Surah An-Nisa, Ayah 121-140 — Word by Word
النساء
The Women
Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
ulāika mawāhum jahannamu walā yajidūna ʿanhā maḥīṣan
The refuge of those will be Hell, and they will not find from it an escape.
wa-alladhīna āmanū waʿamilū l-ṣāliḥāti sanud'khiluhum jannātin tajrī min taḥtihā l-anhāru khālidīna fīhā abadan waʿda l-lahi ḥaqqan waman aṣdaqu mina l-lahi qīlan
But the ones who believe and do righteous deeds - We will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. [It is] the promise of Allāh, [which is] truth, and who is more truthful than Allāh in statement.
laysa bi-amāniyyikum walā amāniyyi ahli l-kitābi man yaʿmal sūan yuj'za bihi walā yajid lahu min dūni l-lahi waliyyan walā naṣīran
It [i.e., Paradise] is not [obtained] by your wishful thinking nor by that of the People of the Scripture. Whoever does a wrong will be recompensed for it, and he will not find besides Allāh a protector or a helper.
waman yaʿmal mina l-ṣāliḥāti min dhakarin aw unthā wahuwa mu'minun fa-ulāika yadkhulūna l-janata walā yuẓ'lamūna naqīran
And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer - those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged, [even as much as] the speck on a date seed.
waman aḥsanu dīnan mimman aslama wajhahu lillahi wahuwa muḥ'sinun wa-ittabaʿa millata ib'rāhīma ḥanīfan wa-ittakhadha l-lahu ib'rāhīma khalīlan
And who is better in religion than one who submits himself to Allāh while being a doer of good and follows the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth? And Allāh took Abraham as an intimate friend.
walillahi mā fī l-samāwāti wamā fī l-arḍi wakāna l-lahu bikulli shayin muḥīṭan
And to Allāh belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And ever is Allāh, of all things, encompassing.
wayastaftūnaka fī l-nisāi quli l-lahu yuf'tīkum fīhinna wamā yut'lā ʿalaykum fī l-kitābi fī yatāmā l-nisāi allātī lā tu'tūnahunna mā kutiba lahunna watarghabūna an tankiḥūhunna wal-mus'taḍʿafīna mina l-wil'dāni wa-an taqūmū lil'yatāmā bil-qis'ṭi wamā tafʿalū min khayrin fa-inna l-laha kāna bihi ʿalīman
And they request from you, [O Muḥammad], a [legal] ruling concerning women. Say, "Allāh gives you a ruling about them and [about] what has been recited to you in the Book concerning the orphan girls to whom you do not give what is decreed for them - and [yet] you desire to marry them - and concerning the oppressed among children and that you maintain for orphans [their rights] in justice." And whatever you do of good - indeed, Allāh is ever Knowing of it.
wa-ini im'ra-atun khāfat min baʿlihā nushūzan aw iʿ'rāḍan falā junāḥa ʿalayhimā an yuṣ'liḥā baynahumā ṣul'ḥan wal-ṣul'ḥu khayrun wa-uḥ'ḍirati l-anfusu l-shuḥa wa-in tuḥ'sinū watattaqū fa-inna l-laha kāna bimā taʿmalūna khabīran
And if a woman fears from her husband contempt or evasion, there is no sin upon them if they make terms of settlement between them - and settlement is best. And present in [human] souls is stinginess. But if you do good and fear Allāh - then indeed Allāh is ever, of what you do, Aware.
walan tastaṭīʿū an taʿdilū bayna l-nisāi walaw ḥaraṣtum falā tamīlū kulla l-mayli fatadharūhā kal-muʿalaqati wa-in tuṣ'liḥū watattaqū fa-inna l-laha kāna ghafūran raḥīman
And you will never be able to be equal [in feeling] between wives, even if you should strive [to do so]. So do not incline completely [toward one] and leave another hanging. And if you amend [your affairs] and fear Allāh - then indeed, Allāh is ever Forgiving and Merciful.
wa-in yatafarraqā yugh'ni l-lahu kullan min saʿatihi wakāna l-lahu wāsiʿan ḥakīman
But if they separate [by divorce], Allāh will enrich each [of them] from His abundance. And ever is Allāh Encompassing and Wise.
walillahi mā fī l-samāwāti wamā fī l-arḍi walaqad waṣṣaynā alladhīna ūtū l-kitāba min qablikum wa-iyyākum ani ittaqū l-laha wa-in takfurū fa-inna lillahi mā fī l-samāwāti wamā fī l-arḍi wakāna l-lahu ghaniyyan ḥamīdan
And to Allāh belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And We have instructed those who were given the Scripture before you and yourselves to fear Allāh. But if you disbelieve - then to Allāh belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And ever is Allāh Free of need and Praiseworthy.
walillahi mā fī l-samāwāti wamā fī l-arḍi wakafā bil-lahi wakīlan
And to Allāh belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allāh as Disposer of affairs.
in yasha yudh'hib'kum ayyuhā l-nāsu wayati biākharīna wakāna l-lahu ʿalā dhālika qadīran
If He wills, He can do away with you, O people, and bring others [in your place]. And ever is Allāh competent to do that.
man kāna yurīdu thawāba l-dun'yā faʿinda l-lahi thawābu l-dun'yā wal-ākhirati wakāna l-lahu samīʿan baṣīran
Whoever desires the reward of this world - then with Allāh is the reward of this world and the Hereafter. And ever is Allāh Hearing and Seeing.
yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū kūnū qawwāmīna bil-qis'ṭi shuhadāa lillahi walaw ʿalā anfusikum awi l-wālidayni wal-aqrabīna in yakun ghaniyyan aw faqīran fal-lahu awlā bihimā falā tattabiʿū l-hawā an taʿdilū wa-in talwū aw tuʿ'riḍū fa-inna l-laha kāna bimā taʿmalūna khabīran
O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allāh, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allāh is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allāh is ever, of what you do, Aware.
yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū āminū bil-lahi warasūlihi wal-kitābi alladhī nazzala ʿalā rasūlihi wal-kitābi alladhī anzala min qablu waman yakfur bil-lahi wamalāikatihi wakutubihi warusulihi wal-yawmi l-ākhiri faqad ḍalla ḍalālan baʿīdan
O you who have believed, believe in Allāh and His Messenger and the Book that He sent down upon His Messenger and the Scripture which He sent down before. And whoever disbelieves in Allāh, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day has certainly gone far astray.
inna alladhīna āmanū thumma kafarū thumma āmanū thumma kafarū thumma iz'dādū kuf'ran lam yakuni l-lahu liyaghfira lahum walā liyahdiyahum sabīlan
Indeed, those who have believed then disbelieved, then believed then disbelieved, and then increased in disbelief - never will Allāh forgive them, nor will He guide them to a way.
bashiri l-munāfiqīna bi-anna lahum ʿadhāban alīman
Give tidings to the hypocrites that there is for them a painful punishment -
alladhīna yattakhidhūna l-kāfirīna awliyāa min dūni l-mu'minīna ayabtaghūna ʿindahumu l-ʿizata fa-inna l-ʿizata lillahi jamīʿan
Those who take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do they seek with them honor [through power]? But indeed, honor belongs to Allāh entirely.
waqad nazzala ʿalaykum fī l-kitābi an idhā samiʿ'tum āyāti l-lahi yuk'faru bihā wayus'tahza-u bihā falā taqʿudū maʿahum ḥattā yakhūḍū fī ḥadīthin ghayrihi innakum idhan mith'luhum inna l-laha jāmiʿu l-munāfiqīna wal-kāfirīna fī jahannama jamīʿan
And it has already come down to you in the Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] that when you hear the verses of Allāh [recited], they are denied [by them] and ridiculed; so do not sit with them until they enter into another conversation. Indeed, you would then be like them. Indeed, Allāh will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers in Hell all together -