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SURE
Nisa Suresi
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When the orphans (to whom you are appointed as a guardian) reach puberty, see if they have a sound sense of judgment. If they pass your test, give them back their inheritance. If you have to use the orphans’ properties for their maintenance, do not be extravagant. The rich guardians (in order to please God) should not charge any wage for their upbringing; the poor guardians, however, may charge a just wage. When it is time to hand over their inheritance, take God as a witness for the accomplishment of your duty; God is, indeed, the best witness.
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Good, hereby, decrees the best way of distributing the inheritance: First the deceased debts should be paid. Then the deceased will (limited up to 1/3rd of the inheritance) should be fulfilled. The sons will inherit twice as much as the daughters. If there is only one daughter (no son) left, she will receive half of the inheritance. If there are more than one daughter (and no son) they will receive 2/3rd of the inheritance together. The parents of the deceased will get each 1/6th of what the deceased one has left behind (if there is a child); if there is no children involved and the parents are the only inheritors, the mother of the deceased will inherit 1/3rd of what is left behind, if the deceased dos not have a brother. If there is a brother involved, the mother then will get 1/6th.You can not decide who is dearer to you: your children or your parents. God is his Wisdom has decided the inheritance being divided in this way. This is God’s law, He is the Most Knowledgeable and Wise.
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If a woman dies, her debt should be paid and her wishes (up to 1/3rd of what she leaves behind) should be honored. The husband, then will inherit half of what the wife leaves behind, if she does not have any children. If she has any children, the husband then will get 1/4th of the inheritance. The wife will get 1/4th of what man leaves behind, if there is no children. If there are children involved, the wives will get 1/8th of what is left behind. If a man or woman leaves a property to be inherited, by neither parents nor off springs, and he/she has a brother or sister, each will receive 1/6ht but if there are more than two brothers or sisters, they will share 1/3rd. This is God’s law; God is indeed the Most Knowledgeable and Generous.
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If any of your women have committed the adultery, you have to gather four witness to testify against them. If they do bear witness, then you should keep them under house arrest [not only as a punishment but to prevent them to see the other people and spread indecency in the society] for lifetime; or until God out of him mercy purify them.
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Repentance is not accepted from those who persist in committing sins and use their last breath asking for forgiveness [like Pharaoh who said I submit myself to God while he was being drowned in the Red Sea]. Repentance is not accepted of those who die while not believing in God; I God) have prepared a painful punishment for the latter.
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O you believers, do not take your women’s inheritance (and their belongings) from them. Unless your women have committed a big sin, it is forbidden for you to treat them badly so that they give up and sign up their wealth to you. Treat your women kindly and try not to dislike them; you may grow to dislike a woman [because her appearance is not like a TV model] while God may have showered her with so much beauty inside.
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The following women are to close for you to marry them: your mothers, daughters, sisters, father’s sister, mother’s sister, brother’s daughter, sister’s daughter, foster mother (who breast fed you) and their daughter, mother in law, step daughter (under your guardianship), step daughters (unless you divorced their mother before having sex with them), ex-wife of your biological sons. It is also forbidden for you to marry two sisters at the same time unless it has happened before the revelation of this law as God is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
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It is also against God’s law to marry married women, unless they have fled the tyranny of their disbeliever husbands who are at war with you. Apart from the above mentioned ones, you may engage in marriage (and not consenting adult sex) contract, with any other woman as long as you mutually agree upon a gift (or a sum) upon the wedding; if you mutually decide later to renegotiate this sum, you may do so as God is the Knowing and the Wise.
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Those who do not have the mean to marry properly, may, then, marry a believing woman whom his right hand possess (a slave woman or the one who does not have materialistic concerns) as you are all equal in God’s eyes. Wed the latter with the consent of their owners/ guardians promising them a "reasonable" sum. They should behave accordingly and avoid adultery or taking secret lovers. If they commit an indecency, their punishment shall be half of the one prescribed for a free woman. Marrying to a slave woman is the last resort and patience is better for you. God is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
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O you who chosen to believe, do not spend your resources in an extravagant manner to impress each other; use it instead for promoting businesses by mutual good-will. [While talking about extravagances and going to the extreme measures,] do not kill each other: How Merciful is God to you [who takes time to explain all these things].
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Men are put in charge of women; that is because, God has simply decided to provide them with faculties which facilitate this task of them and also that they spend out of their resources for their wives’ maintenance. The righteous women would gladly accept this division of the task as it is God’s commandment. They will therefore keep vigilance on their husband’s honor and belonging in their absence. As far as those women who rebel this commandment of their Lord, first try to reason with them and advise them of the consequence of rebelling against their Creator. If they do not submit them, punish them by separating your bedroom. As a last resort, you may beat them [not in a violent manner]. If they come to their senses, be nice to them; God is the Highest and the Greatest
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If you reach to the point that separation is eminent, chose a referee from the man’s part and a referee from the woman’s part so that they negotiate the ways that the marriage may be saved. If they both desire [at the bottom of their heart] a reconciliation, God will bring them together as God is Knowing and Aware.
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And worship none but God and raise none to His Divine level. Show kindness to and help your parents, the relatives, the orphans, the needy ones, the neighbors (related or non related to you, the stranded traveler and your slaves. Know that God does not like the arrogant show-offs who are stingy, reproach people for being charitable and hoard what God has blessed them out of His kindness.
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O’ you who believe, do not worship God while you are intoxicated [this is the first out of four verses that gradually prohibited the intoxication] so that you know what you are saying. Nor after sexual contact without bathing. If you are sick [and can not take a bath], traveling, have relieved yourself [have urinated, passed gas or defecated] and had sex with a woman and cannot find water, then touch clean soil and wipe of your hands and face; surely God [understands, makes it easy for your and] forgives and pardons [your shortcomings.]
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Have you ever noticed how those who have received only a portion of the Lord’s Book have chosen the darkness [at the cost of giving up a God pleasing way of life] and wish you were following them too? {This verse clearly applies to our modern time where the Western societies have tossed the Scriptures away, chosen a "secular" way of life and wish the Muslim follow them too. }
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Among those who (have changed their name from "Submitters" [in Arabic = Islam] long after Prophet Abraham and ) call themselves “Jews”, there are some who twist the Arabic words and quote them out of their context [to change their true meanings] in order to make fun. If they had said “We hear and obey” instead of “We hear and do not obey”, “We hear you” instead of “Your words are falling over our deaf ears” or “Watch over us” instead of “Be our shepherd”, it would have been much proper and constructive for them. However, as they have earned God’s disenchantment, there is less hope for them to be guided toward the belief.
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God, hereby, is calling upon the people of the Scriptures to believe in this Book, sent down now, which confirms [the divine source of the existing] Scriptures. They better do so, before God changes the faces and the fames of some of them beyond all recognition or lay a curse on them the same way that He dealt with those who did not obey His Law of the Sabbath. Know that the decision of God must be carried out.
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O you who have chosen to believe, obey the Lord, His Prophet and your [righteous] leaders. If there is any disagreement, turn to God [and His revelations in Qur’an as a source of reference] and His Prophet [as long as he is among you.] Theses [sources of references] are the best (compared to the man made laws) for those who believe in God and the Day of Judgment.
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Have you noticed how those [hypocrites] who pretend that they believe in what is revealed to you, as well as the followers of the Scripture, refer to other evil sources [such as man made laws] to settle down their disputes? They do so in spite of being ordered that they must follow the Divine laws. They have indeed submitted themselves to Satan and are lost beyond any hope to return.
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God has sent His Prophets to be obeyed [and not be put aside and treated like a ceremonial person that should only be respected. ] After all, the Prophets represent the will of the Lord. If the unjust people had sought the forgiveness of the Lord and, the Prophet, too, had begged the Lord to forgive them, they would have found God the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
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How is it possible that one refrain from fighting in the cause of God while hearing that the helpless and oppressed men, women and children [who can not migrate to the only safe island for Muslims, i. e., Medina at the time and] implore God: "Lord, rescue us from these oppressors and send us a protector out of your grace."
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Remember how in the past you were not allowed to fight back and were ordered just to worship God and engage in charitable actions. As soon as you were permitted to defend yourselves, some feared mankind more than God and complained to their Lord saying: "Why have you put this burden of fighting [and being killed] upon us? Could you not give us a break?" Say: “This world is too short compared to Hereafter. Besides, God will never treat the righteous ones with the least injustice [and will reward you generously if you become a martyr in the battle field.]
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Know that wherever you are (even in a fortified castle, ) you will meet the death, when the time comes. It is funny how the hypocrites thank God for good fortunes of life and blame His Prophet for their misfortune. Let them know that everything is from God. What is wrong with this people who do not get it?
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When a matter of security arises, they look for a solution elsewhere out of fear [the same way that today’s people look to other than Qur’an for a solution to their "civil" issues]. If they had come to you or their leaders, they would have found the best solution. If it was not for the Grace of your Lord, most of you have been misled by the Satan.
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Fight for the cause of God. You (Mohammad, as well as any body) are not responsible for any one else but yourself. Encourage the others [to join the fight.] May God neutralize the power of your disbeliever enemies. God is much more powerful [than anyone else in helping you] and has the highest hand in punishment [of the disbelievers.]
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The hypocrites hope to see you join them in disbelief. Do not accept their friendship until they show their sincerity by leaving their homes [and belongings] behind and migrate to participate in the cause of God. Fight them all the way to death, when they challenge you, and do not take them as friends nor allies.
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Exempted are those who join the people with whom you have already signed a peace treaty as well as those who pledge not to fight with you nor their own people. If God had willed, He would have given them an upper hand against you. therefore, if they leave you alone, do not engage in animosity with you and extend their hands in peace to you, then God does not give you the permission to fight with them.
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You will realize that some of them would like to please you as well as your enemies [and consequently will engage in any mischief when the opportunity knocks. ] If such people do not stop animosity against you nor pledge peace nor stop fighting with you, then they deserve the capital punishment as God has authorized you.
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No believer should kill another believer intentionally. In case of unintentional man slaughter (such as car accident), the killer must set free a believing slave and pay blood money to the heirs unless the latter do not demand it to please God. If the believing victim lived among the enemies (and was killed say in a military campaign by mistake), the expiation will be freeing a believing slave. If the believing victim lived among the non-believers with whom you have a peace treaty, the expiation will be freeing a Muslim slave and the payment of the blood money to his heirs. If one (for monetary reasons) can not free a slave, then he has to fast two consecutive months and ask for forgiveness from God, the Most Knowledgeable, the Most Wise.
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If you leave for fight in the cause of God, you must make enough investigation [to be sure of the hostile intention of the enemy. ] If you are greeted and received a peace offer, do not refuse it by abruptly saying: "You are disbelievers." If you take such an attitude for the sake of making some money [by engaging in the war], remember that God can offer you more wealth [if you adopt righteousness.] Remember that you were in a similar (weak) situation and God blessed you with His grace. You must be absolutely sure [of the hostile intention of the enemy as well as your pure intention of fighting for the cause of God and not for making some fortune] before you strike keeping in mind that God is fully aware of what you are doing.
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Those who prefer the safety of their house are not equal to those who go to fight in the cause of God offering their wealth and lives. Those who sacrifice their lives and wealth earn a higher rank from their Lord. Although God has promised a good reward for all believers, those who fight for the sake of God will get a better reward than those who stay behind.
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When the angles take the should of those who [had compromised and in consequence] were unjust to their own souls, they will ask why did you do this to your own should. They will reply: "We did not have any other choice as we were under oppression." The angles will reply: “Was the Lord’s earth not big enough to migrate and find another place [to live in accordance with the Lord’s laws?] Hell is where they will end up; what a terrible place to live in.
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The one who leaves his home [, belongings, friends and loved ones] behind and migrate to join the cause of God, will find many safe refuges [with ample provisions] in the Lord’s spacious earth. Now if he dies in account of obeying the Lord and His Prophet, a great reward for him will be in reserve with God.
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When you travel [either migrating or setting forth towards a military campaign], you may shorten your daily prayers, if you fear that your enemies may [take advantage of your devotion to worship the Lord and] attack you. Beware [and take all necessary precaution;] the disbelievers are your most vicious enemies.
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When you (Mohammad) stand to worship your Lord in the midst of a military campaign, let a party of your troops join you in prayer, with their arms besides. When they finish their prayers, put them on guard so that the others join you in worship. You may leave your arms apart if you are too sick [or injured] or the weather is too inclement (making it too difficult for you to carry the arm) as long as you remain alert. Beware that your enemies wish to take advantage of your slightest relaxation to finish you all up. Rest assured that God has prepared a disgraceful punishment for the disbelievers.
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I (God) have revealed this book to you (Mohammad, as well as all Muslims) so that you use it as a source of reference in your judgments [and establishing a God pleasing justice] between people. Therefore, do not be like the [previous] treacherous [who left the laws of the Lord aside and established their own convenient "civil" laws as dictated by Satan.]
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If it were not for the Lord’s Grace and Mercy, the disbelievers could have changed your faith. They do not realize that their conspiracies lead to their further being misled and that they can not harm you the least [as you are protected by Go.] God has sent you this book and has blessed you with wisdom. He has taught you what you never knew before. Great indeed is God’s Grace on you.
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When a person murmurs in somebody’s ear [or a secret gathering is called for], usually nothing good comes out of it; except when he invites the person to righteousness, engagement in charity or making peace among the people. I (God) will give a great reward to the one who does so to please His Lord.
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People will come to you asking about the way women should be dealt with. Say: "As it is recited in the book, be trustworthy in handling the wealth of the female orphans. If you decide to marry them, do not cheat them out of their dowries. Do not take advantage of them and take the weak and oppressed children under your protection. You must be fair in dealing with male orphans too. Be nice to the orphans and know that whatever good you do, God is aware of it."
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If a woman feels being mistreated or not loved by her husband, [she should speak up and] the couple should find a solution for their marital problems; after all, establishing a peaceful relationship is the best of all. Know that narrow mindedness [in marital relationship] is a general characteristic of human beings. If you [can overcome this narrow mindedness and] be graceful in your relationships and always keep the Lord in mind, God will surely notice it as He is aware of everything you do.
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You can never treat your wives in an equal manner, even if you do your best. But this does not mean that you can leave a wife of yours in limbo (not having a real marital relationship with her nor divorcing her so that she may find a better relationship.) It will be ideal to establish a peaceful marital relationship in order to please the Lord as God [will take it into consideration and you will find that the Lord] is Merciful and Forgiving.
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To God belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. I (God) am telling you (as I told the others before you, whom I blessed with the Scripture) that you should always keep God with all respect in mind. If you disobey the Lord, [it matters the least as] everything in the universe belongs to God; thus, God is not in need of anyone and is worthy of all praise.
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You, as a believer, should stand out firmly for justice. Therefore, if you testify, please God by saying the truth; even if it is against yourself, your parents and your dearest ones. It does not matter if the truth hurt the rich person or the poor person involved as seeking God’s pleasure has the priority [and He will take care of those who are hurt by your testimony.] Do not follow your sentiments in the matter of justice and know that God is fully aware of what you do.
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God has already ordered you in this Book not to stay in a gathering (such as a comedy show) where the words of God are being disclaimed and ridiculed. You may return back as soon as they change the subject. If You stay in such a meeting, you are equally guilty. Beware that God will gather all hypocrites and disbelievers in the Hell.
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The people of the scripture will ask you to perform a miracle and ask God to send down a divine book from the heaven [as a proof to your claim for prophet hood. ] Never mind them as these are the same people who asked Moses for even greater miracle. They said: "Show us God in person." They [naturally could not stand the presence of the Lord and] were caught by thunder and lightening for their audacity. In spite of all that, they turned into cow worshipping! [This proves that no miracle can change their behavior/ attitude.] Even so I forgave them and blessed Moses with the most amazing miracles.
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I raised the Mount Sinai over them and took the most serious covenant from them [to follow the orders of God. But when ] I asked them to enter the city [of Jerusalem and purify it from the disbelievers, they said: "Moses, you and your God go conquer the city and then we will enter in!] I also asked them to take off on Saturdays and rest [but they disobeyed this commandment too.]
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Due to the wrongdoings of [those who chose to call themselves] the "Jews" and their persistence in deviation from the straight path, I made some lawful things unlawful for them [and this probably by their own hands, when they dared to change the words of God in the Scriptures and insert what suited them the best. ]
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Prophets have been sent to give good news [about the rewards for their good deeds] and warn people [of the consequences of their evil deeds and their responsibilities. ] They are sent so that people could not justify their wrongdoings by the reason of ignorance. Indeed God is the Most Wise and the Highest in rank.
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O’ mankind! this Prophet has come from God, armed with truth to you. Believing in him is the best decision of yours. If you decide not to believe, know that [you harm none but yourself as God does not need your belief as] everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to God. Know that God knows everything [thus you cannot do mischief in His Kingdom without His knowledge and that] He is the Most Wise.
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O’ people of the Scripture, do not exaggerate your religion [and make such over-exaggerated statement such is Jesus in son of God or the God Himself re-incarnated] and attribute nothing but the truth to God. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was no more than a Prophet of God and His Command [as he was born without a father and only by the command of God: "Be" and he was.] His word was the word of God and his spirit was originated from the Divine source. So believe in God and His Prophets and do not believe in “trinity” as rejecting such concept will be your best decision. Know that God [Who is referred to by Christians as “God the Father”] is the One and Only God. It is beneath His Dignity to have a son [which characterizes the low level forms of lives such as animals.] To God belongs everything which is in the heavens and the earth [including His dearest Prophet Jesus.] God alone suffice to rely upon [and you do not have to beg the others such as Jesus, Holy Spirit or no one else] as Protector [and Provider.]
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As to those who believe and do good deeds, God will give them their due rewards and even more out of generosity. To the arrogant ones and those who resent His worship, on the contrary, God will impose a painful punishment and they will find none to help them out and realize that there is only One God.
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When they ask you about the division of the inheritance of a childless person, say: "If the deceased is a man, his sister will get half of the inheritance. If the deceased is a woman, her brother will get all the inheritance. If the deceased man has two sisters, they will inherit two-thirds of the inheritance and if there are more than two brothers and sisters involved, the share of each brother will be twice as much as the share of each sister." God thus makes His commandments plain so that you do not have any doubt about your duties. God has perfect knowledge over everything [and, therefore, gives you the best instruction.]