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An-Nisa (The Women)

Verse 34of 176

ٱلرِّجَالُ قَوَّٰمُونَ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ وَبِمَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ ۚ فَٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ قَٰنِتَٰتٌ حَٰفِظَٰتٌۭ لِّلْغَيْبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَٱلَّٰتِى تَخَافُونَ نُشُوزَهُنَّ فَعِظُوهُنَّ وَٱهْجُرُوهُنَّ فِى ٱلْمَضَاجِعِ وَٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ ۖ فَإِنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلَا تَبْغُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلًا ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيًّۭا كَبِيرًۭا﴿٣٤

Translation (Sahih International)

Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allah would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand.

Word-by-word meaning

ٱلرِّجَالُal-rijālu[The] men
قَوَّٰمُونَqawwāmūna(are) protectors
عَلَىʿalāof
ٱلنِّسَآءِl-nisāithe women
بِمَاbimābecause
فَضَّلَfaḍḍala(has) bestowed
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah
بَعْضَهُمْbaʿḍahumsome of them
عَلَىٰʿalāover
بَعْضٍۢbaʿḍinothers
وَبِمَآwabimāand because
أَنفَقُوا۟anfaqūthey spend
مِنْminfrom
أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ ۚamwālihimtheir wealth
فَٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُfal-ṣāliḥātuSo the righteous women
قَـٰنِتَـٰتٌqānitātun(are) obedient
حَـٰفِظَـٰتٌۭḥāfiẓātunguarding
لِّلْغَيْبِlil'ghaybiin the unseen
بِمَاbimāthat which
حَفِظَḥafiẓa(orders) them to guard
ٱللَّهُ ۚl-lahu(by) Allah
وَٱلَّـٰتِىwa-allātīAnd those (from) whom
تَخَافُونَtakhāfūnayou fear
نُشُوزَهُنَّnushūzahunnatheir ill-conduct
فَعِظُوهُنَّfaʿiẓūhunnathen advise them
وَٱهْجُرُوهُنَّwa-uh'jurūhunnaand forsake them
فِىin
ٱلْمَضَاجِعِl-maḍājiʿithe bed
وَٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ ۖwa-iḍ'ribūhunnaand [finally] strike them
فَإِنْfa-inThen if
أَطَعْنَكُمْaṭaʿnakumthey obey you
فَلَاfalāthen (do) not
تَبْغُوا۟tabghūseek
عَلَيْهِنَّʿalayhinnaagainst them
سَبِيلًا ۗsabīlana way
إِنَّinnaIndeed
ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
كَانَkānais
عَلِيًّۭاʿaliyyanMost High
كَبِيرًۭاkabīranMost Great

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَآءِ(Men are the protectors and maintainers of women,) meaning, the man is responsible for the woman, and he is her maintainer, caretaker and leader who disciplines her if she deviates.بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ(because Allah has made one of them to excel the other,) meaning, because men excel over women and are better than them for certain tasks. This is why prophethood was exclusive of men, as well as other important positions of leadership.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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