Translation of the meanings Ayah 3 Surah An-Nisā’ - English Translation - Rowwad Translation Center - The Noble Qur'an Encyclopedia

Ayah: 3

وَإِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ أَلَّا تُقۡسِطُواْ فِي ٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ فَٱنكِحُواْ مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ مَثۡنَىٰ وَثُلَٰثَ وَرُبَٰعَۖ فَإِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ أَلَّا تَعۡدِلُواْ فَوَٰحِدَةً أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُكُمۡۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدۡنَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعُولُواْ

If you fear that you may not maintain justice with orphan girls [by marrying them] then marry women of your choice – two, three, or four^[3]; but if you fear that you may not maintain justice, then marry only one, or slave-girls you may own. That is more likely to avoid committing injustice.

[3] ‘Ā’ishah (رضي الله عنها) said: “This verse was revealed concerning any man under whom is an orphan girl for whom he is both guardian and inheritor, while she has money and with no one to argue in her favor. This guardian is enjoined not to marry her for her money, nor is he to beat or molest her in the process. In this respect, Allah says: “If you fear that you may not maintain justice with orphan girls [by marrying them] then marry women of your choice”. That is, He, the Almighty, is saying: “These I made lawful for you, and leave out those that you may be unfair to.”” [Al-Bukhārī: 4573, Muslim: 3018]