Tafsir of Surat al-Nisa-03a
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The questioner : What is reported from Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his companion) regarding the interpretation of "fools" as women and children?
The Shaykh : Children are certainly included, and women are included in the majority of cases. We say that "fools" encompass three categories: minors, the insane, and those who do not manage their affairs well. Women are included because it is generally the case that a woman does not manage her affairs well. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) sometimes mention something by way of example, not by way of exhaustive restriction. So when they say "women," they mean "such as women."
The Shaykh : Children are certainly included, and women are included in the majority of cases. We say that "fools" encompass three categories: minors, the insane, and those who do not manage their affairs well. Women are included because it is generally the case that a woman does not manage her affairs well. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) sometimes mention something by way of example, not by way of exhaustive restriction. So when they say "women," they mean "such as women."