An Evaluation of Common Interpretive Theories on the Relationship Between Condition and Penalty in Verse 3 of Surah An-Nisa, Emphasizing the Coherence, Network Structure, and Trans-historicity of the Text

Verse 3 of Surah An-Nisa is the only verse in the Holy Qur'an that permits polygamy. The problem in understanding this verse is that the beginning of the verse addresses orphans, while its continuation deals with the permissibility of polygamy, and these two subjects seem incompatible. A general criticism of the interpretation of both Shia and Sunni scholars, as well as more recent views that limit the permissibility of polygamy to marriages with the mothers of orphans, is that this verse has been understood in a way that overlooks the condition, “and if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphans” (وإن خفتم الا تقسطوا فی الیتامی) [4:3]. In this paper, considering the Holy Qur'an as a coherent text with a network structure, and focusing on the thematic and conceptual connection between verses 3 and 127 of Surah An-Nisa, an interpretation and translation of these verses is provided that resolves the inconsistency between the beginning and continuation of verse 3 and also significantly limits the scope of polygamy. If we accept that verse 127 was revealed before verse 3 and that the women mentioned in verse 3 are the same women introduced in verse 127, then the ruling on polygamy in the Holy Qur'an becomes exclusively applicable to the marriage of a man with the mother of orphans whom the man has already assumed financial guardianship of the women who are unable to manage the financial affairs of their orphaned children and have entrusted the responsibility of their children's financial matters to that man.