Sura-4 [Al Nissa Medina 92]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:
وَآتُواْ
النَّسَاء
صَدُقَاتِهِنَّ
نِحْلَةً...
4:4. And give the women (on marriage) their dower as a free gift;
... فَإِن طِبْنَ لَكُمْ عَن شَيْءٍ مِّنْهُ نَفْسًا فَكُلُوهُ هَنِيئًا مَّرِيئًا ﴿٤﴾
but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, take it and enjoy it with right good cheer.
وَإِنْ
أَرَدتُّمُ
اسْتِبْدَالَ
زَوْجٍ
مَّكَانَ
زَوْجٍ
وَآتَيْتُمْ
إِحْدَاهُنَّ
قِنطَارًا
فَلاَ
تَأْخُذُواْ
مِنْهُ
شَيْئًا...
4:20. But if ye decide to take one wife in place of another, even if ye had given the latter a whole treasure for dower, take not the least bit of it back:
C529. Treasure: Qintar; a Talent of gold:
see 3:14, first note.
... أَتَأْخُذُونَهُ بُهْتَاناً وَإِثْماً مُّبِيناً ﴿٢٠﴾
would ye take it by slander and a manifest wrong?
وَكَيْفَ
تَأْخُذُونَهُ
وَقَدْ
أَفْضَى
بَعْضُكُمْ
إِلَى
بَعْضٍ
وَأَخَذْنَ
مِنكُم
مِّيثَاقًا
غَلِيظًا
﴿٢١﴾
4:21. And how could ye take it when ye have gone in unto each other, and they have taken from you a solemn covenant?
وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ
مِنَ
النِّسَاء
إِلاَّ
مَا
مَلَكَتْ
أَيْمَانُكُمْ
...
4:24. Also (prohibited are) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess.
C537. Whom your right hands possess: i.e., captives in a Jihad. (R).
... كِتَابَ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ...
Thus hath Allah ordained (prohibitions) against you:
... وَأُحِلَّ لَكُم مَّا وَرَاء ذَلِكُمْ أَن تَبْتَغُواْ بِأَمْوَالِكُم مُّحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحِينَ...
except for these, all others are lawful, provided ye seek (them in marriage) with gifts from your property, desiring chastity, not lust.
C538. After defining the prohibited degrees, the verse proceeds to say that women other than those specified may be sought in marriage, but even so, not from motives of lust, but in order to promote chastity between the sexes.
Marriage in the original Arabic is here described by a word which suggests a fortress (hisn): marriage is, therefore, the fortress of chastity.
... فَمَا اسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهِ مِنْهُنَّ فَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً ...
Seeing that ye derive benefit from them, give them their dowers (at least) as prescribed;
C539. As the woman in marriage surrenders her person, so the man also must surrender. at least some of his property according to his means. And this gives rise to the law of Dower.
A minimum dower is prescribed, but it is not necessary to stick to the minimum, and in the new relationship created, the parties are recommended to act towards each other with the greatest confidence and liberality.
... وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا تَرَاضَيْتُم بِهِ مِن بَعْدِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ...
but if after a dower is prescribed, ye agree mutually (to vary it), there is no blame on you,
... إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا ﴿٢٤﴾
and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
Asad’s Version:
4: 4
Asad And give unto women their marriage portions in the spirit of a gilt [note 5]; but if they, of their own accord give up unto you aught thereof, then enjoy it with pleasure and good cheer.
Yusuf Ali And give the women (on marriage) their dower as a free gift; but if they of their own good pleasure remit any part of it to you take it and enjoy it with right good cheer.
Pickthall And give unto the women, (whom ye marry) free gift of their marriage portions; but if they of their own accord remit unto you a part thereof, then ye are welcome to absorb it (in your wealth).
Transliteration Wa a_tun nisa_'a saduqa_tihinna nihlah(tan), fa in tibna lakum 'an syai'im minhu nafsan fakulu_hu hani'am mari'a_(n).
[[ Asad’s note 5 – The expression ‘nihlah’ signifies the giving of something willingly, of one’s own accord without expecting a return for it (Zamakhshari). It is to be noted that the amount of the marriage-portion, or dower, which the bridegroom has to give to the bride had not been circumscribed by the Law: it depends entirely on the agreement of the two parties, and may consist of anything, even a mere token. …………..]]
4: 20
Asad But if you desire to give up a wife and to take another in her stead, do not take away anything of what you have given the first one, however much it may have been [note 21]. Would you, perchance, take it away by slandering her and thus committing a manifest sin [note 22]. And how could you take it away after you have given yourselves to one another, and she has [note 23] received a most solemn pledge from you?
Yusuf Ali But if ye decide to take one wife in place of another even if ye had given the latter a whole treasure for dower take not the least bit of it back: would ye take it by slander and a manifest wrong?
Pickthall And if ye wish to exchange one wife for another and ye have given unto one of them a sum of money (however great), take nothing from it. Would ye take it by the way of calumny and open wrong?
Transliteration Wa in arattumustibda_la zaujim maka_na zauj(iw), wa a_taitum ihda_hunna qinta_ran fala_ ta'khuzu_ minhu syai'a_(n), ata'khuzu_nahu_ buhta_naw wa ismam mubina_(n).
4: 21
Asad And how could you take it away after you have given yourselves to one another, and she has received a most solemn pledge from you?
Yusuf Ali And how could ye take it when ye have gone in unto each other and they have taken from you a solemn covenant?
Pickthall How can ye take it (back) after one of you hath gone in unto the other, and they have taken a strong pledge from you?
Transliteration Wa kaifa ta'khuzu_nahu_ wa qad afda_ ba'dukum ila_ ba'diw wa akhazna minkum misa_qan galiza_(n).
4: 24
Asad …………But lawful to you are all [women] beyond these, for you to seek out, offering them of your possessions, taking them in honest wedlock, and not in fornication. And unto those with whom you desire to enjoy marrieage, you hsall give the dowers due to them;……………
Yusuf Ali Also (prohibited are) women already married except those whom your right hands possess. Thus hath Allah ordained (prohibitions) against you: except for these all others are lawful provided ye seek (them in marriage) with gifts from your property desiring chastity not lust. Seeing that ye derive benefit from them give them their dowers (at least) as prescribed; but if after a dower is prescribed ye agree mutually (to vary it) there is no blame on you and Allah is All-Knowing All-Wise.
Pickthall And all married women (are forbidden unto you save those (captives) whom your right hands possess. It is a decree of Allah for you. Lawful unto you are all beyond those mentioned, so that ye seek them with your wealth in honest wedlock, not debauchery. And those of whom ye seek content (by marrying them), give unto them their portions as a duty. And there is no sin for you in what ye do by mutual agreement after the duty (hath been done). Lo! Allah is ever Knower, Wise.
Transliteration Wal muhsana_tu minan nisa_'i illa_ ma_ malakat aima_nukum, kita_balla_hi 'alaikum, wa uhilla lakum ma_ wara_'a za_likum an tabtagu_ bi amwa_likum muhisinan gaira musa_fihin(a), famastamta'tum bihi minhunna fa a_tu_hunna uju_rahunna faridah(tan), wa la_ juna_ha 'alaikum fima_ tara_daitum bihi mim ba'dil faridah(ti), innalla_ha ka_na'aliman hakima_(n).