وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ صَدُقَـٰتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً ۚ فَإِن طِبْنَ لَكُمْ عَن شَىْءٍ مِّنْهُ نَفْسًا فَكُلُوهُ هَنِيٓـًٔا مَّرِيٓـًٔا 4
Translations
And give the women [upon marriage] their [bridal] gifts graciously. But if they give up willingly to you anything of it, then take it in satisfaction and ease.
Transliteration
Wa ātū an-nisāa sadaqātihinna nihlatan, fa-in tibna lakum 'an shay'in minhu nafsān fa-kulūhu hanī'an marī'ān
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands men to give women their mahr (dower) as a gift given willingly and with good intention. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir emphasize that the mahr is an obligatory right of the woman, not a condition of marriage but rather a manifestation of honor and respect. The verse further permits women to voluntarily remit any portion of their mahr to their husbands if they wish to do so from their own free will, and in such cases the husband may accept it with a clear conscience.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period as part of Surah An-Nisa, which addresses women's rights comprehensively. It appears in the opening section of the surah that establishes the financial and legal rights of women in Islamic law, reflecting the Qur'an's protection of women's property and economic independence, a revolutionary concept in 7th-century Arabia.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their wives' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3895). Additionally, in various narrations, the Prophet emphasized the importance of fulfilling the mahr as a binding obligation, highlighting the dignity of women in Islamic marriage contracts.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that honoring women's economic rights is a fundamental Islamic principle, while also recognizing that women have the autonomy to make voluntary decisions regarding their own property. Modern readers should understand that Islamic law protects women's financial independence and dignity, and that mutual respect in marriage extends to respecting one another's property and financial decisions.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَصَدُّوا۟ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ قَدْ ضَلُّوا۟ ضَلَـٰلًۢا بَعِيدًا
Indeed, those who disbelieve and avert [people] from the way of Allāh have certainly gone far astray.
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يُقَـٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُقَـٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ فَقَـٰتِلُوٓا۟ أَوْلِيَآءَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۖ إِنَّ كَيْدَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
Those who believe fight in the cause of Allāh, and those who disbelieve fight in the cause of ṭāghūt. So fight against the allies of Satan. Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak.
وَمَا لَكُمْ لَا تُقَـٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ وَٱلنِّسَآءِ وَٱلْوِلْدَٰنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْقَرْيَةِ ٱلظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَٱجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا وَٱجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ نَصِيرًا
And what is [the matter] with you that you fight not in the cause of Allāh and [for] the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, "Our Lord, take us out of this city of oppressive people and appoint for us from Yourself a protector and appoint for us from Yourself a helper"?
يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْحَقَّ ۚ إِنَّمَا ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُۥٓ أَلْقَىٰهَآ إِلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِّنْهُ ۖ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ ۖ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ ثَلَـٰثَةٌ ۚ ٱنتَهُوا۟ خَيْرًا لَّكُمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا ٱللَّهُ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ ۖ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥٓ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌ ۘ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًا
O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allāh except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allāh and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allāh and His messengers. And do not say, "Three"; desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allāh is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allāh as Disposer of affairs.