M. H. Shakir, The Holy Quran; Arabic Text and English Translation; Foot-notes by M. H. Shakir (1974)
199. O you who believe! be patient and excel in patience and remain steadfast, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, that you may be successful.
Chapter 4
The Women (Nisa)
1. O people! be careful of (your duty to) your Lord, Who created you from a single being and created its mate of the same (kind) and spread from these two, many men and women; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, by whom you demand one of
another (your rights), and (to) the ties of relationship; surely Allah ever watches over you.
2. And give to the orphans* their property, and do not substitute worthless (things) for (their) good (ones), and do not devour their property (as an addition) to your own property; this is surely a great crime.
3. And if you fear that you cannot act equitably towards orphans, then marry such women as seem good to you, two and three and four; but if you fear that you will not do justice (between them), then (marry) only one or what your right hands possess; this is more proper, that you may not deviate from the right course.
* The Hadis “The best Muslim house is that in which an orphan is well cared for”. “I and the guardian of orphans will be in one place in the next world, like my two fingers touching each other.”
