Tafseer of The Women · An-Nisaa · 4:128
And if a woman fears from her husband contempt or evasion, there is no sin upon them if they make terms of settlement between them - and settlement is best. And present in [human] souls is stinginess. But if you do good and fear Allah - then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of His word: وَإِنِ امْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِنْ بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوْ إِعْرَاضًا فَلا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَنْ يُصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحًا وَالصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ
(And if a woman fears rebellion (nushūz) or aversion from her husband, then there is no sin upon the two of them that they bring about a reconciliation between themselves; and reconciliation is better.)
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted means thereby: and if a woman fears from her husband — He says: knows from her husband — "rebellion (nushūz)," that is to say: that he exalts himself in his person above her toward another, with preference over her, and exalts himself away from her, whether out of dislike, or out of aversion to some of her qualities, or because of her unattractiveness, or because of her age and her old age, or something else of her circumstances — "or aversion (iʿrāḍ)," that is to say: a turning away from her with his face or with some of the services she formerly enjoyed from him — "then there is no sin upon the two of them that they bring about a reconciliation between themselves." He says: then there is no objection against the two of them, that is to say: against the woman who fears the rebellion of her husband or his aversion from her — "that they bring about a reconciliation between themselves," and that is that she cedes her day to him, or remits for him a portion of what is rightfully due to her, in order thereby to gain his favor and to perpetuate the continuance of her remaining in his marital bond, and to hold fast to the marriage contract that exists between her and him. He says: "and reconciliation is better," that is to say: and reconciliation by ceding a portion of her right in order to perpetuate the marital union and to hold fast to the marriage contract is better than seeking separation and divorce (ṭalāq).
And in accordance with what we have said about that, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken.
Mention of who said that:
10575 — Hannād ibn al-Sarī related to us, he said: Abū al-Aḥwaṣ related to us, on the authority of Simāk, on the authority of Khālid ibn ʿArʿara: that a man came to ʿAlī — may Allah be pleased with him — to consult him about a woman who feared rebellion or aversion from her husband. He said: it may be that the woman is with the man, and his eyes turn away from her because of her unattractiveness, or her old age, or her bad character, or her poverty, and she then loathes separation from him. If she then remits to him something of her bridal gift (mahr), that is permitted for him, and if she cedes to him something of her days, then there is no objection.
10576 — Ibn al-Muthannā related to us, he said: Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar related to us, he said: Shuʿba related to us, on the authority of Simāk ibn Ḥarb, on the authority of Khālid ibn ʿArʿara, who said: ʿAlī — may Allah be pleased with him — was asked about: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband, then there is no sin upon the two of them that they bring about a reconciliation between themselves." He said: the old woman, or the unattractive one, or she who is not loved by her husband, then they reconcile with each other.
10577 — Ibn al-Muthannā related to us, he said: Abū Dāwūd related to us, he said: Shuʿba and Ḥammād ibn Salama and Abū al-Aḥwaṣ, all of them, related to us, on the authority of Simāk ibn Ḥarb, on the authority of Khālid ibn ʿArʿara, on the authority of ʿAlī — may Allah be pleased with him — something similar.
10578 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: my father related to us, on the authority of Isrāʾīl, on the authority of Simāk, on the authority of Khālid ibn ʿArʿara: that a man asked ʿAlī — may Allah be pleased with him — about His word: "then there is no sin upon the two of them that they bring about a reconciliation between themselves." He said: the woman is unattractive to the man, and his eye turns away from her because of her unattractiveness or her old age; if she then cedes to him something of her days or her property, then there is no sin upon him.
10579 — Ibn Ḥumayd and Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, both of them said: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Ashʿath, on the authority of Ibn Sīrīn, who said: a man came to ʿUmar and asked him about a verse, and he disapproved of that and struck him with the lash (al-dirra). Then another asked him about this verse: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband," whereupon he said: about something like this you should ask! Then he said: this woman is with the man when she has advanced in age, and then he marries the young woman in his striving after her child; and that over which the two of them reconcile is permissible.
10580 — ʿAmr ibn ʿAlī related to us, he said: ʿImrān ibn ʿUyayna related to us, he said: ʿAṭāʾ ibn al-Sāʾib related to us, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband." He said: it is the woman who is with the man until she grows old, and he then wishes to marry another woman alongside her, whereupon the two of them reconcile with each other by a reconciliation, on the basis of which she has one day and this (other one) two or three days.
10581 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: ʿImrān related to us, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, on the authority of Saʿīd, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, something similar — except that he said: until she gives birth or grows old — and he also said: then there is no sin upon the two of them that they reconcile upon one night for her and two nights for the other.
10582 — Ibn Wakīʿ and Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, both of them said: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, who said: it is the woman who is with the man, whose companionship has already lasted long and who has grown old, and he then wishes to take another in her place, and she loathes to separate from him, and he marries alongside her and then reconciles with her on the basis that he allots her some days, and for the other the (remaining) days and the month.
10583 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Ḥakkām related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Abī Qays, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, on the authority of Saʿīd, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband." He said: it is the woman who is with the man, and he then wishes to separate from her, and she loathes that he separate from her, and he wishes to marry and then says: "I cannot allot to you as I allot to her," whereupon she reconciles with him on the basis that she has of the days one day, and the two of them agree to that and so remain upon that over which they have reconciled.
10584 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: my father related to us, on the authority of Hishām ibn ʿUrwa, on the authority of his father, on the authority of ʿĀʾisha: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband, then there is no sin upon the two of them that they bring about a reconciliation between themselves; and reconciliation is better." She said: this concerns the woman who is with the man, and he perhaps disdains her on account of her old age, and she has no child, but has a (long) companionable bond, whereupon she says: "do not separate from me, and you are free of my affair."
10585 — Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: Ḥajjāj ibn al-Minhāl related to us, he said: Ḥammād ibn Salama related to us, on the authority of Hishām ibn ʿUrwa, on the authority of ʿUrwa, on the authority of ʿĀʾisha, concerning His word: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband." She said: it is the man who has two wives: one of them has already become incapable, or she is unattractive, and he does not desire her much, whereupon she says: "do not separate from me, and you are free of my affair."
10586 — Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: Ḥabbān ibn Mūsā related to us, he said: Ibn al-Mubārak informed us, on the authority of Hishām ibn ʿUrwa, on the authority of his father, on the authority of ʿĀʾisha, something similar — except that he said: whereupon she says: "I free you of my affair!" Then this verse was sent down concerning that.
10587 — Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, he said: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband." That is the woman who is with the man, in whom he sees little of what he loves, and he has another woman who is dearer to him than she, and he prefers her over her. Then Allah commanded him, when that is the case, to say to her: "O you, if you wish to remain upon the preference that you see, then I will allot to you equally and provide maintenance for you, so remain; and if you loathe it, then I set you free!" If she then agrees to remain after he has given her the choice, then there is no sin upon him; and that is His word: "and reconciliation is better," and that is the giving of the choice.
10588 — Al-Rabīʿ ibn Sulaymān and Baḥr ibn Naṣr related to us, both of them said: Ibn Wahb related to us, he said: Ibn Abī al-Zinād related to me, on the authority of Hishām ibn ʿUrwa, on the authority of his father, on the authority of ʿĀʾisha, who said: Allah sent down this verse concerning the woman when she advances in age, and she then cedes her day to another woman. She said: and concerning that was sent down: "then there is no sin upon the two of them that they bring about a reconciliation between themselves."
10589 — Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm related to me, he said: Hushaym related to us, he said: Hishām informed us, on the authority of Ibn Sīrīn, on the authority of ʿAbīda, who said: I asked him about Allah's word: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband." He said: it is the woman who is with her husband, and he then wishes to marry alongside her, whereupon she reconciles with him over her day in a reconciliation. He said: then the two of them remain upon that over which they have reconciled. But if she revokes it, then it is for him to treat her justly or to separate from her.
10590 — Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm related to me, he said: Hushaym related to us, he said: Mughīra informed us, on the authority of Ibrāhīm: that he used to say that.
10591 — Yaʿqūb related to me, he said: Hushaym related to us, he said: Ḥajjāj informed us, on the authority of Mujāhid: that he used to say that.
10592 — Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm related to me, he said: Ibn ʿUlayya related to us, on the authority of Ayyūb, on the authority of Ibn Sīrīn, on the authority of ʿAbīda, concerning His word: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband," up to the end of the verse. He said: he reconciles with her over that with which she agrees, by relinquishing her right, and that is permitted for him as long as she agrees to it. But when she denies it, or says: "I have become jealous," then she has the right that he treat her justly, or satisfy her, or separate from her.
10593 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: ʿAbd al-Wahhāb related to us, on the authority of Ayyūb, on the authority of Muḥammad, who said: I asked ʿAbīda about Allah's word: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband." He said: it is the man who has a wife who has already advanced in age, and she then reconciles with him over her right for something, and that is permitted for him as long as she agrees to it. But when she loathes it, then she has the right that he treat her justly, or satisfy her out of her right, or separate from her.
10594 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Hishām, on the authority of Ibn Sīrīn, who said: I asked ʿAbīda about His word: "And if a woman fears rebellion from her husband," and he mentioned something similar — except that he said: if she becomes wrathful, then it is for him to satisfy her, or to give her her right in full, or to separate from her.
10595 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Mughīra, who said: Ibrāhīm said: if she wishes, she remains upon her right, and if she wishes she refuses and rejects the reconciliation, then that is in her hand. If he then wishes, he separates from her, and if he wishes, he keeps her upon her right.
10596 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Mughīra, on the authority of Ibrāhīm: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband, then there is no sin upon the two of them." He said: ʿAlī said: the woman is with the man for a long time, and she fears that he will separate from her, whereupon she reconciles with him over a reconciliation as he and she wish — he spends the night with her in such-and-such nights, and with the other, according to what they agree — and that her maintenance is less than it used to be. And that over which she has reconciled with him is lawful.
10597 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: Yaḥyā ibn ʿAbd al-Malik related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Ḥakam: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband." He said: it is the woman who is with the man, and he wishes to repudiate her. If she then fears that from him, then there is no sin upon the two of them that they reconcile with each other by a reconciliation, in which she relinquishes her days when he marries.
10598 — Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, he said: my father related to me, he said: my uncle related to me, he said: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, His word: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband," up to His word: "and reconciliation is better." It is the man who has the old woman under him, and he then marries the young woman alongside her, and he loathes to separate from the mother of his child, whereupon he reconciles with her over a gift from his property and his person, and that reconciliation then becomes pleasing to him.
10599 — Bishr ibn Muʿādh related to us, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, His word: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband" — and he read on until he reached: فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا (for Allah is well-acquainted with what you do) — and this concerns the man who has the woman with him who has already advanced in age, and some of her affairs have become light for him, whereupon he says: "if you are content from my person and my property with less than that with which you used to be content!" If the two of them then reconcile over that in a matter, then Allah has permitted that for them; but if she refuses, then it is not lawful for him to retain her in humiliation.
10600 — It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā, he said: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, he said: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of al-Zuhrī, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyab and Sulaymān ibn Yasār: that Rāfiʿ ibn Khadīj had a wife under him who had already advanced in age, and he married a young woman alongside her, and preferred the young one over her. His first wife refused to remain upon that, whereupon he repudiated her once. When only a little of her term remained, he said: if you wish, I will take you back and you endure the preference, and if you wish, I will leave you until your term has elapsed! She said: no, take me back and I will endure the preference! Then he took her back, then he preferred the other over her, and she did not endure the preference, whereupon he repudiated her again and preferred the young one over her. He said: that is the reconciliation concerning which a report has reached us that Allah sent down concerning it: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband, then there is no sin upon the two of them that they bring about a reconciliation between themselves."
Al-Ḥasan said: ʿAbd al-Razzāq said: Maʿmar said: and Ayyūb informed me, on the authority of Ibn Sīrīn, on the authority of ʿAbīda, like the narration of al-Zuhrī — and he added to it: if he then wrongs her the third time, then it is for him to give her her right in full, or to separate from her.
10601 — Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, he said: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, he said: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: "rebellion or aversion from her husband." He said: it is the saying of the man to his wife: "you are old, and I wish to take a young, beautiful woman in your place; so remain with your child, and I will allot to you nothing of my person." That is then the reconciliation between the two of them; and that was Abū al-Sanābil ibn Baʿkak.
10602 — Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, he said: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ: "rebellion or aversion from her husband," then he mentioned something similar. Shibl said: then I said to him: and if you have a (another) wife, and you allot to her but do not allot to this one? He said: when she has reconciled over that, then nothing rests upon him.
10603 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: my father related to us, on the authority of Isrāʾīl, on the authority of Jābir, who said: I asked ʿĀmir about the man who has the woman with him whom he wishes to repudiate, and she then says: "do not separate from me, and allot to me one day, and to her whom you marry two days," whereupon he said: there is no objection to that, that is a reconciliation.
10604 — Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, he said: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, he said: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband, then there is no sin upon the two of them that they bring about a reconciliation between themselves; and reconciliation is better." He said: the woman sees in her husband some disdain, and she has already grown old, or she does not give birth, and her husband then wishes to marry another, whereupon he comes to her and says: "I wish to marry a woman who is younger than you, that perchance she may give birth for me, and I will prefer her over you in the days and the maintenance." If she agrees to that — otherwise he repudiates her — then they reconcile over what the two of them love.
10605 — Yūnus related to me, he said: Ibn Wahb informed us, he said: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband." He said: rebellion from her, he has grown weary of her. It is the man who has two wives — "or aversion," by neglecting her — "then there is no sin upon the two of them that they bring about a reconciliation between themselves," whether that he satisfies her so that she frees him, or that she satisfies him so that she inclines him toward herself.
10606 — Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, he said: Muʿāwiya ibn Ṣāliḥ related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, His word: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband" — thereby is meant: the dislike.
10607 — It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn ibn al-Faraj, he said: I heard Abū Muʿādh saying: ʿUbayd ibn Sulaymān informed us, he said: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk saying concerning His word: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband." It is the man who has the old woman under him, and he then marries the young woman alongside her, and inclines toward her, and she is more pleasing to him than the old one, whereupon he reconciles with the old one on the basis that he gives her something of his property and allots to her of his person a known portion.
10608 — ʿAmr ibn ʿAlī and Zayd ibn Akhzam related to us, both of them said: Abū Dāwūd related to us, he said: Sulaymān ibn Muʿādh related to us, on the authority of Simāk ibn Ḥarb, on the authority of ʿIkrima, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: Sawda feared that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would separate from her, and she said: do not separate from me in favor of your (other) wives, and do not allot to me. Then he did that, whereupon was sent down: "And if a woman fears rebellion or aversion from her husband."
The reciters (al-qurrāʾ) differed concerning the reading of His word: "that they bring about a reconciliation between themselves (an yuṣliḥā baynahumā ṣulḥan)."
The general body of reciters of the people of Medina and a portion of the people of Basra read it with a fatḥa on the "yāʾ" and doubling of the "ṣād" (an yaṣṣālaḥā), with the meaning: that the two of them reconcile with each other by a reconciliation; then the "tāʾ" was assimilated into the "ṣād," so that the two became a single doubled "ṣād."
And the general body of reciters of the people of Kufa read it: (أَنْ يُصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحًا), with a ḍamma on the "yāʾ" and lightening of the "ṣād," with the meaning: the husband and the wife bring about reconciliation between themselves.
Abū Jaʿfar said: and the more pleasing of the two readings to me therein is the reading of him who read: (an yaṣṣālaḥā baynahumā ṣulḥan), with a fatḥa on the "yāʾ" and doubling of the "ṣād," with the meaning: they reconcile with each other. For "mutual reconciliation (al-taṣāluḥ)" in this place is more familiar and clearer in meaning, and more eloquent and more current upon the tongues of the Arabs than "the bringing about of reconciliation (al-iṣlāḥ)." And "al-iṣlāḥ," as opposed to "the causing of corruption (al-ifsād)," is more familiar than in the meaning of "mutual reconciliation."
If someone should suppose that in His word "ṣulḥan (a reconciliation)" there lies an indication that the reading of him who read it as (yuṣliḥā), with a ḍamma on the "yāʾ," is the most correct, then the matter therein is other than what he supposes. For "al-ṣulḥ" is a noun and not a verb, such that it could serve as proof for the most correct of the two readings in His word: "yuṣliḥā baynahumā ṣulḥan."
The explanation of His word: وَأُحْضِرَتِ الأَنْفُسُ الشُّحَّ وَإِنْ تُحْسِنُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا (4:128)
(And souls are by nature prone to covetousness; and if you do good and are God-fearing, then truly, Allah is well-acquainted with what you do.)
Abū Jaʿfar said: the people of interpretation differed concerning the explanation of that.
Some of them said: its meaning is: and the souls of the women are prone to covetousness concerning their shares of the persons of their husbands and their properties.
Mention of who said that:
10609 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: ʿImrān ibn ʿUyayna related to us, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ ibn al-Sāʾib, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: "and souls are by nature prone to covetousness." He said: her share thereof.
10610 — Muḥammad ibn Bashshār related to us, he said: Abū Aḥmad related to us — and Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: Ibn Yamān related to us — both of them said: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ ibn al-Sāʾib, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr: "and souls are by nature prone to covetousness." He said: in the days.
10611 — Ibn Bashshār related to us, he said: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, he said: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ: "and souls are by nature prone to covetousness." He said: in the days and the maintenance.
10612 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: Ibn Mahdī and Ibn Yamān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, he said: in the maintenance.
10613 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: Rawḥ related to us, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, he said: in the maintenance.
10614 — And Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: my father related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ: "and souls are by nature prone to covetousness." He said: in the days.
10615 — Ibn Bashshār related to us, he said: Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar related to us, he said: Shuʿba related to us, on the authority of Abū Bishr, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr concerning this verse: "and souls are by nature prone to covetousness." He said: the soul of the woman concerning her share of her husband, of his person and his property.
10616 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: my father related to us, on the authority of Shuʿba, on the authority of Abū Bishr, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, something similar.
10617 — Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: Ḥabbān ibn Mūsā related to us, he said: Ibn al-Mubārak informed us, he said: Shuʿba related to us, on the authority of Abū Bishr, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, the same.
10618 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: Ibn Yamān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of a man, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr: in the maintenance.
10619 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: Ibn Mahdī related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of al-Shaybānī, on the authority of Bukayr ibn al-Akhnas, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, he said: in the days and the maintenance.
10620 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, he said: Ibn Mahdī related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of al-Shaybānī, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, he said: in the days and the maintenance.
10621 — Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: Muslim ibn Ibrāhīm related to us, he said: Shuʿba related to us, on the authority of Abū Bishr, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr concerning His word: "and souls are by nature prone to covetousness." He said: the woman is covetous of her husband's property and his person.
10622 — Al-Muthannā related to us, he said: Ḥabbān ibn Mūsā informed us, he said: Ibn al-Mubārak informed us, on the authority of Sharīk, on the authority of Sālim, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, he said: the woman came when this verse was sent down: وَإِنِ امْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِنْ بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوْ إِعْرَاضًا, and she said: "I wish that you allot to me of your person!" — whereas she had previously been content that he leave her and neither separate from her nor come to her — whereupon Allah sent down: "and souls are by nature prone to covetousness."
10623 — Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, he said: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, he said: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: "and souls are by nature prone to covetousness." He said: her soul yearns for her husband and for his maintenance. He said: and he claimed that it was sent down concerning the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and concerning Sawda bint Zamʿa: she had grown old, whereupon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wished to separate from her, and they reconciled on the basis that he would retain her and give her day to ʿĀʾisha, and so she was covetous of her place with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
And others said: its meaning is: and the soul of each of the man and the woman is prone to covetousness concerning his right toward his companion.
Mention of who said that:
10624 — Yūnus related to me, he said: Ibn Wahb informed us, he said: I heard Ibn Zayd saying concerning His word: "and souls are by nature prone to covetousness." He said: his soul is not well-disposed to give her anything, so that she would free him; and her soul is not well-disposed to give him anything of her property, so that she would incline him toward herself.
Abū Jaʿfar said: and the most correct of the two sayings therein is the saying of him who said: thereby is meant: the souls of the women are prone to covetousness concerning their shares of their husbands in the days and the maintenance.
And "al-shuḥḥ (covetousness)": excessiveness in desire for something; and it is in this place: the excessive desire of the woman for her share of her days from her husband and of her maintenance.
The explanation of the saying is thus: and the souls of the women are prone to their desires, out of an excess of desire for their rights from their husbands, and covetousness therewith toward their co-wives.
And in accordance with what we have said about the meaning of "al-shuḥḥ," it is related concerning Ibn ʿAbbās that he used to say:
10625 — Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, he said: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, His word: "and souls are by nature prone to covetousness," and covetousness is his desire for the thing upon which he is greedy.
And we have said only that this saying is the most correct, above the saying of him who said: "thereby is meant: and the souls of the men and the women are prone to covetousness," in accordance with what Ibn Zayd said — because the reconciliation of the man with his wife by his giving her of his property as a reward on the basis that she remits to him the allotment of the turn for her, is impermissible. That is because he receives no countervalue for the reward that he has bestowed upon her. And the reward (juʿl) is valid only in exchange for a countervalue: either a good or a benefit. When the man gives the woman a reward on the basis that she remits to him her day and her night, then he acquires over her neither a good nor a benefit. And since that is so, that belongs to the cases of consuming property by falsehood (akl al-māl bi-l-bāṭil). And since that is so, it is known that there is no ground for the saying of him who said: "thereby are meant the man and the woman."
If someone should suppose that, since that is a right of the woman and she has the right to demand it, it is for the man to buy it off from her with a reward — for the holder of the right of pre-emption (al-mustashfiʿ) who invokes his right of pre-emption over a share in a house that a man has purchased from a partner who has a right therein, has the right to demand it, such that it would necessarily be for the one addressed to buy that off from him with a reward — then in the consensus of all there lies, in that the reconciliation therein in exchange for a countervalue is impermissible — since the one addressed in the pre-emption receives for it neither a good nor a benefit as countervalue — an indication of the invalidity of the reconciliation of the man with his wife in exchange for a countervalue on the basis that she desists from her demand to him for allotment for her.
And when that is invalid, then it is correct that the explanation of the verse is what we have said. And the report that we have mentioned on the authority of Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyab and Sulaymān ibn Yasār has made clear that His word: وَإِنِ امْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِنْ بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوْ إِعْرَاضًا, the verse, was sent down concerning the affair of Rāfiʿ ibn Khadīj and his wife, when he married a young woman alongside her and preferred the young one over her, whereupon the old one refused to persevere upon the preference, and he repudiated her once and left her. When the elapsing of her waiting period (ʿiddah) drew near, he gave her the choice between separation, taking back, and enduring the preference, whereupon she chose taking back and enduring the preference. Then he took her back and preferred the other over her, and she did not endure it, whereupon he separated from her. And therein lies a clear indication that by His word: "and souls are by nature prone to covetousness," is meant only: and the souls of the women are prone to covetousness concerning their rights from their husbands, in accordance with what we have described.
Abū Jaʿfar said: and as for His word: "and if you do good and are God-fearing," thereby He means: and if you, O men, do good in your dealings with your wives, when you loathe of her unattractiveness, or a (bad) character, or some of the things that you loathe of her, by exercising patience with her and giving her her rights in full and dealing with her in a fitting manner — "and are God-fearing," He says: and you fear Allah concerning her by abandoning wrongdoing on your part toward her concerning what is due to her whom you loathe of them: the allotment for her, and the maintenance, and the dealing in a fitting manner — "then truly, Allah is well-acquainted with what you do." He says: then truly, Allah, of what you do in the affairs of your wives, O men, of doing good toward her and dealing in a fitting manner, and of wrongdoing toward her concerning what is incumbent upon you toward her and due to her — is "well-acquainted (khabīr)," that is to say: knowing, cognizant, from whom nothing thereof remains hidden; rather, He is acquainted with it and keeps account of it against you, until He gives you the full requital thereof: the doer of good among you for his doing of good, and the doer of evil for his doing of evil.
