Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nisa Verse 58

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Surely, Allah commands you to deliver trusts to those entitled to them, and that, when you judge between people, judge with justice. Surely, excellent is the exhortation Allah gives you. Surely, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed, Allah commands you to return trusts to their rightful owners;[[ This verse was revealed right after Mecca had peacefully surrendered to the Muslims. ’Ali ibn Abi Ṭâlib, the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, took the Ka’bah’s key by force from Othmân ibn Ṭalḥa, the non-Muslim keeper of the Ka’bah. The verse was revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ) inside the Ka’bah with the order to give the key back to its rightful owner. He (ﷺ) ordered Ali to return the key to the keeper immediately along with an apology. Othmân was also promised that his family would keep the key forever. The keeper was so touched by the Quranic sense of justice that he decided to accept Islam.]] and when you judge between people, judge with fairness. What a noble commandment from Allah to you! Surely Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Indeed, Allah commands you to return trusts to their owners, and when you judge between people, judge with justice. What an excellent exhortation from Allah to you! Indeed, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

A. J. Arberry

God commands you to deliver trusts back to their owners; and when you judge between the people, that you judge with justice. Good is the admonition God gives you; God is All-hearing, All-seeing.

Abdul Haleem

God commands you [people] to return things entrusted to you to their rightful owners, and, if you judge between people, to do so with justice: God’s instructions to you are excellent, for He hears and sees everything.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Verily Allah commandeth you that ye shall render dues unto the owners thereof, and that, when ye judge between men, judge with justice. Verily excel lent is that wherewith Allah exhorteth you verily Allah is ever Hearing, Beholding.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; And when ye judge between man and man, that ye judge with justice; Verily how excellent is the teaching which He giveth you! For Allah is He Who heareth and seeth all things.

Abul Ala Maududi

Allah commands you to deliver trusts to those worthy of them; and when you judge between people, to judge with justice. Excellent is the admonition Allah gives you. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

Ahmed Ali

God enjoins that you render to the owners what is held in trust with you, and that when you judge among the people do so equitably. Noble are the counsels of God, and God hears all and sees everything.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Indeed Allah commands you to hand over whatever you hold in trust, to their owners – and that whenever you judge between people, judge with fairness; undoubtedly Allah gives you an excellent advice; indeed Allah is All Hearing, All Seeing.

Ali Quli Qarai

Indeed Allah commands you to deliver the trusts to their [rightful] owners, and to judge with fairness when you judge between people. Excellent indeed is what Allah advises you. Indeed Allah is all-hearing, all-seeing.

Ali Ünal

God commands you to deliver trusts (including public and professional duties of service) to those entitled to them; and when you judge between people, to judge with justice. How excellent is what God exhorts you to do; assuredly, God is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Surely, Allâh commands you to make over the trusts (such as the affairs of the state) to those who are competent to it, and that when you judge between the people you should judge with justice. That which Allâh exhorts you to do is best indeed. Allâh is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

English Literal

That God, orders/commands you that you discharge/fulfill the deposits/securities to its people (owners), and if you judged/ruled between the people, that you judge/rule with the justice/equality, that God (is) blessed/praised, He preaches/advises/warns you with (about) Him, that God was/is hearing/listening, seeing/knowing/understanding.

Faridul Haque

Indeed Allah commands you to hand over whatever you hold in trust, to their owners - and that whenever you judge between people, judge with fairness; undoubtedly Allah gives you an excellent advice; indeed Allah is All Hearing, All Seeing.

Hamid S. Aziz

Do you not see those who pretend that they believe in what has been revealed to them, and what was revealed before you; they wish to refer their judgment to Taghut (the Evil One, or False Deities and authorities), but they were bidden to reject him. But Satan wishes to lead them into a remote error.

Hilali & Khan

Verily! Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due; and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice. Verily, how excellent is the teaching which He (Allah) gives you! Truly, Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And those who believe and do good deeds, We shall make them enter Gardens wherein flow rivers, to abide in them for ever. For them therein are pure companions and We shall make them enter a pleasant shade.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Surely Allah commands you to make over trusts to their owners and that when you judge between people you judge with justice; surely Allah admonishes you with what is excellent; surely Allah is Seeing, Hearing.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lo! Allah commandeth you that ye restore deposits to their owners, and, if ye judge between mankind, that ye judge justly. Lo! comely is this which Allah admonisheth you. Lo! Allah is ever Hearer, Seer.

Muhammad Sarwar

God commands you to return that which had been entrusted to you to the rightful owners. Be just when passing judgment among people. God's advice is the most noble. He sees and hears everything.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Allah orders you all to hand back trusts to their owners, and when you judge between people you judge with justice. Indeed, the best is the exhortation with which Allah exhorts you. Allah is the Hearer, the Seer.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Verily, Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due; and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice. Verily, how excellent is the teaching which He (Allah) gives you! Truly, Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer.

Wahiduddin Khan

God commands you to hand back your trusts to their rightful owners, and when you judge between people, to judge with fairness. God's instructions to you are excellent. God hears and sees all things.

Talal Itani

God instructs you to give back things entrusted to you to their owners. And when you judge between people, judge with justice. God’s instructions to you are excellent. God is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

Tafsir jalalayn

Verily, God commands you to restore trusts, that is, the rights entrusted [to you by others], back to their owners; this was revealed when `Al, may God be pleased with him, took the key of the Ka`ba from its keeper, `Uthmn b. Talha al-Hajab, by force, upon the arrival of the Prophet (s) in Mecca in the year of the Conquest, after he [`Uthmn] had tried to prevent him [`Al from taking it] saying, `If I had known that he was the Messenger of God, I would not have prevented him'. The Messenger of God (s) then ordered him [`Al] to give it back to him [`Uthmn] saying to him, `Here you are, [it is yours] now and always'. He [`Uthmn] was amazed by this, whereupon `Al recited to him this verse, and he accepted Islam. Upon his death, he [`Uthmn] gave it [the key] to his brother, Shayba, and thus it remained in [the keep of] his descendants. Although the verse was revealed regarding a specific occasion, it holds true in general on account of the plural person [to which it is addressed]. And when you judge between people, He commands, that you judge with justice. Excellent is (ni`imm, the mm of ni`ima has been assimilated with the indefinite particle m, which is the object described, in other words, na`ima shay'an, `an excellent thing [is]') the admonition God gives you, to restore a trust and to judge with justice. God is ever Hearer, of what is said, Seer, of what is done.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Command to Return the Trusts to Whomever They Are Due

Allah says;

إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تُودُّواْ الَامَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا

Verily, Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due;

Allah commands that the trusts be returned to their rightful owners.

Al-Hasan narrated that Samurah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

أَدِّ الاَْمَانَةَ إِلى مَنِ ايْتَمَنَكَ وَلَا تَخُنْ مَنْ خَانَك

Return the trust to those who entrusted you, and do not betray those who betrayed you.

Imam Ahmad and the collectors of Sunan recorded this Hadith.

This command refers to all things that one is expected to look after, such as Allah's rights on His servants;

praying,
Zakah,

fasting,

penalties for sins,

vows and so forth.

The command also includes

the rights of the servants on each other, such as what they entrust each other with, including the cases that are not recorded or documented.

Allah commands that all types of trusts be fulfilled. Those who do not implement this command in this life, it will be extracted from them on the Day of Resurrection.

It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said,

لَتُوَدَّنَّ الْحُقُوقُ إِلى أَهْلِهَا حَتَّى يُقْتَصَّ لِلشَّاةِ الْجَمَّاءِ مِنَ الْقَرْنَاء

The rights will be rendered back to those to whom they are due, and even the sheep that does not have horns will take revenge from the horned sheep.

Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn Jurayj said about this Ayah,

"It was revealed concerning Uthman bin Talhah from whom the Messenger of Allah took the key of the Ka`bah and entered it on the Day of the victory of Makkah. When the Prophet went out, he was reciting this Ayah,
إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تُودُّواْ الَامَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا
(Verily, Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due).

He then called Uthman and gave the key back to him."

Ibn Jarir also narrated that Umar bin Al-Khattab said,

"When the Messenger of Allah went out of the Ka`bah, he was reciting this Ayah,
إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تُودُّواْ الَامَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا
(Verily, Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due).

May I sacrifice my father and mother for him, I never heard him recite this Ayah before that."

It is popular that this is the reason behind revealing the Ayah (4;58). Yet, the application of the Ayah is general, and this is why Ibn Abbas and Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyyah said,

"This Ayah is for the righteous and wicked,"

meaning it is a command that encompasses everyone.
The Order to Be Just

Allah said,

وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُم بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَن تَحْكُمُواْ بِالْعَدْلِ

and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice.

commanding justice when judging between people.

Muhammad bin Ka`b, Zayd bin Aslam and Shahr bin Hawshab said;

"This Ayah was revealed about those in authority",

meaning those who judge between people.

A Hadith states,

إِنَّ اللهَ مَعَ الْحَاكِمِ مَا لَمْ يَجُرْ فَإِذَا جَارَ وَكَلَهُ اللهُ إِلى نَفْسِه

Allah is with the judge as long as he does not commit injustice, for when he does, Allah will make him reliant on himself.

A statement goes,

"One day of justice equals forty years of worship."

Allah said,

إِنَّ اللّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُم بِهِ

Verily, how excellent is the teaching which He (Allah) gives you!

meaning, His commands to return the trusts to their owners, to judge between people with justice, and all of His complete, perfect and great commandments and laws.

Allah's statement,

إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا



Truly, Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer.

means, He hears your statements and knows your actions