An-Nisa Verse 32 | 4:32

وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا مَا فَضَّلَ اللّٰهُ بِهٖ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلٰى بَعْضٍ ۗ لِلرِّجَالِ نَصِيْبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبُوْا ۗ وَلِلنِّسَاۤءِ نَصِيْبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبْنَ ۗوَسْـَٔلُوا اللّٰهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهٖ ۗ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيْمًا ( النساء: ٣٢ )

walā

وَلَا

And (do) not

tatamannaw

تَتَمَنَّوْا۟

covet

mā

مَا

what

faḍḍala

فَضَّلَ

(has) bestowed

l-lahu

ٱللَّهُ

Allah

bihi

بِهِۦ

[with it]

baʿḍakum

بَعْضَكُمْ

some of you

ʿalā

عَلَىٰ

over

baʿḍin

بَعْضٍۚ

others

lilrrijāli

لِّلرِّجَالِ

For men

naṣībun

نَصِيبٌ

(is) a share

mimmā

مِّمَّا

of what

ik'tasabū

ٱكْتَسَبُوا۟ۖ

they earned

walilnnisāi

وَلِلنِّسَآءِ

and for women

naṣībun

نَصِيبٌ

(is) a share

mimmā

مِّمَّا

of what

ik'tasabna

ٱكْتَسَبْنَۚ

they earned

wasalū

وَسْـَٔلُوا۟

And ask

l-laha

ٱللَّهَ

Allah

min

مِن

faḍlihi

فَضْلِهِۦٓۗ

His Bounty

inna

إِنَّ

Indeed

l-laha

ٱللَّهَ

Allah

kāna

كَانَ

bikulli

بِكُلِّ

of every

shayin

شَىْءٍ

thing

ʿalīman

عَلِيمًا

All-Knower

Wa laa tatamannaw maa faddalal laahu bihee ba'dakum 'alaa ba'd; lirrijaali naseebum mimak tasaboo wa linnisaaa'i naseebum mimmak tasabna; was'alullaaha min fadlih; innal laaha kaana bikulli shai'in 'Aleemaa (an-Nisāʾ 4:32)

Sahih International:

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. (An-Nisa [4] : 32)

1 Mufti Taqi Usmani

Do not covet something in which Allah has made some of you superior to others. For men there is a share of what they earned, and for women, a share of what they earned. Pray to Allah for His grace. Surely, Allah is All-Aware of everything.

2 Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

3 Ruwwad Translation Center

4 A. J. Arberry

5 Abdul Haleem

6 Abdul Majid Daryabadi

7 Abdullah Yusuf Ali

8 Abul Ala Maududi

9 Ahmed Ali

10 Ahmed Raza Khan

11 Ali Quli Qarai

12 Ali Ünal

(People differ from each other in capacity and means of livelihood; nor is it in your hands to be born male or female. Therefore) do not covet that in which God has made some of you excel others (thus envying others in such things as status or wealth or physical charms and so objecting to God’s distribution). Men shall have a share according to what they have earned (in both material and spiritual terms), and women shall have a share according to what they have earned. (On the other hand, do not refuse effort and aspiration; instead of envying others,) ask God (to give you more) of His bounty (through lawful labor and through prayer). Assuredly God has full knowledge of everything.

13 Amatul Rahman Omar

14 English Literal

15 Faridul Haque

16 Hamid S. Aziz

Men are qawwam (have charge of, are protectors, maintainers) of women in that Allah hath made them superior in strength (or advantages), and in that they expend of their wealth (in support of women). So virtuous women are devoted (or obedient), careful (in their husband´s) absence, as Allah has cared for them. But those whose perverseness you fear, admonish them (first) and (then) remove them from your bedchambers, and (lastly) chastise them lightly (or punish by showing disapproval, withdrawing affection, separating) ; but if they obey you, then do not seek a way against them; verily, Allah is Exalted and Great.

17 Hilali & Khan

18 Maulana Mohammad Ali

19 Mohammad Habib Shakir

20 Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

21 Muhammad Sarwar

22 Qaribullah & Darwish

23 Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

24 Wahiduddin Khan

25 Talal Itani

26 Tafsir jalalayn

Do not covet that in which God has preferred some of you above others, in the way of worldly affairs or religion, lest it lead to mutual envy and hatred. To men a share from, a reward for, what they have earned, for their acts in the struggle and so on, and to women a share from what they have earned, by way of being obedient to their spouses and guarding their private parts; this was revealed when Umm Salama said; `Would that we were men, so that we could join the struggle and receive the reward they receive!' And ask (read wa-s'al or wa-sal) God of His bounty, what you need and He will give it to you; God is ever Knower of all things, including where merit is deserved and that for which you ask.

27 Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Do Not Wish for the Things Which Allah has Made Some Others to Excel In

Allah says;

وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْاْ مَا فَضَّلَ اللّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ

And wish not for the things in which Allah has made some of you to excel others.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Umm Salamah said,

"O Messenger of Allah! Men go to battle, but we do not go to battle, and we earn one-half of the inheritance (that men get)."

Allah sent down,
وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْاْ مَا فَضَّلَ اللّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ
(And wish not for the things in which Allah has made some of you to excel others).

At-Tirmidhi also recorded this Hadith.

Allah's statement,

لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبُواْ وَلِلنِّسَاء نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبْنَ

For men there is reward for what they have earned, (and likewise) for women there is reward for what they have earned,

indicates, according to Ibn Jarir, that each person will earn his wages for his works, a reward if his deeds are good, and punishment if his deeds are evil.

Al-Walibi reported from Ibn Abbas,

this Ayah is talking about inheritance, indicating the fact that each person will get his due share of the inheritance.

Allah then directed the servants to what benefits them,

وَاسْأَلُواْ اللّهَ مِن فَضْلِهِ

and ask Allah of His Bounty.

Therefore, the Ayah states, "Do not wish for what other people were endowed with over you, for this is a decision that will come to pass, and wishing does not change its decree. However, ask Me of My favor and I will grant it to you, for I Am Most Generous and Most Giving."

Allah then said,

إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا

Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everything.

meaning, Allah knows who deserves this life, and so He gives him riches, and whoever deserves poverty, He makes him poor. He also knows who deserves the Hereafter, and He directs him to perform the deeds that will help him to be successful in it, and whoever deserves failure, He prevents him from achieving righteousness and what leads to it. Hence, Allah said,
إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا
(Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everything)