4-26 Allah desires to explain to you, and to guide you into the ways of those before you, and to turn to you (mercifully). And Allah is Knowing, Wise.a
يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَكُمۡ وَيَہۡدِيَڪُمۡ سُنَنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِڪُمۡ وَيَتُوبَ عَلَيۡكُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ۬ (٢٦)
4-26a: Revelation of Shariah: The last chapter gives rules regarding the inheritance and rights of women and some commands about marriage. The real purpose of this chapter is to draw attention to safeguarding these rights but in the first three verses, some information is imparted about the revelation of shariah, that is, what is the need that has made it necessary for Allah to reveal such rules. Accordingly in this verse Allah reveals that the need for this is that Allah desires to explains things clearly and openly, and along with this attention is drawn to the fact that this is a rule from time immemorial that Allah has been doing this in every time and in every nation as indicated in the statement سُنَنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِڪُمۡ .
4-27 And Allah desires to turn to you (mercifully). And those who follow (their) lusts desire that you should deviate (with) a great deviation.
وَٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيۡڪُمۡ وَيُرِيدُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلشَّہَوَٲتِ أَن تَمِيلُواْ مَيۡلاً عَظِيمً۬ا (٢٧)
4-27a: The purpose of revealing shariah: In this verse, Allah states that the revelation of the shariah in this manner is because He has decided to specially favor Muslims so that through His special care, they should follow the right principles and become a great nation in the world. Those who just follow their desires want that Muslims should also step away from the path of moderation and abandon the path of justice. Who are these people? Some say the reference is to adulterers, some say to the Jews and Christians, and some say to the Magians, but Quran has kept the words general. However, if one nation has to be identified as fitting this description, it has to be the Christians because they not only practically follow their lusts but are so disgusted with their shariah that they have called it a curse. Even in respect of women, instead of simply giving them their rights as Islam has done, their entire emphasis is on encouraging women to dress coquettishly to satisfy their desires. They consider this to be the great emancipation of women and giving them their rights. In fact, they do not pay any attention to the real rights of women that Islam has given and they constantly try to make Muslims follow their own lustful ways.
4-28 Allah desires to make light your burdens, and man is created weak.a
يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُخَفِّفَ عَنكُمۡۚ وَخُلِقَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ ضَعِيفً۬ا (٢٨)
4-28a: The necessity of revealing the shariah: This verse gives the necessity for revealing the shariah. Man is created weak and hence he is unable to find on his own the hidden path of guidance. So, Allah has provided guidance to men through revelation. Thus, the first three verses of this section furnish three important principles. First, the revelation of shariah is not a novel phenomenon and shariah has been revealed to previous nations as well. Second, if there is no God ordained shariah then people will follow their own desires. Third, Divine revelation of shariah is necessary because man is unable to find the rightly guided path through his effort alone. By the time, man realizes that the path determined by humans that he is following is incorrect, he would have destroyed himself by treading on the wrong path. Therefore, by revealing the shariah Himself, Allah has lightened the burden of man. Accordingly, Allah has mentioned the reason for this as well by stating: خُلِقَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ ضَعِيفً۬ا , that is, man has been created weak, he does not have the ability to forge the path of real success on his own. Man is dependent upon a Powerful Being Who is Knowing and Wise as stated in verse 2:26, and it is the task of only such a Being Who knows everything and acts with great wisdom to point out the right path. Man’s knowledge and wisdom is very limited hence he is in need of Allah’s help. The meaning of خُلِقَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ ضَعِيفً۬ا is not that man cannot follow the shariah, but as the previous verse clearly shows that man cannot suggest the right path for himself. This is the burden that Allah has lightened for man by showing him the path and giving him the guidance to walk on it. As far as the issue of man’s ability to lift the burden of shariah and the strength to walk on the path that Allah has determined for man, this issue has been taken up at another place where it is stated that Allah has only revealed those paths which man can follow: لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَا (Allah imposes not on any soul a duty beyond its scope) (2:286).
The ability to walk on the Divinely determined path and the Christian doctrine: The Christian belief that the burden of the Divine law is too heavy for man to carry is a false accusation against God because why would God do such a purposeless act as to inform man through revelation about the ways to attain His pleasure when man does not have the ability to tread on them. God sent His prophets in all ages and to all nations, and in some nations like the Bani Israel, He sent a whole chain of prophets, and through these prophets He showed people the paths of His pleasure. According to the Christian doctrine however this was an absurd act. Why did Allah not learn after sending one or two prophets that it is foolish to show man the ways of His pleasure as man is completely incapable of walking on these paths. Instead, Allah kept on sending prophets who numbered in the tens of thousands. In contrast, the Islamic doctrine is rational and in accordance with the real facts. Man is weak to the extent that on his own he cannot determine the paths of Allah’s pleasure. Therefore, from time immemorial Allah has set up a system under which He kept on sending in every age, in every country and to every nation prophets who revealed to people the paths of His pleasure. The appearance of these prophets through whom Allah has been revealing the ways of His pleasure is a clear testimony to the fact that man has the ability to pursue these paths. If man lacks this ability than how does atonement helps him with this problem? If atonement solves this problem by creating the ability in man to follow the path of God’s pleasure, then this means that ultimately God must create in man the ability to walk in His ways. The question then arises why did God not create this ability in him in the first place and why did He put man through so much unbearable afflictions when clearly the fault was His for not creating this ability in man to walk in His ways. If it is argued that man’s ability even now is the same as before, but God forgives everyone whether he walks in His ways or not provided that he believes in atonement, then this opens the door of license and sin. In short, the correct doctrine is the one that Islam expounds.
4-29 O you who believe, devour not your property among yourselves by illegal methods except that it be trading by your mutual consent.a And kill not your people. Surely Allah is ever Merciful to you.b
یٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَا تَاْكُلُوْۤا اَمْوَالَكُمْ بَیْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ اِلَّاۤ اَنْ تَكُوْنَ تِجَارَةً عَنْ تَرَاضٍ مِّنْكُمْ ۫ وَ لَا تَقْتُلُوْۤا اَنْفُسَكُمْ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِیْمًا (۲۹)
4-29a: لَا تَاْكُلُوْۤا اَمْوَالَكُمْ بَیْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ – After expounding that it is necessary to establish the shariah and the rights, Quran advises against misappropriating the established rights of each other. By اکل is meant all kinds of appropriations [and not its literal meaning to eat], and باطل is the opposite of حق (just and right) and the just and right way is the one that is expounded by the Quran. For example, acquiring property through inheritance, or by way of gift or by rights that have been established against each other. These are the just and right ways and any way contrary to the permissible ways in Quran would be باطل . This same command has also been given in 2:188. It is repeated here to safeguard the rights of women and orphans. The proponents of the doctrine of abrogation consider this verse abrogated and have stated that the verse of Surah Nur (24:61) which permits eating in the houses of fathers, brothers, uncles and friends revokes this verse. Thus, those who consider this verse abrogated considered eating with close relatives prohibited until it was allowed by verse 24:61.
اِلَّاۤ اَنْ تَكُوْنَ تِجَارَةً عَنْ تَرَاضٍ: The اِلَّاۤ here provides an exception from the aforementioned statement. تَرَاضی is consent of the two parties.
The specific mention of trade here is due to its importance. A hadith states: تسعة اعشار الرزق فیالتجارۃ (RM) (Out of the ten parts of livelihood, nine are in trade) and another hadith states الطیب الکسب کسب التجار (The nicest (most pure) earning is the earning of a trader).
4-29b: وَ لَا تَقْتُلُوْۤا اَنْفُسَكُم – It can have two meanings. The first is kill not your people. Thus, whereas on the one hand attention has been drawn to safeguarding the property rights of each other by prohibiting devouring of the property of others illegally, on the other attention is drawn to safeguarding life by prohibiting the killing of each other. The word اَنْفُسَكُمْ is used to indicate that all Muslims are under the bidding of One Being. The second meaning can be do not kill yourself and this may refer to being unjust or not giving orphans and widows their rights which in reality is killing yourself or your nation. Imam Raghib has taken قتل نفس (killing yourself) here to mean depriving yourself of those things that give life eternal because following this, it is stated: وَمَن يَفۡعَلۡ ذَٲلِكَ عُدۡوَٲنً۬ا (And whoso does this aggressively) (4:30). The purport could also be a prohibition against committing suicide. There are many ignorant people who when inflicted by sorrow, fear, severe illness or dishonor, consider this to be intolerable and commit suicide. Islam considers suicide to be a grave crime because a person committing suicide does not show fortitude in the face of difficulties, and the one who despairs in the face of difficulties does not have faith in Allah. It is stated in the hadith for this reason that one who commits suicide is destined for hell (IK). There is another hadith report according to which during the battle of Khyber, the Holy Prophet commented about a person who was a Muslim and fighting in the Muslim ranks that he was of the people of the fire. The Companions were very surprised and even more so when he fought valiantly during the battle until he was wounded. However, he found his wounds too painful to bear and committed suicide. During severe cold and in the midst of an armed conflict Amr ibn al-As led the prayer after just performing the dry ablution known as tyamum even though he was under an obligation to have a full bath. He reasoned and rationalized his action based on this verse. When people complained to the Holy Prophet about this action of Amr ibn al-As, he said by way of justification: :O the Messenger of Allah, it was extremely cold and Allah says وَ لَا تَقْتُلُوْۤا اَنْفُسَكُم (And kill not yourself). The Holy Prophet laughed at his reply.
The shariah commandments lay the greatest stress on stopping people from illegally devouring the property of others. In reality, most of the evils of the world arise as a result of illegally misappropriating things that belong to others. Greed and love of wealth is mostly responsible for acts of cruelty by individuals and nations. The killing of people in this verse is kept after illegally devouring the property of others because wealth is the motivating force behind many murders. Greed was the motivating factor even in the case of the great wars of Europe in which millions lost their lives.
4-30 And whoso does this aggressively and unjustly, We shall soon cast him into fire. And this is ever easy for Allah.a
(۳۰) وَ مَنْ یَّفْعَلْ ذٰلِكَ عُدْوَانًا وَّ ظُلْمًا فَسَوْفَ نُصْلِیْهِ نَارًا ؕ وَ كَانَ ذٰلِكَ عَلَی اللّٰهِ یَسِیْرًا
4-30a: It is easy for Allah to cast a person in fire and incinerate the person: This has been stated because people consider incineration as something too farfetched and think that this is not going to be so. It is therefore emphasized that there is nothing doubtful about this.
4-31 If you shun the great things which you are forbidden,a We shall do away with your evil (inclinations) and cause you to enter an honorable place of entering.b
اِنْ تَجْتَنِبُوْا كَبَآىِٕرَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنْكُمْ سَیِّاٰتِكُمْ وَ نُدْخِلْكُمْ مُّدْخَلًا كَرِیْمًا (۳۱)
4-31a: تَجْتَنِبُوْا – It is derived from جنب which literally means the side, and اجتناب means to step aside from a thing, that is to avoid it.
كَبَآىِٕر – It is the plural of کبیرۃ whose literal meaning is just big, but کبیرۃ is also used for every sin whose punishment is big (R). It is stated in Ibn Athir that کبیرۃ are those shameful actions that are prohibited by the shariah and whose legal sanction is great. In another place in the Quran, it is stated: اَلَّذِیْنَ یَجْتَنِبُوْنَ كَبٰٓىِٕرَ الْاِثْمِ وَ الْفَوَاحِشَ اِلَّا اللَّمَمَ (Those who avoid the great sins and the indecencies, but the passing idea) (52:33).
Is کبیرۃ the term for a certain specific group of sins: There is difference of opinion on this point. On the basis of some hadith, certain specific sins have been classified as کبیرۃ . For example, there is a hadith in Bukhari and Muslim: اجتنبو السبع الموبقات (Save yourself from the seven that destroy). The seven sins that destroy are identified as: polytheism, magic, murder, misappropriating the inheritance of orphans, usury, fleeing from battle, and accusing innocent women of immorality, Another hadith is similar but has one difference which is that instead of magic, it has: الانقلاب الی الاعراب بعد الھجرۃ (returning back to a nomadic life after migration). In yet another hadith, this sin has been substituted by disobedience to parents. In one hadith in Bukhari and Muslim only three sins have been identified as کبیرۃ or اکبر الکبائر (greatest big sin) and these are stated to be: polytheism, disobedience of parents and perjury. In one hadith found both in Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy prophet was asked: ای الذننب اعظیم (What is the greatest sin?). He replied: Associating a partner with Allah. He was asked: Which one next? He replied: Infanticide of progeny for fear the child would have to be fed. Which one after that? Adultery with the neighbor’s wife. He then recited the verse: وَ الَّذِیْنَ لَا یَدْعُوْنَ مَعَ اللّٰهِ اِلٰهًا اٰخَرَ وَ لَا یَقْتُلُوْنَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِیْ حَرَّمَ اللّٰهُ اِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَ لَا یَزْنُوْنَ (And they who call not upon another god with Allah and slay not the soul which Allah has forbidden, except in the cause of justice, nor commit fornication;) (25:68). It is stated in one hadith that when the Holy Prophet was asked about wine, he replied that it is the biggest sin. In another hadith, it is stated that abusing parents is also among the great sins, and its detail is explained by stating that if a person abuses the parents of another, the other will abuse in return the parent of the one initiating the abuse. This Hadith is in Bukhari. Also from Bukhari is another hadith which states: سباب المسلم فسوق و قتاله کفر (cursing a Muslim is immoral and fighting him is kufr), and it is apparent that immorality is also a great sin. Abandoning prayers has also been called kufr. Accordingly, it is stated in Sunan: من ترك الصلوٰۃ فقد کفر . In another hadith, it is stated that despairing from the mercy of Allah is among the great sins.
All these hadith prove that the Holy Prophet did not consider the great sins to be a fixed set. The different replies that he gave on different occasions seem to be because he answered according to what the condition of the questioner necessitated. Thus, it is established from the hadith that کبیرۃ is not the name of a fixed set of sins. This is also the view of Ibn Abbas. Once someone said in his presence that the great sins are seven. He said that they are closer to seventy and according to another narration, he said they are closer to seven hundred. In another narration, Ibn Abbas has defined کبیرۃ as: کل ما عصی اللّٰه تعلیٰ فیه فھو کبیرۃ (Anything in which there is disobedience of Allah is a big sin). If the word grievous or great to define a sin in the Quran is taken as the distinguishing feature of کبیرۃ , then on the one side ascribing partners with Allah is called ظُلۡمٌ عَظِيمٌ۬ (grievous iniquity) (31:13) but on another occasion, infanticide of progeny is called: إِنَّ قَتۡلَهُمۡ ڪَانَ خِطۡـًٔ۬ا كَبِيرً۬ا (Surely the killing of them is a great wrong) (17:31). On a third occasion, gambling and wine is referred to as: فِيهِمَآ إِثۡمٌ۬ ڪَبِيرٌ۬ (In both of them is a great sin) (2:219). The Christian doctrine of sonship and the Divinity of a servant of God is called: كَبُرَتۡ ڪَلِمَةً۬ تَخۡرُجُ مِنۡ أَفۡوَٲهِهِمۡۚ (Grievous is the word that comes out of their mouths) (18:5). In another place, it is stated about fighting in the sacred months: قُلۡ قِتَالٌ۬ فِيهِ كَبِيرٌ۬ۖ (Say: Fighting in it is a grave (offence)). (2:217) but hindering men from Allah’s way and denying Him and the Sacred Mosque and turning people out of it, are still graver with Allah) وَڪُفۡرُۢ بِهِۦ وَٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ وَإِخۡرَاجُ أَهۡلِهِۦ مِنۡهُ أَكۡبَرُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ) (2:217). If murder is called a grave sin, then persecuting Muslim is even graver as stated in: وَٱلۡفِتۡنَةُ أَڪۡبَرُ مِنَ ٱلۡقَتۡلِ (2:217). It is clearly seen from this that ڪَبِيرٌ or اکبر الکبائر is not the name of certain types of sins. Just as by کبائر is not meant certain specified sins, similarly by صغائر (small sins) is not meant certain specified sins. There is no doubt, however, that all sins are not equally grievous. A sin would be called big or small based on how severe its effect is on a person, but a small sin done persistently can convert it into a big sin. This is also documented by Ibn Abbas who verbalized: لا ڪَبِيرٌۃ مع الاستغفار و لا صغیرۃ مع الاصرار (With استغفار no sin remains big and if persisted, no sin stays small.
4:31b: مُّدْخَلًا – It is either a verbal noun in the meaning of اِدخال or is an adverb of place from اَدۡخَلَ یُدۡ خِلُ
كَرِیْمً – When کَرَم is epithetical to Allah, it means His favors and rewards and when it is epithetical to a person it means praiseworthy etiquettes, and actions manifested by a person. Its use is limited to outstanding qualities of this nature, and everything that is of an eminent and honorable kind is called كَرِیْمً (R).
This verse presents a wise philosophical prescription for avoiding sin: Sin is not the name of any specific thing, and anything can be used in a good way or an evil way. Similarly, in the life of every person there are different occasions which present opportunities for doing good or evil. Hence if any faith had tried to inventory all the evils and then advised its votaries to avoid these evils, the effort would have been quite unsuccessful. Quran has adopted a very sensible approach and prohibited a few selected evils that every person is familiar with and follows that with a statement that if these evils are avoided, Allah will remove all your turpitudes. Carpers can argue that there is no great wisdom in it as it is just a presumption that saving yourself from big sins will result in elimination of all sins. Such an objection will only be made by somebody who has not reflected on the philosophy of moral turpitude. Evils that are very apparent or very grievous can be combated more easily. Those who do not reflect on human nature will consider this idea farfetched but human nature is such that it is easier for a person to save himself from a thing whose loss is very manifest because the powers that the Creator has put in human nature emerge to defend against a manifest harm when they spot it. The triumph of a person over evil is just that the person’s inner forces of good emerge to combat evil. It is obvious that those things whose harm is very lucid will be considered as the biggest evil. Thus, the reality is that the harm from grievous evils is very manifest and spotting this harm, the powers of goodness emerge to challenge the evil. When the powers of goodness emerge to combat the human nature buried under evil, initially they may not be able to overcome the evil because the powers of goodness may be weak but constant combat strengthens these forces. The analogy of a child learning to walk appropriately describes the struggle of goodness with evil. Initially, a child learning to walk may fall because the child is not strong enough for the task, but repeated attempts strengthen the muscles, and the child begins to walk. Similarly, a person’s spiritual powers are nurtured by combat. So, when a person habituates himself to combat grievous evils, his inner forces of good will be nurtured. The result of strengthening these forces will be that a person will also be saved from small evils whose harm is not very manifest because slowly the inclination to evil in such a person will disappear and his inner forces of evil will die. This is the stage to which Islam aspires to take its votaries. The purport of: نُكَفِّرْ عَنْكُمْ سَیِّاٰتِكُمْ is the elimination of the powers of evil because when a person commits no evil, his evil tendencies will disappear.
Redemption for evil in Islam and other religions: This is the path which Islam has presented for redemption from sin. If this method is compared with the methodology of any other religion for the same purpose, the methods of other religions appear infantile. As an example, we can take the method of atonement in Christianity. A person is purified of sin by believing in the crucifixion of one person (or God as they believe) but no Christian to this day has been able to explain how by believing in the death of Jesus on the Cross the evil forces are tamed or the person is purified from evil. The same is the case with the Hindu concept of reincarnation. If a person transforms into a bull, or a dog, or a donkey or an insect, how does that purify a person particularly in a situation where the person has no recollection of the sin for which he is metamorphosed into a new form and hence no idea how to avoid such sins. In short, these are infantile ideas when compared to the wise teachings of Islam.
4-32 And covet not that by which Allah has made some of you excel others. For men is the benefit of what they earn. And for women is the benefit of what they earn. And ask Allah of His grace. Surely Allah is ever Knower of all things.
وَ لَا تَتَمَنَّوْا مَا فَضَّلَ اللّٰهُ بِهٖ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلٰی بَعْضٍ ؕ لِلرِّجَالِ نَصِیْبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبُوْا ؕ وَ لِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِیْبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبْنَ ؕ وَ سْـَٔلُوا اللّٰهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهٖ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَیْءٍ عَلِیْمًا (۳۲)
4-32a: تَتَمَنَّوْا – The root of تمنی is مَنی whose literal meaning is kismet or Divine Will or to measure, and the meaning of تَمَنِّی is to keep measuring a thing internally in your heart and to picture it in your imagination. Most commonly it means to keep imagining a thing that has no reality (R).
This verse pushes the discussion a step further from the command to not devour the property of others by illegal methods and prohibits even coveting the property by which Allah has made some to excel others. Misappropriating the property of others is a manifest action which even the state takes steps to prevent by punishing the offenders but coveting the property of others is a hidden action which can only be rectified by religion. The remedy for what is manifest is relatively easier than what is hidden. Hence attention is first drawn to the manifest action and later to the hidden action.
What is meant by do not covet: The words of this verse can mean not to covet what is in the possession of another, whether wealth or honor, and not to desire that a particular thing that belongs to another belonged to you rather than him. Wishing that you have a similar thing to what another has is envy and not jealousy. The real thing is that تمنی is just imagining a thing in your mind. The excelling of some over others mentioned here is not in those matters resulting from a person’s own effort but in those matters that are hereditary or in matters that pertain to conditions in which fate has put a person, for example some are created male and some female, or some strong and some weak, or some were born in rich households and some in poor, or some were granted higher intelligence than others. This is further clarified by contrasting اکتساب (acquired after hard work) immediately after تمنی which has the connotation of inherited. Wishing for things like why was I not born in a rich household, or why was I not born under such conditions, or why did these matters not occur for me, are useless desires. The first command given, therefore, is not to desire such things. Next a rule is presented that a person should keep working in whatever condition one is born and should exert with whatever strength he has been given. This is explained in easy-to-understand language by stating that for men is the benefit of what they earn and for women the benefit of what they earn. The most fundamental division of the human species is into male and female. Man has to function under different conditions, and he achieves his perfection in his own way. Women have to operate under different conditions, and she achieves her perfection in her own way. This is also stated elsewhere in the Quran as: وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلۡأُنثَىٰٓ إِنَّ سَعۡيَكُمۡ لَشَتَّىٰ (And the creating of the male and the female – Your striving is surely (for) diverse (ends)) (92:3-4). Despite having to operate under different conditions the path of acquirement is open to both in temporal matters as well as spiritual matters. Women can achieve spiritual advancement in the same way as they can achieve temporal advancement. Islam has opened the gate for this forever by stating: وَ لِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِیْبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبْنَ . There is a hadith to this effect as well. Some women complained to the Holy Prophet and said: Men have the advantage over us because they have the opportunity to participate in jihad and earn a big reward for that and can do other great works in the way of Allah. The Holy Prophet replied: ان للحامل منکم اجراکصائم القائم و اذا ضربھا الطلق لم ید واحد و امالھا من الاجرفان ارضعت کان لھا بکل مصة اجرا حیاء نفس (The pregnant among you has the reward of a person who fasts during the day and spends the night standing up remembering Allah, and when she gives birth, no one knows the reward she gets. Then if she breastfeeds, then every time her child suckles at her breast, she gets the reward of giving life to a soul) (G).
The lesson in لَا تَتَمَنَّوْا : The lesson imparted in لَا تَتَمَنَّوْا is that a person should remain content with the condition in which he is created when it is out of his control to get out of it. This is the essence of being content with Allah’s decrees and this is: قیام فی ما اقام اللّٰه. The meaning of رضا بالقضاء is not that one should not try to come out of a debased and dishonorable condition.
4-33 And to everyone We have appointed heirs of that which parents and near relatives leave. And as to those with whom your right hands have ratified agreements, give them their due. Surely Allah is ever Witness over all things.a
وَلِڪُلٍّ۬ جَعَلۡنَا مَوَٲلِىَ مِمَّا تَرَكَ ٱلۡوَٲلِدَانِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبُونَۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ عَقَدَتۡ أَيۡمَـٰنُڪُمۡ فَـَٔاتُوهُمۡ نَصِيبَہُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ڪَانَ عَلَىٰ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ شَهِيدًا (٣٣)
4-33a: مَوَٲلِىَ – It is the plural of مَولیٰ which is derived from ولی and ولاء has also been used in the sense of nearness regardless of what aspect the nearness is in. Thus, the various aspects in which the word is applied include: the person who frees a slave, the slave who is freed, the person with whom a contract is made, paternal cousin, heir. It is the last meaning which is implied here.
عَقَدَتۡ أَيۡمَـٰنُڪُمۡ – The literal meaning of عقد is to bring the two ends or sides of a thing together, but it is use is widespread in many different senses, for example عقد بیع (sales contract), عقد عہد (covenant) etcetera. By اَیمان is meant the right hand because while pledging a covenant, the right hand is placed over the right hand of the pledge taker or the meaning is your oaths. The object of عقدت, that is عہودھم is omitted. Thus the meaning is those with whom your right hands have made agreements.
Other legal ways of acquiring wealth: It has previously been stated that one can acquire things only by hard work. Attention is now drawn to other means of acquisition. First God has made heirs who receive an inheritance, and those heirs are parents and other close relatives. Apart from heirs there are rights that delve through contracts, and this includes the contract of the husband with his wife. The reference in this verse specifically seems to be to the contract between husband and wife as is clarified further on by stating: ٱلرِّجَالُ قَوَّٲمُونَ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ (Men are the maintainers of women) (4:34).
Revoking heirs through contract or brotherhood: Some people consider وَٱلَّذِينَ عَقَدَتۡ أَيۡمَـٰنُڪُمۡ فَـَٔاتُوهُمۡ نَصِيبَہُمۡ abrogated and have deduced its meaning in three ways: First, what is meant are those sworn friends who people made in the pre-Islamic times. These friends would make an agreement that stated: My blood is your blood; my truce is your truce; my battle is your battle; you will be my heir and I will be your heir. Such a sworn friend was given one-sixth of the inheritance left by the deceased. This verse has sanctified such an arrangement. Second, what is meant is an adopted son who is called متبنّٰی . Third, the Holy Prophet had created a system in which he paired one refugee from Makkah with one helper from Madinah and designated them as brothers. This brotherhood made each in a pair the heir of the other. This verse validates rights of inheritance under these arrangements but abrogated these rights by the verse: وَ اُولُوا الْاَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ اَوْلٰی بِبَعْضٍ فِیْ كِتٰبِ اللّٰهِ (And the relatives are nearer one to another in the ordinance of Allah) (8:75). However, the abrogating verse from Surah Anfaal (8:75) was revealed earlier than the abrogated verse (4:33) under discussion here. A hadith in Bukhari reported by Ibn Abbas states: In this verse: وَلِڪُلٍّ۬ جَعَلۡنَا مَوَٲلِىَ the meaning of مَوَٲلِىَ is heirs. The background of وَٱلَّذِينَ عَقَدَتۡ أَيۡمَـٰنُڪُمۡ is that when the refugees came to Madinah, the refugees were heirs of helpers over the rights of blood relatives by virtue of the brotherhood that the Holy Prophet had created between the refugees and the helpers. When this verse وَلِڪُلٍّ۬ جَعَلۡنَا مَوَٲلِىَ was revealed, this custom was abrogated. It is then added: وَٱلَّذِينَ عَقَدَتۡ أَيۡمَـٰنُڪُمۡ that is, for them is triumph, thanks and advise. The inheritance then ceased for the refugees but a gift in the will could be made. Those who consider the verse abrogated mistakenly thought that those who previously received inheritance from the created brotherhood did so under the command of this verse but the narration in Bukhari reveals that those who received inheritance did so under an old custom and this custom was abrogated by this verse. However, it remains permissible to gift a spoken brother in the will.
Bayan-ul-Quran 