Surah An-Nisa
Surah 4 · The Women · 176 verses · medinan
The Women — because so much of it protects the rights of women, orphans, and the vulnerable inside a family.
The story
This surah is about being fair — especially to people who cannot protect themselves, like children who have lost their parents. It tells us to be kind to our mothers and fathers, our neighbours, and anyone travelling.
How it unfolds
AYAH 1
One soul, one family
The opening premise: all people from one origin, so guard the ties of the womb.
AYAH 2-14
Orphans and inheritance
Property protected, shares fixed by revelation, and a warning about consuming what belongs to the weak.
AYAH 19-35
Marriage and family
The dower, forbidden marriages, living with kindness, and arbitration when a marriage breaks.
AYAH 58, 105-135
Justice without exceptions
Trusts returned to their owners, judging with justice, and standing for truth even against yourself.
AYAH 138-147
The fence-sitters
Hypocrisy described plainly — standing lazily for prayer, showing off, belonging to neither side.
AYAH 153-176
The People of the Book
Answering claims about 'Isa عليه السلام and closing with the last-revealed verse on inheritance.
Verses to carry
- 4:58The verse recited at the handover of every trust: "Allah commands you to render trusts to their owners, and when you judge, to judge with justice."
- 4:135"Be persistently standing firm in justice — even against yourselves." Justice that costs you is the only proof it is justice.
- 4:1The premise the whole surah rests on: one origin, and the wombs that carry the ties between us.
- 4:36A complete map of who has a right over you — parents, relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbour, the far neighbour, the companion, the traveller.
Remember this
Being fair means being fair even when it is not in your favour.
Talk about it
This surah lists the people we should be good to, and it even includes the neighbour far away. Who lives near you that you could be kinder to?