سورة النِّسَاء
Surah Al-Nisâ’ 4:176
The Women · Verse 176 of 176
يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ قُلِ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِي الْكَلَالَةِ ۚ إِنِ امْرُؤٌ هَلَكَ لَيْسَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ وَلَهُ أُخْتٌ فَلَهَا نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ ۚ وَهُوَ يَرِثُهَا إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهَا وَلَدٌ ۚ فَإِنْ كَانَتَا اثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُمَا الثُّلُثَانِ مِمَّا تَرَكَ ۚ وَإِنْ كَانُوا إِخْوَةً رِجَالًا وَنِسَاءً فَلِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الْأُنْثَيَيْنِ ۗ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَضِلُّوا ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
Abdul Mannan Omar
They ask you of your ruling (in the matter of inheritance of a kalâlah). Say, `Allâh gives you His ruling concerning kalâlah (- one who has neither parents left nor a child).´ If a man dies (and) he has no child but leaves (only) a sister (behind), then she shall inherit half of what he leaves. Likewise he (- the brother who is kalâlah) shall inherit her (whole property) if she (- the sister) has no child (and dies). But if there be two sisters (or more) then they shall receive two third of what he (- brother who is kalâlah) leaves. And if they (- the survivors) be brethren, men and women, then for the male is the equal of the portion of two females. Allâh makes (His commandments) clear to you lest you should err. And Allâh knows all things well.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
They ask thee for a legal decision. Say: Allah directs (thus) about those who leave no descendants or ascendants as heirs. If it is a man that dies, leaving a sister but no child, she shall have half the inheritance: If (such a deceased was) a woman, who left no child, Her brother takes her inheritance: If there are two sisters, they shall have two-thirds of the inheritance (between them): if there are brothers and sisters, (they share), the male having twice the share of the female. Thus doth Allah make clear to you (His law), lest ye err. And Allah hath knowledge of all things.
Ahmed Ali
They ask you for judgement about ´Kalalah´ (a man who dies childless). Say: "God has given a decision in the matter of inheritance." If a man dies and leaves no child behind but have a sister, she will get a half of what he owned, as he would have done the whole of what she possessed if she had died a childless person. In ease he has two sisters then they will get two-thirds of the heritage. But if he has both brothers and sisters, the male will inherit a share equal to that of two females. God makes this manifest to you lest you wander astray, for God has knowledge of everything.
12 more translations
Ali Unal
They ask you (O Messenger) to pronounce a ruling. Say (to them): God pronounces to you the ruling concerning inheritance from those who have left behind no lineal heirs (kalalah): should a man die childless but have a sister, for her is the half of what he has left behind; and the brother will inherit from her if the sister dies childless. If the heirs are two sisters, for them is two-thirds of what he has left behind. And if the heirs are brothers and sisters, then for the male is the equivalent of the portion of two females. God makes (His commandments) clear to you lest you go astray. God has full knowledge of everything.
Daryabadi
They ask thee for pronouncement. Say thou: Allah pronounceth thus in the matter of one without father or child: if a person perisheth and hath no child, but hath a sister, hers shall be the half of that which he hath left: and he shall be her heir if she hath no child, if there be two sisters, then theirs shall be two-third of that which he hath left; and if there be both brothers and sisters, then male shall have as much as the portion of two females. Allah expoundeth unto you, lest ye err; and Allah is of everything Knower.
Faridul Haque
O dear Prophet (Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him), they ask you for a decree; say, "Allah decrees you concerning the solitary person (without parents or children); if a man dies childless and has a sister, for her is half the inheritance; and the man is his sister’s heir if the sister dies childless; and if there are two sisters, for them is two-thirds of the inheritance; so if there are brothers and sisters, both men and women, the male’s share is equal to that of two females; and Allah explains clearly to you, so that you do not go astray; and Allah knows all things."
Maulana Muhammad Ali
They ask thee for a decision. Say: Allah gives you a decision concerning the person who has neither parents nor children. If a man dies (and) he has no son and he has a sister, hers is half of what he leaves, and he shall be her heir if she has no son. But if there be two (sisters), they shall have two-thirds of what he leaves. And if there are brethren, men and women, then for the male is the like of the portion of two females. Allah makes clear to you, lest you err. And Allah is Knower of all things.
Maulvi Sher Ali
They ask thee for a decision. Say, `ALLAH gives HIS decision concerning `Kal
Muhammad Asad
THEY WILL ASK thee to enlighten them. Say: "God enlightens you [thus] about the laws concerning [inheritance from] those who leave no heir in the direct line: If a man dies childless and has a sister, she shall inherit one-half of what he has left, just as he shall inherit from her if she dies childless. But if there are two sisters, both [together] shall have two-thirds of what he has left; and if there are brothers and sisters, then the male shall have the equal of two females' share."
Muhammad Musin Khan
They ask you for a legal verdict. Say: "Allah directs (thus) about Al-Kalalah (those who leave neither descendants nor ascendants as heirs). If it is a man that dies, leaving a sister, but no child, she shall have half the inheritance. If (such a deceased was) a woman, who left no child, her brother takes her inheritance. If there are two sisters, they shall have two-thirds of the inheritance; if there are brothers and sisters, the male will have twice the share of the female. (Thus) does Allah makes clear to you (His Law) lest you go astray. And Allah is the All-Knower of everything."
Muhammad Pickthall
They ask thee for a pronouncement. Say: Allah hath pronounced for you concerning distant kindred. If a man die childless and he have a sister, hers is half the heritage, and he would have inherited from her had she died childless. And if there be two sisters, then theirs are two-thirds of the heritage, and if they be brethren, men and women, unto the male is the equivalent of the share of two females. Allah expoundeth unto you, so that ye err not. Allah is Knower of all things.
Muhammad Sarwar
(Muhammad), they seek your verdict. Tell them, "God commands this concerning your kindred: If a man dies childless but has a sister, she will receive half of the legacy. If a woman dies childless, her brother will receive the whole legacy. If a childless man leaves only two sisters, both will receive two-thirds of the legacy. If the heirs are both sisters and brothers, the share of a male will be twice as much as the share of the female. God explains His Laws to you so that you will not go astray. God knows all things.
Muhammed ali Shakir
They ask you for a decision of the law. Say: Allah gives you a decision concerning the person who has neither parents nor offspring; if a man dies (and) he has no son and he has a sister, she shall have half of what he leaves, and he shall be her heir she has no son; but if there be two (sisters), they shall have two-thirds of what he leaves; and if there are brethren, men and women, then the male shall have the like of the portion of two females; Allah makes clear to you, lest you err; and Allah knows all things.
Rashad Khalifa
They consult you; say, "GOD advises you concerning the single person. If one dies and leaves no children, and he had a sister, she gets half the inheritance. If she dies first, he inherits from her, if she left no children. If there were two sisters, they get two-thirds of the inheritance. If the siblings are men and women, the male gets twice the share of the female." GOD thus clarifies for you, lest you go astray. GOD is fully aware of all things.
Shabbir Ahmed
They ask you about the inheritance of a person who is survived by neither ascendants nor descendants. If one dies and leaves no children, and he had a sister, she gets half the inheritance. If she dies first, he inherits from her if she left no children. If there were two sisters they get two-thirds of the inheritance, if there are sisters and brothers, the brother would get twice the share of the sister for reasons already explained (2:80, 4:11). God clarifies the laws so that you may not go astray. God is the Knower of all things.
Commentary 4:176 This verse is fittingly placed here, even if at the first glance it does not appear to be so. Kalâlahالْكَلَالَةِ means one having no child or no heirs.…
يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ قُلِ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِي الْكَلَالَةِ ۚ
4:176 This verse is fittingly placed here, even if at the first glance it does not appear to be so. Kalâlahالْكَلَالَةِ means one having no child or no heirs. The word kalâlah used here is a parable which draws our attention to the lack of spiritual heirs of Jesus Christ. He was the last prophet to the Jews, and because of their refusal, Jesus was left without spiritual successors among them. In this sense, he had neither parents nor children: therefore, his spiritual heritage was now taken from his family, the Israelites, and handed over to the brother nation of the Ishmaelite (cf. Deut. 18.15 and Matt. 21.43).
Ithnayain إثنين in this verse signifies two or more. The law of inheritance mentioned in this verse was applied by the Holy Prophet (pbuh) to Jabîr, who died leaving seven sisters and whose parents were already dead (Ibn Jarîr).