Let the people apprehend and be afraid of this: how solicitous they would have been on the eve of their death about the helpless. children they would be leaving behind. They should, therefore, fear Allah and say the just and right thing. In fact, those who grab unjustly the property of the orphans, fill their bellies with fire, and most surely they shall be thrown into the burning fire of Hell.14 As regards inheritance, Allah enjoins you concerning your children that: The share of the male shall be twice that of the female.15 In case the heirs be more than two females, their total share shall be two-thirds16 of the whole and if there be only one daughter, her share shall be half of the whole. If the deceased has children, each of his parents shall get one-sixth of the whole,17 but if he be childless and his parents alone are his heirs, the mother shall have one-third of the whole.18 If the deceased has brothers and sisters also, the mother shall be entitled to one-sixth of the whole.19 The division of all these shares shall take place only after fulfilling the terms of the will and after the payment of the debt20 (if any). As regards your parents and your children, you do not know who is more beneficial to you. Allah has apportioned these shares and most surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.21 And you will get half of what your wives leave behind, if they be childless; but if they leave children, then your share will be one fourth of what they have left, after the fulfillment of their will and the payment of their debt (if any). As for them, they will be entitled to one-fourth of the inheritance left by you, if you are childless; but in case you leave behind children, their share will be one-eighth22 of the whole after the fulfillment of your will and payment of your debt (if any). And if the deceased whether man or woman (whose property is ' to be divided as inheritance) leaves no children and no parents behind but has one brother or one sister alive each of the two will be entitled to one-sixth of the whole but in case the brothers and the sisters are more than one then the total share of all of them will be one-third23 of the whole after the fulfillment of the will and the payment of the debt (if any) provided that it is not injurious24 (to the heirs). This is the Commandment of Allah and Allah is All-Knowing and Lenient.25 These are the limits prescribed by Allah: whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, He will admit him into the Gardens underneath which canals flow, wherein he will abide for ever; this is the great success. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses the limits prescribed by Him, Allah will cast him into the Fire wherein he shall abide for ever, and shall have a disgraceful chastisement.26 If any of your women be guilty of indecency, call for four witnesses from among yourselves to testify against them: If they give evidence and prove the guilt, then confine them to their houses until death comes to them or Allah opens some other way out for them .And punish the two of you who commit this crime; then if they both repent and reform themselves, leave them alone,for Allah is generous in accepting repentance, and merciful in forgiving sins.27 However note it well that Allah's acceptance of repentance is for those people only, who commit an evil in ignorance, and then repent of it soon after this. Allah again turns kindly to such people, for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. But there is no repentance for those people who persist in their evil deeds until the dying hour comes to anyone of them; then he says, "Now I repent." Nor is repentance for them who die as unbelievers; for such people, We have prepared a painful torment.28 O Believers, it is not lawful for you to become the heirs of widows by force:29 nor is it lawful that you should treat your wives harshly in order to deprive them of a part of the dowry you have given them. However (you have the right to treat them harshly), if they are guilty of adultery.30 You should live with them in an honorable manner, even if you dislike them; it is possible that Allah may bring much good to you through that very thing you dislike.31 And if you make up your mind to marry another wife in place of the one you already have, do not take back anything out of what you have given her. even though it may have been a heap of wealth. Will you take it back by slander and gross injustice? And how is it proper for you to take it, when both of you have enjoyed conjugal happiness and she received from you a solemn pledge of union?32 And do not marry at all those women whom your father had married though what has happened in the past is excepted.33 This is an indecent and abominable thing and an evil practice.34 Forbidden to you are your mothers,35 daughters,36 sisters,37 paternal aunts, maternal aunts, brother's daughters, sister's daughters,38 your foster mothers who have given a suckle to you, your foster sisters,39 who have taken suckle with you, the mothers of your wives,40 the daughters of your wives whom you have brought up,41 the daughters of those wives with whom you have had conjugal relations, but not of those wives with whom you have had no conjugal relations, and it is not sinful for you to marry their daughters (after having divorced them); and also forbidden to you are the wives of your sons who are from your loins,42 and it is unlawful for you to keep two real sisters as wives at one and the same time,43 though what happened in the past is excepted, for Allah is indeed Forgiving, Merciful.44 And forbidden to you are the wedded wives of other people except those who have fallen in your hands (as prisoners of war45 ): this is the Law of Allah that has been prescribed for you. With the exception of the above, it has been made lawful for you to seek in marriage with your wealth any other women provided that you keep them in wedlock and not in licentiousness. Then you should pay them their dowries as an obligation for the enjoyment of conjugal relations with them. However, there is no harm if a compromise is made in the dower by mutual consent after an agreement about it; Allah is All-Knowing, All Wise. Whoever cannot afford to marry free Muslim women, should marry one of the Muslim slave-girls in your possession; Allah has full knowledge of your Faith. You all belong to one and the same community;46 therefore, you may marry them with the permission of their guardians and give them their fair dowries so that they may live a decent life in wedlock and not in licentiousness nor may have secret illicit relations. Then if they are guilty of indecency, after they have been fortified by wedlock, they shall be given half the punishment prescribed for free women.47 This concession48 has been made for those of you who might apprehend a moral lapse without marriage, but it is better for you to practice self-restraint, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. Allah desires to make clear to you and guide you to the ways that were followed by the righteous people before you, and to turn to you mercifully; for He is All-Knowing, All-Wise.49 Yes. Allah desires to turn to you mercifully, but those who follow their lusts, want that you should swerve far away from the right path.50 Allah wills to make your restrictions light, for Man has been created weak by nature. O Believers, do not devour one another's property by unlawful ways; (instead of this) do business with mutual consents51 And do not kill yourselves;52 believe it that Allah is Compassionate to you.53 We shall throw into the Fire the one who commits such acts of aggression and injustice; and this is very easy for Allah. If you abstain from the heinous sins from which you are being forbidden, We will remit your trivial offenses54 and admit you to a place of honor. And do not covet what Allah has given some of you more than others: the men shall have their due share according to what they have earned and the women shall have their share according to what they have earned. So pray to Allah for His bounty; most surely Allah has perfect knowledge of everything.55 We have appointed rightful heirs to the inheritance which is left by parents and relatives. As for those with whom you have made a pledge, do give them their share: most surely Allah is watching over everything.56 Men are the managers57 of the affairs of women because Allah has made the one superior to the others58 and because men spend of their wealth on women. Virtuous women are, therefore, obedient; they guard their rights carefully in their absences59 under the care and watch of Allah. As for those women whose defiance you have cause to fear, admonish them and keep them apart from your beds and beat them.60 Then, if they submit to you, do not look for excuses to punish them: note it well that there is Allah above you, Who is Supreme and Great. And if you fear a breach between spouses, appoint one arbiter from the relatives of the husband and one from the relatives of the wife. If the two61 sides sincerely desire to set things right, Allah will create a way' of reconciliation between them, for surely Allah knows everything and is aware of everything.62 And all of you should serve God and associate none with Him; and show kindness and affection to your parents, and be kind to near relatives, and to orphans, and to the needy; and be considerate to your neighbors kinsmen and strangers and to the companions at your side63 and to the wayfarer and to the slaves in your possession. Believe it that Allah does not like such persons as are self~conceited and are niggardly and bid others to be niggardly, and conceal the bounty of Allah that He has bestowed upon them;64 We have prepared a disgraceful chastisement for such ungrateful wretches. And Allah does not like those who expend their wealth to be seen of people, for they do not believe sincerely in Allah and the Last Day. The fact is that whoever has Satan for a comrade, has a very evil company. Well, what harm would have come upon them, if they had believed in Allah and the Last Day and spent out of what Allah had given them? Had they done so, Allah would surely have had knowledge of their good deeds. Indeed Allah does not wrong anyone even by a jot: if one does a good deed, He doubles it, and then from Himself bestows a rich reward. Just imagine how they will fare, when We shall bring forward a witness from every community and raise you (O Muhammad) as a witness in regard to these people.65 At that time, all those, who rejected the Messenger and disobeyed him, would wish the earth to split open and swallow them; for there they will not be able to hide anything from Allah. O Believers, do not offer the Prayer while you are intoxicated,66 for Prayer should be offered only when you know what you are saying.67 Likewise, do not offer the Prayer if you are "unclean"68 until you take your bath, except when passing on the way:69 and if you are sick or on a journey .or if any one of you has relieved himself or you have touched70 women and can find no water, then cleanse yourselves with pure dust by rubbing it on your face and hands;71 no doubt Allah is Lenient and Forgiving. Have you ever considered the case of those who have been given a portion of the scriptures?72 They themselves purchase deviation and wish you, too, to go astray from the Right Way: Allah knows your enemies well and Allah suffices you for protection and for help. Some of those, who have become Jews,73 pervert74 words out of their context and twist their tongues in order to malign the true Faith and say "sami 'ina75 wa 'asaina " and "Isma' ghaira musma `in76 and ''Ra 'ina77 . But, if they had said instead, "sami `ina wa ata "ana, " "Isma "' and " Unzurna," it would have been better for themselves and a more upright way. As Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, they are little disposed to believe. O you to whom the Book had been given! Believe in the Book We have sent down now, confirming the Book you already have with you,78 believe in it before We distort faces and set them backwards, or lay Our curse on them as We laid Our curse on the Sabbath breakers:79 and remember that Allah's Command is surely carried into effect. Shirk is the only sin that Allah does not forgive,80 and He forgives whomsoever He pleases, other sins than this,81 for whosoever associates any other partner with Allah, does indeed forge a big lie and commit the most heinous sin. Have you also marked those, who speak very highly of their own purity? However, Allah alone purifies whomever He pleases (and if they are not being purified), no injustice is being done to them in the least. Just behold! they do not hesitate to invent lies about Allah, and this sin alone suffices to show that they are manifest sinners. Have you not observed those who have been given a portion of the Book? They believe in jibt82 and taghut83 and say of the disbelievers, "Even they are more rightly guided an the way84 than the Believers." Such are the people whom Allah has cursed and you will find no helper to the one whom Allah curses. Have they any share in the Kingdom? If they had any, they would never have given even a farthing to anyone.85 Or, are they jealous of others, because Allah has blessed them with His bounty?86 If so, let them know that We did bestow the Book and the Wisdom upon the descendants of Abraham and blessed them with the great kingdom.87 But some of them believed in it and others turned away from it,88 and the burning fire of Hell suffices for those who have turned away from it. Surely We will throw into the Fire those who have rejected Our Revelations; as often as their skins shall be consumed, We will replace them by other skins so that they may taste the torment in full, for Allah is All-Powerful and All-Wise to enforce His decrees. As for those, who have believed in Our Revelations and have done righteous deeds, We will admit them to Gardens underneath which canals flow, wherein they will abide for ever, wherein they will have pure spouses, and We will admit them into thick shades. (O Muslims), Allah enjoins you to give the trusts into the care of those persons who are worthy of trust and to judge with justice,89 when you judge between the people. Excellent is the counsel that Allah gives you, for Allah hears everything and sees everything. O Believers, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those entrusted with authority from among you. Then if there arises any dispute about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger,90 if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. This is the only right way and will be best in regard to the end.91 Prophet, have you not marked those who profess to believe in the Book that have been sent down to you and in the Books that had been sent down before you, and yet want to turn to taghut for the judgment of their cases though they have been bidden to reject taghut?92 Satan intends to lead them far astray from the right path. And when it is said to them, "Come to that thing which Allah has sent down and to the Messenger," you see that the hypocrites show hesitation in coming to you.93 But how do they behave when a disaster befalls them as a consequence of their own doings? They come to you with oath,94 saying, "We swear by God that we only meant to promote the good and bring about a reconciliation between the parties." Allah knows what really is in their hearts: therefore show forbearance towards them and admonish them and give them a piece of advice that may go deep into their hearts. (Tell them) "Every Messenger whom We have sent must be obeyed because Allah has enjoined this."95 When they had wronged themselves, the best thing for them would have been to come to you and implore Allah's pardon, and if the Messenger had also asked Allah's forgiveness for them, most surely they would have found Allah Forgiving and Merciful. Nay, O Muhammad, by your Lord, they can never become Believers until they accept you as judge for the decision of the disputes between them, and then surrender to your decision with entire submission without feeling the least resentment in their hearts.96 (As for them), only a few of them would have acted upon it, if We had enjoined them, "Kill yourselves," or "Leave your homes".97 It would have been better for them and it would have made them firm.98 (in their Faith), if they had done what they were commanded to do, for We would have given them a great reward from Ourselves and shown them the straight path.99 And who-so-ever obeys Allah and the Messenger, shall be with those whom Allah has blessed-the Prophets, the truthful and the martyrs and the righteous:100 what excellent companions these are that one may get!101 This is the real bounty which comes from Allah and Allah's knowledge suffices to know the Reality. Believers, be always prepared for encounter,102 and advance in detachments or march in a body, as the occasion may require. Well, there are among you such as shirk fight;'103 if a disaster befalls you, they say, "Allah has been very gracious to us that we did not accompany these people." And if you are blessed with grace from Allah, they say, as though there never had been any friendly relations between you and them "We wish we had also accompanied them and thus would have gained our end." (Let such people understand that) those alone, who barter away this worldly life for that of the Hereafter,104 should fight in the way of Allah; then We will bestow a great reward upon him who fights in the way of Allah whether he be slain or be victorious. Why should you, then, not fight in the way of Allah for the sake of those helpless men, women and children who, being weak, have been oppressed, and are crying out, "Our Lord, deliver us from this habitation whose inhabitants are unjust oppressors, and raise a protector for us by Thy grace and a helper from Thyself."105 Those, who follow the way of Faith, fight in the way of Allah, and those who follow the way of disbelief fight in the way of taghut.106 So fight against the helpers of Satan with this conviction that Satan's crafty schemes are in fact very weak.107 Have you also marked those to whom it was said, "Withhold your hands (a while from war) and establish the Salat and pay the Zakat.? Now that they have been commanded to fight, some of them fear the people as they should fear Allah, or even more than that;108 they say, `Our Lord, why have You prescribed fighting for us? Why have You not given us further respite?" Say to them, "The pleasures of this worldly life are trifling and the life of the Hereafter is much better for a man who fears Allah, and you shall not be wronged in the least.109 As to death, it will overtake you wherever you may be, even though you be in fortified towers" If they have good fortune, they say, "This is from Allah," and if they suffer a loss, they say, "This is because of you."110 Say, "Everything is from Allah." What then has gone wrong with these people that they do not understand anything? Whatever good comes to you, O man, it is by Allah's grace, and whatever evil befalls you, it is the result of your own doings. We have sent you, O Muhammad, as a Messenger to mankind, and Allah's witness suffices for this. Whoever obeys the Messenger, in fact, obeys Allah and whoever turns away from him (is accountable for his deeds); anyhow We have not sent you to be keeper over them.111 In your presence, they say, "We are obedient to you," but when they leave you, some of them meet together secretly at night to plot against what you say; Allah writes down all their secret talks; so leave them alone and trust in Allah; Allah alone suffices for trust. Do they not ponder over the Qur'an? Had it been from any other than Allah, surely there would have been many contradictions in it.112 Whenever these people hear any news concerning peace or danger, they make it known to all and sundry; instead of this, if they should convey it to the Messenger and to the responsible people of the Community, it would come to the knowledge of such people who among them are capable of sifting it and drawing right conclusions from it.113 (Your weaknesses were such that) had it not been for Allah's grace and mercy towards you, all of you except a few, would have followed Satan. O Prophet, fight in the way of Allah: you are accountable for none but your own person; you should, however, urge on the Believers to fight: it may be that Allah will soon break the strength of the disbelievers, for Allah is the strongest in might and His punishment is most severe. Whoever pleads a good cause, will get a share from it, and whoever pleads an evil cause also shall get a share from it;114 for Allah keeps strict watch over everything. And when anyone greets you in a respectful manner, greet him with a better salutation than his or at least return the same;115 indeed Allah takes count of everything. Allah: there is no deity but He. He will gather you all together on the Day of Resurrection, the coming of which is beyond all doubt: and whose word can be truer than Allah's.116 How is it with you that there are two opinions among you concerning the hypocrites,117 whereas Allah has turned them back (to their former state) because of the evils they have earned?118 Do you desire to show guidance to him whom Allah has let go astray? You cannot find a path for him whom Allah has turned away from the right path. They really wish that you should also become disbelievers, as they themselves are so that both may become alike. So you should not take friends from among them unless they migrate in the way of Allah; and if they do not migrate, then seize them wherever you find them and slay119 them and do not take any of them as friends and helpers. However, those hypocrites are excepted who join a people who are allied to you by a treaty.120 Likewise, those hypocrites are excepted who come to you and are averse to fighting either against you of against their own people. Had Allah willed, He would have given them power over you and they also would have fought against you; therefore if they leave you alone and desist from fighting against you and make overtures for peace to you, in that case Allah has left you no cause for aggression against them. You will also find another kind of hypocrites, who wish to be at peace with you and also at peace with their own people but who would plunge into mischief, whenever they got an opportunity for it. If such people do not desist from your enmity nor make overtures for peace nor desist from fighting against you, then seize them and slay them wherever you find them, for We have given you a clear authority to fight against them. It does not behoove a Believer to slay another Believer except by error,121 and if one slays a Believer by error, he must set free one believing slave as expiation122 and pay blood-money to the heirs123 of the slain person unless they charitably forego it. But if the murdered Muslim belonged to a people who are at enmity with you, then the expiation shall be the freeing of one believing slave; and if the slain person belonged to a non-Muslim ally of yours, then the blood-money must be paid to his heirs124 and a believing slave has to be set free. But if one could not afford a slave, then he must fast two consecutive months.125 This is the way enjoined by Allah for repentance;126 Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. As regards the one who kills a Believer willfully, his recompense is Hell, wherein he shall live for ever. He has incurred Allah's wrath and His curse is on him, and Allah has prepared a woeful torment for him. O Believers, when you go to Jihad in the way of Allah, discern between friend and foe; and if one greets you with a salutation of peace, do not say to him abruptly, "You are not a believer."127 If you seek worldly gain by this, Allah has abundant spoils for you. (Remember that) you yourselves were before this in the same condition; then Allah showed His grace on you;128 therefore you should discern well, for Allah is fully aware of what you do. Those people from among the Muslims who stay at home without any genuine excuse are not equal in rank with those who exert their utmost with their lives and wealth for the cause of Allah. For Allah has assigned a higher rank to those who exert their utmost with their lives and wealth than those who stay at home. Though Allah has promised a good reward for all, he has a far richer reward for those who fight for Him than for those who stay at home:129 they have high ranks, forgiveness and mercy from Allah, for Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.