Surah An-Nisa, Ayah 3 (4:3)

ٱلنِّسَاء

وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا۟ فِى ٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ فَٱنكِحُوا۟ مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ …

Quran 4:3 is ayah 3 of Surah An-Nisa (“The Women”), a Medinan surah of 176 ayahs. It is in Juz 4, on page 77 of the Madani Mushaf.

4:3
وَإِنْخِفْتُمْأَلَّاتُقْسِطُوا۟فِىٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰفَٱنكِحُوا۟مَاطَابَلَكُممِّنَٱلنِّسَآءِمَثْنَىٰوَثُلَٰثَوَرُبَٰعَ ۖفَإِنْخِفْتُمْأَلَّاتَعْدِلُوا۟فَوَٰحِدَةًأَوْمَامَلَكَتْأَيْمَٰنُكُمْ ۚذَٰلِكَأَدْنَىٰٓأَلَّاتَعُولُوا۟٣
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 taʿūlū

And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hands possess [i.e., slaves]. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].(3)

Word by word

  1. وَإِنْwa-inAnd if
  2. خِفْتُمْkhif'tumyou fear
  3. أَلَّاallāthat not
  4. تُقْسِطُوا۟tuq'siṭūyou will be able to do justice
  5. فِىfīwith
  6. ٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰl-yatāmāthe orphans
  7. فَٱنكِحُوا۟fa-inkiḥūthen marry
  8. مَاmāwhat
  9. طَابَṭābaseems suitable
  10. لَكُمlakumto you
  11. مِّنَminafrom
  12. ٱلنِّسَآءِl-nisāithe women
  13. مَثْنَىٰmathnātwo
  14. وَثُلَٰثَwathulāthaor three
  15. وَرُبَٰعَ ۖwarubāʿaor four
  16. فَإِنْfa-inBut if
  17. خِفْتُمْkhif'tumyou fear
  18. أَلَّاallāthat not
  19. تَعْدِلُوا۟taʿdilūyou can do justice
  20. فَوَٰحِدَةًfawāḥidatanthen (marry) one
  21. أَوْawor
  22. مَاmāwhat
  23. مَلَكَتْmalakatpossesses
  24. أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ ۚaymānukumyour right hand
  25. ذَٰلِكَdhālikaThat
  26. أَدْنَىٰٓadnā(is) more appropriate
  27. أَلَّاallāthat (may) not
  28. تَعُولُوا۟taʿūlūyou oppress

Tafsir (commentary) of 4:3

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English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

This commentary explains ayahs 4:2–4 together.

Read the English tafsir of 4:2–4 →

Read the full Surah An-Nisa