O believers! It is not lawful for you to become the heirs of women by force, and do not detain women with the intention of taking away a part of the dowry you gave them, unless they commit blatant indecency. And deal with them kindly, and if you do not like them, so it is likely that you dislike a thing in which Allah has placed much good.

[Kanz-ul-Iman (translation of Quran)] (Part 4, Surah An-Nisa, Ayah 19)

In his renowned commentary, Tafseer Qurtubi, ‘Allamah Qurtubi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه has said: Before Islam it was the practice of the Arabs that they would become the inheritors of their relatives’ wives just as they would become inheritors of their wealth. They then either would keep them as spouses without giving dowry or they would marry them to others and keep their dowry themselves, or they would not let them marry further, but rather keep them with themselves so that they could get the inheritance from them when they would receive it and only then would they free them. Another reason why they would prevent women was to become their inheritors when they would die. In short, the women would be completely helpless in their hands and could not do anything willingly. This verse was revealed to abolish this practice. (Tafseer-e-Qurtubi, vol. 3, pp. 1378)

Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin ‘Abbas رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُمَا has stated: This verse is about the one who hates his wife and mistreats her so that she either returns the Mahr or forgives it after becoming distressed. Allah Almighty has forbidden it. (Tafseer-e-Khaazin, vol. 1, pp. 360)

Regarding this blessed verse, in Tafseer Siraat-ul-Jinaan, it has been stated: When we ponder over the conditions of the pre-Islamic era mentioned in this verse, the thought comes into our mind: Do we not have the same conditions in our society today? In our society, woman as a wife is distressed, forced to forgive her dowry; her rights are not fulfilled and she is mentally tortured; sometimes she is forced to stay at her parents’ home and sometimes she is kept at home but her husband does not talk to her; she is scolded, reproached, etc. in front of others. New demands are clearly made from her family or through her, asking for something at one time and another thing at other time. In short, every type of oppression and injustice can be found in