Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nisa Verse 35

Mufti Taqi Usmani

If you fear a split between them (the spouses), send one arbitrator from his people and one from her people. If they desire to set things right, Allah shall bring about harmony between them. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

If you anticipate a split between them, appoint a mediator from his family and another from hers. If they desire reconciliation, Allah will restore harmony between them. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.

Ruwwad Translation Center

If you fear a breach between them, appoint an arbitrator from his family and another from hers. If they both want reconciliation, Allah will bring harmony between them. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.

A. J. Arberry

And if you fear a breach between the two, bring forth an arbiter from his people and from her people an arbiter, if they desire to set things right; God will compose their differences; surely God is All-knowing, All-aware.

Abdul Haleem

If you [believers] fear that a couple may break up, appoint one arbiter from his family and one from hers. Then, if the couple want to put things right, God will bring about a reconciliation between them: He is all knowing, all aware.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And if ye fear a divergence between the twain, set up an arbiter from his household and an arbiter from her household; then if the twain desire rectification Allah shall bring harmony between the twain; verily Allah is ever Knowing, Aware.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If ye fear a breach between them twain, appoint (two) arbiters, one from his family, and the other from hers; if they wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation; For Allah hath full knowledge, and is acquainted with all things.

Abul Ala Maududi

If you fear a breach between the two, appoint an arbitrator from his people and an arbitrator from her people. If they both want to set things right, Allah will bring about reconciliation between them. Allah knows all, is well aware of everything.

Ahmed Ali

If you fear a breach between them, appoint one arbiter from the people of the man and one from the people of the woman. If they wish to have a settlement then God will reconcile them, for God is all-knowing and cognisant.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And if you fear a dispute between husband and wife, send an arbitrator from the man’s family and an arbitrator from the woman’s family; if these two wish conciliation, Allah will unite them; indeed Allah is All Knowing, Well Aware.

Ali Quli Qarai

If you fear a split between the two of them, then appoint an arbiter from his relatives and an arbiter from her relatives. If they desire reconcilement, Allah shall reconcile them. Indeed Allah is all-knowing, all-aware.

Ali Ünal

And if you fear that a breach might occur between a couple, appoint an arbiter from among his people and an arbiter from among her people. If they both want to set things aright, God will bring about reconciliation between them. Assuredly, God is All-Knowing, All-Aware.

Amatul Rahman Omar

But if you apprehend a breach between the two (- a man and his wife) then appoint one arbiter from his people and one arbiter from her people; if the two have a mind to effect reconciliation, Allâh will bring it about between them. Verily, Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Aware.

English Literal

And if you feared defiance/disobedience between them (B) so send a judge from his family and a judge from her family , if they (B) want reconciliation, God reconciliates/inspires/harmonizes between them (B), that God was/is knowledgeable, expert/experienced.

Faridul Haque

And if you fear a dispute between husband and wife, send an arbitrator from the man’s family and an arbitrator from the woman’s family; if these two wish conciliation, Allah will unite them; indeed Allah is All Knowing, Well Aware.

Hamid S. Aziz

Who hoard their wealth and bid men to (or promote) avarice, and who hide what Allah has given them of His Bounty. We have prepared for the disbelievers a shameful woe.

Hilali & Khan

If you fear a breach between them twain (the man and his wife), appoint (two) arbitrators, one from his family and the other from her's; if they both wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation. Indeed Allah is Ever All-Knower, Well-Acquainted with all things.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Men are the maintainers of women, with what Allah has made some of them to excel others and with what they spend out of their wealth. So the good women are obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded. And (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the beds and chastise them. So if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Surely Allah is ever Exalted, Great.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And if you fear a breach between the two, then appoint judge from his people and a judge from her people; if they both desire agreement, Allah will effect harmony between them, surely Allah is Knowing, Aware.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And if ye fear a breach between them twain (the man and wife), appoint an arbiter from his folk and an arbiter from her folk. If they desire amendment Allah will make them of one mind. Lo! Allah is ever Knower, Aware.

Muhammad Sarwar

If there appears to be discord between a wife and her husband and if they desire reconciliation choose arbiters from the families of both sides. God will bring them together; God is All-knowing and All-aware.

Qaribullah & Darwish

If you fear a breach between them send for an arbiter from his people and an arbiter from her people. If both wish reconciliation, Allah will bring success between them. Allah is the Knower, the Aware.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

If you fear a breach between the two, appoint (two) arbitrators, one from his family and the other from her's; if they both wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation. Indeed Allah is Ever All-Knower, Well-Acquainted with all things.

Wahiduddin Khan

If you fear any breach between a man and his wife, appoint one arbiter from his family and one arbiter from her family. If they both want to set things right, God will bring about a reconciliation between them: He is all knowing and all aware.

Talal Itani

If you fear a breach between the two, appoint an arbiter from his family and an arbiter from her family. If they wish to reconcile, God will bring them together. God is Knowledgeable, Expert.

Tafsir jalalayn

And if you fear, become aware of, a breach, a dispute, between the two, the married couple (the genitive construction shiqqa baynihim, `[any] breach between the two', is for a range [of alternatives], in other words; shiqqan baynihim [is the normal construction]) send forth, for them with their consent, an arbiter, a just man, from his folk, his kinsmen, and an arbiter from her folk; the husband delegates to his arbiter the [matter of] divorce or the acceptance of compensation in its place, while she delegates to her arbiter the [matter of] separation. The two arbiters do their best and bid the one guilty of the injustice to desist, or they suggest separation if they see fit. God, exalted be He, says, if they, the two arbiters, desire to set things right, God will grant them, the married couple, success, determining for them what constitutes [an act of] obedience, be it reconciliation or separation. Surely God is ever Knower, of everything, Aware, of what is hidden and what is manifested.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Appointing Two Arbitrators When the Possibility of Estrangement Between Husband and Wife Occurs

Allah first mentioned the case of rebellion on the part of the wife. He then mentioned the case of estrangement and alienation between the two spouses.

Allah said,

وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ شِقَاقَ بَيْنِهِمَا فَابْعَثُواْ حَكَمًا مِّنْ أَهْلِهِ وَحَكَمًا مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا

If you fear a breach between the two, appoint (two) arbitrators, one from his family.

The Fuqaha (scholars of Fiqh) say that when estrangement occurs between the husband and wife, the judge refers them to a trusted person who examines their case in order to stop any wrongs committed between them. If the matter continues or worsens, the judge sends a trustworthy person from the woman's family and a trustworthy person from the man's family to meet with them and examine their case to determine whether it is best for them to part or to remain together.

Allah gives preference to staying together, and this is why Allah said,

إِن يُرِيدَا إِصْلَحًا يُوَفِّقِ اللّهُ بَيْنَهُمَا

if they both wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation.

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said,

"Allah commands that a righteous man from the husband's side of the family and the wife's side of the family are appointed, so that they find out who among the spouses is in the wrong. If the man is in the wrong, they prevent him from his wife, and he pays some restitution. If the wife is in the wrong, she remains with her husband, and he does not pay any restitution. If the arbitrators decide that the marriage should remain intact or be dissolved, then their decision is upheld. If they decide that the marriage remains intact, but one of the spouses disagrees while the other agrees, and one of them dies, then the one who agreed inherits from the other, while the spouse who did not agree does not inherit from the spouse who agreed."

This was collected by Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir.

Sheikh Abu Umar bin Abdul-Barr said,

"The scholars agree that when the two arbitrators disagree, then the opinion that dissolves the marriage will not be adopted. They also agree that the decision of the arbitrators is binding, even if the two spouses did not appoint them as agents. This is the case if it is decided that they should stay together, but they disagree whether it is binding or not when they decide for separation."

Then he mentioned that the majority holds the view that the decision is still binding, even if they did not appoint them to make any decision.

إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا خَبِيرًا



Indeed Allah is Ever All-Knower, Well-Acquainted with all things