seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Quran 4:127. They ask you for a ruling about women. Say, “God gives you a ruling about them, and so does what is stated to you in the Book about widowed women from whom you withhold what is decreed for them, yet you desire to marry them, and about helpless children: that you should treat the orphans fairly.” Whatever good you do, God knows it.
128. 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.
129. You will not be able to treat women with equal fairness, no matter how much you desire it. But do not be so biased as to leave another suspended. If you make amends, and act righteously—God is Forgiving and Merciful.
130. And if they separate, God will enrich each from His abundance. God is Bounteous and Wise.
131. To God belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. We have instructed those who were given the Book before you, and you, to be conscious of God. But if you refuse—to God belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. God is in no need, Praiseworthy.
132. To God belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. God suffices as Manager.
133. If He wills, He can do away with you, O people, and bring others. God is Able to do that.
134. Whoever desires the reward of this world—with God is the reward of this world and the next. God is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.
This is from the commentary.
There is almost a consensus of opinion on this point. Y a t å m a - l - n i s å ’ i m e a n s orphans of women; also women having no husbands or w i d o w s (LA). The doing of good to women and orphans is stressed in the Holy Qur’ån again and again. What is stated here is that a decision regarding the doing of good to women, to weak children and to orphans has already been given. The words, and that which is recited to you in the Book is concerning widowed women whom you give not what is appointed for them while you are not inclined to marry them, are parenthetical, being a reference to v. 3. Whatever significance of the words y a t å m a - l - n i s å ’ i is adopted, the meaning of the parenthetical passage is that the order given in v. 3 in the words if you fear that you cannot do justice to orphans marry such women as seem good to you, relates to orphans of the women (or to widows) whom their share in inheritance was denied, both their share and the share of their orphan children, nor were people inclined to marry them owing to the burden which they brought with them in the shape of their children. So the permission was given that they may marry such women, even up to four. It is an admitted fact that widows and their orphaned children received no share of inheritance. The Qur’ån brought about a great change: it required the giving of inheritance to both women and their orphaned children, and it also recommended that such women should be taken in marriage.
So in other words.... women and children left behind after a war.... were being beat and thrown aside rather than cared for. Their "inheritance" was taken from them. "Inheritance" is a big deal back then. Remember the Shirley Temple movie "Poor Little Rich Girl"? She was a kid left behind by a wealthy father when he went off to war. Word got back that the father was killed in battle... and the poor little rich kid was taken from her fine room and made into a slave to be made fun of by the mean girls in the school. When her father returned her "inheritance" was replaced. That story took place much later than the 600's when the Quran was being put together.... but the message was the same.
Widows and orphans of war were maltreated. They still are in a lot of cases. This was wrong and the Quran addressed it here.
There weren't enough men to step up and marry a widow.... who wouldn't steal what little she had left or beat her and her children..... so a law was passed that one man could marry up to four women. Their inheritance would be restored.... even though they lost their husband and father.... they still had a chance at living in a home.... not a homeless tent on the corner.
Is this the beginning of "Life Insurance" for wives of soldiers? Wow that's a far fetched thought.
It's about the women and children left behind after an invasion. Muslims don't go off to war.... like those good Christians. Muslims only fight when they are required to fight in self defense. The women and children here.... lost their husband or father when men came into their town and murdered them. They were trying to defend themselves..... for their wives and kids. So those wives and kids need to be taken care of.
What do we do for our war widows and orphans?
