to the one approached by death pertinent words the right words by enjoining him to give as voluntary almsgiving no more than the third of the inheritance and leave the remainder for the ones inheriting so that they do not end up as dependants.

Fear Allah while distributing inheritance

The third verse (9) addresses Muslims in general exhorting them to make it certain that the inheritance of the deceased reaches his children fully and fairly. They must abstain from any mode of action which may affect the share of the children adversely. The general sense of the verse covers the eventuality when one sees a Muslim making a will or disposing property off in a manner which could cause damage or loss to his children and other inheritors. If so, one must stop him from such bequeathal or such disposal, very much like what the Holy Prophet ﷺ did when he stopped the blessed Companion, Sayyidna Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas ؓ ، from giving the whole, or half, of his property in charity (Sadaqah), allowing him to give only one-third of his property as such (Mishkat, Bab al-Wasaya, p. 265), because, 'If the whole, or half of the property was given in charity, the share of the inheritors would have either been all consumed, or curtailed.

Also included in the general sense of the verse is that guardians of the orphaned children should protect their property and give it to them in full when they become mature. They should take pains to accomplish this mission of trust and never let the least negligence on their part affect their duty; if they wish that others treat their children well after them, without causing them any harm or injustice, then, they should treat the children of others - the orphans - in the same manner.