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An-Nisa (The Women)

Verse 6of 176

وَٱبْتَلُوا۟ ٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغُوا۟ ٱلنِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ ءَانَسْتُم مِّنْهُمْ رُشْدًۭا فَٱدْفَعُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تَأْكُلُوهَآ إِسْرَافًۭا وَبِدَارًا أَن يَكْبَرُوا۟ ۚ وَمَن كَانَ غَنِيًّۭا فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِيرًۭا فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ فَإِذَا دَفَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ فَأَشْهِدُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ حَسِيبًۭا﴿٦

Translation (Sahih International)

And test the orphans [in their abilities] until they reach marriageable age. Then if you perceive in them sound judgement, release their property to them. And do not consume it excessively and quickly, [anticipating] that they will grow up. And whoever, [when acting as guardian], is self-sufficient should refrain [from taking a fee]; and whoever is poor - let him take according to what is acceptable. Then when you release their property to them, bring witnesses upon them. And sufficient is Allah as Accountant.

Word-by-word meaning

وَٱبْتَلُوا۟wa-ib'talūAnd test
ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰl-yatāmāthe orphans
حَتَّىٰٓḥattāuntil
إِذَاidhā[when]
بَلَغُوا۟balaghūthey reach[ed]
ٱلنِّكَاحَl-nikāḥa(the age of) marriage
فَإِنْfa-inthen if
ءَانَسْتُمānastumyou perceive
مِّنْهُمْmin'humin them
رُشْدًۭاrush'dansound judgement
فَٱدْفَعُوٓا۟fa-id'faʿūthen deliver
إِلَيْهِمْilayhimto them
أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ ۖamwālahumtheir wealth
وَلَاwalāAnd (do) not
تَأْكُلُوهَآtakulūhāeat it
إِسْرَافًۭاis'rāfanextravagantly
وَبِدَارًاwabidāranand hastily
أَنan(fearing) that
يَكْبَرُوا۟ ۚyakbarūthey will grow up
وَمَنwamanAnd whoever
كَانَkānais
غَنِيًّۭاghaniyyanrich
فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ ۖfalyastaʿfifthen he should refrain
وَمَنwamanand whoever
كَانَkānais
فَقِيرًۭاfaqīranpoor
فَلْيَأْكُلْfalyakulthen let him eat (of it)
بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚbil-maʿrūfiin a fair manner
فَإِذَاfa-idhāThen when
دَفَعْتُمْdafaʿtumyou deliver
إِلَيْهِمْilayhimto them
أَمْوَٰلَهُمْamwālahumtheir wealth
فَأَشْهِدُوا۟fa-ashhidūthen take witnesses
عَلَيْهِمْ ۚʿalayhimon them
وَكَفَىٰwakafāAnd is sufficient
بِٱللَّهِbil-lahiAllah
حَسِيبًۭاḥasīban(as) a Reckoner

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Holding the Property of the Unwise in EscrowAllah prohibited giving the unwise the freedom to do as they wish with wealth, which Allah has made as a means of support for people. This ruling sometimes applies because of being young, as young people are incapable of making wise decisions. It also applies in cases of insanity, erratic behavior and having a weak intellect or religious practice.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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