وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مَوَٰلِىَ مِمَّا تَرَكَ ٱلْوَٰلِدَانِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبُونَ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ عَقَدَتْ أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ فَـَٔاتُوهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيدًا
4:8.
Important Words:
موالی (heirs) is derived from ولی and is the plural of مولی which means, lord or chief; master or owner; son of a paternal uncle; or a relation such as a son of a paternal uncle and the like; a freedman whom the emancipator is bound to aid and whose property he inherits if he dies leaving no heir; a slave; emancipator of a slave; a neighbour; an ally; a friend or helper; a follower; a partner; an heir, etc. (Lane & Lisan).
Commentary:
The verse may also be rendered thus: "To every one We have appointed heirs to what he leaves. They are the parents, the relations and those with whom your oaths have ratified a contract. So give them their portion." Again, the verse may also be rendered as: "To everything which parents and relations leave we have appointed heirs, etc."
The words, with whom your oaths have ratified a contract, signify "spouses" embracing both husbands and wives. The pronoun "them" in the clause, so give them their portion, refers to, and stands for, the noun "heirs" in the opening clause.
4:8.
Mawali is the plural of Maula which among other things means, an heir.
Besides the meaning given in the text the words may mean: "To every one We have appointed heirs to what he leaves, they are the parents, the relations and those, with whom your oaths have ratified contracts. So give them their portion." The words may also be rendered as, "to everything which parents and relations leave We have appointed heirs, etc."