Quran 4:3 — An-Nisaa, verse 3
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
If you fear that you will not deal fairly with orphan girls, you may marry whichever [other] women seem good to you, two, three, or four. If you fear that you cannot be equitable [to them], then marry only one, or your slave(s): that is more likely to make you avoid bias.
وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَىٰ فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ ۖ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَلَّا تَعُولُوا
wa-in khif'tum allā tuq'siṭū fī l-yatāmā fa-inkiḥū mā ṭāba lakum mina l-nisāi mathnā wathulātha warubāʿa fa-in khif'tum allā taʿdilū fawāḥidatan aw mā malakat aymānukum dhālika adnā allā taʿūlū
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- If you fear that you will not act justly towards the orphans, marry such women as seem good to you, two, three, four; but if you fear you will not be equitable, then only one, or what your right hands own; so it is likelier you will not be partial.
- Muhammad Asad
- And if you have reason to fear that you might not act equitably towards orphans, then marry from among [other] women such as are lawful to you - [even] two, or three, or four: but if you have reason to fear that you might not be able to treat them with equal fairness, then [only] one - or [from among] those whom you rightfully possess. This will make it more likely that you will not deviate from the right course.
- Sahih International
- And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hands possess [i.e., slaves]. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | وَإِنْwa-in | And if | — |
| 2 | خِفْتُمْkhif'tum | you fear | خوف |
| 3 | أَلَّاallā | that not | — |
| 4 | تُقْسِطُوا۟tuq'siṭū | you will be able to do justice | قسط |
| 5 | فِىfī | with | — |
| 6 | ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰl-yatāmā | the orphans | يتم |
| 7 | فَٱنكِحُوا۟fa-inkiḥū | then marry | نكح |
| 8 | مَاmā | what | — |
| 9 | طَابَṭāba | seems suitable | طيب |
| 10 | لَكُمlakum | to you | — |
| 11 | مِّنَmina | from | — |
| 12 | ٱلنِّسَآءِl-nisāi | the women | نسو |
| 13 | مَثْنَىٰmathnā | two | ثني |
| 14 | وَثُلَـٰثَwathulātha | or three | ثلث |
| 15 | وَرُبَـٰعَ ۖwarubāʿa | or four | ربع |
| 16 | فَإِنْfa-in | But if | — |
| 17 | خِفْتُمْkhif'tum | you fear | خوف |
| 18 | أَلَّاallā | that not | — |
| 19 | تَعْدِلُوا۟taʿdilū | you can do justice | عدل |
| 20 | فَوَٰحِدَةًfawāḥidatan | then (marry) one | وحد |
| 21 | أَوْaw | or | — |
| 22 | مَاmā | what | — |
| 23 | مَلَكَتْmalakat | possesses | ملك |
| 24 | أَيْمَـٰنُكُمْ ۚaymānukum | your right hand | يمن |
| 25 | ذَٰلِكَdhālika | That | — |
| 26 | أَدْنَىٰٓadnā | (is) more appropriate | دنو |
| 27 | أَلَّاallā | that (may) not | — |
| 28 | تَعُولُوا۟taʿūlū | you oppress | عول |