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Surah An-Nisa, Ayah 33 (4:33)

ٱلنِّسَاء

وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مَوَٰلِىَ مِمَّا تَرَكَ ٱلْوَٰلِدَانِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبُونَ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ عَقَدَتْ …

Quran 4:33 is ayah 33 of Surah An-Nisa (“The Women”), a Medinan surah of 176 ayahs. It is in Juz 5, on page 83 of the Madani Mushaf.

4:33
وَلِكُلٍّجَعَلْنَامَوَٰلِىَمِمَّاتَرَكَٱلْوَٰلِدَانِوَٱلْأَقْرَبُونَ ۚوَٱلَّذِينَعَقَدَتْأَيْمَٰنُكُمْفََٔاتُوهُمْنَصِيبَهُمْ ۚإِنَّٱللَّهَكَانَعَلَىٰكُلِّشَىْءٍشَهِيدًا٣٣
walikullin jaʿalnā mawāliya mimmā taraka l-wālidāni wal-aqrabūna wa-alladhīna ʿaqadat aymānukum faātūhum naṣībahum inna l-laha kāna ʿalā kulli shayin shahīdan

And for all, We have made heirs to what is left by parents and relatives. And to those whom your oaths have bound [to you] - give them their share. Indeed Allāh is ever, over all things, a Witness.(33)

Word by word

  1. وَلِكُلٍّwalikullinAnd for all
  2. جَعَلْنَاjaʿalnāWe (have) made
  3. مَوَٰلِىَmawāliyaheirs
  4. مِمَّاmimmāof what
  5. تَرَكَtaraka(is) left
  6. ٱلْوَٰلِدَانِl-wālidāni(by) the parents
  7. وَٱلْأَقْرَبُونَ ۚwal-aqrabūnaand the relatives
  8. وَٱلَّذِينَwa-alladhīnaAnd those whom
  9. عَقَدَتْʿaqadatpledged
  10. أَيْمَٰنُكُمْaymānukumyour right hands
  11. فََٔاتُوهُمْfaātūhumthen give them
  12. نَصِيبَهُمْ ۚnaṣībahumtheir share
  13. إِنَّinnaIndeed
  14. ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
  15. كَانَkānais
  16. عَلَىٰʿalāover
  17. كُلِّkullievery
  18. شَىْءٍshayinthing
  19. شَهِيدًاshahīdana Witness

Tafsir (commentary) of 4:33

Available in English, Bengali, Urdu, Arabic, Russian.

English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir
وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مَوَالِىَ

(And to everyone, We have appointed Mawali) means, "Heirs." Ibn `Abbas was also reported to have said that Mawali refers to relatives. Ibn Jarir commented, "The Arabs call the cousin a Mawla." Ibn Jarir continued, "Allah's statement,

مِّمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَلِدَنِ وَالاٌّقْرَبُونَ

(of that (property) left by parents and relatives.) means, from what he inherited from his parents and family members. Therefore, the meaning of the Ayah becomes: `To all of you, O people, We appointed relatives (such as children) who will later inherit what you inherited from your own parents and relatives." Allah's statement,

وَالَّذِينَ عَقَدَتْ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ فَـَاتُوهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ

(To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood), give them their due portion.) means, "Those with whom you have a pledge of brotherhood, give them their share of inheritance, thus fulfilling the ratified pledges that you gave them. Allah has witnessed all of you when you gave these pledges and promises." This practice was followed in the beginning of Islam, but was later on abrogated when Muslims were commanded to fulfill the pledges (brotherhood) they had already given, but to refrain from making any new pledges after that. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said,

وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مَوَالِىَ

(And to everyone, We have appointed Mawali) "meaning, heirs;

وَالَّذِينَ عَقَدَتْ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ

(To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood)) When the emigrants came to Al-Madinah, the emigrant would inherit from the Ansari, while the latter's relatives would not inherit from him because of the bond of brotherhood which the Prophet established between them (the emigrants and the Ansar). When the verse,

وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مَوَالِىَ

(And to everyone We have appointed Mawali) was revealed, it cancelled (the pledge of brotherhood regarding inheritance)." Then he said, "The verse,

وَالَّذِينَ عَقَدَتْ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ فَـَاتُوهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ

(To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood), give them their due portion.) remained valid for cases of co-operation and mutual advice, while the matter of inheritance was excluded and it became permissible to assign something in one's will to the person who had the right of inheriting before."

Read the full Surah An-Nisa