Quran 4:19 — An-Nisaa, verse 19
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
You who believe, it is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will, nor should you treat your wives harshly, hoping to take back some of the bride-gift you gave them, unless they are guilty of something clearly outrageous. Live with them in accordance with what is fair and kind: if you dislike them, it may well be that you dislike something in which God has put much good.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَرِثُوا النِّسَاءَ كَرْهًا ۖ وَلَا تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ لِتَذْهَبُوا بِبَعْضِ مَا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ إِلَّا أَنْ يَأْتِينَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُبَيِّنَةٍ ۚ وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ فَإِنْ كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ فَعَسَىٰ أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَيَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا
yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū lā yaḥillu lakum an tarithū l-nisāa karhan walā taʿḍulūhunna litadhhabū bibaʿḍi mā ātaytumūhunna illā an yatīna bifāḥishatin mubayyinatin waʿāshirūhunna bil-maʿrūfi fa-in karih'tumūhunna faʿasā an takrahū shayan wayajʿala l-lahu fīhi khayran kathīran
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- O believers, it is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will; neither debar them, that you may go off with part of what you have given them, except when they commit a flagrant indecency Consort with them honourably; or if you are averse to them, it is possible you may be averse to a thing, and God set in it much good.
- Muhammad Asad
- O YOU who have attained to faith! It is not lawful for you to [try to] become heirs to your wives [by holding onto them] against their will; and neither shall you keep them under constraint with a view to taking away anything of what you may have given them, unless it be that they have become guilty, in an obvious manner, of immoral conduct. And consort with your wives in a goodly manner; for if you dislike them, it may well be that you dislike something which God might yet make a source of abundant good.
- Sahih International
- O you who have believed, it is not lawful for you to inherit women by compulsion. And do not make difficulties for them in order to take [back] part of what you gave them unless they commit a clear immorality [i.e., adultery]. And live with them in kindness. For if you dislike them - perhaps you dislike a thing and Allāh makes therein much good.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | يَـٰٓأَيُّهَاyāayyuhā | O you | — |
| 2 | ٱلَّذِينَalladhīna | who | — |
| 3 | ءَامَنُوا۟āmanū | believe[d] | أمن |
| 4 | لَاlā | Not | — |
| 5 | يَحِلُّyaḥillu | (is) lawful | حلل |
| 6 | لَكُمْlakum | for you | — |
| 7 | أَنan | that | — |
| 8 | تَرِثُوا۟tarithū | you inherit | ورث |
| 9 | ٱلنِّسَآءَl-nisāa | the women | نسو |
| 10 | كَرْهًۭا ۖkarhan | (by) force | كره |
| 11 | وَلَاwalā | And not | — |
| 12 | تَعْضُلُوهُنَّtaʿḍulūhunna | you constraint them | عضل |
| 13 | لِتَذْهَبُوا۟litadhhabū | so that you may take | ذهب |
| 14 | بِبَعْضِbibaʿḍi | a part | بعض |
| 15 | مَآmā | (of) what | — |
| 16 | ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّātaytumūhunna | you have given them | أتي |
| 17 | إِلَّآillā | except | — |
| 18 | أَنan | that | — |
| 19 | يَأْتِينَyatīna | they commit | أتي |
| 20 | بِفَـٰحِشَةٍۢbifāḥishatin | immorality | فحش |
| 21 | مُّبَيِّنَةٍۢ ۚmubayyinatin | open | بين |
| 22 | وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّwaʿāshirūhunna | And live with them | عشر |
| 23 | بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚbil-maʿrūfi | in kindness | عرف |
| 24 | فَإِنfa-in | But if | — |
| 25 | كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّkarih'tumūhunna | you dislike them | كره |
| 26 | فَعَسَىٰٓfaʿasā | then perhaps | عسي |
| 27 | أَنan | that | — |
| 28 | تَكْرَهُوا۟takrahū | you dislike | كره |
| 29 | شَيْـًۭٔاshayan | a thing | شيأ |
| 30 | وَيَجْعَلَwayajʿala | and has placed | جعل |
| 31 | ٱللَّهُl-lahu | Allah | أله |
| 32 | فِيهِfīhi | in it | — |
| 33 | خَيْرًۭاkhayran | good | خير |
| 34 | كَثِيرًۭاkathīran | much | كثر |