Women (Al-Nesaa)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ O men! Fear your Lord Who created you from a single being and out of it created its mate; and out of the two spread many men and women. Fear Allah in Whose name you plead for rights, and heed the ties of kinship. Surely, Allah is ever watchful over you. 1 Hence, render unto the orphans their possessions, and do not substitute bad things [of your own] for the good things [that belong to them,] and do not consume their possessions together with your own: this, verily, is a great crime. 2 If you fear that you might not treat the orphans justly, then marry the women that seem good to you: two, or three, or four. If you fear that you will not be able to treat them justly, then marry (only) one, or marry from among those whom your right hands possess. This will make it more likely that you will avoid injustice. 3 And give women their dowries as a free gift, but if they of themselves be pleased to give up to you a portion of it, then eat it with enjoyment and with wholesome result. 4 To those weak of understanding Make not over your property, which Allah hath made a means of support for you, but feed and clothe them therewith, and speak to them words of kindness and justice. 5 Keep a close check on orphans till they attain the age of marriage; then, if you find them to be mature of mind, hand over their property to them. Do not consume it by wasteful spending, before they come of age. If the guardian is affluent, let him abstain altogether, and if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable. When you hand over their property to them, call witnesses in their presence; God is sufficient as a Reckoner. 6 To the men a share of what parents and kinsmen leave, and to the women a share of what parents and kinsmen leave, whether it be little or much, a share apportioned; 7 And when [other] near of kin and orphans and needy persons are present at the distribution [of inheritance,] give them something thereof for their sustenance, and speak unto them in a kindly way. 8 Let people fear the day when they leave small children behind them unprovided, and how concerned they would be for them. So fear God and say the right things to them. 9 Lo! Those who devour the wealth of orphans wrongfully, they do but swallow fire into their bellies, and they will be exposed to burning flame. 10