They ask you ˹O Prophet˺ regarding women. Say, “It is Allah Who instructs you regarding them. Instruction has ˹already˺ been revealed in the Book37 concerning the orphan women you deprive of their due rights37 but still wish to marry, also helpless children, as well as standing up for orphans’ rights. And whatever good you do is certainly well known to Allah.”
They ask your instruction concerning the women say: Allah do instruct you about them: And (remember) what have been rehearsed unto you 636 in the Book, concerning the orphans of women to whom you give not the portions prescribed, and yet whom you desire to marry, as also concerning the children who are weak and oppressed; 637 that you stand firm for justice to orphans. There is not a good deed which you do, but Allah is well-acquainted therewith.
636 Again and again is it impressed on the community of Islam to be just in their dealings with women, orphans, children, and all whose weakness requires special consideration. The law about widows and orphans, inheritance, dower, and marriage had already been declared in 4:2-35, and further instructions are now given on a further reference. The words translated orphans of women mean, I think, the orphaned children of widows, of whom there were several after the batde of Uhud, and whom it was the duty of the community to provide for. But some Commentators take them to mean "female orphans." In any case, because women were orphans or widows, it was not right that anyone should take advantage of their helpless position to deprive them of dower or of their portion in inheritance.
637 Cf. 4:75, n. 592. Both widows and orphans are to be helped because they are ordinarily weak, illtreated, and oppressed. In communities which base their civil rights on brute strength, the weaker go to the wall, and public opinion expects nothing else. In Nietzsche's philosophy of the Superman that doctrine is stressed strongly, and some of the militarist nations in our own time seem inclined to support this reversion to our primitive instincts. Even in modern democracies of the saner sort, we are often told that it is the fate of minorities to suffer: strength of numbers here becomes the passport to power and privilege. Islam, while upholding sane manly views in general, enjoins the most solicitous care for the weak and oppressed in every way-in rights of property, in social rights, and in the right to opportunities of development. Spiritual strength or weakness does not necessarily go with physical or numerical strength.
AND THEY will ask thee to enlighten them about the laws concerning women. 145 Say: "God [Himself] enlightens you about the laws concerning them"- for [His will is shown] in what is being conveyed unto you through this divine writ about orphan women [in your charge], to whom - because you yourselves may be desirous of marrying them - you do not give that which has been ordained for them; 146 and about helpless children; and about your duty to treat orphans with equity. And whatever good you may do - behold, God has indeed full knowledge thereof.
145 I.e., the laws relating to marital relations, women's share in inheritance, etc. A fatwa or ifta denotes the "clarification of a legal injunction" given in reply to a question; correspondingly, the verb istaftahu means "he asked him to give a legal decision", or "to enlighten him about a [particular] law". Since the laws alluded to in the above passage have already been dealt with early in this surah, the repeated reference to them is meant to stress the great importance of the problems involved, as well as the responsibility which men bear towards their physically weaker counterparts. In accordance with the system prevailing throughout the Qur’an, a lengthy passage dealing with purely moral or ethical questions is usually - as in the present case - followed by verses relating to social legislation, and this with a view to bringing out the intimate connection between man's spiritual life and his social behaviour.
146 Cf. verse 3 of this surah, "If you have reason to fear that you might not act equitably towards orphans...", and A’ishah's explanation quoted in the corresponding note.
37 This refers to verses 2-11 of this sûrah.