Women (Al-Nesaa)
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
۞ O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them twain hath spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in Whom ye claim (your rights) of one another, and toward the wombs (that bare you). Lo! Allah hath been a watcher over you. 1 Give the orphans their property, and do not exchange the corrupt for the good; and devour not their property with your property; surely that is a great crime. 2 With respect to marrying widows, if you are afraid of not being able to maintain justice with her children, marry another woman of your choice or two or three or four (who have no children). If you cannot maintain equality with more than one wife, marry only one or your slave-girl. This keeps you from acting against justice. 3 And give unto the women (whom ye marry) free gift of their marriage portions; but if they of their own accord remit unto you a part thereof, then ye are welcome to absorb it (in your wealth). 4 And do not give the weak-minded your property, which Allah has made a means of sustenance for you, but provide for them with it and clothe them and speak to them words of appropriate kindness. 5 And test (and try) the orphans until they are of marriageable age. If you find they have acquired sound judgement, then hand over their property to them; but devour not their wealth, nor use it up hastily out of fear that soon they will grow up (and demand it). And (the guardian) who is rich should abstain from spending much (of their wealth); and he who is poor should use only as much as is fair. And when you give back their possessions have this witnessed, (and remember) that God is sufficient to take all account. 6 unto males shall be a portion of that which their parents and others near of kin may leave; and unto females shall be a portion of that which their parents and other near of kin may leave, whether it be small or large, a portion allotted. 7 If other near of kin orphans and needy are pre sent at the time of division of inheritance give them some thing of it and speak to them kindly. 8 And let them stand in awe [of God,] those [legal heirs] - who, if they [themselves] had to leave behind weak offspring, would feel fear on their account - and let them remain conscious of God, and let them speak [to the poor] in a just manner. 9 Behold, those who wrongfully devour the properties of orphans only fill their bellies with fire. Soon they will burn in the Blazing Flame. 10