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 229-231اَلطَّلَاقُThe divorceمَرَّتٰنِ ۪(is) twiceفَاِمْسَاكٌۢThen to retainبِمَعْرُوْفٍin a reasonable mannerاَوْorتَسْرِیْحٌۢto release (her)بِاِحْسَانٍ ؕwith kindnessوَ لَاAnd (it is) notیَحِلُّlawfulلَكُمْfor youاَنْthatتَاْخُذُوْاyou take (back)مِمَّاۤwhateverاٰتَیْتُمُوْهُنَّyou have given them (wives)شَیْـًٔاanythingاِلَّاۤexceptاَنْifیَّخَافَاۤboth fearاَلَّاthat notیُقِیْمَاthey both (can) keepحُدُوْدَ(the) limitsاللّٰهِ ؕ(of) AllahفَاِنْBut ifخِفْتُمْyou fearاَلَّاthat notیُقِیْمَاthey both (can) keepحُدُوْدَ(the) limitsاللّٰهِ ۙ(of) Allahفَلَاthen (there is) noجُنَاحَsinعَلَیْهِمَاon both of themفِیْمَاin whatافْتَدَتْshe ransomsبِهٖ ؕconcerning itتِلْكَTheseحُدُوْدُ(are the) limitsاللّٰهِ(of) Allahفَلَاso (do) notتَعْتَدُوْهَا ۚtransgress themوَ مَنْAnd whoeverیَّتَعَدَّtransgressesحُدُوْدَ(the) limitsاللّٰهِ(of) Allahفَاُولٰٓىِٕكَthen thoseهُمُtheyالظّٰلِمُوْنَ (are) the wrongdoers فَاِنْThen ifطَلَّقَهَاhe divorces her (finally)فَلَاthen (she is) notتَحِلُّlawfulلَهٗfor himمِنْۢfromبَعْدُafter (that)حَتّٰیuntilتَنْكِحَshe marriesزَوْجًاa spouseغَیْرَهٗ ؕother than himفَاِنْThen ifطَلَّقَهَاhe divorces herفَلَاthen noجُنَاحَsinعَلَیْهِمَاۤon themاَنْifیَّتَرَاجَعَاۤthey return to each otherاِنْifظَنَّاۤthey believeاَنْthatیُّقِیْمَاthey (will be able to) keepحُدُوْدَ(the) limitsاللّٰهِ ؕ(of) Allahوَ تِلْكَAnd theseحُدُوْدُ(are the) limitsاللّٰهِ(of) AllahیُبَیِّنُهَاHe makes them clearلِقَوْمٍto a peopleیَّعْلَمُوْنَ who know 2. Al-Baqarah Page 37وَ اِذَاAnd whenطَلَّقْتُمُyou divorceالنِّسَآءَthe womenفَبَلَغْنَand they reachاَجَلَهُنَّtheir (waiting) termفَاَمْسِكُوْهُنَّthen retain themبِمَعْرُوْفٍin a fair mannerاَوْorسَرِّحُوْهُنَّrelease themبِمَعْرُوْفٍ ۪in a fair mannerوَّ لَاAnd (do) notتُمْسِكُوْهُنَّretain themضِرَارًا(to) hurtلِّتَعْتَدُوْا ۚso that you transgressوَ مَنْAnd whoeverیَّفْعَلْdoesذٰلِكَthatفَقَدْthen indeedظَلَمَhe wrongedنَفْسَهٗ ؕhimselfوَ لَاAnd (do) notتَتَّخِذُوْۤاtakeاٰیٰتِ(the) Versesاللّٰهِ(of) Allahهُزُوًا ؗ(in) jestوَّ اذْكُرُوْاand rememberنِعْمَتَ(the) Favorsاللّٰهِ(of) Allahعَلَیْكُمْupon youوَ مَاۤand whatاَنْزَلَ(is) revealedعَلَیْكُمْto youمِّنَofالْكِتٰبِthe Bookوَ الْحِكْمَةِand the wisdomیَعِظُكُمْHe instructs youبِهٖ ؕwith itوَ اتَّقُواAnd fearاللّٰهَAllahوَ اعْلَمُوْۤاand knowاَنَّthatاللّٰهَAllah (is)بِكُلِّof everyشَیْءٍthingعَلِیْمٌ۠All-Knower

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Translation of Verse 229-231

229. Divorce may be retracted twice, then the husband must retain ˹his wife˺ with honour or separate ˹from her˺ with grace. ⁹⁴ It is not lawful for husbands to take back anything of the dowry given to their wives, unless the couple fears not being able to keep within the limits of Allah. ⁹⁵ So if you fear they will not be able to keep within the limits of Allah, there is no blame if the wife compensates the husband to obtain divorce. ⁹⁶ These are the limits set by Allah, so do not transgress them. And whoever transgresses the limits of Allah, they are the ˹true˺ wrongdoers.

230. So if a husband divorces his wife ˹three times˺, then it is not lawful for him to remarry her until after she has married another man and then is divorced. Then it is permissible for them to reunite, as long as they feel they are able to maintain the limits of Allah. These are the limits set by Allah, which He makes clear for people of knowledge.

231. When you divorce women and they have ˹almost˺ reached the end of their waiting period, either retain them honourably or let them go honourably. But do not retain them ˹only˺ to harm them ˹or˺ to take advantage ˹of them˺. Whoever does that surely wrongs his own soul. Do not take Allah's revelations lightly. Remember Allah's favours upon you as well as the Book and wisdom ⁹⁷ He has sent down for your guidance. Be mindful of Allah, and know that Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things.

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Commentary

94. A husband may separate from his wife after each of the first two counts of divorce or at the end of her waiting period ( see 65:1-5) with dignity. If he chooses to stay with her after the first two counts of divorce then divorces her a third time, the marriage is terminated at the end of her third waiting period. The wife will have to marry and divorce another man before she can be remarried to her ex- husband ( see 2:230). However, a woman marrying someone with the intention of getting divorced, in order to return to her first husband, is forbidden.

95. The "limits of Allah" implies fidelity to one's spouse according to Allah's commands.

96. If the wife does not want to continue in the marriage for legitimate reasons, then she can return the dowry ( mahr ) to the husband in compensation for divorce. This ruling is called khul' .

97. "Wisdom" means the " sunnah " or the tradition of the Prophet ( ﷺ ) when it is mentioned along with the Book (i.e., the Quran).