What is the meaning of: {And you will never be able to be just between your wives}?
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Question:
Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-Nisa: 129]. Do we understand from the verse that justice is impossible, that it is negated, and that one should settle for one wife, or what do we understand from the verse?
Answer:
Allah said after that: [Surat al-Nisa: 129]. The intent is that a person should strive for justice and exert effort in being just, and he may miss some of it. So what he is unable to do, Allah forgives. Whoever strives, does his utmost, and fears Allah, then what he is unable to do is forgiven. [Surat al-Taghabun: 16]. This applies whether he has one wife or a group of them. He must fear Allah, be just in the rights of the woman, and give her her rights in terms of financial maintenance and good conduct with her. Allah says: [Surat al-Nisa: 19]. Some people, may Allah protect us from that, are harsh, rough, and violent. They do not conduct themselves well with their wives, nor do they speak to them kindly. Rather, they are constantly frowning, constantly changing their moods, constantly causing harm, and constantly cursing and insulting. This is a great evil—may Allah protect us from it—even if he has only one wife. How much more so if he has a group of them?
The intent is that it is obligatory for him to treat them with kindness. Allah says: [Surat al-Baqarah: 228] [Surat al-Baqarah: 228] [Surat al-Nisa: 19]. Therefore, good treatment is necessary. And if he does his utmost and fears Allah, then what overcomes him, Allah forgives.
Allah the Exalted said:
And you will never be able to be equal [in feeling] between wives, even if you should strive [to do so]
وَلَنْ تَسْتَطِيعُوا أَنْ تَعْدِلُوا بَيْنَ النِّسَاءِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتُمْAnswer:
Allah said after that:
So do not incline completely [toward one] and leave another hanging
فَلَا تَمِيلُوا كُلَّ الْمَيْلِ فَتَذَرُوهَا كَالْمُعَلَّقَةِSo fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْAnd live with them in kindness
وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِThe intent is that it is obligatory for him to treat them with kindness. Allah says:
And due to the wives is similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable
وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِBut the men have a degree over them
وَلِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَجَةٌAnd live with them in kindness
وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.