Quran 4:34 — An-Nisaa, verse 34
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
Husbands should take good care of their wives, with [the bounties] God has given to some more than others and with what they spend out of their own money. Righteous wives are devout and guard what God would have them guard in their husbands’ absence. If you fear high-handedness from your wives, remind them [of the teachings of God], then ignore them when you go to bed, then hit them.If they obey you, you have no right to act against them: God is most high and great.
الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَا أَنْفَقُوا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ ۚ فَالصَّالِحَاتُ قَانِتَاتٌ حَافِظَاتٌ لِلْغَيْبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ اللَّهُ ۚ وَاللَّاتِي تَخَافُونَ نُشُوزَهُنَّ فَعِظُوهُنَّ وَاهْجُرُوهُنَّ فِي الْمَضَاجِعِ وَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ ۖ فَإِنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلَا تَبْغُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلًا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيًّا كَبِيرًا
al-rijālu qawwāmūna ʿalā l-nisāi bimā faḍḍala l-lahu baʿḍahum ʿalā baʿḍin wabimā anfaqū min amwālihim fal-ṣāliḥātu qānitātun ḥāfiẓātun lil'ghaybi bimā ḥafiẓa l-lahu wa-allātī takhāfūna nushūzahunna faʿiẓūhunna wa-uh'jurūhunna fī l-maḍājiʿi wa-iḍ'ribūhunna fa-in aṭaʿnakum falā tabghū ʿalayhinna sabīlan inna l-laha kāna ʿaliyyan kabīran
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- Men are the managers of the affairs of women for that God has preferred in bounty one of them over another, and for that they have expended of their property. Righteous women are therefore obedient, guarding the secret for God's guarding. And those you fear may be rebellious admonish; banish them to their couches, and beat them. If they then obey you, look not for any way against them; God is All-high, All-great.
- Muhammad Asad
- MEN SHALL take full care of women with the bounties which God has bestowed more abundantly on the former than on the latter, and with what they may spend out of their possessions. And the righteous women are the truly devout ones, who guard the intimacy which God has [ordained to be] guarded. And as for those women whose ill-will you have reason to fear, admonish them [first]; then leave them alone in bed; then beat them; and if thereupon they pay you heed, do not seek to harm them. Behold, God is indeed most high, great!
- Sahih International
- Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allāh has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allāh would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them [lightly]. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allāh is ever Exalted and Grand.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ٱلرِّجَالُal-rijālu | [The] men | رجل |
| 2 | قَوَّٰمُونَqawwāmūna | (are) protectors | قوم |
| 3 | عَلَىʿalā | of | — |
| 4 | ٱلنِّسَآءِl-nisāi | the women | نسو |
| 5 | بِمَاbimā | because | — |
| 6 | فَضَّلَfaḍḍala | (has) bestowed | فضل |
| 7 | ٱللَّهُl-lahu | Allah | أله |
| 8 | بَعْضَهُمْbaʿḍahum | some of them | بعض |
| 9 | عَلَىٰʿalā | over | — |
| 10 | بَعْضٍۢbaʿḍin | others | بعض |
| 11 | وَبِمَآwabimā | and because | — |
| 12 | أَنفَقُوا۟anfaqū | they spend | نفق |
| 13 | مِنْmin | from | — |
| 14 | أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ ۚamwālihim | their wealth | مول |
| 15 | فَٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُfal-ṣāliḥātu | So the righteous women | صلح |
| 16 | قَـٰنِتَـٰتٌqānitātun | (are) obedient | قنت |
| 17 | حَـٰفِظَـٰتٌۭḥāfiẓātun | guarding | حفظ |
| 18 | لِّلْغَيْبِlil'ghaybi | in the unseen | غيب |
| 19 | بِمَاbimā | that which | — |
| 20 | حَفِظَḥafiẓa | (orders) them to guard | حفظ |
| 21 | ٱللَّهُ ۚl-lahu | (by) Allah | أله |
| 22 | وَٱلَّـٰتِىwa-allātī | And those (from) whom | — |
| 23 | تَخَافُونَtakhāfūna | you fear | خوف |
| 24 | نُشُوزَهُنَّnushūzahunna | their ill-conduct | نشز |
| 25 | فَعِظُوهُنَّfaʿiẓūhunna | then advise them | وعظ |
| 26 | وَٱهْجُرُوهُنَّwa-uh'jurūhunna | and forsake them | هجر |
| 27 | فِىfī | in | — |
| 28 | ٱلْمَضَاجِعِl-maḍājiʿi | the bed | ضجع |
| 29 | وَٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ ۖwa-iḍ'ribūhunna | and [finally] strike them | ضرب |
| 30 | فَإِنْfa-in | Then if | — |
| 31 | أَطَعْنَكُمْaṭaʿnakum | they obey you | طوع |
| 32 | فَلَاfalā | then (do) not | — |
| 33 | تَبْغُوا۟tabghū | seek | بغي |
| 34 | عَلَيْهِنَّʿalayhinna | against them | — |
| 35 | سَبِيلًا ۗsabīlan | a way | سبل |
| 36 | إِنَّinna | Indeed | — |
| 37 | ٱللَّهَl-laha | Allah | أله |
| 38 | كَانَkāna | is | كون |
| 39 | عَلِيًّۭاʿaliyyan | Most High | علو |
| 40 | كَبِيرًۭاkabīran | Most Great | كبر |