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An-Nisa 34

Ayah 34 of 176 · Medinan

ٱلرِّجَالُ قَوَّٰمُونَ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بَعۡضَهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖ وَبِمَآ أَنفَقُواْ مِنۡ أَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡۚ فَٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ قَٰنِتَٰتٌ حَٰفِظَٰتٞ لِّلۡغَيۡبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ ٱللَّهُۚ وَٱلَّٰتِي تَخَافُونَ نُشُوزَهُنَّ فَعِظُوهُنَّ وَٱهۡجُرُوهُنَّ فِي ٱلۡمَضَاجِعِ وَٱضۡرِبُوهُنَّۖ فَإِنۡ أَطَعۡنَكُمۡ فَلَا تَبۡغُواْ عَلَيۡهِنَّ سَبِيلًاۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيّٗا كَبِيرٗا ٣٤

Men are in charge of women1 by [right of] what Allāh 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 Allāh would have them guard.2 But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance3 - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them [lightly].4 But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allāh is ever Exalted and Grand.

Translation: Saheeh International (English)

1 This applies primarily to the husband-wife relationship.

2 i.e., their husbands' property and their own chastity.

3 i.e., major rebellion or refusal of basic religious obligations.

4 This final disciplinary measure is more psychological than physical. It may be resorted to only after failure of the first two measures and when it is expected to amend the situation and prevent family breakup; otherwise, it is not acceptable. The Prophet ﷺ (who never struck a woman or a servant) additionally stipulated that it must not be severe or damaging and that the face be avoided.

Word by word

Each word's meaning and sound

  1. ٱلرِّجَالُ[The] menal-rijālu
  2. قَوَّٰمُونَ(are) protectorsqawwāmūna
  3. عَلَىofʿalā
  4. ٱلنِّسَآءِthe womenl-nisāi
  5. بِمَاbecausebimā
  6. فَضَّلَ(has) bestowedfaḍḍala
  7. ٱللَّهُAllahl-lahu
  8. بَعۡضَهُمۡsome of thembaʿḍahum
  9. عَلَىٰoverʿalā
  10. بَعۡضٖothersbaʿḍin
  11. وَبِمَآand becausewabimā
  12. أَنفَقُواْthey spendanfaqū
  13. مِنۡfrommin
  14. أَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡۚtheir wealthamwālihim
  15. فَٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُSo the righteous womenfal-ṣāliḥātu
  16. قَٰنِتَٰتٌ(are) obedientqānitātun
  17. حَٰفِظَٰتٞguardingḥāfiẓātun
  18. لِّلۡغَيۡبِin the unseenlil'ghaybi
  19. بِمَاthat whichbimā
  20. حَفِظَ(orders) them to guardḥafiẓa
  21. ٱللَّهُۚ(by) Allahl-lahu
  22. وَٱلَّٰتِيAnd those (from) whomwa-allātī
  23. تَخَافُونَyou feartakhāfūna
  24. نُشُوزَهُنَّtheir ill-conductnushūzahunna
  25. فَعِظُوهُنَّthen advise themfaʿiẓūhunna
  26. وَٱهۡجُرُوهُنَّand forsake themwa-uh'jurūhunna
  27. فِيinfī
  28. ٱلۡمَضَاجِعِthe bedl-maḍājiʿi
  29. وَٱضۡرِبُوهُنَّۖand [finally] strike themwa-iḍ'ribūhunna
  30. فَإِنۡThen iffa-in
  31. أَطَعۡنَكُمۡthey obey youaṭaʿnakum
  32. فَلَاthen (do) notfalā
  33. تَبۡغُواْseektabghū
  34. عَلَيۡهِنَّagainst themʿalayhinna
  35. سَبِيلًاۗa waysabīlan
  36. إِنَّIndeedinna
  37. ٱللَّهَAllahl-laha
  38. كَانَiskāna
  39. عَلِيّٗاMost Highʿaliyyan
  40. كَبِيرٗاMost Greatkabīran

Tafsir

Men are responsible for women, protecting and taking care of them, because of the bounty He has given men over them, and because of their duty to maintain and take care of them. Righteous women are devoted to their Lord, and devoted to their husbands, protecting things for them in their absence through Allah’s help. The women who you fear would not show devotion to their husbands in what they say or do, first remind them of how they should act according to the sacred laws; if they do not change their ways, then leave them alone in bed, turning your back to them and not having sexual relations; and if they still do not change their ways, then strike them without any ferocity. If they become loyal again, then do not do anything against them, not wronging them nor blaming them. Allah is High in His essence, Great in His attributes, so be mindful of Him.

Al-Mukhtasar in interpreting the Noble Quran