Surah An-Nisa 4:129 — translation and meaning

النساء · Verse 129 / 176 · Page 99

ۚ ۖ وَلَن تَسْتَطِيعُوا أَن تَعْدِلُوا بَيْنَ النِّسَاءِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتُمْ فَلَا تَمِيلُوا كُلَّ الْمَيْلِ فَتَذَرُوهَا كَالْمُعَلَّقَةِ وَإِن تُصْلِحُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Word by Word

ۚ
ۖ
وَلَن
walan
And never
تَسْتَطِيعُوا
tastati'u
will you be able
أَن
an
to
تَعْدِلُوا
ta'dilu
deal justly
بَيْنَ
bayna
between
النِّسَاءِ
al-nisai
[the] women
وَلَوْ
walaw
even if
حَرَصْتُمْ
harastum
you desired
فَلَا
fala
but (do) not
تَمِيلُوا
tamilu
incline
كُلَّ
kulla
(with) all
الْمَيْلِ
al-mayli
the inclination
فَتَذَرُوهَا
fatadharuha
and leave her (the other)
كَالْمُعَلَّقَةِ
kal-mu'alaqati
like the suspended one
وَإِن
wa-in
And if
تُصْلِحُوا
tus'lihu
you reconcile
وَتَتَّقُوا
watattaqu
and fear (Allah)
فَإِنَّ
fa-inna
then indeed
اللَّهَ
al-laha
Allah
كَانَ
kana
is
غَفُورًا
ghafuran
Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمًا
rahiman
Most Merciful

Transliteration

Wa lan tastatee'ooo an ta'diloo bainan nisaaa'i wa law harastum falaa tameeloo kullal maili fatazaroohaa kalmu'al laqah; wa in tuslihoo wa tattaqoo fa innal laaha kaana Ghafoorar Raheema

Translation

And you will never be able to be equal [in feeling] between wives, even if you should strive [to do so]. So do not incline completely [toward one] and leave another hanging. And if you amend [your affairs] and fear Allah - then indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

You, husbands, will not be able to be completely fair to your wives with respect to your affection, even if you tried to do so. This is due to circumstances and factors beyond your control. So do not incline fully away from the one you do not love and leave her like a woman suspended, who does not have a husband to fulfill her right and nor is she unmarried so that she may seek to marry another. If you set things right between yourselves, by giving the wife her due right and being mindful of Allah in that regard, then Allah will be Forgiving and Merciful towards you.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

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