سورة النساء

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِینَ مِنَ الْوِلْدانِ [and the weak among children] — the people of Jahiliyya (pre-Islamic ignorance) did not give any inheritance to a small child, nor did they give a daughter any share from her father's inheritance, and they gave inheritance only to those who fought in battle, and they considered this good in their religion. When Allah revealed the obligations of inheritance, they became very angry at this and said, "Let us go to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and speak to him about this; perhaps he will drop it or change it." They came to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and said, "O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)! A daughter inherits half of what her father and brother leave behind, and a small child also inherits, yet neither of them rides a horse, nor obtains spoils of war, nor fights the enemy!" The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said, "I have been commanded with exactly this."

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): The noble verse: وَ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلاَّ تُقْسِطُوا فِی الْیَتامی فَانْکِحُوا ما طابَ لَکُمْ مِنَ النِّساءِ مَثْنی وَ ثُلاثَ وَ رُباعَ [And if you fear that you cannot act equitably towards the orphans, then marry such women as seem good to you, two, three or four] was revealed together with this verse: وَ یَسْتَفْتُونَکَ فِی النِّساءِ قُلِ اللهُ یُفْتِیکُمْ فِیهِنَّ وَ ما یُتْلی عَلَیْکُمْ فِی الْکِتابِ فِی یَتامَی النِّساءِ اللاَّتِی لا تُؤْتُونَهُنَّ ما کُتِبَ لَهُنَّ وَ تَرْغَبُونَ أَنْ تَنْکِحُوهُنَّ [And they ask you a decision about women. Say: Allah makes known to you His decision concerning them, and that which is recited to you in the Book concerning female orphans whom you do not give what is appointed for them while you desire to marry them], and فَانْکِحُوا ما طابَ لَکُمْ مِنَ النِّساءِ مَثْنی وَ ثُلاثَ وَ رُباعَ [then marry such women as seem good to you, two, three or four]. One half of the verse is at the beginning of the surah and the other half is after one hundred and twenty verses, and that is because the Arabs did not consider it lawful to marry an orphan girl whom they themselves had raised, and they asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) about this matter, and Allah revealed this verse: وَ یَسْتَفْتُونَکَ فِی النِّسَاء ... مَثْنَی وَ ثُلاَثَ وَ رُبَاع [And they ask you a decision about women ... two, three or four].

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): In the narration of Abu al-Jarud it is reported: Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said about the verse: وَ یَسْتَفْتُونَکَ فِی النِّسَاء [And they ask you a decision about women]: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) was asked about the share of inheritance that women receive, and Allah revealed one-fourth and one-eighth."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): مَا کُتِبَ لَهُنَّ [what is appointed for them], that is, of inheritance.

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): They used to cause corruption in the property of the orphan [and consume it unjustly], and Allah commanded them to set right their properties.