Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nisa Verse 4

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Give women their dower in good cheer. Then, if they forego some of it, of their own will, you may have it as pleasant and joyful.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Give women ˹you wed˺ their due dowries graciously. But if they waive some of it willingly, then you may enjoy it freely with a clear conscience.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Give women their marriage dowries graciously. However, if they waive to you part of it willingly, then enjoy it with a clear conscience.

A. J. Arberry

And give the women their dowries as a gift spontaneous; but if they are pleased to offer you any of it, consume it with wholesome appetite.

Abdul Haleem

Give women their bridal gift upon marriage, though if they are happy to give up some of it for you, you may enjoy it with a clear conscience.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And give unto women dowries as a gift, and if of themselves they give up aught thereof unto you, then eat it in pleasure and profit.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And give the women (on marriage) their dower as a free gift; but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, Take it and enjoy it with right good cheer.

Abul Ala Maududi

Give women their bridal-due in good cheer (considering it a duty); but if they willingly remit any part of it, consume it with good pleasure.

Ahmed Ali

Give to women their dowers willingly, but if they forego part of it themselves, then use it to your advantage.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And give the women their bridal money willingly; then if they willingly give you a part of it, eat (use) it with joy and fruition.

Ali Quli Qarai

Give women their dowries, handing it over to them; but if they remit anything of it of their own accord, then consume it as [something] lawful and wholesome.

Ali Ünal

Give to the women (whom you marry) their bridal-due (mahr) willingly and for good (i.e. without expecting a return); however, if of their own accord they remit any part of it to you, then you are welcome to enjoy it gladly.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And give the women their dowers unasked, willingly and as agreed gift. But if they be pleased to remit you a portion thereof, of their own free will, then take it with grace and pleasure.

English Literal

And give the women their dowries specified personally , so if they (them)self allowed/permitted for you from a thing/something from it, so eat it pleasurable/wholesome tasty.

Faridul Haque

And give the women their bridal money willingly; then if they willingly give you a part of it, eat (use) it with joy and fruition.

Hamid S. Aziz

Prove orphans until they reach a marriageable age, then, if you perceive in them good judgment, hand over to them their property, and do not consume it wastefully and in haste lest they grow up. And the guardian who is rich, let him abstain from remuneration; but he who is poor, let him have what is just and reasonable. And when you deliver to the orphans their property, then have witnesses in their presence. Allah sufficient in taking account.

Hilali & Khan

And give to the women (whom you marry) their Mahr (obligatory bridal money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage) with a good heart, but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, take it, and enjoy it without fear of any harm (as Allah has made it lawful).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And if you fear that you cannot do justice to orphans, marry such women as seem good to you, two, or three, or four; but if you fear that you will not do justice, then (marry) only one or that which your right hands possess. This is more proper that you may not do injustice.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And give women their dowries as a free gift, but if they of themselves be pleased to give up to you a portion of it, then eat it with enjoyment and with wholesome result.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And give unto the women (whom ye marry) free gift of their marriage portions; but if they of their own accord remit unto you a part thereof, then ye are welcome to absorb it (in your wealth).

Muhammad Sarwar

Pay the women their dowry as though it were a gift. However, if they allow you to keep a part of it as a favor to you, you may spend it with pleasure.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Give women their dowries freely, but if they are pleased to offer you any of it, consume it good and smooth.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And give to the women (whom you marry) their Saduqat (or dowry) Nihlah (with a good heart), but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, take it, and enjoy it without fear of any harm.

Wahiduddin Khan

And give the women their dowers willingly, but if they, of their own accord, remit any part of it to you, you may make use of it with pleasure and goodwill.

Talal Itani

Give women their dowries graciously. But if they willingly forego some of it, then consume it with enjoyment and pleasure.

Tafsir jalalayn

And give women their dowries (saduqt, plural of sudqa), their bridal money (mahr, muhr), as a free gift (nihlatan, is a verbal noun), a present given out of the kindness of one's heart; but if they are pleased to offer you any of it of their own accord (nafsan, `of their own accord', is for specification and is taken from the subject of the verb [thus, it refers back to `they', the women]), meaning, [if] their own selves are pleased that you should have something of the dowry and they give it to you then, consume it with, good, wholesome appetite, a praiseworthy consequence, with no harm therein for you with regard to the Hereafter; this was revealed in response to those who were opposed to this [consumption].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَاتُواْ النَّسَاء صَدُقَاتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً

And give to the women (whom you marry) their Saduqat Nihlah,

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported Ibn Abbas saying,
Nihlah, in Allah's statement, refers to the dowry.

Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated from Az-Zuhri that Urwah said that Aishah said that;

`Nihlah' means `obligatory'.

Muqatil, Qatadah and Ibn Jurayj said,

`Nihlah' means `obligatory'

Ibn Jurayj added;`specified.'

Ibn Zayd said,

"In Arabic, Nihlah, refers to what is necessary. So Allah is commanding;Do not marry unless you give your wife something that is her right. No person after the Prophet is allowed to marry a woman except with the required dowry, nor by giving false promises about the dowry (intended)."

Therefore, the man is required to pay a dowry to his wife with a good heart, just as he gives a gift with a good heart. If the wife gives him part or all of that dowry with a good heart, her husband is allowed to take it, as it is lawful for him in this case. This is why Allah said afterwards,

فَإِن طِبْنَ لَكُمْ عَن شَيْءٍ مِّنْهُ نَفْسًا فَكُلُوهُ هَنِييًا مَّرِييًا



But if they, of their own pleasure, remit any part of it to you, take it, and enjoy it without fear of any harm