Quran Verses about Consultation (shura)
Allah commands the Prophet to consult his companions in shared affairs and then to rely on Allah once resolved, and praises the believers who conduct their affairs by consultation. Consultation is also named in family matters: when a father and mother wish to wean a child before two years, and when agreeing on the wage for nursing. Examples in the stories are Ibrahim asking his son's view, and the Queen of Sheba seeking the counsel of her chiefs.
The command to consult
فَبِمَا رَحۡمَةٖ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمۡۖ وَلَوۡ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلۡقَلۡبِ لَٱنفَضُّواْ مِنۡ حَوۡلِكَۖ فَٱعۡفُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُمۡ وَشَاوِرۡهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَمۡرِۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمۡتَ فَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُتَوَكِّلِينَ ١٥٩
Fabimā raḥmatim minallāhi linta lahum, wa law kunta faẓẓan ghalīẓal-qalbi lanfaḍḍū min ḥawlik, faʿfu ʿanhum wastaghfir lahum wa shāwirhum fil-amr, fa idhā ʿazamta fatawakkal ʿalallāh, innallāha yuḥibbul-mutawakkilīn.
So by mercy from Allāh, [O Muḥammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allāh. Indeed, Allāh loves those who rely [upon Him].
Consultation as a quality of the believers
وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱسۡتَجَابُواْ لِرَبِّهِمۡ وَأَقَامُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَمۡرُهُمۡ شُورَىٰ بَيۡنَهُمۡ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ ٣٨
Wal-ladhīnastajābū lirabbihim wa aqāmuṣ-ṣalāta wa amruhum shūrā baynahum wa mimmā razaqnāhum yunfiqūn.
And those who have responded to their Lord and established prayer and whose affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves, and from what We have provided them, they spend,
Consultation in family matters
۞ وَٱلۡوَٰلِدَٰتُ يُرۡضِعۡنَ أَوۡلَٰدَهُنَّ حَوۡلَيۡنِ كَامِلَيۡنِۖ لِمَنۡ أَرَادَ أَن يُتِمَّ ٱلرَّضَاعَةَۚ وَعَلَى ٱلۡمَوۡلُودِ لَهُۥ رِزۡقُهُنَّ وَكِسۡوَتُهُنَّ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِۚ لَا تُكَلَّفُ نَفۡسٌ إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَاۚ لَا تُضَآرَّ وَٰلِدَةُۢ بِوَلَدِهَا وَلَا مَوۡلُودٞ لَّهُۥ بِوَلَدِهِۦۚ وَعَلَى ٱلۡوَارِثِ مِثۡلُ ذَٰلِكَۗ فَإِنۡ أَرَادَا فِصَالًا عَن تَرَاضٖ مِّنۡهُمَا وَتَشَاوُرٖ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡهِمَاۗ وَإِنۡ أَرَدتُّمۡ أَن تَسۡتَرۡضِعُوٓاْ أَوۡلَٰدَكُمۡ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذَا سَلَّمۡتُم مَّآ ءَاتَيۡتُم بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِۗ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٞ ٢٣٣
Wal-wālidātu yurḍiʿna awlādahunna ḥawlayni kāmilayn, liman arāda ay yutimmar-raḍāʿah, wa ʿalal-mawlūdi lahū rizquhunna wa kiswatuhunna bil-maʿrūf, lā tukallafu nafsun illā wusʿahā, lā tuḍārra wālidatum biwaladihā wa lā mawlūdul lahū biwaladih, wa ʿalal-wārithi mithlu dhālik, fa in arādā fiṣālan ʿan tarāḍim minhumā wa tashāwurin falā junāḥa ʿalayhimā, wa in aradttum an tastarḍiʿū awlādakum falā junāḥa ʿalaykum idhā sallamtum mā ātaytum bil-maʿrūf, wattaqullāha waʿlamū annallāha bimā taʿmalūna baṣīr.
Mothers may nurse [i.e., breastfeed] their children two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing [period]. Upon the father is their [i.e., the mothers'] provision and their clothing according to what is acceptable. No person is charged with more than his capacity. No mother should be harmed through her child, and no father through his child. And upon the [father's] heir is [a duty] like that [of the father]. And if they both desire weaning through mutual consent from both of them and consultation, there is no blame upon either of them. And if you wish to have your children nursed by a substitute, there is no blame upon you as long as you give payment according to what is acceptable. And fear Allāh and know that Allāh is Seeing of what you do.
أَسۡكِنُوهُنَّ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ سَكَنتُم مِّن وُجۡدِكُمۡ وَلَا تُضَآرُّوهُنَّ لِتُضَيِّقُواْ عَلَيۡهِنَّۚ وَإِن كُنَّ أُوْلَٰتِ حَمۡلٖ فَأَنفِقُواْ عَلَيۡهِنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَضَعۡنَ حَمۡلَهُنَّۚ فَإِنۡ أَرۡضَعۡنَ لَكُمۡ فَـَٔاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَأۡتَمِرُواْ بَيۡنَكُم بِمَعۡرُوفٖۖ وَإِن تَعَاسَرۡتُمۡ فَسَتُرۡضِعُ لَهُۥٓ أُخۡرَىٰ ٦
Askinūhunna min ḥaythu sakantum miw wujdikum wa lā tuḍārrūhunna lituḍayyiqū ʿalayhinn, wa in kunna ulāti ḥamlin fa anfiqū ʿalayhinna ḥattā yaḍaʿna ḥamlahunn, fa in arḍaʿna lakum fa ātūhunna ujūrahunna waʾtamirū baynakum bimaʿrūf, wa in taʿāsartum fasaturḍiʿu lahū ukhrā.
Lodge them1 [in a section] of where you dwell out of your means and do not harm them in order to oppress them.2 And if they should be pregnant, then spend on them until they give birth. And if they breastfeed for you, then give them their payment and confer among yourselves in the acceptable way; but if you are in discord, then there may breastfeed for him [i.e., the father] another woman.3
Footnotes (3)
- During their waiting period (referring to wives whose divorce has been pronounced).
- So that they would be forced to leave or to ransom themselves.
- See 2:233.
Consultation in the stories
قَالَتۡ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمَلَؤُاْ أَفۡتُونِي فِيٓ أَمۡرِي مَا كُنتُ قَاطِعَةً أَمۡرًا حَتَّىٰ تَشۡهَدُونِ ٣٢
Qālat yāʾayyuhal-malaʾu aftūnī fī amrī mā kuntu qāṭiʿatan amran ḥattā tashhadūn.
She said, "O eminent ones, advise me in my affair. I would not decide a matter until you witness [for] me."1
Footnotes (1)
- i.e., are present with me or testify in my favor.
قَالُواْ نَحۡنُ أُوْلُواْ قُوَّةٖ وَأُوْلُواْ بَأۡسٖ شَدِيدٖ وَٱلۡأَمۡرُ إِلَيۡكِ فَٱنظُرِي مَاذَا تَأۡمُرِينَ ٣٣
Qālū naḥnu ulū quwwatiw wa ulū baʾsin shadīdiw wal-amru ilayki fanẓurī mādhā taʾmurīn.
They said, "We are men of strength and of great military might, but the command is yours, so see what you will command."
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ ٱلسَّعۡيَ قَالَ يَٰبُنَيَّ إِنِّيٓ أَرَىٰ فِي ٱلۡمَنَامِ أَنِّيٓ أَذۡبَحُكَ فَٱنظُرۡ مَاذَا تَرَىٰۚ قَالَ يَٰٓأَبَتِ ٱفۡعَلۡ مَا تُؤۡمَرُۖ سَتَجِدُنِيٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ١٠٢
Falammā balagha maʿahus-saʿya qāla yābunayya innī arā fil-manāmi annī adhbaḥuka fanẓur mādhā tarā, qāla yāʾabatifʿal mā tuʾmar, satajidunī in shāʾallāhu minaṣ-ṣābirīn.
And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion,1 he said, "O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think." He said, "O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allāh wills, of the steadfast."
Footnotes (1)
- i.e., the ability to work and be of assistance.