ﲏ ﲐ ﲑ ﲒ ﲓ ﲔ ﲕ ﲖ ﲗ ﲘ ﲙ ﲚ ﲛ ﲜ ﲝ ﲞ ﲟ ﲠ ﲡ ﲢ ﲣ ﲤ ﲥ ﲦ ﲧ ﲨ ﲩ ﲪ ﲫ ﲬ ﲭ
And do not wish for that by which Allah has made some of you exceed others. For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned. And ask Allah of his bounty. Indeed Allah is ever, of all things, Knowing.
Tafsir
Verse range: 4:32
"And do not wish for that..."
"And do not wish for..." You are forbidden from envy and from wishing for that by which God has favored some people over others in terms of status and wealth. This is because such preference is a division from God, proceeding from wisdom, management, and knowledge of the conditions of His servants, and of what is beneficial for the one to whom it is allotted—whether in the expansion or restriction of provision.
"And if God had extended provision for His servants, they would have committed tyranny upon the earth" (Ash-Shūrā: 27). Therefore, everyone must be content with what has been allotted to them, knowing that what has been allotted is in their best interest; if it were otherwise, it would be a corruption for them. One should not envy their brother for his share.
"For men is a share of what they have earned" He made what is allotted to each man and woman—according to what God knows of their condition, which necessitates expansion or restriction—as their "earning."
"And ask God of His bounty" Do not wish for the shares of others in terms of favor, but ask God from His treasuries that do not run dry.
It is said that the men said: "God has favored us over women in this world; we have two shares and they have one. We hope that we will have two rewards in the Hereafter for our deeds, and they will have one." Then Umm Salama and other women with her said: "We wish God had prescribed Jihad for us as He prescribed it for the men, so that we would have the same reward as them." Thus, this was revealed.
