Women (Al-Nesaa)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ O ye mankind! fear your Lord; Who created you of a single soul and He created therefrom the spouse thereof, and of the twain He spread abroad men manifold and women. And fear Allah by Whom ye importune one another, and the wombs. Verily Allah is ever over you a Watcher. 1 And give unto the orphans their substance, and substitute not the bad for the good; and devour not their substance by adding it to your substance; verily that is a great crime. 2 If you fear you cannot be equitable to orphan girls (in your charge, or misuse their persons), then marry women who are lawful for you, two, three, or four; but if you fear you cannot treat so many with equity, marry only one, or a maid or captive. This is better than being iniquitous. 3 And give unto the women (whom ye marry) free gift of their marriage portions; but if they of their own accord remit unto you a part thereof, then ye are welcome to absorb it (in your wealth). 4 And give not unto the foolish your property which Allah has made a means of support for you, but feed and clothe them therewith, and speak to them words of kindness and justice. 5 Test well the orphans, until they reach the age of marrying; then, if you perceive in them right judgment, deliver to them their property; consume it not wastefully and hastily ere they are grown. If any man is rich, let him be abstinent; if poor, let him consume in reason. And when you deliver to them their property, take witnesses over them; God suffices for a reckoner. 6 Men shall have a portion of what the parents and the near relatives leave, and women shall have a portion of what the parents and the near relatives leave, whether there is little or much of it; a stated portion. 7 If other near of kin orphans and needy are pre sent at the time of division of inheritance give them some thing of it and speak to them kindly. 8 Let people fear the day when they leave small children behind them unprovided, and how concerned they would be for them. So fear God and say the right things to them. 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