NISA' 2: HAK-HAK MENDASAR ANAK YATIM

AL-NISA’/4:2

HAK-HAK MENDASAR ANAK YATIM

Ditegaskannya hak-hak anak yatim langsung setelah ayat pertama mengandung arti bahwa hubungan darah dan kemanusiaan yang paling pertama dan utama yang perlu dijaga adalah penjagaan hak-hak anak yatim.

“Berikan kepada anak-anak yatim itu harta mereka”, perintah Allah kepada wali agar menyerahkan kepada anak yatim yang diasuhnya warisan orang tua mereka yang ia kelola.

“Jangan kalian tukar yang buruk dengan yang baik”, misalnya milik kita yang buruk kita serahkan kepada anak yatim itu, dan milik (warisan) anak yatim yang baik kita ambil sebagai tukarannya.

“Dan jangan kalian makan harta mereka ke dalam harta kalian”. Ini bentuk akal-akal lain: supaya tidak kentara, kekayaan anak yatim kita masukkan ke dalam kekayaan kita, lalu kita nikmati, untuk mengesankan bahwa kita hanya memakan kekayaan kita sendiri.

“Itu adalah dosa besar”. Jangan akal-akalan (menipu), Allah tidak bisa diakalakali. Memakan hak anak yatim berdosa besar. (Salman Harun)

NISA' 1: KESATUAN UMAT MANUSIA

AL-NISA’/4:1

KESATUAN UMAT MANUSIA

“Wahai manusia takwailah Tuhan kalian yang telah menciptakan kalian dari diri yang satu” maksudnya sadarilah bahwa manusia itu berasal dari satu nenek moyang, karena itu jangan berpecah belah apalagi bermusuh-musuhan. Bila diindahkan Ia akan imbali, bila tidak diindahkan Ia jatuhkan sanksi.

            “Dan Ia ciptakan darinya belahan”, maksudnya isterinya. Isteri adalah belahan suami dan suami adalah belahan isteri, karena itu perlu saling menjaga sebagaimana ia menjaga dirinya sendiri. Seorang laki-laki atau seorang perempuan belum akan sempurna tanpa belahannya dan tidak akan dapat menjalankan fungsinya secara maksimal tanpa pasangannya.

Isterinya itu bernama Hawwa’ yang menurut hadis diciptakan Allah dari tulang rusuk Adam. Banyak orang salah paham, di antaranya kaum feminis, bahwa bila Hawwa’ dari tulang rusuk Adam berarti perempuan lebih rendah (subordinate) dari laki-laki, pada hal yang diciptakan dari tulang rusuk hanyalah Hawwa’ itu, selanjutnya anak cucuk Adam dan Hawwa’ diciptakan dari sperma dan ovum (Q. 23:12). Dalam Islam laki-laki dan perempuan setara (Q. 4:32).

“Dan Ia kembangbiakkan dari keduanya laki-laki dan perempuan yang banyak”. Manusia terus berkembang biak menjadi berbagai ras, bangsa, dan suku. Populasi manusia di bumi ini sekarang diperkirakan sekitar 18 milyar jiwa.

“Takwailah Allah yang kalian saling meminta kepada-Nya, begitu juga rahim”. Menakwai Allah adalah dengan menjalankan perintah-Nya dan menjauhi larangan-Nya. Manusia pasti membutuhkan Tuhan, tetapi mengapa sebagian mereka tetap membangkang kepada-Nya? Yang perlu dijaga pula adalah hubungan darah (shilaturrahim) dari yang terdekat sampai yang paling jauh jauh, dan hubungan persahabatan (shilaturrahmi).

“Allah sungguh Maha Mengawasi kalian”. Allah mengetahui kebutuhan kita sehingga Ia akan beri bila kita berusaha dan meminta. Tetapi Allah juga mengamati kita: segala perbuatan kita, di antaranya apakah kita menjaga hubungan darah dan persahabatan, pasti diketahui-Nya dan dicatat para petugas-Nya untuk diimbali atau diganjari. Dengan memelihara hubungan darah dan persahabatan itulah akan terwujud kesatuan umat manusia. (Salman Harun)

SURAH AL-NISA': SURAH PEMERSATU

SURAH AL-NISA’:

SURAH PEMERSATU

            Akhir Surah al-Fatihah menginformasikan adanya tiga golongan manusia: mereka yang Allah beri nikmat-Nya, mereka yang Ia murkai, dan mereka yang sesat.

            “Mereka yang Ia beri nikmat” adalah mereka yang beriman, yaitu mengikuti Nabi Muhammad saw, dan mereka selalu disinggung dalam semua surah.

            “Mereka yang dimurkai” adalah mereka diceritakan dalam peristiwa “sapi betina” yang menjadi latar belakang dinamainya surah itu Surah al-Baqarah. Ya, ada orang terbunuh. Untuk mengetahui siapa pembunuhnya, orang itu perlu dihidupkan sebentar untuk menceritakan peristiwa. Nabi Musa a.s meminta Bani Israil untuk mencari seekor sapi betina. Bani Israil enggan, lalu bertanya bagaimana status sapi itu apakah sudah pernah campur ataukah masih perawan, apa warnanya, bagaimana kondisinya apakah pernah dipekerjakan atau belum, dsb. Hal itu menandakan bahwa Bani Israil itu bersifat pembantah dan banyak helah. Begitu pulalah sikap mereka terhadap Nabi Muhammad saw.
            “Mereka yang sesat” dapat dipahami dari dinamakannya surah ketiga Surah Al ‘Imran. ‘Imran bernazar jika anaknya laki-laki, akan ia persembahkan untuk mengabdikan diri pada rumah ibadah. Ternyata yang lahir perempuan, ia beri nama Maryam. Rupanya, sekalipun tidak mengabulkan doanya untuk diberi anak laki-laki, Allah sudah mempunyai skenario besar, yaitu lahirnya seorang Rasul besar dari rahimnya, tanpa ayah. Kaum Nasrani memandang, karena lahirnya tanpa ayah itu, bahwa ia adalah putra Tuhan. Nabi Muhammad saw datang menjelaskan bahwa ia bukan putra Tuhan, Tuhan itu tidak mungkin punya isteri atau putra, dan peristiwa itu hanyalah untuk menunjukkan bahwa Tuhan itu Mahakuasa. Bagaimana pun Nabi Muhammad saw menjelaskannya, sehingga diterangkan ibu dan kakek-neneknya, bahkan pengasuh (Nabi Zakariya) dan teman sebayanya (Yahya), mereka tetap bergeming mengatakan bahwa Nabi Isa itu anak Tuhan.

            Dua peristiwa itulah yang menjadi akar konflik di dunia sampai sekarang: adanya sikap tidak mau percaya dan banyak helah sehingga karena itu dimurkai (al-maghdhub) serta kesalahpahaman (al-dhallin). Kedua sikap itu kemudian menjadi aliran: Yahudi dan Nasrani, yang meneruskan konflik itu menentang seruan Nabi Muhammad saw. Untuk menetralisir konflik itulah kiranya Allah menurunkan Surah al-Nisa’. Nisa’ artinya ‘perempuan, ia punya rahim. Allah mengingatkan manusia bahwa mereka datang dari rahim yang satu, yaitu Hawa, dan dari ayah yang satu yaitu Adam (Salman Harun)

LADY GAGA

LADY GAGA

Oleh

Salman Harun

Saya tidak kenal Lady Gaga. Baru kenal setelah ramai diberitakan baru-baru ini. Pokoknya orangnya gitu-gitulah. Anda mungkin lebih tahu dari saya. Penampilannya tidak dibenarkan menurut ajaran agama Islam

Yang akan saya persoalkan adalah pernyataan seorang ibu terkenal pemuka LSM, dan seorang ketua organisasi Islam kira-kira dua hari yang lalu di acara Indonesia Lawyer Club TVOne. Di antara pernyataan sang ibu kira-kira bunyinya: “Emangnya kalau Lady Gaga datang moral bangsa ini otomatis akan begitu jadi bobroknya. Itu berarti penghinaan terhadap umat Islam. Saya ini juga muslim, saya tidak akan terpengaruh apa-apa. Masa orang mau manggung di negeri kita tidak kita terima?” Dan pernyataan sang ketua itu kira-kira bahwa ada 20 juta warganya. Dia menjamin kedatangan Lady Gaga tidak akan berpengaruh apa-apa terhadap moral warganya itu.

Kepada sang ibu kita ingin mengatakan bahwa moral bangsa dalam arti keseluruhan memang tidak akan rusak oleh penampilan Lady Gaga yang begitu itu. Tetapi moral seorang, dua orang, beberapa orang, mungkin beratus orang, bahkan tidak mustahil beribu orang, siapa yang bisa menjamin bahwa mereka tidak akan terpengaruh? Apakah mereka tidak perlu dilindungi?

Begitu juga kepada sang Ketua. Apa iya sang Kiyai bisa menjamin tidak akan ada seorang pun warganya yang akan terpengaruh? Kalau yang dimaksud “warga” itu adalah anggota, apakah keluarga anggota, seperti anak, keponakan, saudara dari anggota itu bisa ia jamin tidak akan terpengaruh? Saya kira sang kiyai sudah mendahului Tuhan.

Kepada keduanya ingin kita sampaikan bahwa Islam benar-benar sangat sensitif berkenaan masalah aurat. Dalam al-Qur’an dinyatakan bahwa sebab Adam dan Hawa diturunkan ke dunia dari surga adalah terbukanya aurat mereka karena memakan buah yang terlarang akibat rayuan setan. Setelah itu Allah memperingatkan anak cucu Adam agar hati-hati terhadap perdayaan setan itu yang akan memakai aurat itu pula sebagai senjatanya dalam menjerumuskan mereka. Untuk perlindungan terhadap setan itulah Allah menciptakan bahan pakaian. Gunanya disebutkan-Nya; li yuwari sawatikum. Banyak sekali orang salah memaknai frasa itu: “untuk menutup aurat kalian”. Pada hal tertutupnya aurat belum menyelesaikan persoalan, karena tertutupnya aurat bahkan bisa membuat aurat itu semakin “panas” misalnya karena pakainya ketat, tipis, tembus pandang, dsb.

Makna kata itu yang sebenarnya adalah “menyembunyikan aurat” (kata yang sama berarti “menguburkan” ketika burung gagak mengais-ngais tanah untuk memperlihatkan kepada Qabil bagaimana cara menguburkan jasad saudaranya, Habil, yang telah dibunuhnya) (Lihat Q.5:31). Jadi aurat itu seharusnya tersembunyi dengan pakaian, tidak malah tertonjol dengan pakaian yang ketat, tipis, atau tembus pandang itu. Bila menonjolkan aurat saja tidak dibenarkan dalam Islam, apalagi dengan mengumbarnya. Masalahnya, aurat itu punya daya tarik, siapa tahu ada magnitnya.

Di samping Allah menurunkan bahan pakaian, Allah juga menurunkan bahan-bahan perhiasan (risy) (Lihat Q.7:26). Gunanya adalah untuk keindahan. Di sinilah letak tantangan bagi perancang-perancang mode, bagaimana caranya menciptakan pakaian yang bisa menyembunyikan aurat sekaligus menarik. Dengan demikian Islam justru mendorong kreativitas. Kalau hanya dengan membangkitkan selera rendahan manusia, itu bukanlah tantangan, karena yang namanya aurat itu, ya pasti menarik. Itu adalah mode murahan.
Indonesia ini dapat diibaratkan rumah tangga kita sendiri. Bila ada orang yang mau bertamu ke rumah kita, lalu ia akan bertutur kata, bertingkah laku, dan berpakaian yang tidak kita senangi, bahkan akan mengganggu, apakah harus kita terima juga, Bu?

Ciputat, 22 Mei 2012

Balada Seorang Pelaut Indonesia

INDRA

(Balada Seorang Pelaut Indonesia)

Indra adalah sebuah potret pelaut kita sekarang ini di Afrika Selatan. Bekerja di sebuah kapal penangkapan ikan berbendera Korea semenjak 2008. Areal penangkapannya Samudera Hindia dan Atlantik sampai Trinidad.

Sebelum menjalani pekerjaannya sekarang Indra adalah sales bahan-bahan pewarna pakaian di daerah Tanah Abang, Cipulir, dan Kebayoran Lama. Pekerjaan itu tidak lama digelutinya yang kemudian menjadi penganggur. Ketika kakak iparnya, seorang pelaut di kapal tanker, pulang dan mengajaknya menjadi pelaut, ia pun menyambutnya. Ia, katanya, dibawa ke sebuah sponsor tenaga kerja di daerah Bekasi. Ia percaya saja karena yang membawanya adalah kakak iparnya itu.

Ia diminta untuk membayar Rp. 5 juta, dengan rincian Rp. 1,5 juta untuk pengurusan paspor dan buku pelaut, dan Rp. 3,5 untuk jasa sponsor.

Pada 1 November 2008 ia diberangkatkan. Sebelum sampai di Bandara Sukarno Hatta ia diberi tahu bahwa ia akan diberangkatkan ke Taiwan. Sesampai di Bandara ia diberi tahu bahwa ia akan dibawa ke Cape Town Afrika Selatan.

Pekerjaan yang digelutinya adalah melemparkan bola-bola pancing sampai sebanyak 280 bola yang panjangnya bermil-mil dan berisi ribuan mata pancing. Bila ikan tidak ada pancing-pancing itu harus ditarik semua, yang memakan waktu sampai 30-36 jam. Dalam keadaan seperti itu waktu istirahat hanya diberikan 3 jam. Bayangkan berapa lama waktu diperlukan bila pancing-pancing itu berisi ikan.

Indra ingin keluar dari pekerjaannya setelah bekerja dua tahun. Tetapi ia terancam kehilangan bonus Rp. 12 juta yang dijanjikan akan diberikan bila seorang pelaut memenuhi kontrak kerjanya selama tiga tahun. Ia sudah menelepon pejabat yang mengontrol sponsor-sponsor tenaga kerja pelaut di Jakarta, tetapi pejabat itu menyatakan tidak bisa. Ketika Indra mengadukan masalahnya kepada Konsulat Jenderal Indonesia di Cape Town, pihak Konsulat menyatakan tidak bisa berbuat apa-apa karena kontraknya demikian. Yang sangat urgen diusahakan, menurut mereka, adalah menaikkan gaji pelaut. Umumnya gaji pelaut Indonesia hanya US $500/bulan. Itu perjanjian di atas kertas, sedangkan prakteknya mereka hanya diberi US $50/bulan. Rendahnya upah pelaut Indonesia itu terjadi karena Upah minimum regional (UMR) yang ditetapkan Pemerintah terlalu rendah. Para pengusaha tetap berpegang pada besar UMR itu sekalipun mereka akan diperkerjakan di luar negeri, karena kontrak dilaksanakan di dalam negeri,.

Seorang staf di Konsulat Jendral Indonesia di Cape Town menyatakan bahwa kondisi-kondisi kerja di kapal-kapal Jepang biasanya lebih bagus. Pelaut diberi pakaian seragam dan rapih. Tetapi di kapal-kapal Korea, China, dan Taiwan sangat buruk. Lama kerja sampai 30 jam dengan waktu istirahat hanya 3 jam. Pernah terjadi kasus seorang pelaut Indonesia diperintahkan turun menyelam untuk memperbaiki baling-baling, tetapi karena alat untuk menyelam yang digunakan tidak baik, pelaut itu kehabisan nafas dan tewas.

Seorang pelaut lain bernama Anthony menyatakan bahwa setelah 22 bulan bekerja ia baru menerima upah Rp. 8,6 juta. Ia menyatakan bahwa dalam kontrak yang ditandatanganinya ternyata memang tidak ada penjelasan berapa upah yang akan diterimanya per bulan. Bahkan tidak ada penjelasan berapa tahun kontrak itu. Ia ingin pulang, tapi gaji tidak keluar. Ia meminta bantuan Konsulat Jenderal yang sedang berjuang menanganinya.

Konsul Jenderal Indonesia di Cape Town menyatakan bahwa tugas pokoknya adalah melindungi dan membela warga Negara Indonesia di daerah tugasnya. Konsulat Jenderal memantau dan memperjuangkan hak-hak mereka. “Secara ril Konsulat Jenderal mengundang mereka ke Konsulat, mengadakan peringatan 17 Agustus, menjamu mereka, mengobati hati mereka, dan memberikan siraman rohani bagi mereka,” kata Konsul Jenderal.

WOMEN IN THE QUR’AN

WOMEN IN THE QUR’AN

(Material for Lectures of Safari Ramadan Cape Town 2011)

Al-Nisa’/4:1:

(1. O mankind! Have Taqwa of your Lord, Who created you from a single person, and from him He created his mate, and from them both He created many men and women, and have Taqwa of Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and revere the wombs. Surely, Allah is always watching over you.)

Allah commands His creatures to have Taqwa of Him by worshipping Him Alone without partners. He also reminds to them of His ability, in that He created them all from a single person, Adam, peace be unto him.

(And from him He created his wife) Hawwa' (Eve), who was created from Adam's left rib, from his back while he was sleeping. When Adam woke up and saw Hawwa', he liked her and had affection for her, and she felt the same toward him. An authentic Hadith states,

(Woman was created from a rib. Verily, the most curved portion of the rib is its upper part, so, if you should try to straighten it, you will break it, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked.) Allah's statement,

(And from them both He created many men and women;) means, Allah created from Adam and Hawwa' many men and women and distributed them throughout the world in various shapes, characteristics, colors and languages. In the end, their gathering and return will be to Allah. Allah then said,

(And have Taqwa of Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights) and revere the wombs), protect yourself from Allah by your acts of obedience to Him. Allah's statement,

(through Whom you demand your mutual (rights)), is in reference to when some people say, "I ask you by Allah, and then by the relation of the Rahim (the womb, i.e. my relationship to you)'', according to Ibrahim, Mujahid and Al-Hasan. Ad-Dahhak said; "Fear Allah Whom you invoke when you conduct transactions and contracts.'' "And revere the womb by not cutting the relations of the womb, but keep and honor them, as Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi`, and others have stated. Allah's statement,

(Surely, Allah is always watching over you.) means, He watches all your deeds and sees your every circumstance. In another Ayah, Allah said;

(And Allah is Witness over all things.) ﴿58:6﴾. An authentic Hadith states,

(Worship Allah as if you see Him, for even though you cannot see Him, He sees you.) This part of the Ayah encourages having a sense of certainty that Allah is always watching, in a complete and perfect manner. Allah mentioned that He has created mankind from a single father and a single mother, so that they feel compassion for each other and are kind to the weaker among them. In his Sahih, Muslim recorded that Jarir bin `Abdullah Al-Bajali said that a delegation from Mudar came to the Messenger of Allah , and he saw their state, wearing striped woolen clothes due to poverty. After the Zuhr prayer, the Messenger of Allah stood up and gave a speech in which he recited,

(O mankind! Have Taqwa of your Lord, Who created you from a single person,) until the end of the Ayah. He also recited,

(O you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for the tomorrow) ﴿59:18﴾. He also encouraged them to give charity, saying,

(A man gave Sadaqah from his Dinar, from his Dirham, from his Sa` of wheat, from his Sa` of dates) until the end of the Hadith. This narration was also collected by Ahmad and the Sunan compilers from Ibn Mas`ud.

Al-Nisa’/4:32:

(32. And wish not for the things in which Allah has made some of you to excel others. For men there is reward for what they have earned, (and likewise) for women there is reward for what they have earned, and ask Allah of His bounty. Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everything.)

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,

(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,

(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. It was also reported that this Ayah is talking about inheritance, indicating the fact that each person will get his due share of the inheritance, as Al-Walibi reported from Ibn `Abbas. Allah then directed the servants to what benefits them,

(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,

(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 sucessful in it, and whoever deserves failure, He prevents him from achieving righteousness and what leads to it. Hence, Allah said, m

(Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everything).

Al-Nisa’/4:11:

(11. Allah commands you for your children's (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two - females; if only daughters, two or more, their share is two thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is half. For parents, a sixth share of inheritance to each if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased left brothers or (sisters), the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases is) after the payment of legacies he may have bequeathed or debts. You know not which of them, whether your parents or your children, are nearest to you in benefit, (these fixed shares) are ordained by Allah. And Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise.)

This, the following, and the last honorable Ayah in this Surah contain the knowledge of Al-Fara'id, inheritance. The knowledge of Al-Fara'id is derived from these three Ayat and from the Hadiths on this subject which explain them. Learning this knowledge is encouraged, especially the specific things mentioned in the Ayat. Ibn `Uyaynah said; "Knowledge of Al-Fara'id was called half of knowledge, because it effects all people.'' o

Explaining this Ayah, Al-Bukhari recorded that Jabir bin `Abdullah said, "Allah's Messenger came visiting me on foot with Abu Bakr at Banu Salamah's (dwellings), and the Prophet found me unconscious. He asked for some water, performed ablution with it, then poured it on me, and I regained consciousness. I said, `What do you command me to do with my money, O Allah's Messenger' this Ayah was later revealed,

(Allah commands you for your children's (inheritance); to the male, a portion equal to that of two females)." This is how it was recorded by Muslim and An-Nasa'i. The remainder of the Six compilers also collected this Hadith. Another Hadith from Jabir concerning the reason behind revealing Ayah 4:11 Ahmad recorded from Jabir that he said, "The wife of Sa`d bin Ar-Rabi` came to Allah's Messenger and said to him, `O Allah's Messenger! These are the two daughters of Sa`d bin Ar-Rabi`, who was killed as a martyr at Uhud. Their uncle took their money and did not leave anything for them. They will not be married unless they have money.' The Messenger said, `Allah will decide on this matter.' The Ayah about the inheritance was later revealed and the Messenger of Allah sent word to their uncle commanding him,

(Give two-thirds (of Sa`d's money) to Sa`d's two daughters and one eighth for their mother, and whatever is left is yours.)'' Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah collected this Hadith. It is apparent, however, that the first Hadith from Jabir was about the case of the last Ayah in the Surah ﴿4:176, rather than 4:11﴾, for at the time this incident occurred, Jabir had sisters and did not have daughters, parents or offspring to inherit from him. Yet, we mentioned the Hadith here just as Al-Bukhari did.

Allah said,

(Allah commands you for your children's (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females;) Allah commands: observe justice with your children. The people of Jahiliyyah used to give the males, but not the females, a share in the inheritance. Therefore, Allah commands that both males and females take a share in the inheritance, although the portion of the males is twice as much as that of the females. There is a distinction because men need money to spend on their dependants, commercial transactions, work and fulfillling their obligations. Consequently, men get twice the portion of the inheritance that females get. Allah's statement,

(Allah commands you for your children's (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females;) testifies to the fact that Allah is more merciful with children than their own parents are with them, since He commands the parents to be just and fair with their own children. An authentic Hadith stated that a captured woman was looking for her child and when she found him, she held him, gave him her breast and nursed him. The Messenger of Allah said to his Companions,

؟ (Do you think that this woman would willingly throw her child in the fire) They said, "No, O Messenger of Allah.'' He said,

(By Allah! Allah is more merciful with His servants than this woman is with her own child.) Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "The custom (in old days) was that the property of the deceased would be inherited by his offspring; as for the parents (of the deceased), they would inherit by the will of the deceased. Then Allah cancelled whatever He willed from that custom and ordained that the male get twice the amount inherited by the female, and for each parent a sixth (of the whole legacy), for the wife an eighth or a fourth, and for the husband a half or a fourth.''

Allah said,

(if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance;) We should mention here that some people said the Ayah only means two daughters, and that `more' is redundant, which is not true. Nothing in the Qur'an is useless or redundant. Had the Ayah been talking about only two women, it would have said, "The share of both of them is two-thirds.'' As for the daughters, two or more, the ruling that they get two-thirds was derived from this Ayah, stating that the two sisters get two-thirds. We also mentioned the Hadith in which the Prophet commanded that two-thirds be the share of the two daughters of Sa`d bin Ar-Rabi`. So this is proven in the Book and the Sunnah.

(if only one, her share is half.) If there are two daughters, then there are texts to prove they share a half. Therefore, two-thirds is the share of the two daughters or sisters, and Allah knows best.

Allah said,

(For parents, a sixth share of inheritance to each) There are several forms of the share that the parents get in the inheritance. 1. If the deceased left behind children, the parents get a sixth each. When the deceased had only one daughter, she gets half of the inheritance and the parents each one sixth, and another sixth is given to the father. 2. When the parents are the only inheritors, the mother gets one-third while the father gets the remaining two-thirds. In this case, the father's share will be twice the mother's share. If the deceased had a surviving spouse, the spouse gets half, in the case of a husband, or a fourth in the case of a surviving wife. In both cases, the mother of the deceased gets one-third of the remaining inheritance. This is because the remaining portion of the inheritance is treated just as the entire legacy in regard to the parents' share. Allah has given the mother one-half of what the father gets. Therefore, the mother gets a third of the remaining inheritance while the father gets two-thirds. 3. If the deceased left behind surviving brothers and sisters, whether half brothers, half sisters or from the same father and mother, their presence does not cause reduction in the father's share. Yet, their presence reduces the share of the mother to one-sixth instead of one-third, and the father gets the rest, when there are no other heirs. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Qatadah commented on the Ayah,

(If the deceased left brothers or (sisters), the mother has a sixth.) "Their presence will reduce the share of the mother, but they will not inherit. If there is only one surviving brother, the mother's share will remain one-third, but her share will be reduced if there is more than one surviving brother. The people of knowledge attribute this reduction in the mother's share from one-third (to one-sixth) to the fact that the father is the one who helps the brothers (and sisters) of the deceased get married, spending from his own money for this purpose. The mother does not spend from her money for this purpose.'' This is a sound opinion.

Allah said,

((The distribution in all cases is) after the payment of legacies he may have bequeathed or debts.) The scholars of the Salaf and the Khalaf agree that paying debts comes before fulfilling the will, and this is apparent to those who read the Ayah carefully. Allah said next,

(You know not which of them, whether your parents or your children, are nearest to you in benefit.) This Ayah means: We have appointed a share to the parents and children, contrary to the practice of Jahiliyyah and the early Islamic era, when the inheritance would go to the children, and parents get a share only if they were named in the will, as Ibn `Abbas stated. Allah abrogated this practice and appointed a fixed share for the children and for the parents. One may derive benefit in this life or for the Hereafter from his parents, the likes of which he could not get from his children. The opposite of this could also be true. Allah said,

(You know not which of them, whether your parents or your children, are nearest to you in benefit,): since benefit could come from one or the other of these relatives, We appointed a fixed share of inheritance for each. Allah knows best. Allah said,

(ordained by Allah), meaning: These appointed shares of inheritance that We mentioned and which give some inheritors a bigger share than others, is a commandment from Allah that He has decided and ordained,

(And Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise.), Who places everything in its rightful place and gives each his rightful share.

(12. In that which your wives leave, your share is half if they have no child; but if they leave a child, you get a fourth of that which they leave after payment of legacies that they may have bequeathed or debts. In that which you leave, their (your wives) share is a fourth if you leave no child; but if you leave a child, they get an eighth of that which you leave after payment of legacies that you may have bequeathed or debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in Kalalah has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies he (or she) may have bequeathed or debts, so that no loss is caused (to anyone). This is a Commandment from Allah; and Allah is Ever All-Knowing, Most Forbearing.)

Allah says to the husband, you get half of what your wife leaves behind if she dies and did not have a child. If she had a child, you get one-fourth of what she leaves behind, after payment of legacies that she may have bequeathed, or her debts. We mentioned before that payment of debts comes before fulfilling the will, and then comes the will, then the inheritance, and there is a consensus on this matter among the scholars. And the rule applies to the grandchildren as well as the children, even if they are great-grandchildren (or even further in generation) Allah then said,

(In that which you leave, their (your wives) share is a fourth) and if there is more than one wife, they all share in the fourth, or one-eighth that the wife gets. Earlier, we explained Allah's statement,

(After payment of legacies)

Allah said,

(If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question was left in Kalalah.) Kalalah is a derivative of Iklil; the crown that surrounds the head. The meaning of Kalalah in this Ayah is that the person's heirs come from other than the first degree of relative. Ash-Sha`bi reported that when Abu Bakr As-Siddiq was asked about the meaning of Kalalah, he said, "I will say my own opinion about it, and if it is correct, then this correctness is from Allah. However, if my opinion is wrong, it will be my error and because of the evil efforts of Shaytan, and Allah and His Messenger have nothing to do with it. Kalalah refers to the man who has neither descendants nor ascendants.'' When `Umar became the Khalifah, he said, "I hesitate to contradict an opinion of Abu Bakr.'' This was recorded by Ibn Jarir and others. In his Tafsir, Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "I was among the last persons to see `Umar bin Al-Khattab, and he said to me, `What you said was the correct opinion.' I asked, `What did I say' He said, `That Kalalah refers to the person who has no child or parents.''' This is also the opinion of `Ali bin Abi Talib, Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Zayd bin Thabit, Ash-Sha`bi, An-Nakha`i, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Qatadah, Jabir bin Zayd and Al-Hakam . This is also the view of the people of Al-Madinah, Kufah, Basrah, the Seven Fuqaha', the Four Imams and the majority of scholars of the past and present, causing some scholars to declare that there is a consensus on this opinion.

Allah said,

(But has left a brother or a sister), meaning, from his mother's side, as some of the Salaf stated, including Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas. Qatadah reported that this is the view of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq.

(Each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third.) There is a difference between the half brothers from the mother's side and the rest of the heirs. First, they get a share in the inheritance on account of their mother. Second, the males and females among them get the same share. Third, they only have a share in the inheritance when the deceased's estate is inherited in Kalalah, for they do not have a share if the deceased has a surviving father, grandfather, child or grandchild. Fourth, they do not have more than a third, no matter how numerous they were. aAllah's statement,

(After payment of legacies he (or she) may have bequeathed or debts, so that no loss is caused (to anyone).) means, let the will and testament be fair and free of any type of harm, without depriving some rightful heirs from all, or part of their share, or adding to the fixed portion that Allah or dained for some heirs. Indeed, whoever does this, will have disputed with Allah concerning His decision and division. An authentic Hadith states,

(Allah has given each his fixed due right. Therefore, there is no will for a rightful inheritor.)

(13. These are the limits (set by) Allah, and whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, will be admitted to Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), to abide therein, and is the great success.) (14. And whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, and transgresses His (set) limits, He will cast him into the Fire, to abide therein; and he shall suffer a disgraceful torment.)