The Koran Part 144

SURA IV.-WOMEN1 [C.]

MEDINA.-175 Verses

In the Name of G.o.d, the Compa.s.sionate, the Merciful

O MEN! fear your Lord, who hath created you of one man (nafs, soul), and of him created his wife, and from these twain hath spread abroad so many men and WOMEN. And fear ye G.o.d, in whose name ye ask mutual favours,-and reverence the wombs that bare you. Verily is G.o.d watching over you!

And give to the orphans their property; subst.i.tute not worthless things of your own for their valuable ones, and devour not their property after adding it to your own; for this is a great crime.

And if ye are apprehensive that ye shall not deal fairly with orphans, then, of other women who seem good in your eyes, marry but two, or three, or four;2 and if ye still fear that ye shall not act equitably, then one only; or the slaves whom ye have acquired: this will make justice on your part easier.

Give women their dowry freely; but if of themselves they give up aught thereof to you, then enjoy it as convenient, and profitable:

And entrust not to the incapable the substance which G.o.d hath placed with you for their support; but maintain them therewith, and clothe them, and speak to them with kindly speech.

And make trial of orphans until they reach the age of marriage; and if ye perceive in them a sound judgment, then hand over their substance to them; but consume ye it not wastefully, or by hastily entrusting it to them;

Because they are growing up. And let the rich guardian not even touch it; and let him who is poor use it for his support (eat of it) with discretion.

And when ye make over their substance to them, then take witnesses in their presence: G.o.d also maketh a sufficient account.

Men ought to have a part of what their parents and kindred leave; and women3 a part of what their parents and kindred leave: whether it be little or much, let them have a stated portion.

And when they who are of kin are present at the division, and the orphans and the poor, let them too have a share; and speak to them with kindly speech.

And let those be afraid to wrong the orphans, who, should they leave behind them weakly offspring, would be solicitous on their account. Let them, therefore, fear G.o.d, and let them propose what is right.

Verily they who swallow the substance of the orphan wrongfully, shall swallow down only fire into their bellies, and shall burn in the flame!

With regard to your children, G.o.d commandeth you to give the male the portion of two females; and if they be females more than two, then they shall have two-thirds of that which their father hath left: but if she be an only daughter, she shall have the half; and the father and mother of the deceased shall each of them have a sixth part of what he hath left, if he have a child; but if he have no child, and his parents be his heirs, then his mother shall have the third: and if he have brethren, his mother shall have the sixth, after paying the bequests he shall have bequeathed, and his debts. As to your fathers, or your children, ye know not which of them is the most advantageous to you. This is the law of G.o.d. Verily, G.o.d is Knowing, Wise!

Half of what your wives leave shall be your's, if they have no issue; but if they have issue, then a fourth of what they leave shall be your's, after paying the bequests they shall bequeath, and debts.

And your wives shall have a fourth part of what ye leave, if ye have no issue; but if ye have issue, then they shall have an eighth part of what ye leave, after paying the bequests ye shall bequeath, and debts.

If a man or a woman make a distant relation their heir, and he or she have a brother or a sister, each of these two shall have a sixth; but if there are more than this, then shall they be sharers in a third, after payment of the bequests he shall have bequeathed, and debts,

Without loss to any one. This is the ordinance of G.o.d, and G.o.d is Knowing, Gracious!

These are the precepts of G.o.d; and whoso obeyeth G.o.d and his prophet, him shall G.o.d bring into gardens beneath whose shades the rivers flow, therein to abide for ever: and this, the great blessedness!

And whoso shall rebel against G.o.d and his apostle, and shall break His bounds, him shall G.o.d place in the fire to abide therein for ever; and his shall be a shameful torment.

If any of your women be guilty of wh.o.r.edom, then bring four witnesses against them from among yourselves; and if they bear witness to the fact, shut them up within their houses till death release them,4 or G.o.d make some way for them.

And if two men among you commit the same crime, then punish them both; but if they turn and amend, then let them be: for G.o.d is He who turneth, Merciful!

With G.o.d himself will the repentance of those who have done evil ignorantly, and then turn speedily unto Him, be accepted. These! G.o.d will turn unto them:for G.o.d is Knowing, Wise!

But no place of repentance shall there be for those who do evil, until, when death is close to one of them, he saith, "Now verily am I turned to G.o.d;" nor to those who die unbelievers. These! we have made ready for them a grievous torment!

O believers! it is not allowed you to be heirs of your wives against their will; nor to hinder them from marrying, in order to take from them part of the dowry you had given them, unless they have been guilty of undoubted lewdness; but a.s.sociate kindly with them: for if ye are estranged from them, haply ye are estranged from that in which G.o.d hath placed abundant good.

And if ye be desirous to exchange one wife for another, and have given one of them a talent, make no deduction from it. Would ye take it by slandering her, and with manifest wrong?

How, moreover, could ye take it, when one of you hath gone in unto the other, and they have received from you a strict bond of union?

And marry not women whom your fathers have married: for this is a shame, and hateful, and an evil way: though what is past5 may be allowed.

Forbidden to you are your mothers, and your daughters, and your sisters, and your aunts, both on the father and mother's side, and your nieces on the brother and sister's side, and your foster-mothers, and your foster-sisters, and the mothers of your wives, and your step-daughters who are your wards, born of your wives to whom ye have gone in: (but if ye have not gone in unto them, it shall be no sin in you to marry them;) and the wives of your sons who proceed out of your loins; and ye may not have two sisters; except where it is already done. Verily, G.o.d is Indulgent, Merciful!

Forbidden to you also are married women, except those who are in your hands as slaves: This is the law of G.o.d for you. And it is allowed you, beside this, to seek out wives by means of your wealth, with modest conduct, and without fornication. And give those with whom ye have cohabited their dowry.

This is the law. But it shall be no crime in you to make agreements over and above the law. Verily, G.o.d is Knowing, Wise!

And whoever of you is not rich enough to marry free believing women, then let him marry such of your believing maidens as have fallen into your hands as slaves; G.o.d well knoweth your faith. Ye are sprung the one from the other.

Marry them, then, with the leave of their masters, and give them a fair dower: but let them be chaste and free from fornication, and not entertainers of lovers.

If after marriage they commit adultery, then inflict upon them half the penalty enacted for free married women. This law is for him among you who is afraid of doing wrong:6 but if ye abstain,7 it will be better for you. And G.o.d is Lenient, Merciful.

G.o.d desireth to make this known to you, and to guide you into the ways of those who have been before you, and to turn Him unto you in mercy. And G.o.d is Knowing, Wise!

G.o.d desireth thus to turn him unto you: but they who follow their own l.u.s.ts, desire that with great swerving should ye swerve! G.o.d desireth to make your burden light: for man hath been created weak.

O believers! devour not each other's substance in mutual frivolities;8 unless there be a trafficking among you by your own consent: and commit not suicide:-of a truth G.o.d is merciful to you.

And whoever shall do this maliciously and wrongfully, we will in the end cast him into the fire; for this is easy with G.o.d.

If ye avoid the great sins which ye are forbidden, we will blot out your faults, and we will cause you to enter Paradise with honourable entry.

Covet not the gifts by which G.o.d hath raised some of you above others. The men shall have a portion according to their deserts, and the women a portion according to their deserts. Of G.o.d, therefore, ask his gifts. Verily, G.o.d hath knowledge of all things.

To every one have we appointed kindred, as heirs of what parents and relatives, and those with whom ye have joined right hands in contract, leave.

Give therefore, to each their portion. Verily, G.o.d witnesseth all things.

Men are superior to women on account of the qualities with which G.o.d hath gifted the one above the other, and on account of the outlay they make from their substance for them. Virtuous women are obedient, careful, during the husband's absence, because G.o.d hath of them been careful.9 But chide those for whose refractoriness ye have cause to fear; remove them into beds apart, and scourage them: but if they are obedient to you, then seek not occasion against them: verily, G.o.d is High, Great!

And if ye fear a breach between man and wife, then send a judge chosen from his family, and a judge chosen from her family: if they are desirous of agreement, G.o.d will effect a reconciliation between them; verily, G.o.d is knowing, apprised of all!

Worship G.o.d, and join not aught with Him in worship. Be good to parents,10 and to kindred, and to orphans, and to the poor, and to a neighbour, whether kinsman or new-comer, and to a fellow traveller, and to the wayfarer, and to the slaves whom your right hands hold; verily, G.o.d loveth not the proud, the vain boaster,

Who are n.i.g.g.ardly themselves, and bid others be n.i.g.g.ards, and hide away what G.o.d of his bounty hath given them. We have made ready a shameful chastis.e.m.e.nt for the unbelievers,

And for those who bestow their substance in alms to be seen of men, and believe not in G.o.d and in the last day. Whoever hath Satan for his companion, an evil companion hath he!

But what blessedness would be theirs, if they should believe in G.o.d and in the last day, and bestow alms out of what G.o.d hath vouchsafed them; for G.o.d taketh knowledge of them!

G.o.d truly will not wrong any one of the weight of a mote; and if there be any good deed, he will repay it doubly; and from his presence shall be given a great recompense.