Medinan surah about many aspects of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), focusing on the rights of women. Islam established many rights for women, including inheritance, property ownership and divorce rights.

In the West, women’s rights and equality only began to be addressed over the past 150 years. For example, up until 1974 women were not allowed to open bank accounts in the UK. In 1976 women in Ireland were allowed to own houses.

Themes

• Rulings and theology, laws on murder, justice and equality.
• Taqwa as the basis for legal rulings. Three levels of Islamic jurisprudence: what (rulings), how (methodology), why (objectives).
• Rights of women and orphans.
• Inheritance rights.
• Social issues such as marriage, forbidden relationships and family dispute arbitration.
• Justice and mercy, revelation to strengthen the rights of the vulnerable.
• Refutation of crucifixion and divinity of Isa AS.

Summary

• 1: Source of the soul and all humans created from one.
• 2-43: Family law and social life.
• 44-57: People of the Book warned and invited to believe in the Quran.
• 58-59: Human and divine judgement.
• 60-126: Criticises the hypocrites.
• 127-175: Answers to questions that arose in the early surah. Hypocrites and People of Book invited to reform.
• 176: Final ayah about inheritance, linking with the initial ayats in the surah and re-emphasising Allah’s SWT all encompassing knowledge.

Selected Verses

1: Allah SWT created you from a single soul and from it your mate and from them all of humankind. Beware of severing the ties of kinship. Explicitly describes the oneness of humankind, we are all one family. Be mindful of Allah SWT always watching over you.

2: Rights of the orphans. Give them back their wealth when they are mature and do not cheat them.

3: Men may marry up to 4 women but only if they can maintain equality and justice for them. Otherwise only one is allowed. Biblical prophets had many wives.

4: Bridal gifts (mahr) are given from groom to bride, not dowry from bride to groom. Give graciously, but the wife may choose to forgo some of it.

5: Manage wealth responsibly. Don’t just give young (incapable/immature) family members wealth but feed and clothe and provide for them until they are competent to manage it themselves.

7: Affirms the right of women to inheritance.

11-12: Long ayats detailing inheritance law for parents, offspring and spouses. These are divine laws of inheritance from Allah SWT, Al Alim. The inheritance allocations are decreed according to the degree of kinship to the deceased, the generation of the heir and the financial responsibility of heir. Be content with what Allah has decreed [4:32].

Women’s assets and income are theirs to spend as they please. A male will receive more if he has more financial obligations to take on as a result of the death. There are many instances where females receive the same or more as males. Overall women’s wealth is protected through this system. One third of the deceased’s estate can be given as a bequest to charities or others not directly entitled to inheritance [4:33].

13-14: These are the limits set by Allah SWT. The reward is Jannah for obeying Him and Jahannam for not.

17-18: Allah SWT will accept repentance of sin if one repents and desists. It is not accepted from those who knowingly persist in sin only repenting at the time of death, or those who die as disbelievers.

19:-21 Treat women fairly. Do not mistreat them. Do not always pick on their negative aspects. Do not take back their bridal gifts if you divorce them.

22-24: Women who are unlawful to marry:

• Former wives of fathers.
• Mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts.
• Siblings daughters.
• Foster mothers/sisters.
• Sons wives.
• Two sisters simultaneously.
• Married women.

28: Humans were created weak. Allah SWT intends to lighten our burden.

29: Do not commit murder or suicide

34: Men are tasked as caretakers for women and for providing for them financially. In the event of disloyalty or ill conduct from women, first advise them, if they persist do not share their beds and if they persist discipline them gently.

This ayah has historically had controversial interpretations. It does not mean beating. Do not beat the female servants of Allah. [Ibn Majah]. The steps to marital conflict resolution are:

• Stage 1 – admonish.
• Stage 2 – sleep separately.
• Stage 3 – separation (not beating).
• Stage 4 – arbitration with relatives. If reconciliation is sincere, Allah SWT will make this happen [4:35]. Reconciliation is best [4:128].

Stage 3 cannot be beating otherwise arbitration will not be possible.

36: The verse of rights. Command to be good to parents, relatives, orphans, poor, neighbours, travelers. Avoid arrogance and boastfulness.

37-38: Beware miserliness (withholding Allah SWT’s bounty) and also spending to show off.

40: Allah SWT never wrongs anyone even by an atoms weight and rewards good deeds many times over.

41: How will it be O Prophet when we bring you as a witness for your ummah on the Day of Judgement? This ayah caused Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to cry out of concern for his ummah.

43: Second ayah on intoxication; first [2:219], last [5:90-91].

48, 116: Allah SWT forgives all sins except polytheism and the joining of partners with Him (shirk).

56-57: Those who reject Allah SWT’s signs will be cast into the Fire. Their skins will be replaced when burnt as part of the eternal punishment. Those who believe and do good will be rewarded with Jannah. 

59, 65, 80: Obey Allah SWT and obey the Messenger ﷺ and those in authority amongst you. Any disagreement, refer to Divine Judgement (and Sunnah). Divine authority vs conditional authority.

69: Those who obey Allah SWT and the Messenger ﷺ will be in the company of the blessed (explanation of [1:6]). These are the messengers, the truthful, those who bear witness to the truth, the righteous.

78-79: Divine destiny, everything is from Allah SWT. Everything happens by Allah SWT’s decree (qadr) but we do not ascribe evil or misfortune to Allah SWT. Whatever good happens is from Allah SWT. Whatever bad is from ourselves, due to our sins or as a means of testing our faith and patience. By returning to Allah SWT, He will use the calamity to forgive our sins or raise our status in Jannah. If we blame Allah SWT, the calamity is our punishment.

82: Ponder over the Quran. Contemplate the consequences of a matter, think deeply and gain insights over its meanings. Ponder over the literary beauty of the ayats.

86: Greet with a better greeting or at least similarly.

88: No one can guide those whom Allah SWT has left to stray.

89, 91:  But if they turn away, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them, and do not take any of them as helper or allies. If they do not keep away, offer you peace, or refrain from attacking you, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them. We have given you full permission over such people.

“The killing verses.” These refer specifically to the hypocrites who secretly supported the enemies of the Muslims. Other ayats speak of not harming those who have treaties with or those who are opposed to fighting against the Muslims. 

92-93: Recompense and punishment for unintentionally and intentionally killing a believer.

95-96: Those who strive in Allah SWT’s cause with their wealth and lives will be offered a far greater reward than others: superior ranks, forgiveness and mercy.

110-112: Repent after sin and Allah SWT will forgive as the action is between the individual and Allah SWT. But if one blames an evil deed on another person they will bear the guilt.

122-124: Those who believe and do good will be admitted to Jannah. Entry is not based on hopes or desires but actions.

131-134: To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. Six of His Names are mentioned: The Self Sufficient (Al Ghani), The Praiseworthy (Al Hameed), The Trustee of Affairs (Al Wakeel), The Most Capable (Al Qadir), The All Hearing (As Sami) and All Seeing (Al Basir).

135: Indiscriminate application of justice, no matter against whom.

142-143: Hypocrites try to deceive Allah SWT. They pray half heartedly only to show off and are not believers or disbelievers. They are minimal in remembrance of Allah SWT.

145: Hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of Jahannam with no helpers.

150-152: True believers accept and believe in all the Prophets.

153: People of the Book demanded the Quran be sent down in one go. This was refuted in [25:32]. The Israelites demanded from Musa AS that Allah SWT be revealed to them. They were struck by a thunderbolt for their wrongdoing.

155-157: Israelites breaking their covenant with Allah SWT, rejecting Allah’s SWT signs and killing Prophets. They claimed they have enough knowledge, slandered Maryam RA and claimed to have killed Isa AS. But Isa AS was raised up to Allah SWT.

157-158: refutation of cucifixion, Isa AS was raised up to Allah SWT and will be a witness against the People of the Book on the Day of Judgement

160: As a consequence of their disobedience, for hindering others in the way of Allah SWT, for taking interest and consuming others’ wealth unjustly, the Israelites were denied certain previous lawful foods.

163-165: Revelation sent to many previous messengers (12 mentioned) and many that we do no know about. They were all delivering good news and warnings so humanity should have no excuse before Allah SWT.

171: Do not go to extremes in religion. Jews warned against denying Isa AS as the Messiah and Christians against calling him God. There is no Trinity. Allah SWT has no son.

174: Conclusive evidence sent to humanity. A brilliant light has been set down, that is, the Quran.

176: Final ayah ends with inheritance laws for those who die without children.