Al-Lu'lu Wal-Marjan 1896 — The Book of Commentary

`Urwa bin Az-Zubair Narrated from:

Narrated 'Urwa bin Az-Zubair that he had asked 'Âisha رضي الله عنها about the meaning of the Statement of Allâh تعالى : 'If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan-girls, then marry (other) women of your choice, two or three or four....' (V.4:3) She said, "O my nephew! This is about the orphan girl who lives with her guardian and shares his property. Her wealth and beauty may tempt him to marry her without giving her an adequate Mahr (bridal-money) which might have been given by another suitor. So, such guardians were forbidden to marry such orphan girls unless they treated them justly and gave them the most suitable Mahr; otherwise they were ordered to marry any other woman."'Âisha further said, "After that Verse the people again asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم (about the marriage with orphan-girls), so Allâh تعالى revealed the following Verses: 'They ask your legal instruction concerning women, say: Allâh instructs you about them, and about what is recited unto you in the Book, concerning the orphan-girls to whom you give not the prescribed portions (as regards Mahr and inheritance) and yet whom you desire to marry....' (V.4:127) What is meant by Allâh's saying:- 'And about what is recited unto you' is the former Verse which goes: 'If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan-girls, then marry (other) women of your choice...' (V.4:3) 'Âisha said, "Allâh's saying in the other Verse: '...Yet whom you desire to marry...' (V.4:127) means the desire of the guardian to marry an orphan girl under his guardianship when she has not much property or beauty (in which case he should treat her justly). The guardians were forbidden to marry the orphan girls under their care possessing property and beauty without being just to them, as they generally refrain from marrying them (when they are neither beautiful nor wealthy)."( Sahîh Al-Bukhârî, Hadîth No. 674, Vol. 3)