Surah 33. Al-Ahzab, Ayah 5
| ادْعُوهُمْ لِآبَائِهِمْ هُوَ أَقْسَطُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ ۚ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَعْلَمُوا آبَاءَهُمْ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَمَوَالِيكُمْ ۚ وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا أَخْطَأْتُمْ بِهِ وَلَٰكِنْ مَا تَعَمَّدَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا |
| Asad | : | [As for your adopted children,] call them by their [real] fathers' names: this is more equitable in the sight of God; and if you know not who their fathers were, [call them] your brethren in faith and your friends.6 However, you will incur no sin if you err in this respect:7 [what really matters is] but what your hearts intend-for God is indeed much-forgiv-ing, a dispenser of grace! |
| Malik | : | Name your adopted sons after their fathers; that is more just in the sight of Allah, and if you don't know who their fathers are, then call them as your brothers in faith and your friends. There is no blame on you for an unintentional mistake, but you will be held responsible for what you do with the intention of your hearts; Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. |
| Pickthall | : | Proclaim their real parentage. That will be more equitable in the sight of Allah. And if ye know not their fathers, then (they are) your brethren in the faith, and your clients. And there is no sin for you in the mistakes that ye make unintentionally, but what your hearts purpose (that will be a sin for you). Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. |
| Yusuf Ali | : | Call them by (the names) of their fathers: that is juster in the sight of Allah but if ye know not their father's (names call them) your Brothers in faith or your Maulas. But there is no blame on you if ye make a mistake therein: (what counts is) the intention of your hearts: and Allah is Oft-Returning Most Merciful. 3672 3673 |
| Transliteration | : | udco -hum li- 'aabaa' -him huwa aqsat. cinda 'allaah fa- 'in lam taclamo 'aabaa' -hum fa- 'ikhwaan -kum fe ad- den wa- mawaale -kum wa- laysa calay -kum junaah. fe maa akht.a'tum bi- -hi wa- laakin maa tacammadat qulob -kum wa- kaana 'allaah ghafor(an) rah.em(an) |
Note - 6I.e., "make it clear that your relationship is an
adoptive one, and do not create the impression that they
are your real children" - thus safeguarding their true
identity.
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Note - 7I.e., by making a mistake in the attribution of the
child's parentage, or by calling him or her, out of love,
"my son" or "my daughter".
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Note - 3672Freedmen were often called after their master's name as
the "son of so and so". When they were slaves, perhaps
their father's names were lost altogether. It is more
correct to speak of them as the Maula of so and so. But
Maula in Arabic might also imply a close relationship of
friendship: in that case, too, it is better to use the
right term instead of the term "son". "Brother" is not
objectionable because "Brotherhood" is used in a wider
sense than "fatherhood" and is not likely to be
misunderstood.
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Note - 3673What is aimed at is to destroy the superstition of
erecting false relationships to the detriment or loss of
true blood relations. It is not intended to penalise an
unintentional slip in the matter, and indeed, even if a
man deliberately calls another his son or father, who is
not his son or father, out of politeness or affection,
"Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful". It is the
action of mischievous parties which is chiefly
reprehended, if they intend false insinuations. A mere
mistake on their part does not matter.
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I.e., "make it clear that your relationship is an adoptive one, and do not create the impression that they are your real children" - thus safeguarding their true identity. |
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Freedmen were often called after their master's name as the "son of so and so". When they were slaves, perhaps their father's names were lost altogether. It is more correct to speak of them as the Maula of so and so. But Maula in Arabic might also imply a close relationship of friendship: in that case, too, it is better to use the right term instead of the term "son". "Brother" is not objectionable because "Brotherhood" is used in a wider sense than "fatherhood" and is not likely to be misunderstood. |
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What is aimed at is to destroy the superstition of erecting false relationships to the detriment or loss of true blood relations. It is not intended to penalise an unintentional slip in the matter, and indeed, even if a man deliberately calls another his son or father, who is not his son or father, out of politeness or affection, "Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful". It is the action of mischievous parties which is chiefly reprehended, if they intend false insinuations. A mere mistake on their part does not matter. |
