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
لَّـٰكِنِ ٱللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكَ ۖ أَنزَلَهُۥ بِعِلْمِهِۦ ۖ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَشْهَدُونَ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدًا
But Allāh bears witness to that which He has revealed to you. He has sent it down with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness [as well]. And sufficient is Allāh as Witness.
وَمَن يَكْسِبْ خَطِيٓـَٔةً أَوْ إِثْمًا ثُمَّ يَرْمِ بِهِۦ بَرِيٓـًٔا فَقَدِ ٱحْتَمَلَ بُهْتَـٰنًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا
But whoever earns an offense or a sin and then blames it on an innocent [person] has taken upon himself a slander and manifest sin.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَـٰلًۢا بَعِيدًا
Indeed, Allāh does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allāh has certainly gone far astray.
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ رِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَلَا بِٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۗ وَمَن يَكُنِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ لَهُۥ قَرِينًا فَسَآءَ قَرِينًا
And [also] those who spend of their wealth to be seen by the people and believe not in Allāh nor in the Last Day. And he to whom Satan is a companion - then evil is he as a companion.