Ayah
Word by Word
وَلَا
And (do) not
تَتَمَنَّوۡاْ
covet
مَا
what
فَضَّلَ
(has) bestowed
ٱللَّهُ
Allah
بِهِۦ
[with it]
بَعۡضَكُمۡ
some of you
عَلَىٰ
over
بَعۡضٖۚ
others
لِّلرِّجَالِ
For men
نَصِيبٞ
(is) a share
مِّمَّا
of what
ٱكۡتَسَبُواْۖ
they earned
وَلِلنِّسَآءِ
and for women
نَصِيبٞ
(is) a share
مِّمَّا
of what
ٱكۡتَسَبۡنَۚ
they earned
وَسۡـَٔلُواْ
And ask
ٱللَّهَ
Allah
مِن
of
فَضۡلِهِۦٓۚ
His Bounty
إِنَّ
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
Allah
كَانَ
is
بِكُلِّ
of every
شَيۡءٍ
thing
عَلِيمٗا
All-Knower
وَلَا
And (do) not
تَتَمَنَّوۡاْ
covet
مَا
what
فَضَّلَ
(has) bestowed
ٱللَّهُ
Allah
بِهِۦ
[with it]
بَعۡضَكُمۡ
some of you
عَلَىٰ
over
بَعۡضٖۚ
others
لِّلرِّجَالِ
For men
نَصِيبٞ
(is) a share
مِّمَّا
of what
ٱكۡتَسَبُواْۖ
they earned
وَلِلنِّسَآءِ
and for women
نَصِيبٞ
(is) a share
مِّمَّا
of what
ٱكۡتَسَبۡنَۚ
they earned
وَسۡـَٔلُواْ
And ask
ٱللَّهَ
Allah
مِن
of
فَضۡلِهِۦٓۚ
His Bounty
إِنَّ
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
Allah
كَانَ
is
بِكُلِّ
of every
شَيۡءٍ
thing
عَلِيمٗا
All-Knower
Translation
And in no wise covet those things in which Allah Hath bestowed His gifts More freely on some of you than on others: To men is allotted what they earn, and to women what they earn: But ask Allah of His bounty. For Allah hath full knowledge of all things.
Tafsir
Do not covet that in which God has preferred some of you above others, in the way of worldly affairs or religion, lest it lead to mutual envy and hatred. To men a share from, a reward for, what they have earned, for their acts in the struggle and so on, and to women a share from what they have earned, by way of being obedient to their spouses and guarding their private parts: this was revealed when Umm Salama said: 'Would that we were men, so that we could join the struggle and receive the reward they receive!' And ask (read wa-s'aloo or wa-saloo) God of His bounty, what you need and He will give it to you; God is ever Knower of all things, including where merit is deserved and that for which you ask.
"Do Not Wish for the Things Which Allah has Made Some Others to Excel In
Allah says;
وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوۡاۡ مَا فَضَّلَ اللّهُ بِهِ بَعۡضَكُمۡ عَلَى بَعۡضٍ
And wish not for the things in which Allah has made some of you to excel others.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Umm Salamah said,
""O Messenger of Allah! Men go to battle, but we do not go to battle, and we earn one-half of the inheritance (that men get).""
Allah sent down,
وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوۡاۡ مَا فَضَّلَ اللّهُ بِهِ بَعۡضَكُمۡ عَلَى بَعۡضٍ
(And wish not for the things in which Allah has made some of you to excel others).
At-Tirmidhi also recorded this Hadith.
Allah's statement,
لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا اكۡتَسَبُواۡ وَلِلنِّسَاء نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا اكۡتَسَبۡنَ
For men there is reward for what they have earned, (and likewise) for women there is reward for what they have earned,
indicates, according to Ibn Jarir, that each person will earn his wages for his works, a reward if his deeds are good, and punishment if his deeds are evil.
Al-Walibi reported from Ibn Abbas,
this Ayah is talking about inheritance, indicating the fact that each person will get his due share of the inheritance.
Allah then directed the servants to what benefits them,
وَاسۡأَلُواۡ اللّهَ مِن فَضۡلِهِ
and ask Allah of His Bounty.
Therefore, the Ayah states, ""Do not wish for what other people were endowed with over you, for this is a decision that will come to pass, and wishing does not change its decree. However, ask Me of My favor and I will grant it to you, for I Am Most Generous and Most Giving.""
Allah then said,
إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمًا
Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everything.
meaning, Allah knows who deserves this life, and so He gives him riches, and whoever deserves poverty, He makes him poor. He also knows who deserves the Hereafter, and He directs him to perform the deeds that will help him to be successful in it, and whoever deserves failure, He prevents him from achieving righteousness and what leads to it. Hence, Allah said,
إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمًا
Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everything.
Allah says;
وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلۡنَا مَوَالِيَ
And to everyone, We have appointed Mawali, of that left by parents and relatives.
Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Salih, Qatadah, Zayd bin Aslam, As-Suddi, Ad-Dahhak, Muqatil bin Hayyan, and others said;
Mawali means, ""Heirs.""
Ibn Abbas was also reported to have said that;
Mawali refers to relatives.
Ibn Jarir commented,
""The Arabs call the cousin a Mawla.""
Ibn Jarir continued, ""Allah's statement,
مِمَّا تَرَكَ الۡوَالِدَانِ وَالَاقۡرَبُونَ
of that (property) left by parents and relatives.
means, from what he inherited from his parents and family members.
Therefore, the meaning of the Ayah becomes:`To all of you, O people, We appointed relatives (such as children) who will later inherit what you inherited from your own parents and relatives.""
Allah's statement,
وَالَّذِينَ عَقَدَتۡ أَيۡمَانُكُمۡ فَأتُوهُمۡ نَصِيبَهُمۡ
To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood), give them their due portion.
means, ""Those with whom you have a pledge of brotherhood, give them their share of inheritance, thus fulfilling the ratified pledges that you gave them. Allah has witnessed all of you when you gave these pledges and promises.""
إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ شَهِيدًا
Truly, Allah is Ever a Witness over all things.
This practice was followed in the beginning of Islam, but was later on abrogated when Muslims were commanded to fulfill the pledges (brotherhood) they had already given, but to refrain from making any new pledges after that.
Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn Abbas said,
وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلۡنَا مَوَالِيَ
(And to everyone, We have appointed Mawali),
""meaning, heirs;
وَالَّذِينَ عَقَدَتۡ أَيۡمَانُكُمۡ
(To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood). When the emigrants came to Al-Madinah, the emigrant would inherit from the Ansar, while the latter's relatives would not inherit from him because of the bond of brotherhood which the Prophet established between them (the emigrants and the Ansar). When the verse,
وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلۡنَا مَوَالِيَ
(And to everyone We have appointed Mawali) was revealed, it cancelled (the pledge of brotherhood regarding inheritance).""
Then he said,
""The verse,
وَالَّذِينَ عَقَدَتۡ أَيۡمَانُكُمۡ فَأتُوهُمۡ نَصِيبَهُمۡ
(To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood), give them their due portion) remained valid for cases of co-operation and mutual advice, while the matter of inheritance was excluded and it became permissible to assign something in one's will to the person who had the right of inheriting before."
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