Women (Al-Nesaa)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ O people, fear your Lord, who created you from a single soul. From it He created its spouse, and from both of them scattered many men and women. Fear Allah, by whom you ask one another, and (fear) the wombs (lest you sever its relationship). Allah is ever watching over 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 ye apprehend that ye may not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry such as please you, of other women, by twos or threes or fours, but if ye apprehend that ye shall not act justly, then marry one only, or that which your right hands own that will be more fit, that ye may swerve not. 3 And give unto women their marriage portions in the spirit of a gift; but if they, of their own accord, give up unto you aught thereof, then enjoy it with pleasure and good cheer. 4 And do not give the foolish their wealth which is in your custody – those for whom Allah has put you in charge to maintain (look after) – and feed and clothe them from it, and speak kindly to them. 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 parents and relatives leave behind, and women shall have a share in what parents and relatives leave behind, whether it be little or much. This is ordained [by God]. 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) have the same fear in their minds as they would have for their own, if they had left weak offspring behind. So let them fear Allah and speak right words. 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