An-Nisa
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النسآء An-Nisāʼ Women |
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Arabic text · English translation |
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| Classification | Medinan |
| Position | Juzʼ 4–6 |
| No. of Rukus | 24 |
| No. of verses | 176 |
Arabic text · English translation
Women or Sūrat an-Nisāʼ (Arabic: سورة النساء) is the fourth chapter of the Quran, with 176 verses. The title of the sura derives from the numerous references to women throughout the chapter, including verses 34 and 127-130.
It is a Medinan sura, as confirmed by Allamah Muhammad Hussain Tabatabai, who states that the sura must have been revealed after the hijrah based on the subject matter.
Although an-Nisā typically appears as the fourth sura, according to the Nöldeke classification of suras, based on Islamic traditions, "The Women" was approximately revealed as the hundredth sura. Amir-Ali places it as the 94th sura, while Hz. Osman and Ibn`Abbas believe it is the 92nd. Ja`fer es-Sadik places it as the 91st sura revealed. Based on the legislation concerning orphans, the sura was most likely revealed after many Muslims were killed at the Battle of Uhud, leaving numerous dependents in the new Muslim community. The revelation therefore began around the year three, according to the Islamic calendar, but was not completed until the year eight. Consequently, parts of this sura, the second longest in the Quran, were revealed concurrently with portions of "The Examined Woman," sura 60. However, the sura shows some thematic coherence, despite its disjointed and ongoing revelation.
Furthermore, as relates to the placement of this sura within the Quran as a whole, Neal Robinson notes what he refers to as the "dovetailing" of suras. Based on this idea of structure, one sura ends with a topic that is immediately picked up in the next sura. The Family of 'Imran, sura 3, includes a discussion of male and female near the end of the sura (3.195). This theme continues at the beginning of sura 4: "People, be mindful of your Lord, who created you from a single soul, and from it created its mate, and from the pair of them spread countless men and women far and wide; be mindful of God, in whose name you make requests of one another." This dovetailing may indicate a complex editorial process involved in ordering the suras.
This Medinian sura aims at protecting the newly formed Muslim community by outlining acceptable behavior for Muslims. It illustrates the Quran's role as an authoritative legal source and its ability to shape the community. The sura aims to eradicate the earlier practices of pagan, Arab communities that are no longer considered moral in the Muslim society. For example, the section of this sura about dealing fairly with orphan girls (4:2-4) addresses the pre-Islamic Arabic practice of marrying orphan girls in order to take their property.
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