Surah al-Nisā (Women)
In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

[Surah al-Nisā (4): verse 3]
“If you fear that you will not deal justly with orphans, then marry women of your choice, two, three, or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then marry only one, or those whom your right hands possess. That is more likely to keep you from injustice.” (3)

Al-Shāfiʿī said: “So that your dependants do not become numerous.” This indicates that having fewer dependants is preferable.

In reply, it is said: Al-Shāfiʿī did indeed say this, but he differed from the majority of Quran commentators, both early and later. They said that the verse means: “That is more likely to keep you from acting unjustly or inclining away from fairness.” For the verb ʿāla–yaʿūlu, with the verbal noun ʿawl, is used when a man inclines away from fairness and acts unjustly. Hence the term ʿawl in inheritance calculations, since the prescribed shares have increased. The verb ʿāla–yaʿīlu, with the verbal noun ʿaylah, means to become needy. Allah Most High says:

“If you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you out of His bounty.” [9:28]

The poet said:

The poor man knows not when his wealth will come,
Nor does the rich man know when he will become poor.

That is, when he will become needy and impoverished. Having many dependants, however, belongs to neither of these two forms; rather, it belongs to the form afʿala. One says aʿāla al-rajulu–yuʿīlu when a man’s dependants become numerous, just as one says albana and atmara when someone comes to possess milk and dates. This is the position of the linguists. Al-Wāhidī said in his al-Basīt:

The meaning of taʿūlū is to incline away from fairness and act unjustly, according to all Quran commentators and linguists. This was also narrated in a report traced back to the Prophet.