Interpretation of Sura an-Nisa - Verse 7

7. " Men shall have a portion of whatever the parents and the near relatives leave, and women shall have a portion of whatever the parents and the near relatives leave, be it little or much, (it is) a decreed portion."

Occasion of Revelation

One of the companians of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) passed away. His cousins divided his wealth among themselves though he had left some small children, and they gave nothing of it to his wife and children. According to their custom, affected from the Age of Ignorance, they believed that only those were inheritors who had the power of fighting.

Then, responding to the grievance of the wife of that man and receiving the Divine revelation of the above verse, the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) called the above mentioned cousins and told them to return the properties to the principle inheritors.

Commentary

1. In the law of Islam, not only men but also women have the right of inheritance, and the religion of Islam is the protector of the rights of women, too.

" Men shall have a portion of whatever the parents and the near relatives leave, and women shall have a portion of whatever the parents and the near relatives leave, ..."

2. In this religion, division of inheritance basing on the power and ability of fighting is forbidden.

3. The principal is the justly division of inheritance, not its amount.

"... be it little or much, ..."

4. The standard of the portion of inheritance is invariable.

"... (it is) a decreed portion."

Adopted from the book : "The Light of the Holy Qur'an; Interpretation of Surah an-Nisa" by : "Sayyid Kamal Faghih Imani and a Group of Muslim Scholars"