Verse 4:6 in Context

Translator Abdel Haleem

2 وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلۡیَتَـٰمَىٰۤ أَمۡوَ ٰلَهُمۡۖ وَلَا تَتَبَدَّلُوا۟ ٱلۡخَبِیثَ بِٱلطَّیِّبِۖ وَلَا تَأۡكُلُوۤا۟ أَمۡوَ ٰلَهُمۡ إِلَىٰۤ أَمۡوَ ٰلِكُمۡۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ حُوبࣰا كَبِیرࣰا ۝٢ waātū l-yatāmā amwālahum walā tatabaddalū l-khabītha bil-ṭayibi walā takulū amwālahum ilā amwālikum innahu kāna ḥūban kabīra Give orphans their property, do not replace [their] good things with bad, and do not consume their property with your own- a great sin 3 وَإِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ أَلَّا تُقۡسِطُوا۟ فِی ٱلۡیَتَـٰمَىٰ فَٱنكِحُوا۟ مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَاۤءِ مَثۡنَىٰ وَثُلَـٰثَ وَرُبَـٰعَۖ فَإِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ أَلَّا تَعۡدِلُوا۟ فَوَ ٰحِدَةً أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَیۡمَـٰنُكُمۡۚ ذَ ٰلِكَ أَدۡنَىٰۤ أَلَّا تَعُولُوا۟ ۝٣ wa-in khif'tum allā tuq'siṭū fī l-yatāmā fa-inkiḥū mā ṭāba lakum mina l-nisāi mathnā wathulātha warubāʿa fa-in khif'tum allā taʿdilū fawāḥidatan aw mā malakat aymānukum dhālika adnā allā taʿūl If you fear that you will not deal fairly with orphan girls, you may marry whichever [other] women seem good to you, two, three, or four. If you fear that you cannot be equitable [to them], then marry only one, or your slave(s): that is more likely to make you avoid bias 4 وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَاۤءَ صَدُقَـٰتِهِنَّ نِحۡلَةࣰۚ فَإِن طِبۡنَ لَكُمۡ عَن شَیۡءࣲ مِّنۡهُ نَفۡسࣰا فَكُلُوهُ هَنِیۤءࣰا مَّرِیۤءࣰا ۝٤ waātū l-nisāa ṣaduqātihinna niḥ'latan fa-in ṭib'na lakum ʿan shayin min'hu nafsan fakulūhu hanīan marīa Give women their bridal gift upon marriage, though if they are happy to give up some of it for you, you may enjoy it with a clear conscience 5 وَلَا تُؤۡتُوا۟ ٱلسُّفَهَاۤءَ أَمۡوَ ٰلَكُمُ ٱلَّتِی جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ قِیَـٰمࣰا وَٱرۡزُقُوهُمۡ فِیهَا وَٱكۡسُوهُمۡ وَقُولُوا۟ لَهُمۡ قَوۡلࣰا مَّعۡرُوفࣰا ۝٥ walā tu'tū l-sufahāa amwālakumu allatī jaʿala l-lahu lakum qiyāman wa-ur'zuqūhum fīhā wa-ik'sūhum waqūlū lahum qawlan maʿrūfa Do not entrust your property to the feeble-minded. God has made it a means of support for you: make provision for them from it, clothe them, and address them kindly

6 وَٱبۡتَلُوا۟ ٱلۡیَتَـٰمَىٰ حَتَّىٰۤ إِذَا بَلَغُوا۟ ٱلنِّكَاحَ فَإِنۡ ءَانَسۡتُم مِّنۡهُمۡ رُشۡدࣰا فَٱدۡفَعُوۤا۟ إِلَیۡهِمۡ أَمۡوَ ٰلَهُمۡۖ وَلَا تَأۡكُلُوهَاۤ إِسۡرَافࣰا وَبِدَارًا أَن یَكۡبَرُوا۟ۚ وَمَن كَانَ غَنِیࣰّا فَلۡیَسۡتَعۡفِفۡۖ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِیرࣰا فَلۡیَأۡكُلۡ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِۚ فَإِذَا دَفَعۡتُمۡ إِلَیۡهِمۡ أَمۡوَ ٰلَهُمۡ فَأَشۡهِدُوا۟ عَلَیۡهِمۡۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ حَسِیبࣰا ۝٦ wa-ib'talū l-yatāmā ḥattā idhā balaghū l-nikāḥa fa-in ānastum min'hum rush'dan fa-id'faʿū ilayhim amwālahum walā takulūhā is'rāfan wabidāran an yakbarū waman kāna ghaniyyan falyastaʿfif waman kāna faqīran falyakul bil-maʿrūfi fa-idhā dafaʿtum ilayhim amwālahum fa-ashhidū ʿalayhim wakafā bil-lahi ḥasība Test orphans until they reach marriageable age; then, if you find they have sound judgement, hand over their property to them. Do not consume it hastily before they come of age: if the guardian is well off he should abstain from the orphan’s property, and if he is poor he should use only what is fair. When you give them their property, call witnesses in; but God takes full account of everything you do

7 لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِیبࣱ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ ٱلۡوَ ٰلِدَانِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبُونَ وَلِلنِّسَاۤءِ نَصِیبࣱ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ ٱلۡوَ ٰلِدَانِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبُونَ مِمَّا قَلَّ مِنۡهُ أَوۡ كَثُرَۚ نَصِیبࣰا مَّفۡرُوضࣰا ۝٧ lilrrijāli naṣībun mimmā taraka l-wālidāni wal-aqrabūna walilnnisāi naṣībun mimmā taraka l-wālidāni wal-aqrabūna mimmā qalla min'hu aw kathura naṣīban mafrūḍa Men shall have a share in what their parents and closest relatives leave, and women shall have a share in what their parents and closest relatives leave, whether the legacy be small or large: this is ordained by God 8 وَإِذَا حَضَرَ ٱلۡقِسۡمَةَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡیَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَـٰكِینُ فَٱرۡزُقُوهُم مِّنۡهُ وَقُولُوا۟ لَهُمۡ قَوۡلࣰا مَّعۡرُوفࣰا ۝٨ wa-idhā ḥaḍara l-qis'mata ulū l-qur'bā wal-yatāmā wal-masākīnu fa-ur'zuqūhum min'hu waqūlū lahum qawlan maʿrūfa If other relatives, orphans, or needy people are present at the distribution, give them something too, and speak kindly to them 9 وَلۡیَخۡشَ ٱلَّذِینَ لَوۡ تَرَكُوا۟ مِنۡ خَلۡفِهِمۡ ذُرِّیَّةࣰ ضِعَـٰفًا خَافُوا۟ عَلَیۡهِمۡ فَلۡیَتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلۡیَقُولُوا۟ قَوۡلࣰا سَدِیدًا ۝٩ walyakhsha alladhīna law tarakū min khalfihim dhurriyyatan ḍiʿāfan khāfū ʿalayhim falyattaqū l-laha walyaqūlū qawlan sadīda Let those who would fear for the future of their own helpless children, if they were to die, show the same concern [for orphans]; let them be mindful of God and speak out for justice 10 إِنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ یَأۡكُلُونَ أَمۡوَ ٰلَ ٱلۡیَتَـٰمَىٰ ظُلۡمًا إِنَّمَا یَأۡكُلُونَ فِی بُطُونِهِمۡ نَارࣰاۖ وَسَیَصۡلَوۡنَ سَعِیرࣰا ۝١٠ inna alladhīna yakulūna amwāla l-yatāmā ẓul'man innamā yakulūna fī buṭūnihim nāran wasayaṣlawna saʿīra Those who consume the property of orphans unjustly are actually swallowing fire into their own bellies: they will burn in the blazing Flame