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Names

This surah is called Surat An-Nisa?. [54] See: Tafsir Ibn ?Ashur, 4/211.
It was narrated that Ma?dan ibn Abi Talhah Al-Ya?mari said that ?Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a khutbah one Friday. He mentioned the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and he mentioned Abu Bakr, then he said: I am not leaving behind me any issue more difficult than that of kalalah. [55] Kalalah is a man who dies leaving behind no offspring and no parent. See: Ibn Qutaybah: Gharib Al-Qur?an, p. 121. I did not ask the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about any matter more than I asked him about kalalah, and he never responded more harshly to my asking any question than he did regarding this matter, to the extent that he poked me in the chest with his finger and said: O ?Umar, is not the verse that was revealed in summer at the end of Surat An-Nisa? sufficient for you? If I live, I will give a verdict concerning it that those who have knowledge of the Qur?an and those who do not have knowledge of it will understand. [56] Narrated by Muslim, 1617.

Virtues and characteristics

It was narrated that ?Abdullah ibn Mas?ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: ?Recite Qur?an to me.? I said: O Messenger of Allah, should I recite to you when it was revealed to you? He said: ?I like to hear it from someone else.? So I recited Surat An-Nisa? to him until I reached the verse:
So how will it be when We bring from every nation a witness and we bring you, O Muhammad against these people as a witness?
That Day, those who disbelieved and disobeyed the Messenger will wish they could be covered by the earth. And they will not conceal from Allah a single statement
An-Nisa? 4:41-42.
Then I lifted my head or a man who was beside me nudged me ? according to one report: with his hand ? and I raised my head, and I looked at him and saw his eyes flowing with tears. [57] Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 5055; Muslim, 800.
It was narrated that Hudhayfah ibn Al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I prayed with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) one night, and he started to recite Al-Baqarah and I thought: he will bow when he reaches one hundred, but he carried on. Then I thought that he would finish it in one rak?ah, but he carried on. Then I thought he would bow after finishing it, but he started to recite An-Nisa? and recited it all, then he started to recite Al ?Imran and recited it all, reciting with a slow and measured pace. [58] Narrated by Muslim, 772.
It was narrated from Abu Mijlaz that Abu Musa was between Makkah and Madinah, and he prayed ?Isha? with two rak?ahs, then he stood up and prayed one rak?ah of Witr, in which he recited one hundred verses from An-Nisa?, then he said: I wanted to put my feet where the Messenger of Allah put his feet, and recite what the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited. [59] Narrated by An-Nasa?i, 1728; Ahmad, 19760.

Makki or Madani?

Surat An-Nisa? is Madani, and it was narrated that there was consensus regarding that. [60] Al-Fayruzabadi said: This surah is Madani according to the consensus of the scholars of Qur?an. Basa?ir Dhawi?l-Tamyiz, 1/169.
This is indicated by the report which was narrated from ?A?ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), according to which she said: Surat Al-Baqarah and An-Nisa? were only revealed when I was with him. [61] Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 4993.
There is no difference of scholarly opinion regarding the fact that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) consummated his marriage to her in Madinah. [62] See: Al-Baqa?i: Masa?id An-Nazar, 2/87.

Objectives

The most important objectives of Surat An-Nisa? include:
Focusing on creed (?aqidah), affirming Allah?s oneness, and matters of faith; refuting false beliefs; presenting clear proof of the truthfulness of the prophethood of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); and warning against the hypocrites.
Discussing family issues, setting out guidelines for the relationship between the spouses, and explaining rulings on inheritance and division of the estate.
Focusing on the foundations on which the Muslim state is to be built, and what its aspirations and purposes should be; and jihad in Allah?s cause.
Discussing guidelines and rulings on preventing bloodshed and protecting wealth; emphasising the importance of protecting the rights of orphans.

Topics

The most significant topics addressed in Surat An-Nisa? include:
Women, as the surah explains many rulings pertaining to them and it discusses many of their rights, speaking at length about this issue.
Guidelines on how the relationship between men and women should be, including: who is in charge (qawwamah); permissibility of marriage and of plural marriage for men; the woman?s right to the mahr, inheritance and kind treatment; the prohibition on preventing women from marrying; and rulings regarding breastfeeding. The surah also urges people to be virtuous and chaste, and warns against immoral actions, and it discusses a man?s relationship with his concubine, and other matters.
Orphan?s rights and how their wealth and property is to be handled.
With regard to wealth, the surah mentions the prohibition on devouring people?s wealth unlawfully and warns against doing that. It urges Muslims to spend in Allah?s cause and warns those who are stingy and enjoin upon other people stinginess.
Explanation of many juristic rulings, whilst highlighting the easy nature of Islamic teachings and that it is Allah?s will to reduce the burden from His slaves and that He takes their weakness into consideration. These rulings include: the rulings on inheritance; the prohibition on a drunk person praying in an intoxicated state; the obligation of doing ghusl for janabah (state of impurity following sexual activity) for the one who wants to pray; the prescription of tayammum (dry ablution) and rulings thereon. The surah also explains some of the rulings on criminal offences and blood money (diyah), whilst also emphasizing the great sanctity of the believer?s blood and the punishment for one who kills a believer deliberately, and other juristic rulings.
The People of the Book, and explaining some of the misguidance that they follow, and what befell them of divine wrath and curses. It mentions some of their stubbornness, their breaking of the covenants, their rejection of the signs and their mistreatment of Allah?s prophets, which went so far as killing some of them. Then the surah calls them to the true religion and forbids them to go to extremes in religion, which includes their exaggeration about the Messiah ?Isa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) and their belief in the Trinity.
The surah discusses the issue of ruling in accordance with Islam, and the foundation on which rules should be based in the Muslim state, namely justice. It also emphasizes the obligation to obey Allah and the Messenger and those in authority, and says that in the event of dispute, reference should be made to the laws of Allah, to the extent that sound faith requires referring to His laws for judgement, and being content with His laws and submitting to Him.
The surah speaks of the hypocrites; it exposes them and lists many of their evil deeds, behaviour and attitude, plots and conspiracies, and it speaks of their punishment and where they will end up in the hereafter, for they will be in the lowest level of the Fire.
The command to fight in Allah?s cause so that His word will become supreme, and in support of the weak and oppressed believers. The surah promises great reward for those who fight in Allah?s cause, and the immense superiority of those who strive in jihad over those who stay behind. It highlights some of the rulings that the one who fights in Allah?s cause needs to know, such as how to deal with an unknown person who greets him with salaam, and rulings on the fear prayer and shortening prayers.
The surah urges Muslims to do good deeds and acquire good characteristics: this includes being just and giving honest testimony for the sake of Allah, even if it is against oneself or one?s parents or relatives, and not following whims and desires. That also includes rendering back trusts, being kind to people, and taking care of those closest to one, such as parents, relatives and neighbours, as well as taking care of those in need, such as the poor and weak, and showing kindness to them.
The great enmity that the Shaytan has towards the children of Adam, and how the Shaytan warned that he would misguide some of the people.
The surah urges people to believe in Allah, His Messengers, His Books and the Last Day, and to devote their worship to Allah alone. It highlights the serious nature of associating others with Allah (shirk), and the prohibition on taking the disbelievers as allies and close friends instead of the believers. It instructs us to fear Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted,, hold fast to Him and adhere to His religion.
It mentions some of the Prophets of Allah, and some of the stories of Musa and ?Isa (peace be upon them).

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