Quran 4:6 — An-Nisaa, verse 6
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
Test orphans until they reach marriageable age; then, if you find they have sound judgement, hand over their property to them. Do not consume it hastily before they come of age: if the guardian is well off he should abstain from the orphan’s property, and if he is poor he should use only what is fair. When you give them their property, call witnesses in; but God takes full account of everything you do.
وَابْتَلُوا الْيَتَامَىٰ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغُوا النِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ آنَسْتُمْ مِنْهُمْ رُشْدًا فَادْفَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تَأْكُلُوهَا إِسْرَافًا وَبِدَارًا أَنْ يَكْبَرُوا ۚ وَمَنْ كَانَ غَنِيًّا فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ ۖ وَمَنْ كَانَ فَقِيرًا فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ فَإِذَا دَفَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فَأَشْهِدُوا عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ حَسِيبًا
wa-ib'talū l-yatāmā ḥattā idhā balaghū l-nikāḥa fa-in ānastum min'hum rush'dan fa-id'faʿū ilayhim amwālahum walā takulūhā is'rāfan wabidāran an yakbarū waman kāna ghaniyyan falyastaʿfif waman kāna faqīran falyakul bil-maʿrūfi fa-idhā dafaʿtum ilayhim amwālahum fa-ashhidū ʿalayhim wakafā bil-lahi ḥasīban
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- Test well the orphans, until they reach the age of marrying; then, if you perceive in them right judgment, deliver to them their property; consume it not wastefully and hastily ere they are grown. If any man is rich, let him be abstinent; if poor, let him consume in reason. And when you deliver to them their property, take witnesses over them; God suffices for a reckoner.
- Muhammad Asad
- And test the orphans [in your charge] until they reach a marriageable age; then, if you find them to be mature of mind, hand over to them their possessions; and do not consume them by wasteful spending, and in haste, ere they grow up. And let him who is rich abstain entirely [from his ward's property]; and let him who is poor partake thereof in a fair manner. And when you hand over to them their possessions, let there be witnesses on their behalf - although none can take count as God does.
- Sahih International
- And test the orphans [in their abilities] until they reach marriageable age. Then if you perceive in them sound judgement, release their property to them. And do not consume it excessively and quickly, [anticipating] that they will grow up. And whoever, [when acting as guardian], is self-sufficient should refrain [from taking a fee]; and whoever is poor - let him take according to what is acceptable. Then when you release their property to them, bring witnesses upon them. And sufficient is Allāh as Accountant.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | وَٱبْتَلُوا۟wa-ib'talū | And test | بلو |
| 2 | ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰl-yatāmā | the orphans | يتم |
| 3 | حَتَّىٰٓḥattā | until | — |
| 4 | إِذَاidhā | [when] | — |
| 5 | بَلَغُوا۟balaghū | they reach[ed] | بلغ |
| 6 | ٱلنِّكَاحَl-nikāḥa | (the age of) marriage | نكح |
| 7 | فَإِنْfa-in | then if | — |
| 8 | ءَانَسْتُمānastum | you perceive | أنس |
| 9 | مِّنْهُمْmin'hum | in them | — |
| 10 | رُشْدًۭاrush'dan | sound judgement | رشد |
| 11 | فَٱدْفَعُوٓا۟fa-id'faʿū | then deliver | دفع |
| 12 | إِلَيْهِمْilayhim | to them | — |
| 13 | أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ ۖamwālahum | their wealth | مول |
| 14 | وَلَاwalā | And (do) not | — |
| 15 | تَأْكُلُوهَآtakulūhā | eat it | أكل |
| 16 | إِسْرَافًۭاis'rāfan | extravagantly | سرف |
| 17 | وَبِدَارًاwabidāran | and hastily | بدر |
| 18 | أَنan | (fearing) that | — |
| 19 | يَكْبَرُوا۟ ۚyakbarū | they will grow up | كبر |
| 20 | وَمَنwaman | And whoever | — |
| 21 | كَانَkāna | is | كون |
| 22 | غَنِيًّۭاghaniyyan | rich | غني |
| 23 | فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ ۖfalyastaʿfif | then he should refrain | عفف |
| 24 | وَمَنwaman | and whoever | — |
| 25 | كَانَkāna | is | كون |
| 26 | فَقِيرًۭاfaqīran | poor | فقر |
| 27 | فَلْيَأْكُلْfalyakul | then let him eat (of it) | أكل |
| 28 | بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚbil-maʿrūfi | in a fair manner | عرف |
| 29 | فَإِذَاfa-idhā | Then when | — |
| 30 | دَفَعْتُمْdafaʿtum | you deliver | دفع |
| 31 | إِلَيْهِمْilayhim | to them | — |
| 32 | أَمْوَٰلَهُمْamwālahum | their wealth | مول |
| 33 | فَأَشْهِدُوا۟fa-ashhidū | then take witnesses | شهد |
| 34 | عَلَيْهِمْ ۚʿalayhim | on them | — |
| 35 | وَكَفَىٰwakafā | And is sufficient | كفي |
| 36 | بِٱللَّهِbil-lahi | Allah | أله |
| 37 | حَسِيبًۭاḥasīban | (as) a Reckoner | حسب |