The Qurʾan - Translation by M.A.S.

Abdel Haleem (Oxford Islamic Studies Online)

Sura 4. (Women)
A Medinan sura which takes its title from the many references to women throughout the sura
(verses 3–4, 127–30). It gives a number of instructions, urging justice to children and orphans,
and mentioning inheritance and marriage laws. Verses 5–12 of the sura give rulings on property
and inheritance, and so does the verse which concludes the sura. The sura also talks of the
tensions between the Muslim community in Medina and some of the People of the Book (verses
44, 61), moving into a general discussion of war: it warns the Muslims to be cautious and to
defend the weak and helpless (verses 71–6). Another similar theme is the intrigues of the
hypocrites (verses 88–91, 138–46).
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy

1. People, be mindful of your Lord, who created you from a single soul, and from it1 created its mate,
and from the pair of them spread countless men and women far and wide; be mindful of God, in
whose name you make requests of one another. Beware of severing the ties of kinship:2 God is
always watching over you.

2. Give orphans their property, do not replace [their] good things with bad, and do not consume their
property with your own—a great sin.

3. If you fear that you will not deal fairly with orphan girls,3 you may marry whichever [other] women
seem good to you, two, three, or four. If you fear that you cannot be equitable [to them], then marry
only one, or your slave(s):4 that is more likely to make you avoid bias.

4. Give women their bridal gift upon marriage, though if they are happy to give up some of it for you,
you may enjoy it with a clear conscience.5

7. Men shall have a share in what their parents and closest relatives leave, and women shall have a
share in what their parents and closest relatives leave, whether the legacy be small or large: this is
ordained by God.

8. If other relatives, orphans, or needy people are present at the distribution, give them something
too, and speak kindly to them.

9. Let those who would fear for the future of their own helpless children, if they were to die, show the
same concern [for orphans]; let them be mindful of God and speak out for justice.

10. Those who consume the property of orphans unjustly are actually swallowing fire into their own
bellies: they will burn in the blazing Flame.

11. Concerning your children, God commands you that a son should have the equivalent share of
two daughters. If there are only daughters, two or more should share two-thirds of the inheritance, if
one, she should have half. Parents inherit a sixth each if the deceased leaves children; if he leaves
no children and his parents are his sole heirs, his mother has a third, unless he has brothers, in

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From the same essence’.
2
Literally ‘the womb-relationships’, i.e. all those to whom you are related. This expression occurs again in 47: 22.
3
In pre-Islamic Arabia, some guardians of orphan girls used to marry them in order to take their property (see 4: 127).
4
Literally ‘what your right hands possess’.
5
Mahr - A mandatory payment, in the form of money or possessions paid by the groom, or by groom's father, to the
bride at the time of marriage, that legally becomes her property.

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which case she has a sixth. [In all cases, the distribution comes] after payment of any bequests or
debts. You cannot know which of your parents or your children is more beneficial to you: this is a law
from God, and He is all knowing, all wise.

12. You inherit half of what your wives leave, if they have no children; if they have children, you
inherit a quarter. [In all cases, the distribution comes] after payment of any bequests or debts. If you
have no children, your wives' share is a quarter; if you have children, your wives get an eighth. [In all
cases, the distribution comes] after payment of any bequests or debts. If a man or a woman dies
leaving no children or parents, but a single brother or sister, he or she should take one-sixth of the
inheritance; if there are more siblings, they share one-third between them. [In all cases, the
distribution comes] after payment of any bequests or debts, with no harm done to anyone: this is a
commandment from God: God is all knowing and benign to all.

13. These are the bounds set by God: God will admit those who obey Him and His Messenger to
Gardens graced with flowing streams, and there they will stay— that is the supreme triumph!

14. But those who disobey God and His Messenger and overstep His limits will be consigned by God
to the Fire, and there they will stay—a humiliating torment awaits them!

15. If any of your women commit a lewd act, call four witnesses from among you, then, if they testify
to their guilt, keep the women at home until death comes to them or until God shows them another
way.6

16. If two men commit a lewd act, punish them both; if they repent and mend their ways, leave them
alone—God is always ready to accept repentance, He is full of mercy.

19. You who believe, it is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will,7 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.

20. If you wish to replace one wife with another, do not take any of her bride-gift back, even if you
have given her a great amount of gold.

21. How could you take it when this is unjust and a blatant sin? How could you take it when you
have lain with each other and they have taken a solemn pledge from you?

22. Do not marry women that your fathers married—with the exception of what is past—this is
indeed a shameful thing to do, loathsome and leading to evil.

23. You are forbidden to take as wives your mothers, daughters, sisters, paternal and maternal
aunts, the daughters of brothers and daughters of sisters, your milk-mothers and milk-sisters.8 your
wives' mothers, the stepdaughters in your care—those born of women with whom you have
consummated marriage, if you have not consummated the marriage, then you will not be blamed—
wives of your begotten sons, two sisters simultaneously—with the exception of what is past: God is
most forgiving and merciful—

6 Through another regulation, or marriage, or any other way.

7 In pre-Islamic Arabia, if a man died leaving a widow, her stepson or another man of his family could inherit her.
8 Islam regards women who breastfeed other people's infants as their ‘milk-mothers’, not merely ‘wet nurses’.

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24. [Forbidden to you are] women already married, other than your slaves.9 God has ordained all this
for you. Other women are lawful to you, so long as you seek them in marriage, with gifts from your
property, looking for wedlock rather than fornication. If you wish to enjoy women through marriage,
give them their bride-gift—this is obligatory—though if you should choose mutually, after fulfilling this
obligation, to do otherwise [with the bride-gift], you will not be blamed: God is all knowing and all
wise.

25. If any of you does not have the means to marry a believing free woman, then marry a believing
slave—God knows best [the depth of] your faith: you are [all] part of the same family10—so marry
them with their people's consent and their proper bride-gifts. [Make them] married women, not
adulteresses or lovers. If they commit adultery when they are married, their punishment will be half
that of free women. This is for those of you who fear that you will sin; it is better for you to practise
self-restraint. God is most forgiving and merciful,

34. Husbands should take good care of their wives,11 with [the bounties] God has given to some
more than others and with what they spend out of their own money. Righteous wives are devout and
guard what God would have them guard in their husbands' absence. If you fear high-handedness12
from your wives, remind them [of the teachings of God], then ignore them when you go to bed, then
hit them.13 If they obey you, you have no right to act against them: God is most high and great.

35. If you [believers] fear that a couple may break up, appoint one arbiter from his family and one
from hers. Then, if the couple want to put things right, God will bring about a reconciliation between
them: He is all knowing, all aware.

43. You who believe, do not come anywhere near the prayer if you are intoxicated,14 not until you
know what you are saying; nor if you are in a state of major ritual impurity15—though you may pass
through the mosque16—not until you have bathed; if you are ill, on a journey, have relieved
yourselves, or had intercourse, and cannot find any water, then find some clean sand17 and wipe
your faces and hands with it. God is always ready to pardon and forgive.

127. They ask you [Prophet] for a ruling about women. Say, ‘God Himself gives you a ruling about
them. You already have what has been recited to you in the Scripture about orphan girls [in your
charge] from whom you withhold the prescribed shares [of their inheritance] and whom you wish to
marry, and also about helpless children—God instructs you to treat orphans fairly: He is well aware
of whatever good you do.’

9 Slave women were often unclaimed war captives, who would not be in a position to dissolve any previous marriage.
An owner was not permitted to touch a slave woman whose husband was with her (Abu Hanifa, in Razi).
10 Literally ‘you are from one another’.
11
i.e. “protectors of”
12 The verb nashaza from which nushuz is derived means ‘to become high’, ‘to rise’. See also verse 128, where the

same word is applied to husbands. It applies to a situation where one partner assumes superiority to the other and
behaves accordingly (arrogance).
13 This signifies a single blow, as is clear from the circumstances of the revelation of this verse.
14 The prohibition of intoxicants was introduced by stages, and they were eventually made completely unlawful.
15 janabah [sexual impurity]
16 or ‘unless you are on a journey’.
17 The term sa‘id means dust or earth or soil or sand. Tayammum is the Islamic act of dry ablution using a purified

sand or dust, which may be performed in place of ritual washing (wudu or ghusl) if no clean water is readily available
or if one is suffering from moisture-induced skin inflammation or scaling. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tayammum

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128. If a wife fears high-handedness or alienation from her husband, neither of them will be blamed
if they come to a peaceful settlement, for peace is best. Although human souls are prone to
selfishness, if you do good and are mindful of God, He is well aware of all that you do.

129. You will never be able to treat your wives with equal fairness, however much you may desire to
do so, but do not ignore one wife altogether, leaving her suspended [between marriage and divorce].
If you make amends and remain conscious of God, He is most forgiving and merciful,

130. But if husband and wife do separate, God will provide for each out of His plenty: He is infinite in
plenty, and all wise.

131. Everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to God.

Sura 24. (The Light)

This Medinan sura clarifies several regulations for the Muslim community, mainly to do with
marriage, modesty, obedience to the Prophet, and appropriate behaviour in the household. The
initial context is the false rumour against ‘A’lsha, the Prophet's wife, who was left behind
unwittingly by her travelling companions after wandering away in search of a dropped necklace.
She was escorted back to Medina by a Muslim man coming later who found her there. The sura
is named after the Verse of Light (verses 35–6) where God's light is contrasted to the darkness in
which the disbelievers find themselves engulfed.
30. [Prophet], tell believing men to lower their glances and guard their private parts: that is purer for
them. God is well aware of everything they do.

31. And tell believing women that they should lower their glances, guard their private parts, and not
display their charms beyond what [it is acceptable] to reveal;18 they should let their head-scarves fall
to cover their necklines and not reveal their charms except to their husbands, their fathers, their
husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’
sons, their womenfolk, their slaves, such men as attend them who have no sexual desire, or children
who are not yet aware of women's nakedness; they should not stamp their feet so as to draw
attention to any hidden charms. Believers, all of you, turn to God so that you may prosper.

32. Marry off the single among you and those of your male and female slaves who are fit [for
marriage].19 If they are poor, God will provide for them from His bounty: God's bounty is infinite and
He is all knowing.

33. Those who are unable to marry should keep chaste until God gives them enough out of His
bounty. If any of your slaves wish to pay for their freedom, make a contract with them accordingly, if
you know they have good in them, and give them some of the wealth God has given you. Do not
force your slave-girls into prostitution, when they themselves wish to remain honourable, in your
quest for the short-term gains of this world, although, if they are forced, God will be forgiving and
merciful to them.

18 Literally ‘beyond what [ordinarily] shows’. This phrase is ambiguous in Arabic. Recourse is commonly made to
the hadith (prophetic tradition), which uses the same verb dhahara in the sense of its being permissible for a woman
to show only her face and her hands in front of strangers.
19 i.e., “righteous”

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Sura 33. (The Joint Forces)
A Medinan sura which gets its title from the incident of the Battle of the Trench in AH 5/627 CE
(verses 9–27), when the joint forces of various tribes of disbelievers besieged Medina. The
believers dug a ditch, which the disbelievers were unable to cross, and eventually the enemy
retreated in disarray. This is mentioned in order to remind the believers of God's goodness to
them, so that they may obey the numerous instructions given in the sura, starting with the
regulation of adoption and including proper conduct towards the Prophet and his wives. The
hypocrites are warned to stop their bad behaviour.
28. Prophet, say to your wives,20 ‘If your desire is for the present life and its finery, then come, I will
make provision for you and release you with kindness,

29. But if you desire God, His Messenger, and the Final Home, then remember that God has
prepared great rewards for those of you who do good.’

30. Wives of the Prophet, if any of you does something clearly outrageous, she will be doubly
punished— that is easy for God—

31. but if any of you is obedient to God and His Messenger and does good deeds, know that We
shall give her a double reward and have prepared a generous provision for her.

32. Wives of the Prophet, you are not like any other woman. If you are truly mindful of God, do not
speak too softly in case the sick at heart should lust after you, but speak in an appropriate manner;

33. stay at home, and do not flaunt your finery as they used to in the pagan past; keep up the prayer,
give the prescribed alms, and obey God and His Messenger. God wishes to keep uncleanness away
from you, people of the [Prophet's] House, and to purify you thoroughly.

34. Remember what is recited in your houses of God's revelations and wisdom, for God is all subtle,
all aware.

35. For men and women who are devoted to God—believing men and women, obedient men and
women, truthful men and women, steadfast men and women, humble men and women, charitable
men and women, fasting men and women, chaste men and women, men and women who
remember God often—God has prepared forgiveness and a rich reward.

53. Believers, do not enter the Prophet's apartments for a meal unless you are given permission to
do so; do not linger until [a meal] is ready. When you are invited, go in; then, when you have taken
your meal, leave. Do not stay on and talk, for that would offend the Prophet, though he would shrink
from asking you to leave. God does not shrink from the truth. When you ask his wives for something,
do so from behind a screen: this is purer both for your hearts and for theirs. It is not right for you to
offend God's Messenger, just as you should never marry his wives after him: that would be grievous
in God's eyes.

54. God has full knowledge of all things, whether you reveal them or not.

20 Some of the Prophet's wives decided to ask him for more provision, seeing that he had become leader of a new
state.

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55. The Prophet's wives are not to blame [if they are seen by] their fathers, their sons, their brothers,
their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, or their slaves. [Wives of the Prophet], be
mindful of God. God observes everything.

56. God and His angels bless the Prophet—so, you who believe, bless him too and give him
greetings of peace.

57. Those who insult God and His Messenger will be rejected by God in this world and the next—He
has prepared a humiliating torment for them—

58. and those who undeservedly insult believing men and women will bear the guilt of slander and
flagrant sin.

59. Prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and women believers to make their outer garments
hang low over them21 so as to be recognized and not insulted: God is most forgiving, most merciful.

60. If the hypocrites, the sick at heart, and those who spread lies in the city do not desist, We shall
rouse you [Prophet] against them, and then they will only be your neighbours in this city for a short
while.

61. They will be rejected. Wherever they are found, they will be arrested and put to death.

63. People ask you about the Hour. Say, ‘God alone has knowledge of it.’ How could you [Prophet]
know? The Hour may well be near.

64. God has rejected the disbelievers and prepared a blazing fire for them.

65. There they will stay permanently, with no one to befriend or support them.

66. On the Day when their faces are being turned about in the Fire, they will say, ‘If only we had
obeyed God and the Messenger,’

67. and ‘Lord! We obeyed our masters and our chiefs, and they led us astray.

68. Lord! Give them a double punishment and reject them completely.’

69. Believers, do not be like those who insulted Moses—God cleared him of their allegations and he
was highly honoured in God's eyes.

70. Believers, be mindful of God, speak in a direct fashion and to good purpose,

71. and He will put your deeds right for you and forgive you your sins. Whoever obeys God and His
Messenger will truly achieve a great triumph.

72. We offered the Trust to the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, yet they refused to undertake
it and were afraid of it; mankind undertook it—they have always been inept and foolish.

73. God will punish the hypocrites and the idolaters, both men and women, and turn with mercy to
the believers, both men and women: God is most forgiving, most merciful.

21The Arabic idiom adna al-jilbab means ‘make it hang low’, not ‘wrap around’ as other translators have assumed (al-
Mu‘jam al-Wasit).