WOMEN
Sura-3 [Al-Imran, Medina 89 ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:
فَلَمَّا
وَضَعَتْهَا
قَالَتْ
رَبِّ
إِنِّي
وَضَعْتُهَا
أُنثَى
...
3:36 When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! behold! I am delivered of a female child!"
...وَاللّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا وَضَعَتْ ...
And Allah knew best what she brought forth --
C377. The mother of Mary expected a male child. Was she disappointed that it was a female child?
No, for she had Faith, and she knew that Allah's Plan was better than any wishes of hers.
Mary was no ordinary girl: only Allah knew what it was that her mother brought forth.
... وَلَيْسَ الذَّكَرُ كَالأُنثَى...
"And nowise is the male like the female.
C378. The female child could not be devoted to Temple service under the Mosaic law, as she intended. But she was marked out for a special destiny as a miracle-child, to be the mother of the miracle-child Jesus.
She was content to seek Allah's protection for her against all evil. There is a certain sense of pride in the girl on the part of the mother.
...وَإِنِّي سَمَّيْتُهَا مَرْيَمَ وِإِنِّي أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ ﴿٣٦﴾
I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected."
Other versions:
3: 36
Yusuf Ali When she was delivered she said: "O my Lord! behold! I am delivered of a female child!" And Allah knew best what she brought forth, "and nowise is the male like the female. I have named her Mary and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One the Rejected."
Pickthall And when she was delivered she said: My Lord! Lo! I am delivered of a female--Allah knew best of what she was delivered--the male is not as the female; and Lo! I have named her Mary, and Lo! I crave Thy protection for her and for her offspring from Satan the outcast.
Transliteration Falamma_ wada'atha_ qa_lat rabbi inni wada'tuha_ unsa_, walla_hu a'lamu bima_ wada'at, wa laisaz zakaru kal unsa_, wa inni sammaituha_ maryama wa inni u'izuha_ bika wa zurriyyataha_ minasy syaita_nir rajim(i).
The Best : 3; 42 “O Mary! Behold, God has… raised thee above all the women of the world.
Sura-4 [Al Nissa Medina 92]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا
النَّاسُ
اتَّقُواْ
رَبَّكُمُ
الَّذِي
خَلَقَكُم
مِّن
نَّفْسٍ
وَاحِدَةٍ
...
4:1 O mankind!
reverence your Guardian-Lord, Who created you from a single person,
C504. Nafs may mean:
- soul;
- self;
- person, living person;
- will, good pleasure, as in 4:4 below.
... وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا ....
created, of like nature, his mate,
Minha: I follow the construction suggested by Imam Razi.
The particle min would then suggest here a species, a nature, a similarity.
The pronoun ha refers of course to Nafs. (R).
.. وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالاً كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاء...
and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;
... وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءلُونَ بِهِ ...
reverence Allah, through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights),
C505. All our mutual rights and duties are referred to Allah. We are His creatures: His Will is the standard and measure of Allah; and our duties are measured by our conformity with His Will.
"Our wills are ours, to make them Thine," says Tennyson (In Memoriam).
Among ourselves (human beings) our mutual rights and duties arise out of Allah's Law, the sense of Right that is implanted in us by Him.
... وَالأَرْحَامَ ...
and (reverence) the wombs (that bore you):
C506. Among the most wonderful mysteries of our nature is that of sex.
The unregenerate male is apt, in the pride of his physical strength, to forget the all-important part which the female plays in his very existence, and in all the social relationships that arise in our collective human lives.
The mother that bore us must ever have our reverence. The wife, through whom we enter parentage, must have our reverence.
Sex, which governs so much of our physical life, and has so much influence on our emotional and higher nature, deserves-not our fear, or our contempt, or our amused indulgence, but-our reverence in the highest sense of the term.
With this fitting introduction we enter on a discussion of women, orphans, and family relationships.
... إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا ﴿١﴾
for Allah ever watches over you.
وَيَسْتَفْتُونَكَ
فِي
النِّسَاء...
4: 127. They ask thy instruction concerning the women.
... قُلِ اللّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِيهِنَّ وَمَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ...
Say: Allah doth instruct you about them:
and (remember) what hath been rehearsed unto you in the Book,
C636. Again and again is it impressed on the community of Islam to be just in their dealings with women, orphans, children, and all whose weakness requires special consideration.
The law about widows and orphans, inheritance, dower, and marriage had already been declared in 4:2-35 and further instructions are now given on a further reference.
It was not right that anyone should take advantage of their helpless position to deprive them of dower or of their portion in inheritance.
... فِي يَتَامَى النِّسَاء الَّلاتِي لاَ تُؤْتُونَهُنَّ مَا كُتِبَ لَهُنَّ وَتَرْغَبُونَ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ...
concerning the orphans of women to whom ye give not the portions prescribed, and yet whom ye desire to marry,
... وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الْوِلْدَانِ وَأَن تَقُومُواْ لِلْيَتَامَى بِالْقِسْطِ ...
as also concerning the children who are weak and oppressed: that ye stand firm for justice to orphans.
Both widows and orphans are to be helped because they are ordinarily weak, ill-treated, and oppressed.
In communities which base their civil rights on brute strength, the weaker go to the wall, and public opinion expects nothing else. In Nietzsche's philosophy of the Superman that doctrine is stressed strongly, and some of the militarist nations in our own time seem inclined to support this reversion to our primitive instincts. Even in modern democracies of the saner sort, we are often told that it is the fate of minorities to suffer; strength of numbers here becomes the passport to power and privilege.
Islam, while upholding sane manly views in general, enjoins the most solicitous care for the weak and oppressed in every way-in rights of property, in social rights, and in the right to opportunities of development.
Spiritual strength or weakness does not necessarily go with physical or numerical strength.
... وَمَا تَفْعَلُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ بِهِ عَلِيمًا ﴿١٢٧﴾
There is not a good deed which ye do, but Allah is well-acquainted therewith
Asad’s Version:
4: 1
O mankind! Be conscious of your Sustainer, who has created you out of one living entity, and out of it created its mate, and out of the two spread abroad a multitude of men and women [note 1]. And remain conscious of God, in whose name you demand [your rights] from one another, and of these ties of kinship. Verily, God is ever watchful over you!
Yusuf Ali O mankind! reverence your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person created of like nature his mate and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women; reverence Allah through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights) and (reverence) the wombs (that bore you): for Allah ever watches over you.
Pickthall O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them twain hath spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in Whom ye claim ( your rights ) of one another, and toward the wombs (that bore you ). Lo! Allah hath been a Watcher over you.
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhan na_suttaqu_ rabbakumul lazi khalaqakum min nafsiw wa_hidatiw wa khalaqa minha_ zaujaha_ wa bassa minhuma_ rija_lan kasiraw wa nisa_'a(n), wattaqulla_hal lazi tasa_'alu_na bihi wal arha_m(a), innalla_ha ka_na'alaikum raqiba_(n).
[[504 Nafs may mean: (1) soul; (2) self; (3) person, living person; (4) will, good pleasure, as in iv. 4 below. Minha: I follow the construction suggested by Imam Razn. The particle min would then suggest here a species, a nature, a similarity. The pronoun ha refers of course to Nafs. (4.1)
505 All our mutual rights and duties are referred to Allah. We are His creatures: His Will is the standard and measure of Allah; and our duties are measured by our conformity with His Will. "Our wills are ours, to make them Thine," says Tennyson (In Memoriam). Among ourselves (human beings) our mutual rights and duties arise out of Allah's Law, the sense of Right that is implanted in us by Him. (4.1)
506 Among the most wonderful mysteries of our nature is that of sex. The unregenerate male is apt, in the pride of his physical strength, to forget the all-important part which the female plays in his very existence, and in all the social relationships that arise in our collective human lives. The mother that bore us must ever have our reverence. The wife, through whom we enter parentage, must have our reverence. Sex, which governs so much of our physical life, and has so much influence on our emotional and higher nature, deserves-not our fear, or our contempt, or our amused indulgence, but-our reverence in the highest sense of the term. With this fitting introduction we enter on a discussion of women, orphans, and family relationships. (4.1) ]]
[ Ali’s notes - 504 Nafs may mean: (1) soul; (2) self; (3) person, living person; (4) will, good pleasure, as in iv. 4 below. Minha: I follow the construction suggested by Imam Razn. The particle min would then suggest here a species, a nature, a similarity. The pronoun ha refers of course to Nafs. (4.1)
505 All our mutual rights and duties are referred to Allah. We are His creatures: His Will is the standard and measure of Allah; and our duties are measured by our conformity with His Will. "Our wills are ours, to make them Thine," says Tennyson (In Memoriam). Among ourselves (human beings) our mutual rights and duties arise out of Allah's Law, the sense of Right that is implanted in us by Him. (4.1)
506 Among the most wonderful mysteries of our nature is that of sex. The unregenerate male is apt, in the pride of his physical strength, to forget the all-important part which the female plays in his very existence, and in all the social relationships that arise in our collective human lives. The mother that bore us must ever have our reverence. The wife, through whom we enter parentage, must have our reverence. Sex, which governs so much of our physical life, and has so much influence on our emotional and higher nature, deserves-not our fear, or our contempt, or our amused indulgence, but-our reverence in the highest sense of the term. With this fitting introduction we enter on a discussion of women, orphans, and family relationships. (4.1) ] ]
The Rights and Duties of Women
4: 127 [an-Nisa, Medina 92 ]
Asad And they will ask you to enlightened them about the laws concerning women [note 145]. Say: “God [Himself] enlightens you about the laws concerning them” – for [His will is shown] in what is being conveyed unto you through this divine writ about orphan women [in your charge], to whom – because you yourselves may be desirous of marrying them – you do not give that which has been ordained for them [note 146];
and about helpless children; and about your duty to treat orphans with equity. And whatever good you may do – behold, God has indeed full knowledge thereof.
Yusuf Ali They ask thy instruction concerning the women. Say: Allah doth instruct you about them: and (remember) what hath been rehearsed unto you in the Book concerning the orphans of women to whom ye give not the portions prescribed and yet whom ye desire to marry as also concerning the children who are weak and oppressed: that ye stand firm for justice to orphans. There is not a good deed which ye do but Allah is well-acquainted therewith.
Pickthall They consult thee concerning women. Say: Allah give to you decree concerning them, and the Scripture which hath been recited unto you (giveth decree), concerning female orphans unto whom ye give not that which is ordained for them though ye desire to marry them, and (concerning) the weak among children, and that ye should deal justly with orphans. Whatever good ye do, lo! Allah is ever Aware of it.
Transliteration Wa yastaftu_naka fin nisa_'(i), qulilla_hu yuftikum fihinn(a), wa ma_ yutla_ 'alaikum fil kita_bi fi yata_man nisa_'il la_ti la_ tu'tu_nahunna ma_ kutiba lahunna wa targabu_na an tankihu_hunna wal mustad'afina minal wilda_n(i), wa an taqu_mu_ lilyata_ma_ bil qist(i), wa ma_ taf'alu_ min khairin fa innalla_ha ka_na bihi 'alima_(n).
[[ Asad’s note 145 – I.e., the relating t marital relations, women’s share in inheritance, etc. A ‘fatwa’ or ‘ifta’ denotes the “classification of a legal injunction” given
in reply to a question; correspondingly, the verb ‘istaftahu’ means “he asked him to give a legal decision”, or “to enlighten him about a [particular] law”.
Since, the laws alluded to in the above passage have already been dealt with early in this surah, the repeated reference to them is meant to stress the great importance of the problems involved, as well as the responsibility which men bear towards their physiologically weaker counterparts.
IN accordance with the system prevailing throughout the Quran, a lengthy passage dealing with purely moral or ethical questions is usually – as in the present case – followed by verses relating to social legislation, and this with a view to bringing out the intimate connection between man’s spiritual life and his social behavior.]]