Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nisa Verse 128

Mufti Taqi Usmani

If a woman fears ill treatment or aversion from her husband, then, there is no sin on them in entering into a compromise between them. Compromise is better. Avarice is made to be present in human souls. If you do good and fear Allah, then, Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

If a woman fears indifference or neglect from her husband, there is no blame on either of them if they seek ˹fair˺ settlement, which is best. Humans are ever inclined to selfishness.[[ This implies that many husbands and wives are unwilling to give the other their rights.]] But if you are gracious and mindful ˹of Allah˺, surely Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

Ruwwad Translation Center

If a woman fears ill treatment or indifference on her husband’s part, there is no blame on them to reach an amicable reconciliation between themselves, for reconciliation is best, even though human souls are prone to avarice. If you do good and fear Allah, Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

A. J. Arberry

If a woman fear rebelliousness or aversion in her husband, there is no fault in them if the couple set things right between them; right settlement is better; and souls are very prone to avarice. If you do good and are godfearing, surely God is aware of the things you do.

Abdul Haleem

If a wife fears high-handedness or alienation from her husband, neither of them will be blamed if they come to a peaceful settlement, for peace is best. Although human souls are prone to selfishness, if you do good and are mindful of God, He is well aware of all that you do.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And if a woman feareth from her husband refractoriness or estrangement, it shall be no blame on the twain if they effect between them a reconciliation; and reconciliation is better. And souls are engrained with greed. And if ye act kindly and fear Him, then verily Allah is ever of that which ye work Aware.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If a wife fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part, there is no blame on them if they arrange an amicable settlement between themselves; and such settlement is best; even though men's souls are swayed by greed. But if ye do good and practise self-restraint, Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.

Abul Ala Maududi

If a woman fears either ill-treatment or aversion from her husband it is not wrong for the husband and wife to bring about reconciliation among themselves (by compromising on their rights), for settlement is better. Man's soul is always prone to selfishness, but if you do good and are God-fearing, then surely Allah is aware of the things you do.

Ahmed Ali

If a woman fears aversion from her husband, or ill treatment, there is no harm if they make a peaceful settlement; and peace is an excellent thing. But men keep self-interest uppermost. Yet if you do good and fear God, God is cognisant of all that you do.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And if a woman fears ill treatment from her husband or disinterest, so it is no sin for them if they reach an agreement of peace between themselves; and peace is better; and the heart is trapped in greed; and if you do good and practice piety, then Allah is Well Aware of it.

Ali Quli Qarai

If a woman fears from her husband misconduct or desertion, there is no sin upon the couple if they reach a reconciliation between themselves; and reconcilement is better. The souls are prone to greed; but if you are virtuous and Godwary, Allah is indeed well aware of what you do.

Ali Ünal

If a woman fears from her husband ill-treatment or (such breach of marital obligations as) his turning away in aversion, then there will be no blame on them to set things right peacefully between them; peaceful settlement is better. (Bear in mind that) human souls are prone to selfish avarice, so (O husbands) if you do good in consciousness of God and act in reverence for Him and piety (in observing the rights of women), then surely God is fully aware of what you do.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And if a woman fears high-handedness or indifference on the part of her husband then there is no blame on them both that they may be amicably reconciled to each other and reconciliation is the best. And covetousness and greed is ever present in human minds, but if you do good and guard against (this) evil, (you will find) then Allâh is Well-Aware of what you do.

English Literal

And if a woman feared from her husband quarrel/despise or objection/opposition/turning away, so no offense/guilt (is) on them (B) that they (B) correct/reconciliate between them (B) correction/reconciliation, and the correction/reconciliation (is) best ; and the selves the miser/careful were brought/made to be present/made to attend , and if you do good and you fear and obey, so then God was/is with what you make/do an expert/experienced.

Faridul Haque

And if a woman fears ill treatment from her husband or disinterest, so it is no sin for them if they reach an agreement of peace between themselves; and peace is better; and the heart is trapped in greed; and if you do good and practice piety, then Allah is Well Aware of it.

Hamid S. Aziz

But if they must separate, Allah can provide (make both independent) out of His abundance; for Allah is All-embracing, All-Knowing.

Hilali & Khan

And if a woman fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part, there is no sin on them both if they make terms of peace between themselves; and making peace is better. And human inner-selves are swayed by greed. But if you do good and keep away from evil, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And they ask thee a decision about women. Say: Allah makes known to you His decision concerning widowed women, whom you give not what is appointed for them, while you are not inclined to marry them, nor to the weak among children, and that you should deal justly with orphans. And whatever good you do, Allah is surely ever Knower of it.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And if a woman fears ill usage or desertion on the part of her husband, there is no blame on them, if they effect a reconciliation between them, and reconciliation is better, and avarice has been made to be present in the (people's) minds; and if you do good (to others) and guard (against evil), then surely Allah is aware of what you do.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

If a woman feareth ill treatment from her husband, or desertion, it is no sin for them twain if they make terms of peace between themselves. Peace is better. But greed hath been made present in the minds (of men). If ye do good and keep from evil, lo! Allah is ever Informed of what ye do.

Muhammad Sarwar

If a woman is afraid of her husband's ill treatment and desertion, it will be no sin for both of them to reach a reconciliation. Reconciliation is good even though men's souls are swayed by greed. If you act righteously and be pious, God is Well Aware of what you do.

Qaribullah & Darwish

If a woman fears hatred or aversion from her husband there is no fault in them if the couple set things right between them, for reconciliation is better. Avarice attends the souls, but if you do what is good and are cautious, surely, Allah is Aware of what you do.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And if a woman fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part, there is no sin on them both if they make terms of peace between themselves; and making peace is better. And human souls are swayed by greed. But if you do good and have Taqwa, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do.

Wahiduddin Khan

If a woman fears ill-treatment or indifference on the part of her husband, it shall be no offence for her to seek a reconciliation, for reconciliation is best. But people are prone to selfish greed. If you do good and fear Him, surely God is aware of what you do.

Talal Itani

If a woman fears maltreatment or desertion from her husband, there is no fault in them if they reconcile their differences, for reconciliation is best. Souls are prone to avarice; yet if you do what is good, and practice piety—God is Cognizant of what you do.

Tafsir jalalayn

And if a woman (wa-in imra'atun is in the nominative because of [it being the subject of] the explicative verb [that follows]) fears, anticipates, from her husband ill-treatment, if he looks down on her by refraining to sleep with her or by not maintaining her adequately, because he is averse to her and aspires to one more beautiful than her, or rejection, turning his face away from her, they are not at fault if they are reconciled through some agreement, in terms of shares and maintenance expenses, so that she concedes something to him in return for continuing companionship; if she agrees to this [then that is fine], but if [she does] not, then the husband must either give her all her due, or part with her (an yasslah, `they reconcile'; the original t' [of yataslah] has been assimilated with the sd; a variant reading has an yuslih, from [the fourth form] aslaha); reconciliation is better, than separation, ill-treatment or rejection. God, exalted be He, in explaining the natural disposition of man, says; But greed has been made present in the souls (al-shuhh is extreme niggardliness), meaning that they have a natural propensity for this, as if they [the souls] are ever in its presence, never absent from it. The meaning is; a woman would scarcely allow [another] to share her husband with her, and a man would scarcely allow her [to enjoy] him if he were to fall in love with another. If you are virtuous, in your conjugal life with women, and fear, being unjust to them, surely God is ever aware of what you do, and He will requite you for it.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Ruling Concerning Desertion on the Part of the Husband

Allah says;

وَإِنِ امْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِن بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوْ إِعْرَاضًا

And if a woman fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part,

Allah states, and thus legislates accordingly, that sometimes, the man inclines away from his wife, sometimes towards her and sometimes he parts with her.

In the first case, when the wife fears that her husband is steering away from her or deserting her, she is allowed to forfeit all or part of her rights, such as provisions, clothing, dwelling, and so forth, and the husband is allowed to accept such concessions from her. Hence, there is no harm if she offers such concessions, and if her husband accepts them.

This is why Allah said,

فَلَ جُنَاْحَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَن يُصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحًا

there is no sin on them both if they make terms of peace between themselves;

He then said,

وَالصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ

and making peace is better, (than divorce).

Allah's statement,

وَأُحْضِرَتِ الَانفُسُ الشُّحَّ

And human souls are swayed by greed.

means, coming to peaceful terms, even when it involves forfeiting some rights, is better than parting.

Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that Ibn Abbas said,

"Sawdah feared that the Messenger of Allah might divorce her and she said, `O Messenger of Allah! Do not divorce me; give my day to Aishah.' And he did, and later on Allah sent down,
وَإِنِ امْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِن بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوْ إِعْرَاضًا فَلَ جُنَاْحَ عَلَيْهِمَا
(And if a woman fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part, there is no sin on them both).

Ibn Abbas said,

"Whatever (legal agreement) the spouses mutually agree to is allowed."

At-Tirmidhi recorded it and said, "Hasan Gharib".

In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Aishah said that;

when Sawdah bint Zam`ah became old, she forfeited her day to Aishah, and the Prophet used to spend Sawdah's night with Aishah.

There is a similar narration also collected by Al-Bukhari.

Al-Bukhari also recorded that A'ishah commented;
وَإِنِ امْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِن بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوْ إِعْرَاضًا
(And if a woman fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part), that it refers to,

"A man who is married to an old woman, and he does not desire her and wants to divorce her. So she says, `I forfeit my right on you.' So this Ayah was revealed."
Meaning of "Making Peace is Better

Allah said,

وَالصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ

And making peace is better.

Ali bin Abi Talhah related that Ibn Abbas said that the Ayah refers to,

"When the husband gives his wife the choice between staying with him or leaving him, as this is better than the husband preferring other wives to her."

However, the apparent wording of the Ayah refers to the settlement where the wife forfeits some of the rights she has over her husband, with the husband agreeing to this concession, and that this settlement is better than divorce.

For instance, the Prophet kept Sawdah bint Zam`ah as his wife after she offered to forfeit her day for Aishah. By keeping her among his wives, his Ummah may follow this kind of settlement. Since settlement and peace are better with Allah than parting,

Allah said,

وَالصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ

and making peace is better.

Divorce is not preferred with Allah.

The meaning of Allah's statement,

وَإِن تُحْسِنُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا



But if you do good and have Taqwa, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do.

if you are patient with the wife you dislike and treat her as other wives are treated, then Allah knows what you do and will reward you for it perfectly.

Allah's statement