Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (2/169)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

“For men is a share of what parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share of what parents and close relatives leave—whether it be little or much—a prescribed share. (7) And when relatives, orphans, and the needy are present at the division, give them something from it and speak to them kindly. (8)”

His saying, Exalted is He: “For men is a share of what parents and close relatives leave,” to the end of the verse, was revealed concerning Aws ibn Thabit al-Ansari. He died, leaving behind a wife named Umm Kujjah and three daughters whom she had borne him. Two men—Suwayd and Arfajah, the deceased’s paternal cousins and executors—then took possession of his estate, giving nothing to either his wife or daughters.

During the pre-Islamic period, they did not make women or children heirs, even if the child was male. Rather, they gave inheritance only to men, saying, “We give only to one who fights and secures the spoils of war.” Umm Kujjah came and said, “O Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, Aws ibn Thabit has died, leaving me with daughters, and I am his wife. I have nothing with which to support them, although their father left considerable wealth, which is in the possession of Suwayd and Arfajah. Yet they have given neither me nor my daughters anything. They are under my care, and are neither fed nor given drink.”

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, summoned them, and they said, “O Messenger of Allah, her children neither ride horses, carry burdens, nor strike down an enemy.” Thereupon Allah, Exalted is He, revealed: “For men”—meaning the male children and relatives of the deceased—“is a share,” that is, an allotted portion, “of what parents and close relatives leave,” namely, of the inheritance; “and for women,” meaning the females among them, “is a share of what parents and close relatives leave, whether it be little”—that is, of the property—“or much—a prescribed share.”

The expression “a prescribed share” is in the accusative, detached from the preceding construction. It was also said that Allah designated it as a share, thereby establishing their right to inherit, though He did not specify its amount. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, therefore sent word to Suwayd and Arfajah: “Do not distribute anything from the estate of Aws ibn Thabit, for Allah, Exalted is He, has assigned his daughters a share of what he left behind, but has not specified its amount, until I see what is revealed concerning them.”

Then Allah, Exalted is He, revealed: “Allah instructs you concerning your children.” When it was revealed, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sent word to Suwayd and Arfajah: “Give Umm Kujjah one eighth of what he left, and give his daughters two thirds; the remainder of the estate is for you both.” (1)

(1) Al-Tabari recorded it, 7:598. Ibn Hajar mentioned it in al-Isabah, in the biographical entry on Umm Kajah, 8:284, and said: “Abu Nuaym and Abu Musa transmitted it through his route, and also through Sufyan’s narration from Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Aqil, from Jabir, who said ...” He added: “The one who narrated it from Sufyan was Ibrahim ibn Hirasa, who is weak. He was contradicted by Bishr ibn al-Mufaddal, who narrated from Abdullah ibn Muhammad, from Jabir; Abu Dawud recorded it through his route.” Al-Kafi al-Shaf, p. 39, states: “Al-Thalabi, followed by al-Baghawi, cited it without a chain of transmission, while al-Wahidi said: ‘The exegetes said ...’” and then cited it. See also: al-Wahidi, Asbab al-Nuzul, pp. 137-138; al-Durr al-Manthur, 2:438-439.

﴿لِلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَالْأَقْرَبُونَ وَلِلنِّسَاءِ نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَالْأَقْرَبُونَ مِمَّا قَلَّ مِنْهُ أَوْ كَثُرَ نَصِيبًا مَفْرُوضًا (٧) وَإِذَا حَضَرَ الْقِسْمَةَ أُولُو الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينُ فَارْزُقُوهُمْ مِنْهُ وَقُولُوا لَهُمْ قَوْلًا مَعْرُوفًا (٨) ﴾ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿لِلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَالْأَقْرَبُونَ﴾ الْآيَةَ، نَزَلَتْ فِي أَوْسِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ، تُوُفِّيَ وَتَرَكَ امْرَأَةً يُقَالُ لَهَا أُمُّ كُجَّةَ وَثَلَاثَ بَنَاتٍ لَهُ مِنْهَا. فَقَامَ رَجُلَانِ هُمَا ابْنَا عَمِّ الْمَيِّتِ وَوَصِيَّاهُ سُوَيْدٌ وَعَرْفَجَةُ، فَأَخْذَا مَالَهُ وَلَمْ يُعْطِيَا امْرَأَتَهُ وَلَا بَنَاتِهِ شَيْئًا، وَكَانُوا فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ لَا يُوَرِّثُونَ النِّسَاءَ وَلَا الصِّغَارَ، وَإِنْ كَانَ الصَّغِيرُ ذَكَرًا وَإِنَّمَا كَانُوا يُوَرِّثُونَ الرِّجَالَ، وَيَقُولُونَ: لَا نُعْطِي إِلَّا مَنْ قَاتَلَ وَحَازَ الْغَنِيمَةَ، فَجَاءَتْ أُمُّ كُجَّةَ فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَوْسَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ مَاتَ وَتَرَكَ عَلَيَّ بَنَاتٍ وَأَنَا امْرَأَتُهُ، وَلَيْسَ عِنْدِي مَا أُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِنَّ، وَقَدْ تَرَكَ أَبُوهُنَّ مَالًا حَسَنًا، وَهُوَ عِنْدَ سُوَيْدٍ وَعَرْفَجَةَ، وَلَمْ يُعْطِيَانِي وَلَا بَنَاتِي شَيْئًا وَهُنَّ فِي حِجْرِي، لَا يُطْعَمْنَ وَلَا يُسْقَيْنَ، فَدَعَاهُمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَلَدَهَا لَا يَرَكَبُ فَرَسًا وَلَا يَحْمِلُ كَلًّا وَلَا يَنْكَأُ عَدُوًّا، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷿، ﴿لِلرِّجَالِ﴾ يَعْنِي: لِلذُّكُورِ مِنْ أَوْلَادِ الْمَيِّتِ وَأَقْرِبَائِهِ ﴿نَصِيبٌ﴾ حَظٌّ ﴿مِمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَالْأَقْرَبُونَ﴾ مِنَ الْمِيرَاثِ، ﴿وَلِلنِّسَاءِ﴾ لِلْإِنَاثِ مِنْهُمْ، ﴿نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَالْأَقْرَبُونَ مِمَّا قَلَّ مِنْهُ﴾ أَيْ: مِنَ الْمَالِ، ﴿أَوْ كَثُرَ﴾ مِنْهُ ﴿نَصِيبًا مَفْرُوضًا﴾ نُصِبَ عَلَى الْقَطْعِ، وَقِيلَ: جَعَلَ ذَلِكَ نَصِيبًا فَأَثْبَتَ لَهُنَّ الْمِيرَاثَ، وَلَمْ يُبَيِّنْ كَمْ هُوَ، فَأَرْسَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى سُوَيْدٍ وَعَرْفَجَةَ لَا تُفَرِّقَا مِنْ مَالِ أَوْسِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ شَيْئًا، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى جَعْلَ لِبَنَاتِهِ نَصِيبًا مِمَّا تَرَكَ، وَلَمْ يُبَيِّنْ كَمْ هُوَ حَتَّى أَنْظُرَ مَا يَنْزِلُ فِيهِنَّ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ﴿يُوصِيكُمُ اللَّهُ فِي أَوْلَادِكُمْ﴾ فِلْمَا نَزَلَتْ أَرْسَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى سُوِيدٍ وَعَرْفَجَةَ "أَنِ ادْفَعْ إِلَى أُمِّ كُجَّةَ الثُّمن مما رك وَإِلَى بَنَاتِهِ الثُّلُثَيْنِ، وَلَكُمَا بَاقِي الْمَالِ (١) .

(١) أخرجه الطبري: ٧ / ٥٩٨، وذكره ابن حجر في الإصابة، في ترجمة أم كجه: ٨ / ٢٨٤، وقال: أخرجه أبو نعيم وأبو موسى من طريقه، ثم من رواية سفيان عن عبد الله بن محمد بن عقيل عن جابر قال. . . وقال: روايه عن سفيان هو إبراهيم بن هراسة: ضعيف. وقد خالفه بشر بن المفضل عن عبد الله بن محمد عن جابر، أخرجه أبو داود من طريقه. وقال: في الكافي الشاف ص (٣٩) : أورده الثعلبي ثم البغوي بغير سند، وقال الواحدي: قال المفسرون. . . وذكره وانظر: أسباب النزول للواحدي ص ١٣٧ - ١٣٨، الدر المنثور: ٢ / ٤٣٨ - ٤٣٩.