Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

O you who heed warning: it is not lawful for you to inherit from women against their will; and neither constrain them that you might take away part of what you gave them save that they commit manifest sexual immorality. And live with them according to what is fitting. And if you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing and God makes therein much good.

يَٓا اَيُّهَا الَّذ۪ينَ اٰمَنُوا لَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ اَنْ تَرِثُوا النِّسَٓاءَ كَرْهاًۜ وَلَا تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ لِتَذْهَبُوا بِبَعْضِ مَٓا اٰتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ اِلَّٓا اَنْ يَأْت۪ينَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُبَيِّنَةٍۚ وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِۚ فَاِنْ كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ فَعَسٰٓى اَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْـٔاً وَيَجْعَلَ اللّٰهُ ف۪يهِ خَيْراً كَث۪يراً
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoola yahillu lakum an tarithoo annisaakarhan wala taAAduloohunna litathhaboobibaAAdi ma ataytumoohunna illa anya/teena bifahishatin mubayyinatin waAAashiroohunnabilmaAAroofi fa-in karihtumoohunna faAAasa antakrahoo shay-an wayajAAala Allahu feehi khayran katheera
#wordmeaningroot
1yāayyuhāO you
2alladhīnawho
3āmanūbelieve[d]امن
4Not
5yaḥillu(is) lawfulحلل
6lakumfor you
7anthat
8tarithūyou inheritورث
9l-nisāathe womenنسو
10karhan(by) forceكره
11walāAnd not
12taʿḍulūhunnayou constraint themعضل
13litadhhabūso that you may takeذهب
14bibaʿḍia partبعض
15(of) what
16ātaytumūhunnayou have given themاتي
17illāexcept
18anthat
19yatīnathey commitاتي
20bifāḥishatinimmoralityفحش
21mubayyinatinopenبين
22waʿāshirūhunnaAnd live with themعشر
23bil-maʿrūfiin kindnessعرف
24fa-inBut if
25karih'tumūhunnayou dislike themكره
26faʿasāthen perhapsعسي
27anthat
28takrahūyou dislikeكره
29shayana thingشيا
30wayajʿalaand has placedجعل
31l-lahuAllah
32fīhiin it
33khayrangoodخير
34kathīranmuchكثر
  • Aisha Bewley

    You who have iman! it is not halal for you to inherit women by force. Nor may you treat them harshly so that you can make off with part of what you have given them, unless they commit an act of flagrant indecency. Live together with them correctly and courteously. If you dislike them, it may well be that you dislike something in which Allah has placed a lot of good.

  • Progressive Muslims

    O you who believe, it is not lawful for you to inherit the women by force, nor that you become harsh with them to take away some of what you have given them, unless they commit a clear lewdness. And live with them in kindness. If you dislike them, then perhaps you may dislike something and God makes in it much good.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! It is not lawful for you to force women into marrying or holding on to them in marriage against their will. Pressuring women to remain in wedlock by threatening to take away the marital gift is forbidden. A wife could forfeit the right to the marital gift only if she has indulged in clear lewdness. You shall treat your wives nicely. Even if you dislike them, it may happen that Allah has placed much good in what you have failed to realize.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    O you who heed warning: it is not lawful for you to inherit from women against their will; and neither constrain them that you might take away part of what you gave them save that they commit manifest sexual immorality. And live with them according to what is fitting. And if you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing and God makes therein much good.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    O you who believe, it is not lawful for you to inherit from the women by force. And do not make difficulty for them so that you may take away some of what you have given them, unless they commit a clear lewdness. And live with them in kindness. If you dislike them, then perhaps you dislike something while God makes in it much good.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    O you who acknowledge, it is not lawful for you to inherit the women by force, nor that you become harsh with them to take away some of what you have given them, unless they commit a clear lewdness. Live with them in kindness. If you dislike them, then perhaps you may dislike something and God makes in it much good.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    O you who believe, it is not lawful for you to inherit what the women leave behind, against their will. You shall not force them to give up anything you had given them, unless they commit a proven adultery. You shall treat them nicely. If you dislike them, you may dislike something wherein GOD has placed a lot of good.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    O believers, you are not allowed to take perforce the women (of dead relatives) into your heritage, or tyrannise over them in order to deprive them of what you have given them, unless they are guilty of open adultery. Live with them with tolerance and justice even if you do not care for them. For it may well be you may not like a thing, yet God may have endued it with much goodness.

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

    O you who have believed, it is not lawful for you to inherit women by compulsion. And do not make difficulties for them in order to take part of what you gave them unless they commit a clear immorality. And live with them in kindness. For if you dislike them - perhaps you dislike a thing and Allah makes therein much good.

  • Muhammad Asad

    O YOU who have attained to faith! It is not lawful for you to become heirs to your wives against their will; and neither shall you keep them under constraint with a view to taking away anything of what you may have given them, unless it be that they have become guilty, in an obvious man­ner, of immoral conduct. And consort with your wives in a goodly manner; for if you dislike them, it may well be that you dislike something which God might yet make a source of abundant good.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    O ye who believe! It is not lawful for you forcibly to inherit the women (of your deceased kinsmen), nor (that) ye should put constraint upon them that ye may take away a part of that which ye have given them, unless they be guilty of flagrant lewdness. But consort with them in kindness, for if ye hate them it may happen that ye hate a thing wherein Allah hath placed much good.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Believers! It is not lawful for you to become heirs to women against their will.* It is not lawful that you should put constraint upon them that you may take away anything of what you have given them; (you may not put constraint upon them) unless they are guilty of brazenly immoral conduct.* Live with your wives in a good manner. If you dislike them in any manner, it may be that you dislike something in which Allah has placed much good for you.*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    O you who have conformed to Islam women are not a property to be inherited against their will following the death of their husbands; you are forbidden to copy this pagan custom, nor are you allowed to ill treat them to force them to give up a part of the dower or of the property you have given them, unless they have been proven guilty of an evil line of conduct. And you must live with them in equity and honour according to the manner and the Islamic laws of matrimony. And should you take to them so much dislike; it may happen that you dislike something whereby Allah makes all grace abound.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    O you believers, do not take your women’s inheritance (and their belongings) from them. Unless your women have committed a big sin, it is forbidden for you to treat them badly so that they give up and sign up their wealth to you. Treat your women kindly and try not to dislike them; you may grow to dislike a woman while God may have showered her with so much beauty inside.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will; and you should not treat them with harshness, that you may take away part of the Mahr you have given them, unless they commit open illegal sexual intercourse; and live with them honourably. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing and Allâh brings through it a great deal of good.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    O ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness, that ye may Take away part of the dower ye have given them,-except where they have been guilty of open lewdness; on the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If ye take a dislike to them it may be that ye dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    O believers! It is not permissible for you to inherit women against their will or mistreat them to make them return some of the dowry ˹as a ransom for divorce˺—unless they are found guilty of adultery. Treat them fairly. If you happen to dislike them, you may hate something which Allah turns into a great blessing.

  • Taqi Usmani

    O you who believe, it is not lawful for you that you should forcibly take women as inheritance. Do not hold on to them so that you may take away some of what you have given them, unless they commit a clearly shameful act. Live with them in the recognized manner. If you dislike them, then it is quite likely that you dislike something and Allah has placed a lot of good in it.

  • Abdul Haleem

    You who believe, it is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will, nor should you treat your wives harshly, hoping to take back some of the bride-gift you gave them, unless they are guilty of something clearly outrageous. Live with them in accordance with what is fair and kind: if you dislike them, it may well be that you dislike something in which God has put much good.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    O believers, it is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will; neither debar them, that you may go off with part of what you have given them, except when they commit a flagrant indecency Consort with them honourably; or if you are averse to them, it is possible you may be averse to a thing, and God set in it much good.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    O ye who believe! it is not lawful for you to inherit women's estates against their will; nor to hinder them, that ye may go off with part of what ye brought them, unless they commit fornication manifestly; but associate with them in reason, for if ye are averse from them, it may be that ye are averse from something wherein God has put much good for you.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    O you who believe! It is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will; nor to restrain them so that you may take away part of what you gave them, unless they commit flagrant lewdness; but associate with them with kindness and equity, for if you dislike them, it may be that you dislike something wherein Allah has put much good for you.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    O you who have believed, it is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will; (Literally: through compulsion) neither pose problems for them that you may go away with some (part) of what you have brought them except when they come up with a (demonstrably) evident obscenity. And consort with them with beneficence; so in case you hate them, then it is possible you may hate something, and Allah sets in it much charity (i.e. benefit).

  • George Sale

    O true believers, it is not lawful for you to be heirs of women against their will, nor to hinder them from marrying others, that ye may take away part of what ye have given them in dowry; unless they have been guilty of a manifest crime: But converse kindly with them. And if ye hate them, it may happen that ye may hate a thing wherein God hath placed much good.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will nor should you treat them with harshness, that you may take away part of the dowry you have given to them— Except where they have been guilty of open illicit sexual deeds (lustfulness); On the contrary live with them on a basis of kindness and justice. If you take a dislike to them it may be that you dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    O you who believe! it is not lawful for you to treat women (of your deceased relatives) as inherited property by force, nor should you detain them that you may take away part of that which you have given them, except that they commit flagrant indecency. But consort with them in peace. Then if you have a dislike for them, it may be that you dislike a thing but Allâh has placed a good deal of good in it.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    O you who have faith! It is not lawful for you to inherit women forcibly, and do not press them to take away part of what you have given them, unless they commit a gross indecency. Consort with them in an honourable manner; and should you dislike them, maybe you dislike something while Allah invests it with an abundant good.