(Unto the men (of a family) belongeth a share of that which parents and near kindred leave…) [4:7].
The commentators of the Qur’an said: “Aws ibn Thabit al-Ansari died and was survived by a wife whose name was Umm Kujjah and three daughters he had from her. Two men, who were the cousins and executors of Thabit, whose names were Suwayd and ‘Arfajah, took all his wealth and failed to give anything to his wife or daughters. This is because in the pre-Islamic period women and children, even if they were male, did not inherit anything, for only older man did. They used to say: ‘Only those who fight riding horses and capture booty are entitled to inherit’. Umm Kujjah went to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I am the widow of Aws ibn Malik and he has left me with daughters on whom I do not have anything to spend. Their father had left behind a considerable fortune which is now with Suwayd and ‘Arfajah who have failed to give me, or my daughters, anything when they are still under my care. They do not feed me or even care about them’. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, summoned them, and in their defence they said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Her children cannot ride a horse, withstand any responsibility or harm an enemy!’ The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: ‘Leave for now, I shall wait for what Allah relates to me concerning their matter’, and they left. Then Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse”.
Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi , trans. Mokrane Guezzou