Surah 2. Al-Baqarah

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Verses [Section]: 1-7[1], 8-20 [2], 21-29 [3], 30-39 [4], 40-46 [5], 47-59 [6], 60-61 [7], 62-71 [8], 72-82 [9], 83-86 [10], 87-96 [11], 97-103 [12], 104-112 [13], 113-121 [14], 122-129 [15], 130-141 [16], 142-147 [17], 148-151 [18], 152-163 [19], 164-167 [20], 168-176 [21], 177-182 [22], 183-188 [23], 189-196 [24], 197-210 [25], 211-216 [26], 217-221 [27], 222-228 [28], 229-231 [29], 232-235 [30], 236-242 [31], 243-248 [32], 249-253 [33], 254-257 [34], 258-260 [35], 261-266 [36], 267-273 [37], 274-281 [38], 282-283 [39], 284-286 [40]

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Quran Text of Verse 232-235وَ اِذَاAnd whenطَلَّقْتُمُyou divorceالنِّسَآءَ[the] womenفَبَلَغْنَand they reachedاَجَلَهُنَّtheir (waiting) termفَلَاthen (do) notتَعْضُلُوْهُنَّhinder themاَنْ[that]یَّنْكِحْنَ(from) marryingاَزْوَاجَهُنَّtheir husbandsاِذَاwhenتَرَاضَوْاthey agreeبَیْنَهُمْbetween themselvesبِالْمَعْرُوْفِ ؕin a fair mannerذٰلِكَThatیُوْعَظُis admonishedبِهٖwith itمَنْwhoeverكَانَ[is]مِنْكُمْamong youیُؤْمِنُbelievesبِاللّٰهِin Allahوَ الْیَوْمِand the Dayالْاٰخِرِ ؕ[the] Lastذٰلِكُمْthatاَزْكٰی(is) more virtuousلَكُمْfor youوَ اَطْهَرُ ؕand more purerوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahیَعْلَمُknowsوَ اَنْتُمْand youلَا(do) notتَعْلَمُوْنَ know وَ الْوَالِدٰتُAnd the mothersیُرْضِعْنَshall suckleاَوْلَادَهُنَّtheir childrenحَوْلَیْنِ(for) two yearsكَامِلَیْنِcompleteلِمَنْfor whoeverاَرَادَwishesاَنْtoیُّتِمَّcompleteالرَّضَاعَةَ ؕthe sucklingوَ عَلَیAnd uponالْمَوْلُوْدِthe fatherلَهٗ(on) himرِزْقُهُنَّ(is) their provisionوَ كِسْوَتُهُنَّand their clothingبِالْمَعْرُوْفِ ؕin a fair mannerلَاNotتُكَلَّفُis burdenedنَفْسٌany soulاِلَّاexceptوُسْعَهَا ۚits capacityلَاNotتُضَآرَّmade to sufferوَالِدَةٌۢ(the) motherبِوَلَدِهَاbecause of her childوَ لَاand notمَوْلُوْدٌ(the) fatherلَّهٗ(be)بِوَلَدِهٖ ۗbecause of his childوَ عَلَیAnd onالْوَارِثِthe heirsمِثْلُ(is a duty) likeذٰلِكَ ۚthatفَاِنْThen ifاَرَادَاthey both desireفِصَالًاweaningعَنْthroughتَرَاضٍmutual consentمِّنْهُمَاof both of themوَ تَشَاوُرٍand consultationفَلَاthen noجُنَاحَblameعَلَیْهِمَا ؕon both of themوَ اِنْAnd ifاَرَدْتُّمْyou wantاَنْtoتَسْتَرْضِعُوْۤاask another women to suckleاَوْلَادَكُمْyour childفَلَاthen (there is) noجُنَاحَblameعَلَیْكُمْon youاِذَاwhenسَلَّمْتُمْyou payمَّاۤwhatاٰتَیْتُمْ(is) due (from) youبِالْمَعْرُوْفِ ؕin a fair mannerوَ اتَّقُواAnd fearاللّٰهَAllahوَ اعْلَمُوْۤاand knowاَنَّthatاللّٰهَAllahبِمَاof whatتَعْمَلُوْنَyou doبَصِیْرٌ (is) All-Seer 2. Al-Baqarah Page 38وَ الَّذِیْنَAnd those whoیُتَوَفَّوْنَpass awayمِنْكُمْamong youوَ یَذَرُوْنَand leave behindاَزْوَاجًاwivesیَّتَرَبَّصْنَ(the widows) should waitبِاَنْفُسِهِنَّfor themselvesاَرْبَعَةَ(for) fourاَشْهُرٍmonthsوَّ عَشْرًا ۚand ten (days)فَاِذَاThen whenبَلَغْنَthey reachاَجَلَهُنَّtheir (specified) termفَلَاthen (there is) noجُنَاحَblameعَلَیْكُمْupon youفِیْمَاfor whatفَعَلْنَthey doفِیْۤconcerningاَنْفُسِهِنَّthemselvesبِالْمَعْرُوْفِ ؕin a fair mannerوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahبِمَاof whatتَعْمَلُوْنَyou doخَبِیْرٌ (is) All-Aware وَ لَاAnd (there is) noجُنَاحَblameعَلَیْكُمْupon youفِیْمَاin whatعَرَّضْتُمْyou hintبِهٖ[with it]مِنْofخِطْبَةِmarriage proposalالنِّسَآءِ[to] the womenاَوْorاَكْنَنْتُمْyou concealed itفِیْۤinاَنْفُسِكُمْ ؕyourselvesعَلِمَKnowsاللّٰهُAllahاَنَّكُمْthat youسَتَذْكُرُوْنَهُنَّwill mention themوَ لٰكِنْ[and] butلَّا(do) notتُوَاعِدُوْهُنَّpromise them (widows)سِرًّاsecretlyاِلَّاۤexceptاَنْthatتَقُوْلُوْاyou sayقَوْلًاa sayingمَّعْرُوْفًا ؕ۬honorableوَ لَاAnd (do) notتَعْزِمُوْاresolve (on)عُقْدَةَthe knotالنِّكَاحِ(of) marriageحَتّٰیuntilیَبْلُغَreachesالْكِتٰبُthe prescribed termاَجَلَهٗ ؕits endوَ اعْلَمُوْۤاAnd knowاَنَّthatاللّٰهَAllahیَعْلَمُknowsمَاwhatفِیْۤ(is) withinاَنْفُسِكُمْyourselvesفَاحْذَرُوْهُ ۚso beware of Himوَ اعْلَمُوْۤاAnd knowاَنَّthatاللّٰهَAllahغَفُوْرٌ(is) Oft-Forgivingحَلِیْمٌ۠Most Forbearing

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Translation of Verse 232-235

232. When you divorce women and they fulfil their term (of Iddat), do not prevent them from marrying their husbands if they mutua lly agree on equitable terms.³⁵¹ This instruction is for all amongst you, who believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is most virtuous for you and the cleanest.³⁵² And Allah knows and you know not.³⁵³

233. Mothers³⁵⁴ shall suckle their children for two whole years; (that is) for those who wish to complete the suckling.³⁵⁵ The duty of feeding and clothing³⁵⁶ nursing mothers in a seemly manner is upon the father of the child. No one should be burdened beyond his capacity. A mother should not be made to suffer because of her child nor should the father because of his child. An heir³⁵⁷ shall be responsible in the same way. If they both decide on weaning by mutual consent, and after due consultation, there is no sin for them. If you decide on a foster-mother for your child, there is no sin for you provided you pay what you offered on equitable terms. And fear Allah and know that Allah sees well what you do.

234. If any of you die and leave wives behind, they shall wait, keeping themselves apart four months and ten days.³⁵⁸ When they have fulfilled their term, there is no sin on you if they dispose of themselves in a reasonable manner. And Allah is fully aware of what you do.

235. There is no sin on you if you make an offer of betrothal or hold it in your hearts. Allah knows that you will think of them, but do not make a secret agreement with them except in terms honourable, nor resolve on the tie of marriage till the term prescribed is fulfilled.³⁵⁹ And know that Allah knows what is in your hearts, and fear Him. And know that Allah is Forgiving Forbearing.³⁶⁰

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Commentary

351. That is: When the divorced women complete the period of waiting (Iddat), then they are free to re-marry according to their choice on equitable terms or according to the accepted or the usual practice. If the divorced woman wants to re-marry her former husband then the relatives of the divorced woman should not place hindrances in her path or if she wants to marry some other person then the former husband should not try to prevent her from doing so nor to prevent anyone else from marrying her.

From this verse this rule of the Shariah about the Nikah becomes clear that the divorced woman is not bound by the permission of her guardian, but she can contract marriage in the usual and accepted way according to her choice.

352. That is: The external and internal cleanliness lies in the practice to allow the divorced woman to marry again according to her own choice. If on account of superficial and unnecesssary rituals, customs, etc., hindrances are created in the way of her re-marriage, then there is a danger of her going astray and committing immoral acts.

353. That is: Your knowledge is very much limited. You do not know what is really beneficial to you in life but Allah knows that and therefore whatever command He gives you, you should obey them.

A man’s knowledge is not so universal nor is man endowed with so broad a view as to cover all the real advantages and therefore the manmade family laws cannot be really advantageous for him. As against this, the family laws enunciated by Quran are devised by Allah who is Allknowing and the Wisest of all and are based on the principles which are really good for man and therefore the fact of these Islamic family laws being advantageous is beyond doubt.

354. In this verse commands regarding suckling of infants are stated. In the case of a divorcee, when the divorced woman has a suckling child then there is a complicated problem. At that time artificial and tinned powder milk was not available and the feeding of the child was solely dependent on mother’s or nurse’s milk. For the child, mother’s milk is the best food. In order that the child in such cases may not suffer these instructions have been given.

355. The period of suckling an infant is two years. Therefore it is the responsibility of the divorced woman that she should feed her child for two years, provided the father of the child wants the child to be fed mother’s milk for the full period.

356. That is: During the period of suckling an infant, the responsibility of feeding and clothing the divorced woman is on the father of the child. This responsibility will have to be met on equitable terms, i.e. according to the usual and accepted manner looking to the status of the child’s father and the circumstances.

357. That is: If the father of the child has died, then this responsibility will devolve on the heir of the deceased.

358. In the event of the death of the husband, the term of waiting ( Iddat ) for the widow is four months ten days but if she is pregnant then till the termination of the pregnancy. (Vide Surah Talaq, verse 4).

The term of Iddat or the time of waiting for a widow is more in comparison with the divorced woman because of consideration for mourning etc. The shock that a wife receives on the death of her husband demands that she should not be compelled to leave the husband’s house immediately and during this period she deserves deep sympathy. After the fulfilment of the term of Iddat, she can take whatever steps she may deem fit in a respectable way according to the prevalent custom. In this connection, un-Islamic custom should not come in the way of the woman. If she wants to marry again, she should not be prevented by making her victim of taunts.

In certain societies it was the practice to burn the widow with the dead body of the husband. But Islam in spite of these customs has allowed a widow to contract remarriage of her choice and has encouraged it.

359. During the period of Iddat, it is not lawful to perform nikah or to give openly an offer of nikah.

360. That is: He does not call you to task on small matters or for trifling. if your intentions are honest then you should hope that He will forgive your sins.