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Ayah
Word by Word
وَلَن
And never
تَسۡتَطِيعُوٓاْ
will you be able
أَن
to
تَعۡدِلُواْ
deal justly
بَيۡنَ
between
ٱلنِّسَآءِ
[the] women
وَلَوۡ
even if
حَرَصۡتُمۡۖ
you desired
فَلَا
but (do) not
تَمِيلُواْ
incline
كُلَّ
(with) all
ٱلۡمَيۡلِ
the inclination
فَتَذَرُوهَا
and leave her (the other)
كَٱلۡمُعَلَّقَةِۚ
like the suspended one
وَإِن
And if
تُصۡلِحُواْ
you reconcile
وَتَتَّقُواْ
and fear (Allah)
فَإِنَّ
then indeed
ٱللَّهَ
Allah
كَانَ
is
غَفُورٗا
Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمٗا
Most Merciful
وَلَن
And never
تَسۡتَطِيعُوٓاْ
will you be able
أَن
to
تَعۡدِلُواْ
deal justly
بَيۡنَ
between
ٱلنِّسَآءِ
[the] women
وَلَوۡ
even if
حَرَصۡتُمۡۖ
you desired
فَلَا
but (do) not
تَمِيلُواْ
incline
كُلَّ
(with) all
ٱلۡمَيۡلِ
the inclination
فَتَذَرُوهَا
and leave her (the other)
كَٱلۡمُعَلَّقَةِۚ
like the suspended one
وَإِن
And if
تُصۡلِحُواْ
you reconcile
وَتَتَّقُواْ
and fear (Allah)
فَإِنَّ
then indeed
ٱللَّهَ
Allah
كَانَ
is
غَفُورٗا
Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمٗا
Most Merciful
Translation
Ye are never able to be fair and just as between women, even if it is your ardent desire: But turn not away (from a woman) altogether, so as to leave her (as it were) hanging (in the air). If ye come to a friendly understanding, and practise self-restraint, Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.
Tafsir
You will never be able to be just to, to treat equally, your wives, in terms of love, even if you be eager, for this; yet do not turn altogether away, towards the one you love with respect to the shares and maintenance expenses, so that you leave her, the one from whom you turn away, like one suspended, one that is neither a slavegirl nor a woman with a husband. If you set things right, by being just with the shares, and fear, injustice, surely God is ever Forgiving, regarding the inclination in your hearts, Merciful, to you in this respect.
"The Ruling Concerning Desertion on the Part of the Husband
Allah says;
وَإِنِ امۡرَأَةٌ خَافَتۡ مِن بَعۡلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوۡ إِعۡرَاضًا
And if a woman fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part,
Allah states, and thus legislates accordingly, that sometimes, the man inclines away from his wife, sometimes towards her and sometimes he parts with her.
In the first case, when the wife fears that her husband is steering away from her or deserting her, she is allowed to forfeit all or part of her rights, such as provisions, clothing, dwelling, and so forth, and the husband is allowed to accept such concessions from her. Hence, there is no harm if she offers such concessions, and if her husband accepts them.
This is why Allah said,
فَلَ جُنَاۡحَ عَلَيۡهِمَا أَن يُصۡلِحَا بَيۡنَهُمَا صُلۡحًا
there is no sin on them both if they make terms of peace between themselves;
He then said,
وَالصُّلۡحُ خَيۡرٌ
and making peace is better, (than divorce).
Allah's statement,
وَأُحۡضِرَتِ الَانفُسُ الشُّحَّ
And human souls are swayed by greed.
means, coming to peaceful terms, even when it involves forfeiting some rights, is better than parting.
Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that Ibn Abbas said,
""Sawdah feared that the Messenger of Allah might divorce her and she said, `O Messenger of Allah! Do not divorce me; give my day to Aishah.' And he did, and later on Allah sent down,
وَإِنِ امۡرَأَةٌ خَافَتۡ مِن بَعۡلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوۡ إِعۡرَاضًا فَلَ جُنَاۡحَ عَلَيۡهِمَا
(And if a woman fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part, there is no sin on them both).
Ibn Abbas said,
""Whatever (legal agreement) the spouses mutually agree to is allowed.""
At-Tirmidhi recorded it and said, ""Hasan Gharib"".
In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Aishah said that;
when Sawdah bint Zam`ah became old, she forfeited her day to Aishah, and the Prophet used to spend Sawdah's night with Aishah.
There is a similar narration also collected by Al-Bukhari.
Al-Bukhari also recorded that A'ishah commented;
وَإِنِ امۡرَأَةٌ خَافَتۡ مِن بَعۡلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوۡ إِعۡرَاضًا
(And if a woman fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part), that it refers to,
""A man who is married to an old woman, and he does not desire her and wants to divorce her. So she says, `I forfeit my right on you.' So this Ayah was revealed.""
Meaning of ""Making Peace is Better
Allah said,
وَالصُّلۡحُ خَيۡرٌ
And making peace is better.
Ali bin Abi Talhah related that Ibn Abbas said that the Ayah refers to,
""When the husband gives his wife the choice between staying with him or leaving him, as this is better than the husband preferring other wives to her.""
However, the apparent wording of the Ayah refers to the settlement where the wife forfeits some of the rights she has over her husband, with the husband agreeing to this concession, and that this settlement is better than divorce.
For instance, the Prophet kept Sawdah bint Zam`ah as his wife after she offered to forfeit her day for Aishah. By keeping her among his wives, his Ummah may follow this kind of settlement. Since settlement and peace are better with Allah than parting,
Allah said,
وَالصُّلۡحُ خَيۡرٌ
and making peace is better.
Divorce is not preferred with Allah.
The meaning of Allah's statement,
وَإِن تُحۡسِنُواۡ وَتَتَّقُواۡ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا
But if you do good and have Taqwa, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do.
if you are patient with the wife you dislike and treat her as other wives are treated, then Allah knows what you do and will reward you for it perfectly.
Allah's statement
وَلَن تَسۡتَطِيعُواۡ أَن تَعۡدِلُواۡ بَيۡنَ النِّسَاء وَلَوۡ حَرَصۡتُمۡ
You will never be able to do perfect justice between wives even if it is your ardent desire,
Ibn Abbas, Ubaydah As-Salmani, Mujahid, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim stated,
means, O people! You will never be able to be perfectly just between wives in every respect. Even when one divides the nights justly between wives, there will still be various degrees concerning love, desire and sexual intimacy.
Imam Ahmad and the collectors of the Sunan recorded that Aishah said,
""The Messenger of Allah used to treat his wives equally and proclaim,
اللَّهُمَّ هَذَا قَسۡمِي فِيمَا أَمۡلِكُ فَلَ تَلُمۡنِي فِيمَا تَمۡلِكُ وَلَا أَمۡلِك
O Allah! This is my division in what I own, so do not blame me for what You own and I do not own, (referring to his heart).
This was the wording that Abu Dawud collected, and its chain of narrators is Sahih.
Allah's statement,
فَلَ تَمِيلُواۡ كُلَّ الۡمَيۡلِ
so do not incline too much to one of them,
means, when you like one of your wives more than others, do not exaggerate in treating her that way.
فَتَذَرُوهَا كَالۡمُعَلَّقَةِ
so as to leave the other hanging.
referring to the other wives.
Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi and Muqatil bin Hayyan said that;
Mu`allaqah (hanging) means, ""She is neither divorced nor married.""
Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,
مَنۡ كَانَتۡ لَهُ امۡرَأَتَانِ فَمَالَ إِلى إِحۡدَاهُمَا جَاءَ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَامَةِ وَأَحَدُ شِقَّيۡهِ سَاقِط
Whoever has two wives and inclines to one of them (too much), will come on the Day of Resurrection with one of his sides dragging.
Allah's statement,
وَإِن تُصۡلِحُواۡ وَتَتَّقُواۡ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
And if you do justice, and do all that is right and have Taqwa, then Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
The Ayah states:If you do justice and divide equally in what you have power over, while fearing Allah in all conditions, then Allah will forgive you the favoritism that you showed to some of your wives.
Allah then said,
وَإِن يَتَفَرَّقَا يُغۡنِ اللّهُ كُلًّ مِّن سَعَتِهِ وَكَانَ اللّهُ وَاسِعًا حَكِيمًا
But if they separate (divorce), Allah will provide abundance for everyone of them from His bounty. And Allah is Ever All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Wise.
This is the third case between husband and wife, in which divorce occurs. Allah states that if the spouses separate by divorce, then Allah will suffice them by giving him a better wife and her a better husband.
The meaning of,
وَكَانَ اللّهُ وَاسِعًا حَكِيمًا
(And Allah is Ever All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Wise.) is:
His favor is tremendous, His bounty is enormous and He is All-Wise in all His actions, decisions and commandments.
The Necessity of Taqwa of Allah
Allah says;
وَللّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الَارۡضِ
And to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth.
Allah states that He is the Owner of the heavens and earth and that He is the Supreme Authority over them.
Hence Allah's statement,
وَلَقَدۡ وَصَّيۡنَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُواۡ الۡكِتَابَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ وَإِيَّاكُمۡ
.
And verily, We have recommended to the People of the Scripture before you, and to you,
meaning, We have recommended to you what We recommended to the People of Scriptures;
أَنِ اتَّقُواۡ اللّهَ
that you have Taqwa of Allah.
Taqwa of Allah, by worshipping Him Alone without partners.
Allah then said,
وَإِن تَكۡفُرُواۡ فَإِنَّ لِلّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الَارۡضِ
But if you disbelieve, then unto Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth.
In another Ayah, Allah said that Musa said to his people,
إِن تَكۡفُرُواۡ أَنتُمۡ وَمَن فِى الاٌّرۡضِ جَمِيعًا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ
""If you disbelieve, you and all on the earth together, then verily, Allah is Rich (free of any need), Owner of all praise."" (14:8)
Allah said,
فَكَفَرُواۡ وَتَوَلَّواۡ وَّاسۡتَغۡنَى اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ
So they disbelieved and turned away. But Allah was not in need (of them). And Allah is Rich (free of any need), Worthy of all praise. (64:6)
وَكَانَ اللّهُ غَنِيًّا حَمِيدًا
and Allah is Ever Rich (free of any needs), Worthy of all praise.
meaning, He is far too Rich than to need His servants, and worthy of all praise in all His decisions and commandments.
The meaning of Allah's statement,
وَلِلّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الَارۡضِ وَكَفَى بِاللّهِ وَكِيلًا
And to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is Ever All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.
He has perfect watch over every soul, knowing what it deserves, He is the Watcher, and Witness of all things.
Allah's statement,
إِن يَشَأۡ يُذۡهِبۡكُمۡ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ وَيَأۡتِ بِأخَرِينَ وَكَانَ اللّهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ قَدِيرًا
If He wills, He can take you away, O people, and bring others. And Allah is Ever All-Potent over that.
means, He is able to take you away and replace you with other people if you disobey Him.
In a similar Ayah, Allah said,
الۡفُقَرَاءُ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوۡاۡ يَسۡتَبۡدِلۡ قَوۡماً غَيۡرَكُمۡ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوا
And if you turn away, He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be your likes. (47:38)
Allah's statement
مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ثَوَابَ الدُّنۡيَا فَعِندَ اللّهِ ثَوَابُ الدُّنۡيَا وَالاخِرَةِ
Whoever desires the rewards of this life, then with Allah is the reward of this worldly life and of the Hereafter.
means, O those whose ultimate desire is this life, know that Allah owns the rewards of this life and the Hereafter. Therefore, if you ask Allah for both, He will enrich you, award you and suffice for you.
As Allah said,
فَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَأ ءَاتِنَا فِى الدُّنۡيَا وَمَا لَهُ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ مِنۡ خَلَـقٍ
وِمِنۡهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَأ ءَاتِنَا فِى الدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الاٌّخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
أُولَـيِكَ لَهُمۡ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا كَسَبُواۡ
But of mankind there are some who say:""Our Lord! Give us in this world!"" and for such there will be no portion in the Hereafter.
And of them there are some who say:""Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!"" For them there will be allotted a share for what they have earned), (2:200-202)
مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرۡثَ الاٌّخِرَةِ نَزِدۡ لَهُ فِى حَرۡثِهِ
Whosoever desires (by his deeds) the reward of the Hereafter, We give him increase in his reward. (42:20)
and,
مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الۡعَاجِلَةَ عَجَّلۡنَا لَهُ فِيهَا مَا نَشَاء لِمَن نُّرِيدُ
(Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like) until,
انظُرۡ كَيۡفَ فَضَّلۡنَا بَعۡضَهُمۡ عَلَى بَعۡضٍ
(See how We prefer one above another (in this world)). (17:18-21)
So Allah said here,
وَكَانَ اللّهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا
And Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer."
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