004:128

The Holy Qor-aan                                                                                                                004:128

  وَيَسۡتَفۡتُوۡنَكَ فِى النِّسَآءِ ؕ   قُلِ اللّٰهُ يُفۡتِيۡكُمۡ فِيۡهِنَّ ۙ  وَمَا يُتۡلٰى عَلَيۡكُمۡ فِى الۡكِتٰبِ فِىۡ يَتٰمَى النِّسَآءِ الّٰتِىۡ لَا تُؤۡتُوۡنَهُنَّ مَا كُتِبَ لَهُنَّ وَتَرۡغَبُوۡنَ اَنۡ تَـنۡكِحُوۡهُنَّ وَالۡمُسۡتَضۡعَفِيۡنَ مِنَ الۡوِلۡدَانِ ۙ  وَاَنۡ تَقُوۡمُوۡا لِلۡيَتٰمٰى بِالۡقِسۡطِ‌  ؕ وَمَا تَفۡعَلُوۡا مِنۡ خَيۡرٍ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَانَ بِهٖ عَلِيۡمًا‏

Wa-yus-tuf-to-na-ka-fin-nay-saa-aiy                                                                                              Qo-lil-laa-ho-yoof-te-koom-fe-hin-na   

Wa-maa-yoot-laa-alai-koom-fil-kay-taa-bay                                                                            Fee-ya-ta-mun-nay-saa-il-laa-tee                                                                                                      Laa-toe-too-na-hoon-na-maa-ko-tay-ba-la-hoon-na                                                                    Wa-tur-gha-boo-na-un-tun-kay-hoo-hoon-na                                                                                Wul-moos-tudz-aa-fe-na-may-nul-wil-daa-nay

Wa-un-ta-qoo-mool-ya-taa-maa-bil-qis-tay                                                                                Wa-maa-tuf-aa-loo-min-khai-rin                                                                                                    Fa-in-nul-laa-ha-kaa-na-bay-he-alee-maa

And they ask for your direction regarding the women.                                          Tell them that Allah gives direction regarding them —

And that is recited (= laid down) upon you in the Book                                            Regarding the orphan women whom                                                                              You don’t give what is prescribed for them                                                                      Yet crave to marry them                                                                                                          And the very weak from among the children —

That you be firm with fairness for the orphans.                                                              And whatever good you do                                                                                                    Surely Allah has always been in the know of it

• وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses; additionally; but; also; more over; though; when; while; yet)
• يَسۡتَفۡتُوۡنَ — Yus-tuf-to-na — They ask direction  (= v., pres., pl., 3^rd person. Ask, beg, inquire, invite, look, request, seek or solicit for a certitude, decision, decree, direction, guidance, instruction, judgment, mandate, opinion, order or verdict. A/t/a, ‘ask … instruction,’ ‘ask … decision,’ ‘seek … decision,’ ‘seek directions,’ ‘ask for legal instruction,’ ‘seek … ruling,’ ‘ask … for a pronouncement’ and ‘consult’)
• كَ — Ka — Your (= pro., s., m., 2^nd person. You single male. The addressee of this divine message is initially the Holy Prophet s.a.w. A/t/a, ‘thee,’ ‘of thee’ and ‘from thee.’ See the Note in 002:005)
• فِى — F…(in) — Regarding (= About; concerning; in; in reference to; regarding; relative to; in the matter of. A/t/a, ‘of the Law with regard to,’ ‘of the Law concerning marriage with more … than one‘ and ‘with regard to (marrying)’. See Note in 002:028)
• النِّسَآءِ — Nay-saa-aiy — Women (= n., pl. Females in mankind; women in marriage; wives. A/t/a, ‘marrying more women than one’ and ‘women (having no husbands).’ See below the Note 004:128)
•  قُلِ  —  Qo-l…(il) — Tell (= v., pres., s., 2^nd person. Announce; declare; explain; specify; say)
• اللّٰهُ — Laa-ho — Allah (= The One and the Only One Almighty God)
• يُفۡتِيۡ — Yoof-te — Gives direction (= v., pres., s., 3^rd person. Certitude, decision, decree,  direction, guidance, instruction, judgment, mandate, order or verdict. A/t/a, ‘doth instruct,’ ‘instructs,’ ‘makes known … His    decision,’ ‘gives you His decision,’ ‘giveth … decree,’ ‘gives … His ruling’ and ‘pronounces.’ But the translations ‘instructed’ and ‘has given … directions’ in the past tense are not of what the Holy Qor-aan has stated in the present tense)
• كُمۡ –Koom — You (= pro., pl., 2^nd person. You all men)
• فِىۡ — Fee — Regarding (= About; concerning; regarding)
• هِنَّ — Hin-na –Them (= pro., pl., f, in 3^rd person. Those, them or they …. women)
• وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above. A/t/a, ‘and (remember),’ ‘and He reminds’ ‘and so has’)
• مَاۤ — Maa — All that (= What; whatever; whatsoever. A/t/a, ‘that which,’ ‘which’ and ‘the command … elsewhere’)
• يُتۡلٰى — Yoot-laa — Is recited (= v., pres., pass, s, 3^rd person. Is recited, decreed, decided directed, laid down, mandated, ordered, prescribed, read. revealed or told. A/t/a, ‘hath Been rehearsed,’ ‘hath been recited,’ ‘is recited,’ ‘is recited … elsewhere,’ ‘given,’ ‘has been proclaimed’ and ‘the ruling as has (already) been mentioned’)
• عَلَيۡ — Alai — On (= Above; against; before; during; for; on; on top of; over; to; upon. A/t/a, ‘unto’)
• كُمۡ — Koom — You (= pro., pl., m., 2^nd person., You . See كُمۡ  above)
• فِى — F…(il) — In (= In; in reference, regarding; relative to. See فِى above)
• الۡكِتٰبِ — Kay-taa-bay — The Book (= n., The Divine directive of commands. Holy Scripture. A Directive that holds good and is operative eternally. Decreed part of a religion. Spiritual Code codifying the rules of universal application.  2. The Collection of mandated, ordered, prescribed, preserved, recorded, written Do’s and Don’ts.  3. Authentic penned down material in black and white.  See 002:003)
• فِىۡ — Fee — In (= Concerning; in the matter of regarding. See فِىۡ  above. A/t/a, ‘has reference’)
• يَتٰمَى — Ya-taa-maa — The orphans (= n., pl., Kids with no parent; Children with one or both parents. Generally refers to the helpless or destitute.
• النِّسَآءِ — Nay-saa-aiy(l) — Women (= n., pl. Females in mankind. A/t/a, ‘widowed women,’ ‘women without husbands (- widows, divorced, or yet to be married)’ and         ‘girls.’ See the Note 004:128 below)
• الّٰتِىۡ — Il-la-tee — Whom (= s., f., 3^rd person article, thing or person; she; who. A/t/a,  ‘unto whom’)
• لَا — Laa — Do not (= Naught; neither; never; none; nor; not at all; absolute  denial and total negation without exception)
• تُؤۡتُوۡنَ — Toe-too-na — You give (= v., pres., s., 2^nd person. Award; bestow; pay. A/t/a, ‘ye give,’ ‘you give,’ ‘you do … give’ and ‘you deny’)
• هُنَّ — Hoon-na — Whom  (= pro., pl., f, in 3^rd person. Those, them or they… women)
• مَاۤ — Maa — What (= All that; whatever; whatsoever)
• كُتِبَ — Ko-tay-ba —  Prescribed (= v., past., pass., s., 3^rd person. Authentically penned down material in black and white and decreed to be a part of a religion. Allocated; allowed; authorized; commanded; decreed; directed; mandated; ordered; ordained; prescribed; provided for. A/t/a, ‘portions Prescribed,’ ‘prescribed portions (as regards Mahr and inheritance),’ is appointed,’ ‘their rights prescribed for them’ and ‘their lawful rights’)
• لَ — La — For (= Belonging to; concerning; for the object, purpose or reason of; intended for; regarding; relative to)
• هُنَّ — Hoon-na — Them  (= pro., pl., f, in 3^rd person. Those, them or they… women)
• وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above. A/t/a, ‘and yet’)
• تَرۡغَبُوۡنَ — Tur-gha-boo-na — You crave (= v., pres., s., 2^nd person. Crave; covet; desire; feel; like; love; want; wish. A/t/a, ‘you are  inclined to,’ ‘you feel inclined,’ ‘yet desire  to’ and ‘you refuse’)
• اَنۡ — Un — That surely (= Absolutely; certainly; definitely; positively; verily)
• تَنكِحُوا — Tun-kay-hoo — You marry (= v., pl., m., Establish matrimonial relationship; wed  A/t/a, ‘to get them in marriage (with a mind to take over their belongings’)
• هُنَّ — Hoon-na — Them (= pro., pl., f, in 3^rd person. Those, them or they… women)
• وَ — Wa…(ul) — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above.  A/t/a, ‘and also concerns’)
• ٱلۡمُسۡتَضۡعَفِينَ — Mos-tudz-aa-fe-na — Weak  (= n., pl., Broken down; demoralized; exploited; feeble; helpless; maltreated; oppressed; persecuted; those asking for, aspiring, insinuating, needing, requesting, seeking or wanting help; weak in their familial, fiscal or social affairs. A/t/a, ‘Who are weak and oppressed,’ ‘the weak,’ ‘deemed weak,’ ‘unprotected,’ ‘(the ruling is also regarding) the helpless children’ and ‘helpless’)
• مِنَ — May-n(ul) — From (= Among, from or out of the class or category of several
• الۡوِلۡدَانِ — Wil-daa-nay — Children (= n., pl. Boys; issues; male children; sons. A/t/a, ‘female children’)
• وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above.  A/t/a, ‘You have also been commanded’ and ‘He has instructed you’)
• اَنۡ — Un — That (= Absolutely; certainly; definitely; positively; verily)
• تَقُوۡمُوۡا — Ta-qoo-moo — You be firm (= v., pres., s., 2^nd person. Establish; maintain; observe.   A/t/a, ‘ye stand firm,’ ‘deal,’ ‘you should deal justly,’ ‘He enjoins you to observe,’ ‘He enjoins you to deal,’ ‘(He enjoins you to) stand firm in observing’ and ‘that you stand for justice’)
• لِلۡ — L…(il) — For (= Concerning, regarding; relative to; intended for; to; towards)
• يَتٰمَى — Ya-taa-maa — The orphans (= n., pl., Kids with no parent; Children with one or both  parents. Generally refers to the helpless or destitute)
• بِ  — B…(il) — With (= Literally the word بِ  means with)
• الۡقِسۡطِ‌ — Qis-tay — Fairness (= n., Balanced view; equity; justice. Also, when joined with the previous word بِ  the word becomes an adv and means correctly, equitably, fairly, fully; honestly, justly or properly)
• وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above. A/t/a, ‘and               (remember)’
• مَاۤ — Maa — All that (= What; whatever; whatsoever. A/t/a, ‘There is not’)
• تَفۡعَلُوۡا — Tuf-aa-loo — You do (= v., pres., s., 2^nd person. Act; perform; practice; work)
• مِنۡ — Min — From (= Among, from or out of the class or category of several
• خَيۡر — Khai-rin — Good (= n., Appropriate; nice. A/t/a, ‘good deed’ [aya] )
• فَ — Fa — Then (= After all this; at the end; consequently; finally; hence; in conclusion; so; thereafter; therefore; thus)
• اِنَّ — In-na…(ul) — Certainly (= Absolutely; definitely; doubtlessly; earnestly; indeed;       positively; really; seriously; surely; truly; verily)
• ٱللَّهَ — Laa-ha — Allah (= The Almighty God; The only One worthy of worship)
• كَانَ — Kaa-na –Has been (= v., past., s., m., 3^rd person., Continued doing; had been;  used to; were, went on doing. Indicates the continuity from the past to the present and leading into the future. The phrase ‘had always been’ indicates an endless continuation. A/t/a, ‘is’)
• بِ — Bay — With (= Literally the word بِ  means with)
• هٖ — He — His (= pro., s., m., 3^rd person. Refers to the Almighty God)
• عَلِيۡمًا — Alee-maa — All-Knowing   (= superlative form indicates the greatest, the highest, the most, and highlights that none more than Him has full awareness, cognizance, information and knowledge. Cognizant. Mindful. Most Knowledgeable. Well-Acquainted. Well-Aware. A/t/a, ‘ever Knower,’ ‘ever Aware,’ and ‘Ever All-Aware.’ See Note 001:001. However, the translations ‘knows it well,’ ‘has knowledge’ and ‘knows of’ as a verb are not of what the Holy Qor-aan has stated as a noun )

** Note 004:128. Many authors have translated the word  النِّسَآءِ  in this verse as wives . By doing this they have limited the direction in this verse to only husbands.

However, the word النِّسَآءِ  in this verse  means women and as such it is not limited to just wives. It extends to a father, brother, uncle, relative, guardian, tribal leader, judge, bureaucrat and anyone else who has any form of control to contract the marriage of a woman.

Further down the verse saying you love to marry them but you don’t want them .. to share in the inheritance mandated for them in the scripture further supports that this word indicates all women and not just one’s wives.