Assalam Bros,I need some clarification on Sura Nisa.Allah says in 4:1 about creation of men & women and relationship.In Aya 4:2 He asks about giving property to Orphans in good condition. In 4:3 Allah says if you fear that you can not act equitable towards orphans, then marry such women as seem good to you,two and three and four; but if you fear that you will not be able to do justice between them then marry only one.I am not able to understand "if" and "then".What is the connection between "If not being equitable towards orphans and then marrying women of one"s choice. I am not particular about how many to marry but the connection between "IF" and "THEN" Thanks
Wa'alaikumu'ssalam
This verse has three parts;
(i) The first part is: And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans… In Arabic "Yatama" means the children whose fathers have died, as well as those young women who are without husbands. They could be widows or young maidens who cannot get husbands. A little further ahead The Quran has used the words "Yatamun-Nisa" with these meanings (4: 127).
This verse specifically refers to the circumstances in which you are afraid that you would be unable to fairly address the problem of orphans or women without husbands. In other words, you would not be able to fulfill your duty justly towards needs and protection, which they rightly deserve. The meaning of the verse is quite clear. In a disastrous situation such as a war in which a great number of young men got killed, and there are great many orphaned children and young women left without husbands, the law governing marriage to one wife is relaxed temporarily. It is obvious that this permission is a social necessity and not that of an individual. Only the society can decide whether they have such emergent conditions or not.
(ii) In second part it points to such situations: then marry from amongst them those who seem suitable, by twos, threes or fours (as the situation demands).
You marry women you like out of these, and thus absorb them into your family. In case of widows, their children, too, are included. This is the just treatment for them. If this problem can be solved by marrying two wives then marry two; if you can do it with three then marry three; or in the same manner you may marry the forth and no more.
(iii) The third part is: but if you fear that you will not do justice then marry only one (4: 3). As an individual, the relaxation is allowed to only that person who can do justice to all of them. Here the word "Tauolu" has two meanings. One 'being unjust', and the other is 'being burdened' by the expenses of too big a family. Therefore when the Quran directs that if you cannot do justice, then keep the principle of one wife, the aim of this directive is firstly not to be unjust to one and secondly not be weighed down too much by the responsibility of looking after more than one family.
At the same time it is important to note that, in the same Chapter, in verse 4:129, Allah says;
“You are never able to do justice between wives even if it is your ardent desire. But turn not away (from a woman) altogether, so as to leave her (as it were) hanging (in the air)”.
Quran says that psychologically it is impossible to love each wife equally. No matter how much one want to, one cannot do this type of justice. But we have to respond to the collective need of society. This is a social decision. The Quran says, you must do this, that you should not tilt to one side only, and neglect the other - (4:129).