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An-Nisa (The Women)

Verse 129of 176

وَلَن تَسْتَطِيعُوٓا۟ أَن تَعْدِلُوا۟ بَيْنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتُمْ ۖ فَلَا تَمِيلُوا۟ كُلَّ ٱلْمَيْلِ فَتَذَرُوهَا كَٱلْمُعَلَّقَةِ ۚ وَإِن تُصْلِحُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًۭا رَّحِيمًۭا﴿١٢٩

Translation (Sahih International)

And you will never be able to be equal [in feeling] between wives, even if you should strive [to do so]. So do not incline completely [toward one] and leave another hanging. And if you amend [your affairs] and fear Allah - then indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.

Word-by-word meaning

وَلَنwalanAnd never
تَسْتَطِيعُوٓا۟tastaṭīʿūwill you be able
أَنanto
تَعْدِلُوا۟taʿdilūdeal justly
بَيْنَbaynabetween
ٱلنِّسَآءِl-nisāi[the] women
وَلَوْwalaweven if
حَرَصْتُمْ ۖḥaraṣtumyou desired
فَلَاfalābut (do) not
تَمِيلُوا۟tamīlūincline
كُلَّkulla(with) all
ٱلْمَيْلِl-maylithe inclination
فَتَذَرُوهَاfatadharūhāand leave her (the other)
كَٱلْمُعَلَّقَةِ ۚkal-muʿalaqatilike the suspended one
وَإِنwa-inAnd if
تُصْلِحُوا۟tuṣ'liḥūyou reconcile
وَتَتَّقُوا۟watattaqūand fear (Allah)
فَإِنَّfa-innathen indeed
ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
كَانَkānais
غَفُورًۭاghafūranOft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمًۭاraḥīmanMost Merciful

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

The Ruling Concerning Desertion on the Part of the HusbandAllah states, and thus legislates accordingly, that sometimes, the man inclines away from his wife, sometimes towards her and sometimes he parts with her. In the first case, when the wife fears that her husband is steering away from her or deserting her, she is allowed to forfeit all or part of her rights, such as provisions, clothing, dwelling, and so forth, and the husband is allowed to accept such concessions from her.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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