يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِى ٱلْكَلَـٰلَةِ ۚ إِنِ ٱمْرُؤٌا۟ هَلَكَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌ وَلَهُۥٓ أُخْتٌ فَلَهَا نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ ۚ وَهُوَ يَرِثُهَآ إِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّهَا وَلَدٌ ۚ فَإِن كَانَتَا ٱثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُمَا ٱلثُّلُثَانِ مِمَّا تَرَكَ ۚ وَإِن كَانُوٓا۟ إِخْوَةً رِّجَالًا وَنِسَآءً فَلِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۗ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ أَن تَضِلُّوا۟ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۢ 176
Translations
They request from you a [legal] ruling. Say, "Allāh gives you a ruling concerning one having neither descendants nor ascendants [as heirs]." If a man dies, leaving no child but [only] a sister, she will have half of what he left. And he inherits from her if she [dies and] has no child. But if there are two sisters [or more], they will have two thirds of what he left. If there are both brothers and sisters, the male will have the share of two females. Allāh makes clear to you [His law], lest you go astray. And Allāh is Knowing of all things.
Transliteration
Yastaftūnaka qul Allāhu yuftīkum fil-kalālah. In imru'un halaka laysa lahu waladun wa lahu ukhtun falahā nisfu mā taraka wa huwa yarithuhā in lam yakun lahā waladun. Fa-in kānatā ithnatain falahuma ath-thulthān mimmā taraka wa in kānū ikhwatan rijālan wa nisā'an falilladhakari mithl haẓẓ al-unthayain. Yubayyinu Allāhu lakum an taḍillū wa-Allāhu bikulli shay'in 'alīm.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the inheritance rules of kalālah (a person who dies without children or a father), clarifying disputes that arose among the Companions. When a person dies without offspring and leaves a sister, she inherits half of the estate, and he inherits from her if she has no children. If there are two or more sisters, they jointly inherit two-thirds. When both males and females inherit together as siblings, the male receives double the share of the female. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this ayah definitively resolved ambiguities in Islamic inheritance law, with Al-Qurtubi emphasizing the wisdom in proportional distribution based on differing financial obligations between genders.
Revelation Context
This final ayah of Surah An-Nisa was revealed to address specific questions posed to the Prophet regarding inheritance law, particularly concerning kalālah cases which had caused confusion among early Muslims. The ayah appears at the conclusion of the inheritance section (4:11-176) and represents the final clarification on this crucial matter of Islamic jurisprudence.
Related Hadiths
Umar ibn Al-Khattab reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The kalālah has confused me until I became like this' (gesturing), reported in Sunan An-Nasa'i. Additionally, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq sought clarification on kalālah inheritance, demonstrating the importance of this ruling (Sahih Bukhari).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah demonstrates Allah's meticulous care in establishing laws that balance rights while acknowledging different social and financial responsibilities. For modern believers, it emphasizes the importance of knowing and following Islamic inheritance laws and recognizing the dignity Islam grants to women in financial matters, even as heirs.
Related Ayahs
وَدُّوا۟ لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ كَمَا كَفَرُوا۟ فَتَكُونُونَ سَوَآءً ۖ فَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ حَتَّىٰ يُهَاجِرُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَخُذُوهُمْ وَٱقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا
They wish you would disbelieve as they disbelieved so you would be alike. So do not take from among them allies until they emigrate for the cause of Allāh. But if they turn away [i.e., refuse], then seize them and kill them [for their betrayal] wherever you find them and take not from among them any ally or helper,
وَكَيْفَ تَأْخُذُونَهُۥ وَقَدْ أَفْضَىٰ بَعْضُكُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَأَخَذْنَ مِنكُم مِّيثَـٰقًا غَلِيظًا
And how could you take it while you have gone in unto each other and they have taken from you a solemn covenant?
وَيَسْتَفْتُونَكَ فِى ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۖ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِيهِنَّ وَمَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ فِى يَتَـٰمَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ ٱلَّـٰتِى لَا تُؤْتُونَهُنَّ مَا كُتِبَ لَهُنَّ وَتَرْغَبُونَ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ وَٱلْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ ٱلْوِلْدَٰنِ وَأَن تَقُومُوا۟ لِلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمًا
And they request from you, [O Muḥammad], a [legal] ruling concerning women. Say, "Allāh gives you a ruling about them and [about] what has been recited to you in the Book concerning the orphan girls to whom you do not give what is decreed for them - and [yet] you desire to marry them - and concerning the oppressed among children and that you maintain for orphans [their rights] in justice." And whatever you do of good - indeed, Allāh is ever Knowing of it.
وَإِذَا حَضَرَ ٱلْقِسْمَةَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينُ فَٱرْزُقُوهُم مِّنْهُ وَقُولُوا۟ لَهُمْ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا
And when [other] relatives and orphans and the needy are present at the [time of] division, then provide for them [something] out of it [i.e., the estate] and speak to them words of appropriate kindness.