The chapter of "An-Nisa".

Its purpose is to gather on the oneness of Allah; which "Aal 'Imran" guided to; and the book which "Al-Baqarah" urged towards; for the sake of the religion; which "Al-Fatihah" gathered; warning against what Sha's ibn Qays intended; and his followers; of division; and this chapter is among the last to be revealed; Al-Bukhari narrated in "The Virtues of the Qur'an"; from Yusuf ibn Mahak; that an Iraqi asked the Mother of the Believers "Aisha" - may Allah be pleased with her - to show him her mushaf; she said: "Why?"; he said: Perhaps I will compile the Qur'an upon it; for it is read (p-170) uncompiled; she said: "And what harm is it to you which you read before? The first thing that was revealed from it was a chapter from the detailed ones; in it is mention of Paradise and Hell; until when the people returned to Islam; the lawful and the unlawful were revealed; and if the first thing that had been revealed was: (Do not drink wine); they would have said: We will never leave wine; and if it had been revealed: (Do not commit adultery); they would have said: We will never leave adultery; it was revealed in Mecca to Muhammad; and I am a young girl playing: ﴿Rather, the Hour is their appointment, and the Hour is more disastrous and more bitter﴾ [Al-Qamar: 46]; and the chapter of "Al-Baqarah" and "An-Nisa" was not revealed except while I was with him; he said: So she brought out the mushaf for him; and she dictated to him the verses of the chapters; it has ended.

And by this - may Allah be pleased with her - she meant that the Qur'an has attained the highest eloquence in its revelation corresponding to what the circumstances necessitate; according to the times; then it was arranged upon the highest aspects of eloquence; according to what the concepts necessitate from the sayings; as you see in this wondrous book; which is far-reaching; and since its purpose is to gather on what the two previous chapters called to (p-171) of oneness; and since the greatest reason for gathering and communication - usually - is the affectionate ties; which revolve around women; it was named "An-Nisa" for that reason; and because by being cautious with them, chastity and justice are achieved, the essence of which is oneness; in the name of Allah; the Gatherer of affairs; by the goodness of marriage in the subtleties of destiny; the Most Gracious; who made the wombs a general mercy; the Most Merciful; who specifically chose whom He willed for communication upon what His religion called to; which He made a complete blessing.

When the matter of the comprehensive Book was established; which is the path; and the foundational principle was confirmed; which is the Oneness of Allah; there was a need for gathering on that; so this Surah came calling for gathering; and connection; and compassion; and mercy; it began with a general call to all people; and that is because the mothers of virtues - as clarified in the science of ethics - are four: knowledge; courage; justice; and chastity; as will be explained in the Surah of 'Luqman' - peace be upon him -; and 'Aal Imran' was a call - along with what has been mentioned of its objectives - to two of them; which are: knowledge; and courage - as indicated in other verses: "He has sent down to you the Book in truth" [Aal Imran: 3] "And none knows its interpretation except Allah and those firmly rooted in knowledge" [Aal Imran: 7] "Allah bears witness that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge" [Aal Imran: 18] "And do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are believers" [Aal Imran: 139] "So they did not weaken for what afflicted them in the cause of Allah" [Aal Imran: 146] "So when you have decided, then rely upon Allah" [Aal Imran: 159] "And do not think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead" [Aal Imran: 169] "Those who responded to Allah and the Messenger after injury had struck them" [Aal Imran: 172] "O you who have believed, persevere and endure" [Aal Imran: 200]; and the story of 'Uhud' had revealed orphans; whose inheritors were martyred in the love of Allah; and it was from their matter in the days of ignorance to prevent their like from inheritance; injustice against the straight path; and misguidance from the most upright evidence; this Surah came calling for the two remaining virtues; which are chastity; and justice; with the emphasis on the other two traits; as the occasion calls for; and that is fruitful for connection through goodness; and compassion by rectifying affairs; for gathering upon the obedience of the Judge; so its greatest objective is gathering upon the religion by following the clear Book; and how beautiful is its beginning with generality: "O mankind"; after concluding that with specificity: "O you who have believed, persevere and endure" [Aal Imran: 200]; the verse!

And when this surah encompasses many types of obligations; among them is being compassionate towards the weak; with matters they had been accustomed to contrary to it; thus it was extremely difficult for the souls; and it indicated the intensity of concern for it; by the opening and closing of the surah; with encouragement towards it; He said: ﴿Fear your Lord﴾; meaning: your Master; and your Lord who is good to you through upbringing; after creation; by making a barrier between you and His wrath; so that He does not punish you for neglecting His kindness to you; and bring upon you every misery; this began with clarifying how creation began; urging on the basis of piety; of chastity; and justice; He said: ﴿Who﴾; made between you the ultimate connection to be observed; and do not neglect it; and that is because He ﴿created you from one soul﴾; it is your father Adam - blessings and peace be upon him -; reminding of His great power; terrifying to the disobedient; and encouraging to the obedient; as a prelude to the command regarding inheritance; and He - glorified and exalted is He - made the command of piety the beginning of two surahs; this one; which is the fourth of the first half; and 'Al-Hajj'; which is the fourth of the second half; and He explained the command of piety in this one with what indicated the perfection of His power; and the comprehensiveness of His knowledge; and the completeness of His wisdom regarding the matter of the beginning; and He explained that in 'Al-Hajj'; with what depicted the Hereafter in a depiction that cannot be added to; thus it indicated in it the beginning; and the Hereafter; alerting that it is the focal point of wisdom; that existence was created only for its sake; for the beautiful names and the lofty attributes to manifest; in the most complete manifestation that humanity can perceive; and He arranged that in the most precise order; for He placed the surah of the beginning before the surah of the Hereafter; so that the recited verses correspond to the seen verses.

And more remarkable than all of that; and more precise; is that when the greatest objectives of the previous surah were the debate regarding the matter of 'Isa; and that his example is like the example of Adam - blessings and peace be upon them both -; and the reality of his state is that he is a male who was born from a female only; without the intermediary of a male; (p-174) he clarified in this surah by his saying - in addition to what you may interpret - a response to one who might have said: How was that? -: "The creation of that soul"; or the sentence may be in the present tense - ﴿And He created from it its mate﴾; meaning: his example in that is also like the example of Hawwa; his mother; for she is a female who was born from a male; without the intermediary of a female; thus his example is like that of each of his parents; Adam; and Hawwa; together - blessings and peace be upon them both -; and the knowledge of the creation of Adam; and his wife; and 'Isa - blessings and peace be upon them -; is included under the verse: ﴿Some of you are from others﴾ [An-Nisa: 25]; along with the verse of dissemination that follows this - limiting the fourfold rational division; which there is no more to it; and it is: a human; not from a male; nor a female; a human from either of them; a human from a male only; a human from a female only; and for this reason he expressed in this surah with creation; and expressed in others with making; due to the absence of the context for this purpose; and this is supported by what He (the Exalted) said - regarding Yahya - blessings and peace be upon him -: ﴿Thus Allah does what He wills﴾ [Al-Imran: 40]; and regarding 'Isa - blessings and peace be upon him -: ﴿He creates what He wills﴾ [Al-Imran: 47]; and also the context here is for intimidation; which necessitates piety; thus it was with the creation which is greater in demonstrating imitation - for it is the invention of causes; and the arrangement of the effects upon them - more deserving than making; which is the arrangement of the effects upon their causes; and if it were not an invention - then glorified is the Almighty; the All-Knowing; the Great; the Wise!

And when He (the Exalted) mentioned creation; He expressed it with the word 'Lord'; which is from nurturing; and when (p-175) everything - referred to by His saying (the Exalted) - in addition to what you may interpret: "And He spread from them to her" -: ﴿And He spread from both of them﴾; meaning: He differentiated and disseminated from procreation; and when the disseminated was previously non-existence; and it is what He brought into existence from non-existence; He used the indefinite form; to convey that by His saying: ﴿Many men and women﴾; from one soul; the kindness of each of the people to each of them; is from the ties of kinship; and He described the men without them; although they are more than them; indicating that they have a degree over them; for they are stronger; and more apparent; and better; and more visible to the eye; due to their spread; and for women from concealment; and hiding.

And when He commanded - glorified and exalted is He - at the beginning of the verse to have taqwa of Him; indicating that He is deserving of that from them; because He is their Lord; He added to that command another command; indicating that He deserves that for His essence; because He encompasses all perfection; free from any blemish of deficiency; He said: ﴿And fear Allah﴾; meaning: in general; for what He has of encompassing attributes; as you have feared Him specifically; for what He has towards you of kindness; and nurturing; and beware of Him; and observe Him in that you do not sever your ties of kinship which He has made a cause for your nurturing.

And when the purpose of this surah is continuity; He described His sacred self in a way that indicates that; He said: ﴿Whom you ask one another about﴾; meaning: some of you ask each other about Him; ﴿by Him﴾; for He is not asked by His sacred name except for mercy; and righteousness; and compassion; then He added clarification to the purpose; saying: ﴿And the ties of kinship﴾; meaning: and fear the severing of ties of kinship; which you ask about; for you say: "I beseech you by Allah; and by the womb"; and He justified this command by warning them of the consequences of His wrath; for He is aware of their secrets; and their public; along with what He has of comprehensive power; He said - confirming that the actions of people in neglecting taqwa; and severing ties of kinship; are actions of one who doubts that he is under the eye of Allah - glorified is He -: ﴿Indeed, Allah﴾; meaning: the one who encompasses knowledge and power; ﴿was over you﴾; and in the tool of elevation is a type of threat; ﴿A Watcher﴾; and Hamzah lowered "the ties of kinship"; swearing by it; to glorify it; and to emphasize the warning that they have forgotten Allah in fulfilling its rights - as He swore by the star; and the fig; and others; and the two readings indicate that maintaining ties of kinship is of great importance with Allah; where He has associated it with His name; whether it is an addition - as explained by the verse: ﴿And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him﴾ [Al-Isra: 23]; or whether it is an oath; and the Muslims have agreed that maintaining ties of kinship is obligatory; and the most deserving of them for connection is the child; and the first connection for him is to choose for himself a lawful place.