随后，本章再进一步，涉及家庭立法，作为伊斯兰所欲建立的社会总体组织的一部分。这是一个建立在真主从天上降下的法典之上的社会，而非建立在变动的世俗因素之上；那些世俗因素往往具有物质主义的性质，且往往与商品生产和物质财富有关。
The sūrah then moves a step further with family legislation as part of the general organisation of the society Islam wants to establish. It is a society based on the code God has bestowed from on high, not on changing worldly factors, which are often materialistic in nature and which often are to do with the production of goods and material riches.
如果一个女人担心丈夫虐待或遗弃她,那么夫妻二人若设法彼此和解、恢复和睦,这并无过错;和解是最好的。贪吝常驻于人的灵魂之中。如果你们行善并敬畏真主,那么真主确实知道你们所做的一切。你们即使极力希望公平对待众妻,也绝无可能在她们之间做到完全公平。所以,不要完全偏向某一位而冷落另一位,使她如同悬在半空。如果你们恢复和睦并敬畏真主,那么真主确实是至赦的,是至慈的。(第128-129节)
If a woman has reason to fear ill-treatment or desertion by her husband, it shall not be wrong for the two of them if they should try to set things peacefully to rights between them; for peace is best. Avarice is ever-present in human souls. If you act with kindness and are God-fearing, surely God is aware of all that you do. In no way can you maintain equity between your wives, even though you may be keen to do so. Do not, then, be totally partial towards one to the exclusion of the other, leaving her, as it were, in a state of suspense. If you put things to rights and are God-fearing, God is indeed Much-Forgiving, Merciful. (Verses 128-129)
早前在本章中,伊斯兰律法论及妻子叛逆或受虐待的情形,并规定了为维护家庭结构应当采取的程序。此处,我们现在看到的是关于丈夫虐待或遗弃妻子的规定,这威胁着女性的安全与尊严,也威胁着整个家庭的安全。人的情感与倾向可能会改变。伊斯兰是一套覆盖人生的制度,它在自身原则、价值观以及所建立的社会结构框架内,涉及每一个细节,并为每一种可能的情况做出安排。
Earlier in this sūrah, Islamic legislation dealt with the state of rebellion or abuse when caused by a wife. It outlined the procedures that should be taken in order to preserve the structure of the family. At this juncture, we now have regulations dealing with abuse or desertion by the husband, which threatens the security and dignity of the woman as well as the security of the whole family. Feelings and inclinations might change. Islam is a system for life which deals with every detail and caters for every eventuality within the framework of its principles, values and the structure of the society it establishes.
如果一位妇女担心被丈夫抛弃，而这可能导致离婚——在合法的事情中，真主最憎恶的就是离婚——或者她担心自己会处于既不像妻子又不像离婚女子那样自由的境地，那么补救的办法之一，可以是她放弃部分权利，无论是经济上的还是其他方面的。例如，她可以选择放弃丈夫本应尽到的义务，即他应当供养她的部分或全部生活费。如果丈夫另娶了一位妻子，而她感到丈夫更偏爱对方，同时自己也可能已失去女性的魅力，她可以放弃丈夫与她轮流过夜的权利。如果她放弃任何此类权利，这一决定必须出于她完全自由的选择。因此，只有当她认为这对自己是更好的选择时，她才会做出这样的决定："如果女人担心丈夫虐待或遗弃她，那么夫妻二人若相互和解，妥善处理彼此的关系，也无罪过。"（第128节）对此，经文随后作了总体性的说明，即和解胜于争吵、纷争或离婚："和解是最好的。"这有助于以善待取代怨恨，并增强维系家庭关系的愿望。
If a woman fears being abandoned, which may be a step leading to divorce, the one legitimate thing God dislikes most, or if she fears being left in such a way that gives her neither the status of a wife nor the freedom of a divorcee, then a remedy could take the form of her foregoing some of her rights, financial or otherwise. She may, for example, choose to forego part or all of her maintenance which her husband owes to her as a duty. If he has another wife whom she feels he prefers, while she herself may no longer have her feminine appeal, she may forego her right to have her husband stay with her on alternate nights. If she foregoes any such right, that decision must be made by her on the basis of absolutely free choice. Thus, she makes such a decision only if she feels that it is a better option for her: “If a woman has reason to fear ill-treatment or desertion by her husband, it shall not be wrong for the two of them if they should try to set things peacefully to rights between them.” (Verse 128) By way of comment, a general statement follows to the effect that peace is better than quarrels, disputes or divorce: “For peace is best.” This should help substitute kindness for hard feelings, and strengthen the desire to maintain family relationships.
在对待人的灵魂时,伊斯兰将人视为一个整体,并运用其所拥有的一切手段,将其提升到人依其本性所能达到的最崇高境界。与此同时,伊斯兰既不忽视这一本性,也不试图强迫它去承担它力所不及的事情。它不会为人设定一个目标,然后告诉他们:无论你能否做到,这就是你必须达到的。另一方面,它也不纵容软弱,也不会以"这也是现实的一部分"为借口,去赞美人性沉沦到低下境地的状态。它同样不会以提升人性为借口,把人性硬拴在崇高之上,让它悬在半空中摇摆。伊斯兰是一条顺应人性的中道。它可以被描述为理想的务实,或务实的理想。它认识到,人是一种独特的受造物,既能让双脚稳稳地踏在大地上,同时又能让精神仰望天空。
In dealing with the human soul, Islam takes man as a whole, and utilises all the means it has at its disposal to elevate it to the most sublime level it is equipped to achieve by its very nature. At the same time, it neither ignores this nature nor tries to force on it anything of which it is not capable. It does not set a target for people and tell them: this is what you have to achieve, whether it is in your power or not. On the other hand, it does not condone weakness or praise human nature when it sinks to a lower depth, under the pretext that it is part of reality. Nor does it tie it to the sublime by its neck and leave it swinging in the air, tinder the pretext of elevating human nature. Islam is a middle road responding to human nature. It can be described as ideal practicality or practical idealism. It recognises that man is a singular creature who can put his feet firmly on the ground and, at the same time, allow his spirit to look up to heaven.
在作出这一裁决时,伊斯兰教是针对人的全部特性来对待人的,其中特别点明了一项:“贪婪常存于人的灵魂之中。”它时时存在,并具有其各个方面,包括物质与精神两个层面。家庭之中可能存在某些因素,会加剧丈夫对妻子的贪欲。如果妻子放弃一部分递延的聘礼或其他经济权利,她便可能满足他的贪求,从而保全婚姻。同样,如果丈夫另娶了妻子,而她放弃自己在两夜之中与丈夫同住的权利,她便可能满足他情感上的贪求,从而保全自己的婚姻。但这一切只能出于她的自由选择,依照她认为最符合其利益的判断。这里并不是对她的强迫,而是一种让步,赋予她在与自身相关的事务上作出决定的自由。
In giving this ruling, Islam is dealing with man with all his characteristics, but where one in particular is singled out: “Avarice is ever present in human souls.” It is there all the time with all its aspects, material and spiritual. There may exist within the family certain causes which enhance the husband’s avarice with regard to his wife. If she foregoes part of her deferred dowry or other financial rights, she may satisfy his greed and preserve her marriage. Similarly, if she foregoes her right to have him stay with her on alternate nights, if he has another wife, she may satisfy his emotional avarice and save her marriage. But all this can only come about by her free choice, according to what she deems to serve her interests best. There is no imposition here on her, rather a dispensation which gives her the freedom to decide in a matter which concerns her.
伊斯兰教并不止步于这种特定形式的贪婪，因为它涉及人类灵魂及其本性的各个方面。相反，它进一步触及其他情感与动机："如果你们行善并敬畏真主，那么真主确实知道你们所做的一切。"（第128节）毕竟，善良与对真主的敬畏是最重要的动机。以此为基础行事的人，不会有任何损失。
Islam does not stop here with this particular form of avarice, considering that it represents all aspects of the human soul and its nature. Instead, it proceeds to touch on other feelings and motives: “If you act with kindness and are God-fearing, surely God is aware of all that you do.” (Verse 128) Kindness and consciousness of God are, after all, the most important motives. A person who acts on their basis will lose nothing.
上主洞察我们的一切动机与行为。唤起人心中的仁慈之情与对上主的觉知，并奉上主之名向人发出呼吁——上主洞察我们所做的一切——是影响行为的一种非常有效的方式。事实上，这正是最能确保良好效果的一种呼吁。
God is aware of all our motives and actions. To arouse feelings of kindness and consciousness of God and to address man in the name of God, who is aware of everything we do, is a very effective way of influencing behaviour. Indeed, it is the sort of appeal which ensures the best results.
再看下面这节经文，它进一步展现了伊斯兰的理想性与实践性之间的统一："你们即使极力想要在妻子之间公平，也绝不能做到。所以，你们不要完全偏向一个，而使另一个如悬在空中。如果你们改善关系并敬畏主，那么，主确是至赦的，至慈的。"（第129节）
Another example of the ideal practicality or the practical idealism of Islam is provided in the next verse: “In no way can you maintain equity between your wives, even though you may be keen to do so. Do not, then, be totally partial towards one to the exclusion of the other, leaving her, as it were, in a state of suspense. If you put things to rights and are God-fearing, God is indeed Much-Forgiving, Merciful.” (Verse 129)
创造人类的真主（上帝）知道，人有他无法自控的情感。
God, who has created man, knows that he has feelings which he cannot control.
因此,真主赋予人一种引导这些情感的方式,而不是压抑或窒息它们。其中一种倾向是偏爱某一位妻子,胜过其他妻子。这种偏爱超出了人的掌控,人难以轻易压制它。伊斯兰不会因为人无法掌控的事情而追究他的责任,也不会把这种偏爱视为应受惩罚的罪过。否则,人会在两个自己无法应付的选择之间左右为难、饱受撕扯。伊斯兰以现实的态度看待此事,坦率地告诉人们:他们无法在妻子之间做到完全公平,尽管他们可能very渴望如此,因为这件事超出了他们的掌控。
Therefore, He has given man a way to direct these feelings, not to suppress or smother them. One such inclination is to be partial to one wife over and above other wives. Such partiality is beyond a man’s control. He cannot easily suppress it. Islam does not hold man to account for something which is beyond his control. It does not make such partiality a sin incurring punishment. Otherwise, man would be torn apart choosing between alternatives with which he cannot cope. Islam takes a realistic view and tells people frankly that they cannot maintain equity between their wives, keen as they may be to do so, because the matter is beyond their control.
然而，有些事情是他们力所能及的，例如公平对待、合理分配时间、提供经济support（生活费用）以及其他婚姻义务。这种公平甚至包括偶尔的微笑和一句友善的话语。他们必须这样做，是为了调节自己的偏爱，而不是压制它。
There are, however, certain matters that are within their ability such as fairness in treatment, distribution of time, financial support and other marital obligations. Such fairness goes so far as to include the occasional smile and word of kindness. This they are required to do in order to regulate their partiality not to smother it.
“故你们不要完全偏向一方，而使另一方如同悬置一般。”（第129节）这种在外在对待上的偏袒是被禁止的，因为它剥夺了一位妻子应有的权利，使她既不是妻子，也不是被休之人。这一禁令与对信士之心的有效劝导相伴而行，并给予宽恕的保证，即对人力所不能控制之事予以原谅：“如果你们修和，并且敬畏，那么，真主确是至赦的，确是至慈的。”（第129节）因为伊斯兰教关注人的灵魂，关注其独特的气质——它是由一把泥土与真主之灵的气息相融而成——也关注其理想的实用性或实用的理想性，所以伊斯兰的先知ﷺ便是人类在达到最高完美时的完整典范。当人内在的一切特质与能力，在人性的限度之内，得以均衡、相互补充地发展时，这种完美便得以实现。伊斯兰的先知ﷺ公平地对待众妻，并将时间平均分配给她们，但他并不否认，在爱与情感上，他对其中某些妻子比对其他人更为倾心。他承认这是他无法控制的。他常说：
“Do not, then, be totally partial towards one to the exclusion of the other, leaving her, as it were, in a state of suspense.” (Verse 129) This partiality in outward treatment is what is forbidden because it deprives one wife of her rights and places her in a situation where she is neither a wife nor a divorcee. The prohibition is coupled with an effective appeal to believing hearts and a reassurance of overlooking what lies beyond man’s control: “If you put things to rights and are God-fearing, God is indeed Much-Forgiving, Merciful.” (Verse 129) Because Islam deals with the human soul with its unique temperament, which is the product of mixing a handful of clay with the breathing of God’s spirit, and with its ideal practicality or practical idealism, the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) was the complete example of humanity when it attains its utmost perfection. That perfection is achieved when all characteristics and abilities within man are allowed to develop in a balanced and mutually complementary way within the limitations of human nature. As the Prophet of Islam extended his fair treatment to his wives and distributed his time equally between them, he did not deny that in love and affection he was more inclined towards some of them than others. He recognised that that was beyond his control. He used to say:
“主啊，这是我在自己能力范围内对他们的分配。对于那超出我能力、非我所能掌控的事，求你不要责怪我。”然而，倘若夫妻之间的关系已紧张到无法维系，又当如何？可能出现这样的情形：丈夫与妻子都失去了一个安定、幸福的家庭生活所需的一切。在这种情况下，分离更为可取。伊斯兰并不以绳索、锁链和枷锁束缚夫妻双方。它以爱意、慈悲来维系家庭生活，或者以责任感与容忍来维持。若这些因素都无法使疏远的心重新靠拢，伊斯兰也不会将他们囚禁于仇恨的牢笼之中，也不会用表面上的和好假象，去掩盖婚姻关系真实而彻底的破裂。
“My Lord, this is how I divide between them what I can control. Do not blame me for that which You control and I do not.” But what happens when the marital relationship is so strained that it cannot be maintained? It may happen that both man and wife lose everything needed for a settled, happy family life. In such a situation, separation is better. Islam does not hold marital partners with ropes, chains and fetters. It maintains family life with affection, compassion, or else with a sense of duty and forbearance. If none of these elements can reconcile estranged hearts, Islam does not condemn them to a prison of hate, nor does it try to cover up a real and total breakdown of the marital relationship with a pretence of reconciliation that is only skin deep.
“但如果两人分离，真主将以祂的丰厚恩赐，供给他们each各自所需。”——这句话中的“each”应译为“各自”，故更正如下：
“但如果两人分离，真主将以祂的丰厚恩赐，各自供给他们。真主确是宽广无限、至睿至智的。”（第130节）这是真主的一项应许：祂将以自己的丰厚恩赐，为分离的夫妻各自提供足够的所需。祂供养祂的一切仆人，并依照祂的睿智与知识，赐予他们适合各种境况的恩惠。
“But if the two separate, God shall provide for each of them out of His abundance: God is indeed Munificent, Wise.” (Verse 130) This is a promise by God that He will give to each of the separating couple out of His own abundance what will be sufficient for them. He provides for all His servants and grants them of His grace what is suitable for every situation, according to His wisdom and knowledge.
当我们研究伊斯兰制度如何处理情感、动机与偏见，以及如何为现实情境提供解决方案时，我们不禁惊讶于人们竟会背离这样一种简单、质朴、专为人类生活而设计的方法。它引导人们从卑微的处境走向崇高的境界，始终给予他们符合其天性与能力的东西。除非某种更高的崇高境界根植于人的本性之中，它不会强加给人们任何通往这一境界的道路。更为重要的是，伊斯兰所达到的标准是任何其他制度都无法企及的，而它始终保持着其理想的实用性，或者说实用的理想主义。
When we study the Islamic system as it deals with feelings, motives and prejudices and as it provides solutions for practical situations, we are amazed at people turning away from such a simple, uncomplicated method devised especially for human life. It leads people from their lowly position, along the road to great heights, always giving them what is suitable for their nature and capabilities. It does not impose on them any course leading to a higher level of sublimity, unless this has roots within their own nature. What is more, Islam attains a standard which cannot be achieved through any other system, and, all the while, it maintains its ideal practicality or practical idealism.