His saying, exalted is He: "They ask you for a ruling. Say, 'Allah gives you a ruling concerning [the case of] a person who has neither ascendants nor descendants. If a man dies and has no child but has a sister, then she gets half of what he leaves. And he inherits from her if she has no child. And if there are two sisters, they get two-thirds of what he leaves. And if there are siblings, men and women, then for the male is the equivalent of the share of two females. Allah makes clear to you lest you go astray. And Allah is Knowing of all things." The saying regarding 'al-kalalah' has been previously mentioned in the beginning of the Surah. It is most likely that it refers to inheritance that is free from a father, son, or daughter, and there is no pillar of lineage in it, neither high nor low, and it remains for those who are surrounded, meaning: encompassed from the sides, just as a crown encompasses. The matter of al-kalalah was problematic for Umar ibn al-Khattab. He said: "I have not discussed anything with the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - as I have discussed al-kalalah; and I would have loved that the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - had not died until he clarified it." He also said - while on the pulpit -: "Three matters, if the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - had clarified them, would have been more beloved to me than the world: al-jidd (the seriousness of the matter), al-kalalah, and the caliphate; and doors of usury." It has been narrated from him - may Allah be pleased with him - that he wrote a book about it, and he kept seeking Allah's guidance regarding it, saying: "O Allah, if You know there is good in it, then decree it." When he was stabbed, he called for the book, and it was erased, and no one knew what was in it. Al-A'mash narrated from Ibrahim and other scholars, they mentioned that Umar - may Allah be pleased with him - said: "To know about al-kalalah is more beloved to me than the tribute of the palaces of Ash-Sham." Tariq ibn Shihab said: Umar ibn al-Khattab took a shoulder and gathered the companions of the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - and then said: "I will give a ruling on al-kalalah that women will talk about in their chambers." A snake then emerged from the house, and they scattered. Umar said: "If Allah had wanted to complete this matter, He would have completed it." Ma'dan ibn Abi Talhah said: "Umar addressed the people on Friday and said: 'By Allah, I do not leave after me anything more important to me than the matter of al-kalalah; and I have asked the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - about it, and he did not rebuke me in anything as he rebuked me in it, until he stabbed me in my neck and said: 'The verse of al-sayf (the summer verse) suffices you, which was revealed at the end of Surah An-Nisa; if I live, I will give a ruling in it that two who read the Qur'an will not differ about.'" And 'Uqbah ibn 'Amir was asked about al-kalalah, and he said: 'Do you not marvel at this? They ask me about al-kalalah, while nothing has been more difficult for the companions of the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - than al-kalalah.' The judge Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: The apparent meaning of Umar's words - may Allah be pleased with him - is that the verse of al-sayf is this. Abu Salamah narrated: 'The Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - was asked about al-kalalah, and he said: 'Did you not hear the verse that was revealed in the summer: "And if a man leaves a sister..." [An-Nisa: 12].'

(p-78) The judge Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: This is the apparent meaning; because Al-Bara' ibn Azib said: The last verse revealed to the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - was: ﴿They ask you for a ruling. Say, Allah gives you a ruling concerning al-kalalah﴾; and many of the companions said: It is among the last that was revealed; and Jabir ibn Abdullah said: It was revealed because of me; the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - visited me while I was sick; and I said, O Messenger of Allah: How should I dispose of my wealth? I had nine sisters; and I had no father or son: So the verse was revealed.