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Surah An-Nisa, Ayah 32 (4:32)

ٱلنِّسَاء

وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا۟ مَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۚ لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا …

Quran 4:32 is ayah 32 of Surah An-Nisa (“The Women”), a Medinan surah of 176 ayahs. It is in Juz 5, on page 83 of the Madani Mushaf.

4:32
وَلَاتَتَمَنَّوْا۟مَافَضَّلَٱللَّهُبِهِۦبَعْضَكُمْعَلَىٰبَعْضٍ ۚلِّلرِّجَالِنَصِيبٌمِّمَّاٱكْتَسَبُوا۟ ۖوَلِلنِّسَآءِنَصِيبٌمِّمَّاٱكْتَسَبْنَ ۚوَسَْٔلُوا۟ٱللَّهَمِنفَضْلِهِۦٓ ۗإِنَّٱللَّهَكَانَبِكُلِّشَىْءٍعَلِيمًا٣٢
walā tatamannaw mā faḍḍala l-lahu bihi baʿḍakum ʿalā baʿḍin lilrrijāli naṣībun mimmā ik'tasabū walilnnisāi naṣībun mimmā ik'tasabna wasalū l-laha min faḍlihi inna l-laha kāna bikulli shayin ʿalīman

And do not wish for that by which Allāh has made some of you exceed others. For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned. And ask Allāh of His bounty. Indeed Allāh is ever, of all things, Knowing.(32)

Word by word

  1. وَلَاwalāAnd (do) not
  2. تَتَمَنَّوْا۟tatamannawcovet
  3. مَاmāwhat
  4. فَضَّلَfaḍḍala(has) bestowed
  5. ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah
  6. بِهِۦbihi[with it]
  7. بَعْضَكُمْbaʿḍakumsome of you
  8. عَلَىٰʿalāover
  9. بَعْضٍ ۚbaʿḍinothers
  10. لِّلرِّجَالِlilrrijāliFor men
  11. نَصِيبٌnaṣībun(is) a share
  12. مِّمَّاmimmāof what
  13. ٱكْتَسَبُوا۟ ۖik'tasabūthey earned
  14. وَلِلنِّسَآءِwalilnnisāiand for women
  15. نَصِيبٌnaṣībun(is) a share
  16. مِّمَّاmimmāof what
  17. ٱكْتَسَبْنَ ۚik'tasabnathey earned
  18. وَسَْٔلُوا۟wasalūAnd ask
  19. ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
  20. مِنminof
  21. فَضْلِهِۦٓ ۗfaḍlihiHis bounty
  22. إِنَّinnaIndeed
  23. ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
  24. كَانَkānais
  25. بِكُلِّbikulliof every
  26. شَىْءٍshayinthing
  27. عَلِيمًاʿalīmanAll-Knower

Tafsir (commentary) of 4:32

Available in English, Bengali, Urdu, Arabic, Russian.

English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Do Not Wish for the Things Which Allah has Made Some Others to Excel In

Imam Ahmad recorded that Umm Salamah said, "O Messenger of Allah! Men go to battle, but we do not go to battle, and we earn one-half of the inheritance (that men get)." Allah sent down,

وَلاَ تَتَمَنَّوْاْ مَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ

(And wish not for the things in which Allah has made some of you to excel others). At-Tirmidhi also recorded this Hadith. Allah's statement,

لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبُواْ وَلِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبْنَ

(For men there is reward for what they have earned, (and likewise) for women there is reward for what they have earned,) indicates, according to Ibn Jarir, that each person will earn his wages for his works, a reward if his deeds are good, and punishment if his deeds are evil. It was also reported that this Ayah is talking about inheritance, indicating the fact that each person will get his due share of the inheritance, as Al-Walibi reported from Ibn `Abbas. Allah then directed the servants to what benefits them,

وَاسْأَلُواْ اللَّهَ مِن فَضْلِهِ

(and ask Allah of His Bounty.)Therefore, the Ayah states, "Do not wish for what other people were endowed with over you, for this is a decision that will come to pass, and wishing does not change its decree. However, ask Me of My favor and I will grant it to you, for I Am Most Generous and Most Giving." Allah then said,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيماً

(Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everything.) meaning, Allah knows who deserves this life, and so He gives him riches, and whoever deserves poverty, He makes him poor. He also knows who deserves the Hereafter, and He directs him to perform the deeds that will help him to be sucessful in it, and whoever deserves failure, He prevents him from achieving righteousness and what leads to it. Hence, Allah said, m

إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيماً

(Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everything).

Read the full Surah An-Nisa