Quranic theme
Granting
الهبة
28 verses
When prophets face biological finality and old age, they petition God for successors, framing the miraculous continuation of their lineage as a direct grant. On a human level, this precise concept of granting governs the daily realities of marital provisions and the forgiveness of financial debts. From the sudden cure of a barren wife to the permanent realities of the Day of Resurrection, the act of bestowing a gift shapes the boundaries of earthly justice and divine intervention.
How does the text regulate marital and financial gifts?
Human grants require strict fairness, particularly regarding marriage and money. Men must give women their bridal gifts upon marriage, though if a woman is happy to give up a portion of it, the husband may enjoy it with a clear conscience (4:4). If a divorce occurs before the marriage is consummated or before a bride-gift is even fixed, the man is still obligated to make a fair provision. This duty falls upon those who do good, calculated according to means—the rich providing from his wealth, and the poor from his (2:236). While marital gifts are standard, Muqatil bin Sulayman notes (Mawsu'at al-Tafsir al-Ma'thur, 18/69) that a woman granting herself in marriage entirely without a dowry was a dispensation exclusive to the Prophet Muhammad, not permitted for the rest of the believers.
The obligation of fairness extends to children and debtors. Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi points out (Mahasin al-Ta'wil, 2/150) that human grants must remain just; an unjust gift that favors one child over others contradicts equity and is invalid. In financial distress, if a debtor is struggling, the creditor must delay repayment until matters become easier. Yet, writing off the debt entirely as an act of charity is declared to be the better course of action (2:280).
What are the divine grants of lineage?
God’s grants frequently arrive when human biology fails. Abraham, having left his people and their false gods, praises God for granting him Ishmael and Isaac in his old age, stating that his Lord hears all requests (14:39). God then designates Isaac and Jacob as an additional gift, making both of them righteous prophets (19:49, 21:72).
Similarly, Zechariah fears what his kinsmen will do after he is gone. Because his wife is barren, he specifically asks God to grant him a successor as a direct gift (19:5). God answers by granting him John and curing his wife’s barrenness, noting that the couple called upon Him out of longing and awe, and humbled themselves (21:90). Even in the absence of barrenness, believers are instructed to pray for God to give them joy in their spouses and offspring (25:74). The purest form of this divine bestowal occurs when a messenger announces to Mary the sudden gift of a pure son (19:19).
How is the afterlife described as a gift?
The language of granting ultimately transitions from earthly offspring to the permanent realities of the afterlife. For those who face God’s rejection in this life, that same rejection pursues them on the Day of Resurrection, an outcome characterized as a foul gift to be given (11:99).
In contrast, those who have been blessed will enter Paradise. Their residence there will last as long as the heavens and earth endure, unless the Lord wills otherwise—an unceasing gift (11:108).
Verses
All 28 verses, in mushaf order.
لَّا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِن طَلَّقْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ مَا لَمْ تَمَسُّوهُنَّ أَوْ تَفْرِضُوا۟ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً ۚ وَمَتِّعُوهُنَّ عَلَى ٱلْمُوسِعِ قَدَرُهُۥ وَعَلَى ٱلْمُقْتِرِ قَدَرُهُۥ مَتَـٰعًۢا بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۖ حَقًّا عَلَى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
You will not be blamed if you divorce women when you have not yet consummated the marriage or fixed a bride-gift for them, but make fair provision for them, the rich according to his means and the poor according to his- this is a duty for those who do good.
وَإِن كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَىٰ مَيْسَرَةٍ ۚ وَأَن تَصَدَّقُوا۟ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
If the debtor is in difficulty, then delay things until matters become easier for him; still, if you were to write it off as an act of charity, that would be better for you, if only you knew.
وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ صَدُقَـٰتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً ۚ فَإِن طِبْنَ لَكُمْ عَن شَىْءٍ مِّنْهُ نَفْسًا فَكُلُوهُ هَنِيٓـًٔا مَّرِيٓـًٔا
Give women their bridal gift upon marriage, though if they are happy to give up some of it for you, you may enjoy it with a clear conscience.
وَأُتْبِعُوا۟ فِى هَـٰذِهِۦ لَعْنَةً وَيَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ بِئْسَ ٱلرِّفْدُ ٱلْمَرْفُودُ
They were pursued by God’s rejection in this life and will be on the Day of Resurrection, too. What a foul gift to be given!
۞ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ سُعِدُوا۟ فَفِى ٱلْجَنَّةِ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ ۖ عَطَآءً غَيْرَ مَجْذُوذٍ
As for those who have been blessed, they will be in Paradise, there to remain as long as the heavens and earth endure, unless your Lord wills otherwise- an unceasing gift.
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى وَهَبَ لِى عَلَى ٱلْكِبَرِ إِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى لَسَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ
Praise be to God, who has granted me Ishmael and Isaac in my old age: my Lord hears all requests!
وَإِنِّى خِفْتُ ٱلْمَوَٰلِىَ مِن وَرَآءِى وَكَانَتِ ٱمْرَأَتِى عَاقِرًا فَهَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا
I fear [what] my kinsmen [will do] when I am gone, for my wife is barren, so grant me a successor––a gift from You––
قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ لِأَهَبَ لَكِ غُلَـٰمًا زَكِيًّا
but he said, ‘I am but a Mes-senger from your Lord, [come] to announce to you the gift of a pure son.’
فَلَمَّا ٱعْتَزَلَهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَهَبْنَا لَهُۥٓ إِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ ۖ وَكُلًّا جَعَلْنَا نَبِيًّا
When he left his people and those they served beside God, We granted him Isaac and Jacob and made them both prophets:
وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥٓ إِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ نَافِلَةً ۖ وَكُلًّا جَعَلْنَا صَـٰلِحِينَ
and We gave him Isaac and Jacob as an additional gift, and made each of them righteous.
فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥ يَحْيَىٰ وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُۥ زَوْجَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يُسَـٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا ۖ وَكَانُوا۟ لَنَا خَـٰشِعِينَ
We answered him––We gave him John, and cured his wife of barrenness- they were always keen to do good deeds. They called upon Us out of longing and awe, and humbled themselves before Us.
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَٱجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا
those who pray, ‘Our Lord, give us joy in our spouses and offspring. Make us good examples to those who are aware of You’.
رَبِّ هَبْ لِى حُكْمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِى بِٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
My Lord, grant me wisdom; join me with the righteous;
وَإِنِّى مُرْسِلَةٌ إِلَيْهِم بِهَدِيَّةٍ فَنَاظِرَةٌۢ بِمَ يَرْجِعُ ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ
but I am going to send them a gift, then see what answer my envoys bring back.’
فَلَمَّا جَآءَ سُلَيْمَـٰنَ قَالَ أَتُمِدُّونَنِ بِمَالٍ فَمَآ ءَاتَىٰنِۦَ ٱللَّهُ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّآ ءَاتَىٰكُم بَلْ أَنتُم بِهَدِيَّتِكُمْ تَفْرَحُونَ
When her envoy came to Solomon, Solomon said, ‘What! Are you offering me wealth? What God has given me is better than what He has given you, though you rejoice in this gift of yours.
وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥٓ إِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِى ذُرِّيَّتِهِ ٱلنُّبُوَّةَ وَٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ أَجْرَهُۥ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَإِنَّهُۥ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
We gave Isaac and Jacob to Abraham, and placed prophethood and Scripture among his offspring. We gave him his rewards in this world, and in the life to come he will be among the righteous.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا نَكَحْتُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَمَسُّوهُنَّ فَمَا لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ عِدَّةٍ تَعْتَدُّونَهَا ۖ فَمَتِّعُوهُنَّ وَسَرِّحُوهُنَّ سَرَاحًا جَمِيلًا
Believers, you have no right to expect a waiting period when you marry believing women and then divorce them before you have touched them: make provision for them and release them in an honourable way.
وَوَهَبْنَا لِدَاوُۥدَ سُلَيْمَـٰنَ ۚ نِعْمَ ٱلْعَبْدُ ۖ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَوَّابٌ
We gave David Solomon. He was an excellent servant who always turned to God.
قَالَ رَبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَهَبْ لِى مُلْكًا لَّا يَنۢبَغِى لِأَحَدٍ مِّنۢ بَعْدِىٓ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ
He turned to Us and prayed: ‘Lord forgive me! Grant me such power as no one after me will have- You are the Most Generous Provider.’
هَـٰذَا عَطَآؤُنَا فَٱمْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِكْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
‘This is Our gift, so give or withhold as you wish without account.’
وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥٓ أَهْلَهُۥ وَمِثْلَهُم مَّعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ
and We restored his family to him, with many more like them: a sign of Our mercy and a lesson to all who understand.
لِّلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ يَهَبُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ إِنَـٰثًا وَيَهَبُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ ٱلذُّكُورَ
God has control of the heavens and the earth; He creates whatever He will- He grants female offspring to whoever He will, male to whoever He will,
ءَأَشْفَقْتُمْ أَن تُقَدِّمُوا۟ بَيْنَ يَدَىْ نَجْوَىٰكُمْ صَدَقَـٰتٍ ۚ فَإِذْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا۟ وَتَابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
Were you afraid to give charity before consulting the Prophet? Since you did not give charity, and God has relented towards you, you should [at least] observe your prayers, pay the prescribed alms, and obey God and His Messenger: God is well aware of your actions.
حَدَآئِقَ وَأَعْنَـٰبًا
private gardens, vineyards,
وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَابًا
nubile, well-matched companions,
وَكَأْسًا دِهَاقًا
and an overflowing cup.
لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا كِذَّٰبًا
There they will hear no vain or lying talk:
جَزَآءً مِّن رَّبِّكَ عَطَآءً حِسَابًا
a reward from your Lord, a fitting gift