An-Nisa: 127
"They ask you for a legal ruling regarding women..."
"What is recited to you in the Book"
- In the nominative case (raf‘): Meaning, "Allah gives you a ruling, and that which is recited in the Book regarding the meaning of orphans—that is, His saying: 'And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphans' (4:3)—is [the subject]." This is like saying, "Zayd pleased me, and his generosity."
- As an independent clause: It is possible that "What is recited to you in the Book" is an inchoative (mubtada’) and its predicate is implied, functioning as a parenthetical sentence. "The Book" here refers to the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz), intended to exalt what is recited to them. It signifies that justice and fairness regarding the rights of orphans are among the great matters of high standing before Allah, which must be observed and guarded. Whoever neglects them is an oppressor, trivializing what Allah has magnified. Similar to this in exalting the Quran is: "And indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book with Us, exalted and full of wisdom" (43:4).
- In the genitive case (jarr): It is possible it is governed by an oath, as if it were said: "Say, Allah gives you a ruling regarding them, and I swear by what is recited to you in the Book." The oath is also for the purpose of exaltation. It is not sound to connect it to the genitive in "regarding them" (fihinna) due to the disruption in both wording and meaning.
If you ask: To what does "regarding the female orphans" attach?
I say: In the first interpretation, it is connected to "recited" (yutla), meaning: "recited to you regarding their meaning." It is also possible that "regarding the female orphans" is a substitute (badal) for "regarding them" (fihinna). As for the other two interpretations, it is a substitute and nothing else.
If you ask: What is the nature of the genitive construction in "female orphans"?
I say: It is a genitive of specification (idafa bi-ma‘na min), like saying "a rag of a turban." It has been recited as yatāmay an-nisā’ with two ya’s, by changing the hamza of ayāmā into a ya.
"You do not give them what is prescribed for them"
It has been recited as "what Allah has prescribed for them," meaning what He has ordained for them of inheritance. A man among them would take a female orphan into his care along with her wealth; if she were beautiful, he would marry her and consume her wealth, but if she were ugly, he would prevent her from marrying until she died, so that he might inherit from her.
"And you desire to marry them"
This carries two possibilities: that you desire to marry them for their beauty, or that you desire not to marry them for their ugliness. It is narrated that Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), when a guardian of an orphan came to him, would look: if she were beautiful and wealthy, he would say, "Marry her to someone else, and seek for her someone better than you." If she were ugly and had no wealth, he would say, "Marry her, for you are more entitled to her."
"And the oppressed among children"
This is in the genitive case, conjoined to "female orphans." In the Pre-Islamic era, they would only grant inheritance to men who were capable of handling affairs, excluding children and women.
"And that you stand for orphans with justice"
- In the genitive case: Like "the oppressed," meaning: "He gives you a ruling regarding female orphans, regarding the oppressed, and regarding that you stand [for them with justice]."
- In the accusative case: Meaning: "And He commands you to stand [for them with justice]." This is an address to the leaders to look after them, ensure their rights are fulfilled, and not allow anyone to oppress them.
