Commentary
From what the parents and the closest relatives leave behind, we have made heirs who will take care of it. Or for every people, we have made them heirs, a share from what the parents and the closest relatives leave behind, on the condition that 'we have made heirs' is an attribute for everyone, and the pronoun referring to everyone is omitted. The statement is a subject and a predicate, as you say: for everyone whom Allah created as a human from Allah's provision, meaning a share of Allah's provision. Or: for everyone, we have made heirs from what is left, meaning heirs from what is left, on the condition that 'from' is a connector for heirs, because they are in the meaning of heirs. In 'left behind,' there is a pronoun for everyone. Then he explained the heirs by saying: 'the parents and the closest relatives,' as if it were said: who are they? It was said: the parents and the closest relatives and those whose oaths you have contracted. This is a subject with an implied condition. Its news occurs with the 'fa' (then) in his saying: 'give them their share.' It may also be in the accusative case, as you say: Zayd, strike him. It may also be coordinated with the parents, and the implied subject in 'give them' refers to the heirs. The meaning of those whose oaths you have contracted: the allies. A man would contract with another man saying: my blood is your blood, and my destruction is your destruction, and my blood feud is your blood feud, and my peace is your peace, and you inherit me and I inherit you, and you seek me and I seek you, and you are responsible for me and I am responsible for you. Thus, the ally has a sixth of the inheritance of the ally, which was abrogated. And it is reported from the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, that he gave a sermon on the day of the conquest saying: 'Whatever was a pact in the days of ignorance, hold on to it, for Islam has only strengthened it. And do not create pacts in Islam.' And according to Abu Hanifa: if a man converts to Islam at the hands of another man and they contract to support each other and inherit from each other, it is valid in his view, and he inherits by virtue of the alliance, contrary to al-Shafi'i. And it is said that the contracting is akin to adoption. The meaning of 'you have contracted your oaths' is that you have contracted with your hands and you have touched them. And it is read 'contracted' with emphasis and without emphasis, meaning they have made their oaths.
Explore Other Scholars on This Verse
Compare different scholarly perspectives on Surah An-Nisa verse 33