The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 193
PT. 4 AN-NISA' treasure, take not aught therefrom. Will you take it by lying and with manifest sinfulness?500 against her will, treating her virtually as a part of the property left by her dead husband; (5) The husband takes by force the property of his wife, as if it were his by legal right; (6) The relatives of the deceased husband take away by force the property of his widow, depriving her of her right of inheritance. The deceased person's relatives cannot prevent his widow from contracting a new marriage so that they may get hold of her property; but they can prevent her from doing so, if she intends to marry a person of manifestly objectionable character. If the address is to the husbands, the verse would mean that if the wives do not want to live with their husbands and seek separation from them, which they can do by means of khula, the husbands should prevent them from doing so out of greed for their money. But they can do so, if the wives are going to be guilty of a manifestly foul act. not The words, consort with them in kindness, embody the pith of the Islamic teachings about the treatment of wives. They are not to be treated in a dry, businesslike way, but with love and kindness. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said: a) i. e. "the best among you is he who is best in his treatment of his wife" (Tirmidhi). But as a one-sided affair 633 CH. 4 مِنْهُ شَيْئًا أَتَأْخُذُونَهُ بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا can never be truly successful, the Quran uses the expression (consort with them), which, being of the measure ables denotes reciprocity. So husbands and wives are both enjoined to live amicably with each other and reciprocate each other's love and kindness. A woman cannot adequately appreciate and acknowledge the great debt she owes to the Quran. No other Scripture has given to her the high status that the Quran gives her. It not only lays down her inalienable rights but also exhorts men to overlook the weaknesses and shortcomings of their wives, and treat them with kindness and benevolence even if they do not like them. The memorable words of the Holy Prophet quoted above, i. e. "The best of you is he who is best in his treatment of his wife" (Tirmidhi), are only an echo of the noble teachings of the Quran with regard to women. 500. Important Words: (lying) is the noun-infinitive from They say a i. e. he slandered him or accused him falsely; or he did so in such a manner as to make him confounded at the falsity of the charge. therefore means, a calumny, slander or false accusation; falsehood by reason of which one is perplexed or confounded and is rendered unable to see his right