ʿĀishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) explained “that you may not taʿūlū” as “that you may not act unjustly.” Another narration reads: “That you may not incline away from fairness.”

He said: “This is the view of Ibn ʿAbbās, al-Hasan, Qatādah, al-Rabīʿ, al-Suddī, Ibn Mālik, ʿIkrimah, al-Farrā, al-Zajjāj, Ibn Qutaybah and Ibn al-Anbārī.”

I say: The following considerations establish that this is the meaning intended by the verse, even though the usage mentioned by al-Shāfiʿī is a dialectal form reported by al-Farrā from al-Kisāī. He said: “Some of the Companions say ʿāla–yaʿūlu when a man’s dependants become numerous.” Al-Kisāī said: “It is an eloquent dialectal form that I have heard from the Arabs.” Nevertheless, the first interpretation must be adopted for several reasons.

First: It is the familiar meaning in Arabic, to the extent that scarcely any other meaning is known. The use of ʿāla–yaʿūlu to mean that a man’s dependants have become numerous is known only through al-Kisāī’s account; all the other linguists hold otherwise.

Second: This interpretation has been narrated from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Even if it were a singular report, it would still serve to give this interpretation preference.

Third: It is reported from ʿĀishah and Ibn ʿAbbās, and no Quran commentator is known to have disagreed with them. Al-Hākim Abū ʿAbd Allah said: “We regard the Companions’ explanations of the Quran as having the status of reports traced back to the Prophet.”

Fourth: The evidence we have already mentioned concerning the recommendation to marry women who bear many children, together with the Prophet’s statement that he will vie with the other nations through the multitude of his community on the Day of Resurrection, refutes this interpretation.

Fifth: The context of the verse concerns directing them away from situations in which they fear committing injustice and oppression towards alternatives. At its beginning, He says, 4:3:

“If you fear that you will not deal justly with orphans, then marry women of your choice, two, three, or four.”

Thus, He, glorified be He, directed them to a way of avoiding injustice towards orphans: marrying adult women of their choice. He permitted them to marry four such women. Then He directed them to a way of avoiding injustice and oppression through failing to treat their wives equally, saying:

“But if you fear that you will not be just, then marry only one