Women (Al-Nesaa)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ O mankind! Fear your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its spouse and from them both has spread the multitude of men and women; fear Allah in Whose name you claim (your rights from one another) and be mindful of your blood relations; indeed Allah is always seeing you. 1 Hence, render unto the orphans their possessions, and do not substitute bad things [of your own] for the good things [that belong to them,] and do not consume their possessions together with your own: this, verily, is a great crime. 2 And if you fear that you will not be just towards orphan girls, marry the women whom you like – two at a time, or three or four; then if you fear that you cannot keep two women equally then marry only one or the bondwomen you own; this is closer to your not doing injustice. 3 And give unto women dowries as a gift, and if of themselves they give up aught thereof unto you, then eat it in pleasure and profit. 4 Do not entrust your properties - which Allah has made a means of support for you - to the weak of understanding, but maintain and clothe them out of it, and say to them a kind word of admonition. 5 And test (and try) the orphans until they are of marriageable age. If you find they have acquired sound judgement, then hand over their property to them; but devour not their wealth, nor use it up hastily out of fear that soon they will grow up (and demand it). And (the guardian) who is rich should abstain from spending much (of their wealth); and he who is poor should use only as much as is fair. And when you give back their possessions have this witnessed, (and remember) that God is sufficient to take all account. 6 Men shall have a share in what their parents and kinsmen leave, and women shall have a share in what their parents and kinsmen leave, whether it is little or abundant, it is an obligated share. 7 And when [other] near of kin and orphans and needy persons are present at the distribution [of inheritance,] give them something thereof for their sustenance, and speak unto them in a kindly way. 8 And let those [executors and guardians] fear [injustice] as if they [themselves] had left weak offspring behind and feared for them. So let them fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. 9 Lo! Those who devour the wealth of orphans wrongfully, they do but swallow fire into their bellies, and they will be exposed to burning flame. 10