An-Nisa 4:21

<h2>Meaning of `Inheriting Women Against Their Will</h2><p>Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said about the Ayah,</p><p>يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَرِثُواْ النِّسَآءَ كَرْهاً</p><p>(O you who believe! You are not permitted to inherit women against their will,) "Before, the practice was that when a man dies, his male relatives used to have the right to do whatever they wanted with his wife. If one of them wants, he would marry her, give her in marriage, or prevent her from marriage, for they had more right to her than her own family. Thereafter, this Ayah was revealed about this practice,</p><p>يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَرِثُواْ النِّسَآءَ كَرْهاً</p><p>(O you who believe! You are not permitted to inherit women against their will)."</p><h2>Women Should not Be Treated with Harshness</h2><p>Allah said,</p><p>وَلاَ تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ لِتَذْهَبُواْ بِبَعْضِ مَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ</p><p>(nor to prevent them from marriage, in order to take part of what you have given them,) Allah commands: Do not treat the woman harshly so that she gives back all or part of the dowry that she was given, or forfeits one of her rights by means of coercion and oppression. Allah's statement,</p><p>إِلاَّ أَن يَأْتِينَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُّبَيِّنَةٍ</p><p>(unless they commit open Fahishah.) Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id bin …

How can ye take it (back) after one of you hath gone in unto the other, and they have taken a strong pledge from you?

And how could ye take it when ye have gone in unto each other, and they have Taken from you a solemn covenant?

And how could you take it (back) while you have gone in unto each other, and they have taken from you a firm and strong covenant?

And how can you take it back, when you have been intimate with one another, and they have received from you a solid commitment?