The Light of the Holy Qur'an Interpretation of Sura an Nisa (the Women)

Commentary : Verse 17

(17) إِنَّمَا التَّوْبَةُ عَلَى اللّهِ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السُّوَءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِن قَرِيبٍ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ يَتُوبُ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَانَ اللّهُ عَلِيماً حَكِيماً

  1. " Verily repentance with Allah is only for those who do evil ignorantly and then repent soon. So, these are they toward whom Allah returns (mercifully) and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise."

Commentary :

In the previous verse, the subject of the fulfilment of stripes upon those who commit indecency, fornication, as their punishment with repentance, was clearly stated. In the above verse, some of its conditions are mentioned, too. It says:

" Verily repentance with Allah is only for those who do evil ignorantly..."

The purpose of the usage of the term 'ignorantly' in the above mentioned verse is the violence of instincts and the domination of the strong low desires, and their conquest over the strength of intellect and faith. In this state, the knowledge of man about sins, although does not vanish completely, under the influence of those strong instincts becomes affected and, actually, remains futile. So, when the knowledge of man loses its effect, it will practically be equal to ignorance.

In the next sentence, the Qur'an has pointed to one of other conditions of repentance, where it says: "... and then repent soon. ..."

"That is, they regret from their actions soon and return to Allah, since a complete repentance is that which, on the whole, wipes out the remaining effects of sins from the spirit and mind of the person. After mentioning the conditions of repentance, the verse concludes as such:"

"... So, these are they toward whom Allah returns (mercifully) and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise."

Commentary : Verse 18

(18) وَلَيْسَتِ التَّوْبَةُ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ حَتَّى إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ إِنِّي تُبْتُ الآنَ وَلاَ الَّذِينَ يَمُوتُونَ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ أُوْلَـئِكَ أَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا

  1. " And repentance is not for those who go on doing evil deeds until death comes to one of them, he says: 'Verily now I repent', nor for those who die while they are disbelievers. Those are they for whom We have prepared a painful torment."

Commentary :

Those whose repentance is not accepted is referred to in this verse. It says:

" And repentance is not for those who go on doing evil deeds until death comes to one of them, he says: 'Verily now I repent,'..."

"The second group whose repentance is also not accepted are those who pass away while they are infidels. The verse says about them:"

"... nor for those who die while they are disbelievers. ..."

In fact, the verse indicates that those who have repented from their sins and they had been safe and sound and had a good faith, but at the time of death they were not faithful, their former repentance is futile, too. At the end of the verse, it says about both groups:

"... Those are they for whom We have prepared a painful torment."

Commentary : Verse 19

(19) يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَرِثُواْ النِّسَاء كَرْهًا وَلاَ تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ لِتَذْهَبُواْ بِبَعْضِ مَا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ إِلاَّ أَن يَأْتِينَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُّبَيِّنَةٍ وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ فَإِن كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ فَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَيَجْعَلَ اللّهُ فِيهِ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا

  1. " O' you who have Faith! It is not lawful for you to inherit the women against their will, and do not straiten them in order that you may take a part of what you have given them, unless they are guilty of manifest lewdness; but deal kindly with them, and if you hate them, it may be that you dislike a thing while Allah has placed abundant good in it".

Occasion of Revelation :

It is narrated from Imam Baqir (a.s.) that the above verse was revealed about the men who used to keep their wives without treating with them as a spouse, waiting for their death in order to possess their properties.

Commentary:

The verse may hint to the fact that only the wealth is heritable, and the wife of a man after his death does not belong to any one as heritage. After the death of her first husband, a woman can choose another husband with her own decision.

Explanations :

  1. Islam is the defender of the rights of women.

" O' you who have Faith! It is not lawful for you to inherit the women against their will, ..."

  1. Women have the right of possession.

"... to inherit the women...."

  1. Conjugal life should be based on mutual love, not on taking possession of wealth.

  2. Taking back the dower forcefully is unlawful.

"... and do not straiten them in order that you may take a part of what you have given them, ..."

"... unless they are guilty of manifest lewdness, ..."

  1. Women should be treated well.

"... but deal kindly with them ..."

  1. Many of goodnesses lie among the unpleasant things.

"... and if you hate them, it may be that you dislike a thing while Allah has placed abundant good in it."