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3 Cap. 2, p. 26. 4 Al Beidâwi. 5 Jallalo'ddin.
6 Al Beidâwi.
7 Levit. ix. 24; I Chron. xxi. 26; 2 Chron. vii. I; 1 Kings xviii. 38.
8 Levit. ix. 24. 9 2 Chron. vii. x.
10 Talmud, Zebachim, c. 6. 11 See Prideaux's Connect part i. bk.
iii. p. 158. 12 Al Beidâwi.

and unto GOD belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth: GOD is almighty.
Now in the creation of heaven and earth, and the vicissitude of night and
day, are signs unto those who are endued with understanding;
who remember GOD standing, and sitting, and lying on their sides;i and
meditate on the creation of heaven and earth, saying, O LORD, thou hast not
created this in vain; far be it from thee: therefore deliver us from the
torment of hell fire:
O LORD, surely whom thou shalt throw into the fire, thou wilt also cover
with shame: nor shall the ungodly have any to help them.
190 O LORD, we have heard a preacherk inviting us to the faith and saying,
Believe in your LORD: and we believed.
O LORD, forgive us therefore our sins, and expiate our evil deeds from
us, and make us to die with the righteous.
O LORD, give us also the reward which thou hast promised by thy apostles;
and cover us not with shame on the day of resurrection; for thou art not
contrary to the promise.
Their LORD therefore answered them, saying, I will not suffer the work of
him among you who worketh to be lost, whether he be male, or female:l the one
of you is from the other.
They therefore who have left their country, and have been turned out of
their houses, and have suffered for my sake, and have been slain in battle;
verily I will expiate their evil deeds from them, and I will surely bring them
into gardens watered by rivers;
a reward from GOD; and with GOD is the most excellent reward.
Let not the prosperous dealing of the unbelievers in the land deceive
thee;m it is but a slender provision;n and then their receptacle shall be
hell; an unhappy couch shall it be.
But they who fear the LORD shall have gardens through which rivers flow,
they shall continue therein forever: this is the gift of GOD for what is with
GOD shall be better for the righteous than short-lived worldly prosperity.
There are some of those who have received the scriptures, who believe in
GOD, and that which hath been sent down unto you, and that which hath been
sent down to them, submitting themselves unto GOD;o they tell not the signs of
GOD for a small price:

i viz., At all times and in all postures. Al Beidâwi mentions a saying
of Mohammed to one Imrân Ebn Hosein, to this purpose: Pray standing, if thou
art able; if not, sitting; and if thou canst not sit up, then as thou liest
along. Al Shâfeï directs that he sick should pray lying on their right side.
k Namely, Mohammed, with the Korân.
l These words were added, as some relate, on Omm Salma, one of the
prophet's wives, telling him that she had observed GOD often made mention of
the men who fled their country for the sake of their faith, but took no notice
of the women.1
m The original word properly signifies success in the affairs of life,
and particularly in trade. It is said that some of Mohammed's followers
observing the prosperity the idolaters enjoyed, expressed their regret that
those enemies of GOD should live in such ease and plenty, while themselves
were perishing for hunger and fatigue; whereupon this passage was revealed.2
n Because of its short continuance.
o The persons here meant, some will have to be Abda'llah Ebn Salâm3 and
his companions; others suppose they were forty Arabs of Najrân, or thirty-two
Ethiopians, or else eight Greeks, who were converted from Christianity to
Mohammedism; and others say this passage was revealed in the ninth year of the
Hejra, when Mohammed, on Gabriel's bringing him the news of the death of
Ashama king of Ethiopia, who had embraced the Mohammedan religion some years
before,4 prayed for the soul of the departed; at which some of his
hypocritical followers were displeased, and wondered that he should pray for a
Christian proselyte whom he had never seen.5

1 Idem. 2 Idem. 3 See before, p. 44. 4 See
the Prelim. Discourse, Sect. II. 5 Al Beidâwi.

these shall have their reward with their LORD; for GOD is swift in taking
an account.p
200 O true believers, be patient and strive to excel in patience, and be
constant-minded, and fear GOD, that ye may be happy.

______________

CHAPTER IV.

ENTITLED, WOMEN;q REVEALED AT MEDINA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD

O MEN, fear your LORD, who hath created you out of one man, and out of
him created his wife, and from them two hath multiplied many men, and women:
and fear GOD by whom ye beseech one another;r and respect womens who have
borne you, for GOD is watching over you.
And give the orphans when they come to age their substance; and render
them not in exchange bad for good:t and devour not their substance, by adding
it to your own substance; for this is a great sin.
And if ye fear that ye shall not act with equity towards orphans of the
female sex, take in marriage of such other women as please you, two, or three,
or four, and not more.u But if ye fear that ye cannot act equitably towards
so many, marry one only, or the slaves which ye shall have acquired.x This
will be easier, that ye swerve not from righteousness. And give women their
dowry freely; but if they voluntarily remit unto you any part of it, enjoy it
with satisfaction and advantage.
And give not unto those who are weak of understanding the substance which
GOD hath appointed you to preserve for them; but maintain them thereout, and
clothe them, and speak kindly unto them.

p See before, p. 21, and the Preliminary Discourse, Sect. IV.
q This title was given to this chapter, because it chiefly treats of
matters relating to women; as, marriages, divorces, dower, prohibited degrees,
&c.
r Saying, I beseech thee for GOD'S sake.1
s Literally, the wombs.
t That is, take not what ye find of value among their effects to your
own use, and give them worse in its stead.
u The commentators understand this passage differently. The true
meaning seems to be as it is here translated; Mohammed advising his followers
that if they found they should wrong the female orphans under their care,
either by marrying them against their inclinations, ought, by reason of their
having already several wives, they should rather choose to marry other women,
to avoid all occasion of sin.2 Others say that when this passage was
revealed, many of the Arabians, fearing trouble and temptation, refused to
take upon them the charge of orphans, and yet multiplied wives to a great
excess, and used them ill; or, as others write, gave themselves up to
fornication; which occasioned this passage. And according to these, its
meaning must be either that if they feared they could not act justly towards
orphans, they had as great reason to apprehend they could not deal equitably
with so many wives, and therefore are commanded to marry but a certain number;
or else, that since fornication was a crime as well as wronging of orphans,
they ought to avoid that also, by marrying according to their abilities.3
x For slaves requiring not so large a dower, nor so good and plentiful
a maintenance as free women, a man might keep several of the former, as easily
as one of the latter.

1 Idem. 2 Idem 3 Idem, Jallalo'ddin.

And examine the orphansy until they attain the age of marriage:z but if
ye perceive they are able to manage their affairs well, deliver their
substance unto them; and waste it not extravagantly, or hastily,
because they grow up.a Let him who is rich abstain entirely from the
orphans' estates; and let him who is poor take thereof according to what shall
be reasonable.b
And when ye deliver their substance unto them, call witnesses thereof in
their presence: GOD taketh sufficient account of your actions.
Men ought to have a part of what their parents and kindred leavec behind
them when they die: and women also ought to have a part of what their parents
and kindred leave, whether it be little, or whether it be much; a determinate
part is due to them.
And when they who are of kin are present at the dividing of what is left,
and also the orphans, and the poor; distribute unto them some part thereof;
and if the estate be too small, at least speak comfortably unto them.
10 And let those fear to abuse orphans, who if they leave behind them a
weak offspring, are solicitous for them; let them therefore fear GOD, and
speak that which is convenient.d
Surely they who devour the possessions of orphans unjustly shall swallow
down nothing but fire into their bellies, and shall broil in raging flames.
GOD hath thus commanded you concerning your children. A male shall have
as much as the share of two females:e but if they be females only, and above
two in number, they shall have two third parts of what the deceased shall
leave;f and if there be but one, she shall have the half.g And the parents of
the deceased shall have each of them a sixth part of what he shall leave, if
he have a child; but if he have no child, and his parents be his heirs, then
his mother shall have the third part.h And if he have brethren, his mother
shall have a sixth part, after the legaciesi which he shall bequeath, and his
debts be paid. Ye know not whether your parents or your children be of
greater use unto you. This is an ordinance from GOD, and GOD is knowing and
wise.

y i.e., Try whether they be well grounded in the principles of
religion, and have sufficient prudence for the management of their affairs.
Under this expression is also comprehended the duty of a curator's instructing
his pupils in those respects.
z Or age of maturity, which is generally reckoned to be fifteen; a
decision supported by a tradition of their prophet, though Abu Hanîfah thinks
eighteen the proper age.1
a i.e., Because they will shortly be of age to receive what belongs to
them.
b That is, no more than what shall make sufficient recompense for the
trouble of their education.
c This law was given to abolish a custom of the pagan Arabs, who
suffered not women or children to have any part of their husband's or father's
inheritance, on pretence that they only should inherit who were able to go to
war.2
d viz., Either to comfort the children, or to assure the dying father
they shall be justly dealt by.3
e This is the general rule to be followed in the distribution of the
estate of the deceased, as may be observed in the following cases.4
f Or if there be two and no more, they will have the same share.
g And the remaining third part, or the remaining moiety of the estate,
which is not here expressly disposed of, if the deceased leaves behind him no
son, nor a father, goes to the public treasury. It must be observed that Mr.
Selden is certainly mistaken when, in explaining this passage of the Korân, he
says, that where there is a son and an only daughter, each of them will have a
moiety:5 for the daughter can have a moiety but in one case only, that is,
where there is no son; for if there be a son, she can have but a third,
according to the above-mentioned rule.
h And his father consequently the other two-thirds.6
i By legacies, in this and the following passages, are chiefly meant
those bequeathed to pious uses; for the Mohammedans approve not of a person's
giving away his substance from his family and near relations on any other
account.

1 Al Beidâwi. 2 Idem. 3 Idem. 4 Vide
Prelim. Disc. Sect. VI. 5 Selden, de Success. ad Leges Ebræor. l. I, c.
I. 6 Al Beidâwi.

Moreover ye may claim half of what your wives shall leave, if they have
no issue; but if they have issue, then ye shall have the fourth part of what
they shall leave, after the legacies which they shall bequeath, and the debts
be paid.
They also shall have the fourth part of what ye shall leave, in case ye
have no issue; but if ye have issue, then they shall have the eighth part of
what ye shall leave, after the legacies which ye shall bequeath, and your
debts be paid.
And if a man or woman's substance be inherited by a distant relation,k
and he or she have a brother or sister; each of them two shall have a sixth
part of the estate.l But if there be more than this number, they shall be
equal sharers in a third part, after payment of the legacies which shall be
bequeathed, and the debts,
without prejudice to the heirs. This is an ordinance from GOD: and GOD
is knowing and gracious.
These are the statutes of GOD. And whoso obeyeth GOD and his apostle,
God shall lead him into gardens wherein rivers flow, they shall continue
therein forever; and this shall be great happiness.
But whoso disobeyeth GOD, and his apostle, and transgresseth his
statutes, God shall cast him into hell fire; he shall remain therein forever,
and he shall suffer a shameful punishment.
If any of your women be guilty of whoredom,m produce four witnesses from
among you against them, and if they bear witness against them, imprison them
in separate apartments until death release them, or GOD affordeth them a way
to escape.n
20 And if two of you commit the like wickedness,o punish them both:p but if
they repent and amend, let them both alone; for GOD is easy to be reconciled
and merciful.
Verily repentance will be accepted with GOD, from those who do evil
ignorantly, and then repent speedily; unto them will GOD be turned: for GOD is
knowing and wise.
But no repentance shall be accepted from those who do evil until the time
when death presenteth itself unto one of them, and he saith, Verily I repent
now; nor unto those who die unbelievers; for them have we prepared a grievous
punishment.

k For this may happen by contract, or on some other special occasion.
l Here, and in the next case, the brother and sister are made equal
sharers, which is an exception to the general rule, of giving a male twice as
much as a female; and the reason is said to be because of the smallness of the
portions, which deserve not such exactness of distribution; for in other cases
the rule holds between brother and sister, as well as other relations.1
m Either adultery or fornication.
n Their punishment, in the beginning of Mohammedism, was to be immured
till they died, but afterwards this cruel doom was mitigated, and they might
avoid it by undergoing the punishment ordained in its stead by the Sonna,
according to which the maidens are to be scourged with a hundred stripes, and
to be banished for a full year; and the married women to be stoned.2
o The commentators are not agreed whether the text speaks of
fornication or sodomy. Al Zamakhshari, and from him, al Beidâwi, supposes the
former is here meant: but Jallalo'ddin is of opinion that the crime intended
in this passage must be committed between two men, and not between a man and a
woman; not only because the pronouns are in the masculine gender, but because
both are ordered to suffer the same slight punishment, and are both allowed
the same repentance and indulgence; and especially for that a different and
much severer punishment is appointed for the women in the preceding words.
Abu'l Kâsem Hebatallah takes simple fornication to be the crime intended, and
that this passage is abrogated by that of the 24th chapter, where the man and
the woman who shall be guilty of fornication are ordered to be scourged with a
hundred stripes each.
p The original is, Do them some hurt or damage: by which some
understand that they are only to reproach them in public,3 or strike them on
the head with their slippers4 (a great indignity in the east), though some
imagine they may be scourged.5

1 See this chapter, near the end. 2 Jallalo'ddin. 3
Jallalo'ddin, Yahya, Abul Kâsem Habatallah, al Beidâwi.
4 Jallalo'ddin al Beidâwi. 5 Al Beidâwi.

O true believers, it is not lawful for you to be heirs of women against
their will,q nor to hinder them from marrying others,r that ye may take away
part of what ye have given them in dowry; unless they have been guilty of a
manifest crime:s 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.
If ye be desirous to exchange a wife for another wife,t and ye have
already given one of them a talent,u take not away anything therefrom:x will
ye take it by slandering her, and doing her manifest injustice?
And how can ye take it, since the one of you hath gone in unto the other,
and they have received from you a firm covenant?
Marry not women whom your fathers have had to wife; (except what is
already past:) for this is uncleanness, and an abomination, and an evil way.
Ye are forbidden to marry your mothers, and your daughters, and your
sisters, and your aunts both on the father's and on the mother's side, and
your brothers' daughters, and your sisters' daughters, and your mothers who
have given you suck, and your foster-sisters, and your wives' mothers, and
your daughters-in-law which are under your tuition, born of your wives unto
whom ye have gone in, (but if ye have not gone in unto them, it shall be no
sin in you to marry them, ) and the wives of your sons who proceed out of your
loins; and ye are also forbidden to take to wife two sisters,y except what is
already past: for GOD is gracious and merciful.
Ye are also forbidden to take to wife free women who are married, except
those women whom your right hands shall possess as slaves.z This is ordained
you from GOD. Whatever is beside this is allowed you; that ye may with your
substance provide wives for yourselves, acting that which is right, and
avoiding whoredom. And for the advantage which ye receive from them, give
them their reward,a according to what is ordained: but it shall be no crime in
you to make any other agreement among yourselves,b after the ordinance shall
be complied with; for GOD is knowing and wise.

q It was customary among the pagan Arabs, when a man died, for one of
his relations to claim a right to his widow, which he asserted by throwing his
garment over her; and then he either married her himself, if he thought fit,
on assigning her the same dower that her former husband had done, or kept her
dower and married her to another, or else refused to let her marry unless she
redeemed herself by quitting what she might claim of her husband's goods.1
This unjust custom is abolished by this passage.
r Some say these words are directed to husbands who used to imprison
their wives without any just cause, and out of covetousness, merely to make
them relinquish their dower or their inheritance.2
s Such as disobedience, ill behaviour, immodesty, and the like.3
t That is, by divorcing one, and marrying another.
u i.e., Ever so large a dower.
x See chapter 2, p. 25.
y The same was also prohibited by the Levitical law.4
z According to this passage it is not lawful to marry a free woman that
is already married, be she a Mohammedan or not, unless she be legally parted
from her husband by divorce; but it is lawful to marry those who are slaves,
or taken in war, after they shall have gone through the proper purifications,
though their husbands be living. Yet, according to the decision of Abu
Hanîfah, it is not lawful to marry such whose husbands shall be taken, or in
actual slavery with them.1
a That is, assign them their dower.
b That is, either to increase the dower, or to abate some part or even
the whole of it.

1 Al Beidâwi. 2 Idem. 3 Idem. 4 Levit.
xviii. 18. 1 Al Beidâwi.

Whoso among you hath not means sufficient that he may marry free women,
who are believers, let him marry with such of your maid-servants whom your
right hands possess, as are true believers; for GOD well knoweth your faith.
Ye are the one from the other:c therefore marry them with the consent of their
masters; and give them their dower according to justice; such as are modest,
not guilty of whoredom, nor entertaining lovers.
30 And when they are married, if they be guilty of adultery, they shall
suffer half the punishment which is appointed for the free women.d This is
allowed unto him among you, who feareth to sin by marrying free women; but if
ye abstain from marrying slaves, it will be better for you; GOD is gracious
and merciful.
GOD is willing to declare these things unto you, and to direct you
according to the ordinances of those who have gone before you,e and to be
merciful unto you. GOD is knowing and wise.
GOD desireth to be gracious unto you; but they who follow their lusts,f
desire that ye should turn aside from the truth with great deviation. GOD is
minded to make his religion light unto you: for man was created weak.g
O true believers, consume not your wealth among yourselves in vanity;h
unless there be merchandising among you by mutual consent: neither slay
yourselves;i for GOD is merciful towards you:
and whoever doth this maliciouslyk and wickedly, he will surely cast him
to be broiled in hell fire; and this is easy with GOD.
If ye turn aside from the grievous sins,l of those which ye are forbidden
to commit, we will cleanse you from your smaller faults; and will introduce
you into paradise with an honourable entry.
Covet not that which GOD hath bestowed on some of you preferably to
others.m Unto the men shall be given a portion of what they shall have
gained, and unto the women shall be given a portion of what they shall have
gained:n therefore ask GOD of his bounty; for GOD is omniscient.

c Being alike descended from Adam, and of the same faith.2
d The reason of this is because they are not presumed to have had so
good education. A slave, therefore, in such a case, is to have fifty stripes,
and to be banished for half a year; but she shall not be stoned, because it is
a punishment which cannot be inflicted by halves.3
e viz., Of the prophets, and other holy and prudent men of former
ages.4
f Some commentators suppose that these words have a particular regard
to the Magians, who formerly were frequently guilty of incestuous marriages,
their prophet Zerdusht having allowed them to take their mothers and sisters
to wife; and also to the Jews, who likewise might marry within some of the
degrees here prohibited.5
g Being unable to refrain from women, and too subject to be led away by
carnal appetites.6
h That is, employ it not in things prohibited by GOD; such as usury,
extortion, rapine, gaming, and the like.7
i Literally, slay not your souls; i.e., says Jallalo'ddin, by
committing mortal sins, or such crimes as will destroy them. Others, however,
are of opinion that self-murder, which the gentile Indians did, and still do,
often practise in honour of their idols, or else the taking away the life of
any true believer, is hereby forbidden.8
k See Wisdom xvi. 14, in the Vulgate.
l These sins al Beidâwi, from a tradition of Mohammed, reckons to be
seven (equaling in number the sins called deadly by Christians), that is to
say, idolatry, murder, falsely accusing modest women of adultery, wasting the
substance of orphans, taking of usury, desertion in a religious expedition,
and disobedience to parents. But Ebn Abbâs says they amount to near seven
hundred; and others suppose that idolatry only, of different kinds, in
worshipping idols or any creature, either in opposition to or jointly with the
true God, is here intended; that sin being generally esteemed by Mohammedans,
and in a few lines after declared by the Korân itself, to be the only one
which God will not pardon.1
m Such as honour, power, riches, and other worldly advantages. Some,
however, understand this of the distribution of inheritances according to the
preceding determinations, whereby some have a larger share than others.2
n That is, they shall be blessed according to their deserts; and ought,
therefore, instead of displeasing God by envying of others, to endeavor to
merit his favour by good works and to apply to him by prayer.

2 Idem. 3 Idem. 4 Jallalo'ddin. Al Beidâwi.
5 Al Beidâwi. 6 Idem, Jallalo'ddin. 7 Idem.
8 Idem. 1 Idem. See before, c. 2, p. 10. 2 Idem,
Jallalo'ddin.

We have appointed unto every one kindred, to inherit part of what their
parents and relations shall leave at their deaths. And unto those with whom
your right hands have made an alliance, give their part of the inheritance;o
for GOD is witness of all things.
Men shall have the preëminence above women, because of those advantages
wherein GOD hath caused the one of them to excel the other,p and for that
which they expend of their substance in maintaining their wives. The honest
women are obedient. careful in the absence of their husbands,q for that GOD
preserveth them, by committing them to the care and protection of the men.
But those, whose perverseness ye shall be apprehensive of, rebuke; and remove
them into separate apartments,r and chastise them.s But if they shall be
obedient unto you, seek not an occasion of quarrel against them: for GOD is
high and great.
And if ye fear a breach between the husband and wife, send a judget out
of his family, and a judge out of her family: if they shall desire a
reconciliation, GOD will cause them to agree; for GOD is knowing and wise.
40 Serve GOD, and associate no creature with him; and show kindness unto
parents, and relations, and orphans, and the poor, and your neighbor who is of
kin to you,u and also your neighbor who is a stranger, and to your familiar
companion, and the traveller, and the captives whom your right hands shall
possess; for GOD loveth not the proud or vain-glorious,
who are covetous, and recommend covetousness unto men, and conceal that
which GOD of his bounty hath given themx (we have prepared a shameful
punishment for the unbelievers;)
and who bestow their wealth in charity to be observed of men, and believe
not in GOD, nor in the last day; and whoever hath Satan for a companion, an
evil companion hath he!
And what harm would befall them if they should believe in GOD, and the
last day, and give alms out of that which GOD hath bestowed on them? since GOD
knoweth them who do this.
Verily GOD will not wrong any one even the weight of an ant:y and if it
be a good action, he will double it, and will recompense it in his sight with
a great reward.