Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And those of you who die and leave behind wives: they shall wait by themselves four months and ten. And when they have reached their term, then you do no wrong in what they do concerning themselves according to what is fitting. And God is aware of what you do.

وَالَّذ۪ينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ اَزْوَاجاً يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِاَنْفُسِهِنَّ اَرْبَعَةَ اَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْراًۚ فَاِذَا بَلَغْنَ اَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ ف۪يمَا فَعَلْنَ ف۪ٓي اَنْفُسِهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِۜ وَاللّٰهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَب۪يرٌ
Wallatheena yutawaffawnaminkum wayatharoona azwajan yatarabbasnabi-anfusihinna arbaAAata ashhurin waAAashran fa-ithabalaghna ajalahunna fala junaha AAalaykum feemafaAAalna fee anfusihinna bilmaAAroofi wallahubima taAAmaloona khabeer
#wordmeaningroot
1wa-alladhīnaAnd those who
2yutawaffawnapass awayوفي
3minkumamong you
4wayadharūnaand leave behindوذر
5azwājanwivesزوج
6yatarabbaṣna(the widows) should waitربص
7bi-anfusihinnafor themselvesنفس
8arbaʿata(for) fourربع
9ashhurinmonthsشهر
10waʿashranand ten (days)عشر
11fa-idhāThen when
12balaghnathey reachبلغ
13ajalahunnatheir (specified) termاجل
14falāthen (there is) no
15junāḥablameجنح
16ʿalaykumupon you
17fīmāfor what
18faʿalnathey doفعل
19concerning
20anfusihinnathemselvesنفس
21bil-maʿrūfiin a fair mannerعرف
22wal-lahuAnd Allah
23bimāof what
24taʿmalūnayou doعمل
25khabīrun(is) All-Awareخبر
  • Aisha Bewley

    Those of you who die leaving wives behind: they should wait by themselves for four months and ten nights. When their ‘idda comes to an end, you are not to blame for anything they do with themselves with correctness and courtesy. Allah is aware of what you do.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And for those of you who pass away and leave widows behind, then their widows will have a required interim period of four months and ten days. So when they reach their required interim, then there is no sin upon you for what they do to themselves equitably. And God is Expert to what you do.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Those among you who die and leave wives behind, they shall wait four months and ten days before they remarry. Once they fulfill their interim, the society commits nothing wrong by letting them make amicable decisions about their future including remarriage. And Allah is fully Cognizant of all your actions.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And those of you who die and leave behind wives: they shall wait by themselves four months and ten. And when they have reached their term, then you do no wrong in what they do concerning themselves according to what is fitting. And God is aware of what you do.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And for those of you whose lives are terminated and they leave widows behind, then their widows will have a required interim period of four months and ten. So when they reach their required interim, then there is no sin upon you for what they do with themselves in goodness. And God is Expert to what you do.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    For those of you who pass away and leave widows behind, then their widows will have a required interim period of four months and ten days. When they reach their required interim, then there is no blame on you for what they do to themselves according to the recognized norms. God is Ever-aware of what you do.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Those who die and leave wives, their widows shall wait four months and ten days (before they remarry). Once they fulfill their interim, you commit no error by letting them do whatever righteous matters they wish to do. GOD is fully Cognizant of everything you do.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Wives of men who die among you should wait (after their husbands death) for four months and ten days; and when the term is over there is no sin if they do what they like with themselves honourably, for God is aware of all that you do.

  • Sahih International (Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)

    And those who are taken in death among you and leave wives behind - they, wait four months and ten . And when they have fulfilled their term, then there is no blame upon you for what they do with themselves in an acceptable manner. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.

  • Muhammad Asad

    And if any of you die and leave wives behind, they shall undergo, without remarrying, a waiting-period of four months and ten days; whereupon, when they have reached the end of their waiting-term, there shall be no sin in whatever they may do with their persons in a lawful manner. And God is aware of all that you do.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Such of you as die and leave behind them wives, they (the wives) shall wait, keeping themselves apart, four months and ten days. And when they reach the term (prescribed for them) then there is no sin for you in aught that they may do with themselves in decency. Allah is informed of what ye do.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    The wives of men who have died must observe a waiting period of four months and ten days;* when they have reached the end of the waiting term, there is no blame upon you regarding what they may do with themselves in a fair manner. Allah is well aware of what you do.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And in the event of a husband’s death, bereaved widows shall wait for a determined period of four months and ten days without any expectation other than the possibility of pregnancy, inevitably shaping the course of events. When the determined period of waiting has expired, those of you of influence are absolved of their inclinations as long as they are equitably and honourably disposed, and Allah is Khabirun (Omniscient) of all you do.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    If a man dies, his wife should not re-marry for four months and ten days (the waiting period for a pregnant woman is till her delivery. ) Once their waiting period is over, they should not be prevented to choose any God pleasing style of life. Do not forget that God is fully aware of what you are doing.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And those of you who die and leave wives behind them, they (the wives) shall wait (as regards their marriage) for four months and ten days, then when they have fulfilled their term, there is no sin on you if they (the wives) dispose of themselves in a just and honourable manner (i.e. they can marry). And Allâh is Well-Acquainted with what you do.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    If any of you die and leave widows behind, they shall wait concerning themselves four months and ten days: When they have fulfilled their term, there is no blame on you if they dispose of themselves in a just and reasonable manner. And Allah is well acquainted with what ye do.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    As for those of you who die and leave widows behind, let them observe a waiting period of four months and ten days. When they have reached the end of this period, then you are not accountable for what they decide for themselves in a reasonable manner. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Those among you who pass away and leave wives behind, their wives keep themselves waiting for four months and ten days. So, when they have reached (the end of) their waiting period, there is no sin on you in what they do for themselves in recognized manner. Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

  • Abdul Haleem

    If any of you die and leave widows, the widows should wait for four months and ten nights before remarrying. When they have completed this set time, you will not be blamed for anything they may reasonably choose to do with themselves. God is fully aware of what you do.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And those of you who die, leaving wives, they shall wait by themselves for four months and ten nights; when they have reached their term then it is no fault in you what they may do with themselves honourably. God is aware of the things you do.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Those of you who die and leave wives behind, let these wait by themselves for four months and ten days; and when they have reached their prescribed time, there is no crime in them for what they do with themselves in reason; for God of what ye do is well aware.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Those of you who die and leave wives behind, let these wait by themselves for four months and ten days; and when they have reached their prescribed time, there is no crime in them for what they do with themselves in reason; for Allah is well informed of what you do.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And the ones of you who are taken up, (i. e., those who die) and leave behind (them) spouses, (the spouses) (i.e., the widows. The following verb is in the feminine plural) shall await by themselves for four months and ten (days); (This is the ÉIddah "term" for a widowed woman before she can remarry) so, when they have reached their term, then there is no fault in you whatever they perform (with) themselves with beneficence; and Allah is Ever-Cognizant of whatever you do.

  • George Sale

    Such of you as die, and leave wives, their wives must wait concerning themselves four months and ten days, and when they shall have fulfilled their term, it shall be no crime in you, for that which they shall do with themselves, according to what is reasonable. God well knoweth that which ye do.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    If any of you die and leave widows behind, they shall wait concerning themselves four months and ten days: When they have fulfilled their term, there is no blame on you if they do as they see fit with themselves in a just and reasonable manner and Allah is well Aware (Khabeer) of all that you do.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Those of you who die and leave wives behind, these (wives) should keep themselves in waiting for four months and ten days (as `Iddat). So when they reach the end of their (prescribed) term (of waiting) then there is no blame on you for what they do with regard to themselves (about their remarriage) in an equitable manner. And Allâh is fully Aware of what you do.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    As for those of you who die leaving wives, they shall wait by themselves four months and ten days, and when they complete their term, there will be no sin upon you in respect of what they may do with themselves in accordance with honourable norms. And Allah is well aware of what you do.