If it were taken as explanatory clause...

If it were taken as explanatory clause, it would imply that that inheritance was always disliked by women, always happened against their will - and obviously it was not so. If it were taken as a restrictive clause, it would mean that that inheritance was unlawful only if it took place against the woman's will, but there was no harm if she freely agreed to it — but this too is not correct.

Of course, dislike and unwillingness was a certainty when the heirs prevented them from re-marrying, coveting, in all or most cases, their property after taking their possession by inheritance. Obviously, it is this factor — contriving to inherit the woman's property against her will — which this verse has forbidden. As for marrying them by inheritance, this verse does not deal with it; that is forbidden by a coming verse, which says: And marry not women whom your fathers married.. .

So far as the custom of giving them in marriage to someone else and usurpation of their dowry by the concerned heir is concerned, it is forbidden by such verses as: and women shall have the benefit of what they earn (4:32). Also the verse:.. . then when they have fully attained their term, there is no blame on you for what they do for themselves in a proper manner (2:234), discredits the whole custom, guiding the people to the Islamic way.

As for the words: and do not straiten them in order that you may take…, they do not refer to the afore-mentioned prevention of their remarrying (with intention of getting their property on their death), because the subsequent clause: in order that you may take part of what you have given them, clearly speaks about taking away part of the dowry which the oppressing husband himself had given her; it does not refer to any property which she might have got from other sources.

In short, the verse stops men from inheriting women's property against their will; it is not concerned with the custom of taking women themselves as part of inheritance. Accordingly, either the word, 'women', metaphorically refers to their property, or the word, 'property of' is implied before it.