Surah An-Nisa, Ayah 3
Quran 4:3 · The Women · Madani · Para 4 · Page 77
وَاِنْ خِفْتُمْ اَلَّا تُقْسِطُوْا فِی الْیَتٰمٰی فَانْكِحُوْا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِّنَ النِّسَآءِ مَثْنٰی وَثُلٰثَ وَرُبٰعَ ۚ فَاِنْ خِفْتُمْ اَلَّا تَعْدِلُوْا فَوَاحِدَةً اَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ اَیْمَانُكُمْ ؕ ذٰلِكَ اَدْنٰۤی اَلَّا تَعُوْلُوْا ۟ؕ
Transliteration
Wa-in khiftum alla tuqsitoo feealyatama fankihoo ma tabalakum mina annisa-i mathna wathulathawarubaAAa fa-in khiftum alla taAAdiloo fawahidatanaw ma malakat aymanukum thalika adnaalla taAAooloo
Saheeh International
And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hands possess [i.e., slaves]. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
If you fear that you will not be just in marrying the female orphans under your guardianship – fearing that you will not give them an appropriate dowry or will not treat them well – then do not marry them, and marry other women you choose. You may marry two, three or four; but if you fear that you will be unjust between them, then marry just one, or suffice with what you possess of slave women, for their rights are not the same as the rights of wives. This is the best way to avoid being unjust or biased.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Explains 4:2–4:4 together — read it on 4:2