Quran Universe
4:33

وَلِكُلّٖ جَعَلۡنَا مَوَٰلِيَ مِمَّا تَرَكَ ٱلۡوَٰلِدَانِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبُونَۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ عَقَدَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُكُمۡ فَـَٔاتُوهُمۡ نَصِيبَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ شَهِيدًا

Walikullin jaAAalna mawaliya mimma taraka alwalidani waalaqraboona waallatheena AAaqadat aymanukum faatoohum naseebahum inna Allaha kana AAala kulli shayin shaheedan

And for all, We have made heirs to what is left by parents and relatives. And to those whom your oaths have bound [to you] - give them their share. Indeed Allah is ever, over all things, a Witness.

Word by word
  1. وَلِكُلّٖAnd for all
  2. جَعَلۡنَاWe (have) made
  3. مَوَٰلِيَheirs
  4. مِمَّاof what
  5. تَرَكَ(is) left
  6. ٱلۡوَٰلِدَانِ(by) the parents
  7. وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبُونَۚand the relatives
  8. وَٱلَّذِينَAnd those whom
  9. عَقَدَتۡpledged
  10. أَيۡمَٰنُكُمۡyour right hands
  11. فَـَٔاتُوهُمۡthen give them
  12. نَصِيبَهُمۡۚtheir share
  13. إِنَّIndeed
  14. ٱللَّهَAllah
  15. كَانَis
  16. عَلَىٰover
  17. كُلِّevery
  18. شَيۡءٖthing
  19. شَهِيدًاa Witness
An-Nisa · 4:33Madinah

Keep the promises you already made.

Pledges of brotherhood, witnessed by Allah

Early Madinah
the emigrantsarrived with nothing
paired with
the Ansarbound as brothers
What remained
inheritance by pledgelater changed
but
help and good advicethe pledge still stands

When the emigrants came to Madinah, the Prophet ﷺ paired them with the Ansar as brothers, and at first they inherited from each other. Ibn Abbas explained that this verse set heirs from family, while the pledge stayed valid for help, support, and sincere advice. Allah is Witness over all things.

The friend who promised to be there for you, and you for them. The colleague who took you in when you were new. Over time, these promises quietly fade. Allah witnessed what you pledged. Keep showing up.

Old promises of friendship do not really bind me anymore.

The bonds I pledged before Allah still ask for my help and good advice.

Try this

Message a friend who once stood by you, and ask if there is anything they need.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And to everyone, We have appointed Mawali of that left by parents and relatives. To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood), give them their due portion (by wills). Truly, Allah is Ever a Witness over all things (33)

Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, Sa'id bin Jubayr, Abu Salih, Qatadah, Zayd bin Aslam, As-Suddi, Ad-Dahhak, Muqatil bin Hayyan, and others said that Allah's statement,

وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مَوَالِيَ

(And to everyone, We have appointed Mawali) means, "Heirs." Ibn 'Abbas was also reported to have said that Mawali refers to relatives. Ibn Jarir commented, "The Arabs call the cousin a Mawla." Ibn Jarir continued, "Allah's statement,

مِمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَالْأَقْرَبُونَ

(of that (property) left by parents and relatives.) means, from what he inherited from his parents and family members. Therefore, the meaning of the Ayah becomes: 'To all of you, O people, We appointed relatives (such as children) who will later inherit what you inherited from your own parents and relatives." Allah's statement,

وَالَّذِينَ عَقَدَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ فَآتُوهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ

(To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood), give them their due portion.) means, "Those with whom you have a pledge of brotherhood, give them their share of inheritance, thus fulfilling the ratified pledges that you gave them. Allah has witnessed all of you when you gave these pledges and promises." This practice was followed in the beginning of Islam, but was later on abrogated when Muslims were commanded to fulfill the pledges (brotherhood) they had already given, but to refrain from making any new pledges after that. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn 'Abbas said,

وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مَوَالِيَ

(And to everyone, We have appointed Mawali) "meaning, heirs;

وَالَّذِينَ عَقَدَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ

(To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood)) When the emigrants came to Al-Madinah, the emigrant would inherit from the Ansari, while the latter's relatives would not inherit from him because of the bond of brotherhood which the Prophet ﷺ established between them (the emigrants and the Ansar). When the verse,

وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مَوَالِيَ

(And to everyone We have appointed Mawali) was revealed, it cancelled (the pledge of brotherhood regarding inheritance)." Then he said, "The verse,

وَالَّذِينَ عَقَدَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ فَآتُوهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ

(To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood), give them their due portion.) remained valid for cases of co-operation and mutual advice, while the matter of inheritance was excluded and it became permissible to assign something in one's will to the person who had the right of inheriting before."