The Holy Quran, a pure spring of divine guidance and legislation, expounds comprehensive and fundamental rulings in Surah An-Nis, which shine like a jewel in the Islamic legal and ethical system. This Surah, relying upon the principles of justice and wisdom, provides unparalleled guidance for organising social and familial relations. Among them, verse 176 of Surah An-Nis, dedicated to the inheritance laws of Kallah, shines like a brilliant star elucidating the rules of estate distribution under specific circumstances. This writing endeavours, through a profound examination of this verse and analyses derived from the discourses of religious scholars, to depict its sublime concepts in eloquent language and a coherent structure, as though it were a mirror reflecting the radiant truth of the Quran.
Surah An-Nis, like a mighty tree rooted in divine wisdom, encompasses a collection of doctrinal, ethical, and social rulings. This Surah, with its unparalleled comprehensiveness, not only addresses the matters of women and inheritance but also outlines a comprehensive guidance system for humanity. From an exegetical perspective, due to its breadth and meticulous legislation, it is recognised as the Surah of Laws. Just as a raging river breathes life into parched plains, Surah An-Nis bestows order and justice upon the Islamic society through its rulings.
Kallah, in jurisprudential terminology, refers to a person deprived of both offspring and parents, whose only relatives are siblings. These individuals occupy a position in the kinship system like branches of a tree lacking its primary roots (parents) and fruits (children). This definition, rooted in jurisprudential texts such as Sharh Lam'ah, facilitates precise understanding of inheritance rulings in the verse under discussion. Kallah, like a solitary traveller on the path of inheritance, requires regulations that guarantee justice in the distribution of the estate.
يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ ۚ قُلِ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِي الْكَلَالَةِ ۚ إِنِ امْرُؤٌ هَلَكَ لَيْسَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ وَلَهُ أُخْتٌ فَلَهَا نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ ۚ وَهُوَ يَرِثُهَا إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهَا وَلَدٌ ۚ فَإِنْ كَانَتَا اثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُمَا الثُّلُثَانِ مِمَّا تَرَكَ ۚ وَإِنْ كَانُوا إِخْوَةً رِجَالًا وَنِسَاءً فَلِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الْأُنْثَيَيْنِ ۚ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَضِلُّوا ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
Translation: They ask you for a legal verdict. Say: Allah gives you a verdict concerning Kallah. If a man dies without leaving offspring and he has a sister, she shall have half of what he leaves; and he inherits from her if she has no child. But if there are two sisters, they share two-thirds of the estate left. And if there are brothers and sisters, the male shall have the equivalent of the share of two females. Allah makes clear to you so that you do not go astray. And Allah is knowledgeable of all things.
This verse, like a precise map, delicately delineates the inheritance rulings for Kallah. If the deceased has no offspring and only one sister, half of the estate is allocated to her. Should the sister lack children, the brother inherits her entire estate. If two sisters exist, they receive two-thirds of the estate. When both brothers and sisters are present, the males share is twice that of the females. These rulings, like the sturdy pillars of a just edifice, guarantee order and justice in estate distribution.
From a jurisprudential standpoint, this verse is recognised as one of the decisive verses on inheritance. Its rulings, reflected in jurisprudential works such as Wasil al-Shah, define with accuracy and comprehensiveness the distribution rules of inheritance in the absence of primary heirs (children and parents). Socially, the difference in inheritance shares between brothers and sisters, expressed in the phrase for the male is equivalent to the share of two females, corresponds to the financial and social responsibilities of men in the family system of that era. This distinction, like a precise scale, establishes a balance between rights and duties.
The verse commences with the phrase They ask you for a legal verdict, indicating the companions inquiry of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) regarding the rulings of Kallah. The divine response, conveyed directly by Allah, signifies the comprehensiveness of the Holy Quran in legislative elucidation. This answer, like a pure spring, dispels doubts and paves the way for guidance. Historically, inheritance verses were predominantly revealed in response to the practical needs of the Islamic community, and this verse affirms the Qurans authority as the ultimate jurisprudential and guiding source.
The difference in inheritance shares between brothers and sisters, explicitly stated in the verse, originates in the social and economic conditions prevailing at the time of revelation. The males labour capacity and financial responsibilities, central to the familys sustenance in that period, form the basis of this distinction. This wisdom, like a luminous lamp, reflects the conformity of divine rulings with contemporary societal needs. Nevertheless, these rulings, rooted firmly in divine justice and wisdom like a well-established tree, offer lessons of order and balance for all ages.
One of the questions raised in the lectures concerns the fate of the remaining half of the estate when there is one sister. The response provided allocates this portion to charitable deeds, almsgiving, or personal expenses. This viewpoint, like a refreshing breeze, emphasises the flexibility of divine rulings in favour of the common good. Some jurisprudential treatises discuss the concept of return (redistribution of the remainder to heirs), but the view presented here prioritises benevolence and pious causes, as if the estate flows like a stream towards goodness and virtue.
From the Sh jurisprudential perspective, the remaining estate in certain cases is allocated to the public treasury or charitable purposes. This perspective, also discussed in works such as Jawhir al-Kalm, highlights the flexibility of rulings in favour of communal welfare. The answer given in the lectures, rejecting the view of estate return to the same heirs, emphasises that divine rulings do not require explicit mention of every detail, as general principles of benevolence and almsgiving facilitate righteous action.
The verse, through the phrase Allah makes clear to you so that you do not go astray, underscores the primary purpose of divine rulings: prevention of misguidance. This objective, like the polar star, illuminates the path of guidance for humanity. The Quranic rulings, with their precise and comprehensive clarification, prevent deviation and confusion, thereby stabilising social order. This wisdom signifies the depth and comprehensiveness of divine legislation.
The verse concludes with the phrase And Allah is knowledgeable of all things, referring to divine infinite knowledge. This attribute, like an endless ocean, underpins the wisdom and justice of divine rulings. Allah, fully aware of human needs and conditions, has ordained laws that, like an eternal light, illuminate the path to felicity. This absolute knowledge reassures that the Quranic rulings are rooted in wisdom and justice.
The inheritance laws of Kallah elucidated in this verse have been examined in detail in jurisprudential texts such as Sharh Lamah. This connection serves as a strong bridge between the Holy Quran and traditional jurisprudence. The difference in inheritance shares between males and females, grounded in labour capacity and social responsibilities, is also emphasised in these texts. The concluding supplication O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, like a fragrant flower, stresses the invocation of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) for deeper comprehension of divine guidance.
Verse 176 of Surah An-Nis, like a brilliant gem in the crown of Quranic legislation, delineates the inheritance laws of Kallah with unparalleled precision. This verse, relying on divine wisdom and justice, presents rules for estate distribution under special conditions that not only ensure social order but also pave the way for goodness and virtue. The religious scholars lectures, through profound analysis of this verse, highlight its connection with traditional jurisprudence and the guiding role of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). This writing, like a clear mirror, reflects these concepts with eloquent language and coherent structure, serving as a beacon for seekers of truth and guidance.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
