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Surah An-Nisa, Verse 6

سورة النساء، الآية ٦

4:6 Juz 4 Hizb 8 Page 77 of the mushaf Medinan surah

Text of verse 4:6

وَٱبْتَلُوا۟ ٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغُوا۟ ٱلنِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ ءَانَسْتُم مِّنْهُمْ رُشْدًا فَٱدْفَعُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ وَلَا تَأْكُلُوهَآ إِسْرَافًا وَبِدَارًا أَن يَكْبَرُوا۟ وَمَن كَانَ غَنِيًّا فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِيرًا فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ فَإِذَا دَفَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ فَأَشْهِدُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ حَسِيبًا ۝٦

Transliteration

wa-ib'talū l-yatāmā ḥattā idhā balaghū l-nikāḥa fa-in ānastum min'hum rush'dan fa-id'faʿū ilayhim amwālahum walā takulūhā is'rāfan wabidāran an yakbarū waman kāna ghaniyyan falyastaʿfif waman kāna faqīran falyakul bil-maʿrūfi fa-idhā dafaʿtum ilayhim amwālahum fa-ashhidū ʿalayhim wakafā bil-lahi ḥasīban

Translation

And test the orphans [in their abilities] until they reach marriageable age. Then if you perceive in them sound judgement, release their property to them. And do not consume it excessively and quickly, [anticipating] that they will grow up. And whoever, [when acting as guardian], is self-sufficient should refrain [from taking a fee]; and whoever is poor - let him take according to what is acceptable. Then when you release their property to them, bring witnesses upon them. And sufficient is Allāh as Accountant.

Translation in another language
Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary Read in the surah

Verse 6 of Surah An-Nisa (4:6), a Medinan surah, is in juz 4, on page 77 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.

Listen to verse 6 of Surah An-Nisa

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Tafsir of verse 6

Al-Mukhtasar

Guardians, test the orphans when they are near to reaching maturity, by giving them a part of their wealth to see how they manage it. If they manage it well, and show you their sound judgement, hand over their property in full. Do not use up their wealth, overstepping the limits which Allah has approved for you: use their wealth only when necessary. Do not rush to use it up for fear that they will take it when they reach maturity. Whoever is wealthy should not use up the property of the orphan; and whoever is poor and has no wealth should only use what is necessary. When you hand over their property to them, upon their reaching maturity and showing sound judgement, have it witnessed; to protect rights and to prevent causes of disagreement. Allah is sufficient as a witness for that, and takes account of all that people do.

Tafsir of the whole Surah An-Nisa

Other translations of verse 6

Test the orphans until they reach a marriageable age. Then if you perceive maturity in them, hand over their property to them5, and do not consume it extravagantly and hastily, lest they should grow up. If the guardian is well-off, he should restrain himself entirely; but if he is poor, he may take a reasonable provision. When you hand over their property to them, call in witnesses. And Allah is sufficient as a Reckoner.

Notes

[5] Test those orphans over whom you are guardian so as to make sure that they are discerning enough to be given their money and will not squander it due to lack of mental maturity.

And try orphans (as regards their intelligence) until they reach the age of marriage; if then you find sound judgement in them, release their property to them, but consume it not wastefully and hastily fearing that they should grow up, and whoever (amongst guardians) is rich, he should take no wages, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable (according to his labour). And when you release their property to them, take witness in their presence; and Allâh is All-Sufficient in taking account.

Prove orphans till they reach the marriageable age; then, if ye find them of sound judgment, deliver over unto them their fortune; and devour it not by squandering and in haste lest they should grow up Whoso (of the guardians) is rich, let him abstain generously (from taking of the property of orphans); and whoso is poor let him take thereof in reason (for his guardianship). And when ye deliver up their fortune unto orphans, have (the transaction) witnessed in their presence. Allah sufficeth as a Reckoner.

Make trial of orphans until they reach the age of marriage; if then ye find sound judgment in them, release their property to them; but consume it not wastefully, nor in haste against their growing up. If the guardian is well-off, Let him claim no remuneration, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable. When ye release their property to them, take witnesses in their presence: But all-sufficient is Allah in taking account.

And test the orphans until they attain puberty; then if you find in them maturity of intellect, make over to them their property, and do not consume it extravagantly and hastily, lest they attain to full age; and whoever is rich, let him abstain altogether, and whoever is poor, let him eat reasonably; then when you make over to them their property, call witnesses in their presence; and Allah is enough as a Reckoner.

And try the orphans until they reach (the) marriageable age. So, in case you perceive in them right-mindedness then pay over to them their riches, and do not eat them up extravagantly and in anticipation of their (attaining) majority. And whoever is rich, then let him keep abstaining, (i.e. let him abstain generously) and whoever is poor, then let him eat (of it) with beneficence. So, when you pay over to them their riches, then take witnesses over them; and Allah suffices as Ever-Reckoner.

Verse 6 word by word

  1. وَٱبْتَلُوا۟ wa-ib'talū And test ب ل و
  2. ٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ l-yatāmā the orphans ي ت م
  3. حَتَّىٰٓ ḥattā until
  4. إِذَا idhā [when]
  5. بَلَغُوا۟ balaghū they reach[ed] ب ل غ
  6. ٱلنِّكَاحَ l-nikāḥa (the age of) marriage ن ك ح
  7. فَإِنْ fa-in then if
  8. ءَانَسْتُم ānastum you perceive أ ن س
  9. مِّنْهُمْ min'hum in them
  10. رُشْدًا rush'dan sound judgement ر ش د
  11. فَٱدْفَعُوٓا۟ fa-id'faʿū then deliver د ف ع
  12. إِلَيْهِمْ ilayhim to them
  13. أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ amwālahum their wealth م و ل
  14. وَلَا walā And (do) not
  15. تَأْكُلُوهَآ takulūhā eat it أ ك ل
  16. إِسْرَافًا is'rāfan extravagantly س ر ف
  17. وَبِدَارًا wabidāran and hastily ب د ر
  18. أَن an (fearing) that
  19. يَكْبَرُوا۟ yakbarū they will grow up ك ب ر
  20. وَمَن waman And whoever
  21. كَانَ kāna is ك و ن
  22. غَنِيًّا ghaniyyan rich غ ن ي
  23. فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ falyastaʿfif then he should refrain ع ف ف
  24. وَمَن waman and whoever
  25. كَانَ kāna is ك و ن
  26. فَقِيرًا faqīran poor ف ق ر
  27. فَلْيَأْكُلْ falyakul then let him eat (of it) أ ك ل
  28. بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ bil-maʿrūfi in a fair manner ع ر ف
  29. فَإِذَا fa-idhā Then when
  30. دَفَعْتُمْ dafaʿtum you deliver د ف ع
  31. إِلَيْهِمْ ilayhim to them
  32. أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ amwālahum their wealth م و ل
  33. فَأَشْهِدُوا۟ fa-ashhidū then take witnesses ش ه د
  34. عَلَيْهِمْ ʿalayhim on them
  35. وَكَفَىٰ wakafā And is sufficient ك ف ي
  36. بِٱللَّهِ bil-lahi Allah
  37. حَسِيبًا ḥasīban (as) a Reckoner ح س ب

Hadiths that cite this verse

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 2212

who heard Aisha saying, "The Holy Verse; 'Whoever amongst the guardians is rich, he should take no wages (from the property of the orphans) but If he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable (according to his labors)' (4.6) was revealed concerning the guardian of the orphans…

أُنْزِلَتْ فِي وَالِي الْيَتِيمِ الَّذِي يُقِيمُ عَلَيْهِ، وَيُصْلِحُ فِي مَالِهِ، إِنْ كَانَ فَقِيرًا أَكَلَ مِنْهُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 2765

The following Verse:-- "If a guardian is well-off, let him claim no remuneration (i.e. wages), but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable." (4.6) was revealed in connection with the guardian of an orphan, and it means that if he is poor he can have for himself (from the…

أُنْزِلَتْ فِي وَالِي الْيَتِيمِ أَنْ يُصِيبَ مِنْ مَالِهِ إِذَا كَانَ مُحْتَاجًا بِقَدْرِ مَالِهِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah + 2 other versions

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 4575

regarding the Statement of Allah: "And whoever amongst the guardian is rich, he should take no wages, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable (according to his work). This Verse was revealed regarding the orphan's property. If the guardian is poor, he can take from…

أَنَّهَا نَزَلَتْ فِي مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ إِذَا كَانَ فَقِيرًا، أَنَّهُ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ مَكَانَ قِيَامِهِ عَلَيْهِ، بِمَعْرُوفٍ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Sahih Muslim 3019a

" And whoever is poor let him take reasonably (out of it)" that it was revealed in connection with the custodian of the property of an orphan, who is in charge of her and looks after her; In case he is poor, he is allowed to eat out of that.

أُنْزِلَتْ فِي وَالِي مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ الَّذِي يَقُومُ عَلَيْهِ وَيُصْلِحُهُ إِذَا كَانَ مُحْتَاجًا أَنْ يَأْكُلَ مِنْهُ ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 3019b

" He who is rich should abstain, and he who is poor may reasonably eat (out of it)" that this was revealed in relation to the guardian of an orphan who is poor; he may get out of that what is reasonable keeping in view his own status of solvency.

أُنْزِلَتْ فِي وَلِيِّ الْيَتِيمِ أَنْ يُصِيبَ مِنْ مَالِهِ إِذَا كَانَ مُحْتَاجًا بِقَدْرِ مَالِهِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah + 2 other versions

Differing grades Sunan Ibn Majah 2718

“A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: 'I do not have anything and I have no wealth, but I have an orphan (under my care) who has wealth.” He said: “Eat from the wealth of your orphan, without being extravagant or use it for trade.” He (narrator) said: “And I think he said: 'Do not preserve your…

"‏ كُلْ مِنْ مَالِ يَتِيمِكَ غَيْرَ مُسْرِفٍ وَلاَ مُتَأَثِّلٍ مَالاً ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَأَحْسِبُهُ قَالَ ‏"‏ وَلاَ تَقِي مَالَكَ بِمَالِهِ ‏"

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr + 5 other versions

Verses related to verse 6

Cited by Ibn Kathir in his explanation of this verse

  • Al-Isra 17:34

    وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ مَالَ ٱلْيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ وَأَوْفُوا۟ بِٱلْعَهْدِ إِنَّ ٱلْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْـُٔولًا

    And do not approach the property of an orphan, except in the way that is best, until he reaches maturity. And fulfill [every] commitment. Indeed, the commitment is ever [that about which one will be] questioned.

The name of Allah in this verse

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