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

(2:232) When you divorce women and they have completed their waiting term do not hinder them from marrying other men if they have agreed to this in a fair manner.²⁵⁶

That is an admonition to everyone of you who believes in Allah and the Last Day; that is a cleaner and purer way for you. For Allah knows whereas you do not know.

(2:233) If they (i.e. the fathers) wish that the period of suckling for their children be completed, mothers may suckle their children for two whole years.²⁵⁷ (In such a case) it is incumbent upon him who has begotten the child to provide them (i.e. divorced women) their sustenance and clothing in a fair manner. But none shall be burdened with more than he is able to bear; neither shall a mother suffer because of her child nor shall the father be made to suffer because he has begotten him. The same duty towards the suckling mother rests upon the heir²⁵⁸ as upon him (i.e. the father). And if both (the parents) decide, by mutual consent and consultation, to wean the child, there is no blame on them; if you decide to have other women suckle your children there is no blame upon you, provided you hand over its compensation in a fair manner. Fear Allah and know well that Allah sees all that you do.

(2:234) The wives of men who have died must observe a waiting period of four months and ten days;²⁵⁹ when they have reached the end of the waiting term, there is no blame upon you regarding what they may do with themselves in a fair manner. Allah is well aware of what you do.

(2:235) There is no blame upon you whether you hint at a marriage proposal to such women or keep the proposal hidden in your hearts. Allah knows that you will think of them in that connection. But do not make any secret engagement with them and speak openly in an honourable manner. Do not resolve on the marriage tie until the ordained term has come to its end. Know well that Allah knows even what is in your hearts. So, have fear of Him and know well that Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Forbearing.

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Commentary

256. This is a directive to the relatives of the divorced woman. When a woman is divorced by her husband and he fails to revoke the divorce before the expiry of the waiting period, the relatives of the woman should not try to prevent the couple from re-marrying if they agree to do so. This verse may also be interpreted to mean that if a divorced woman wants to contract marriage with someone other than her former husband after the expiry of the waiting period, the former husband should not obstruct this marriage by making malicious propaganda against the woman he has forsaken.

That is an admonition to every one of you who believes in Allah and the Last Day; that is a cleaner and purer way for you. For Allah knows whereas you do not know.

257. This injunction applies to the condition where the couple have separated either because of divorce, or klul' see (n. 252 above) or ' faskh (annulment) or tafriq (repudiation as a result of judicial decision) and the woman is nursing a child.

258. That is, if the father dies, whoever replaces him as the guardian of the child will be responsible for fulfilling this claim.

259. The waiting period owing to the death of the husband is obligatory even for a woman with whom consummation of marriage has not taken place. A pregnant woman, however, is exempted from this. Her waiting period expires the husband's death and the childbirth is less than the waiting period prescribed by Law.

'To observe a waiting period' does not mean merely that they should refrain from marrying, but also from self-adornment.

Hence we find categorical directives in the Hadith that a widow should neither wear colourful and showy dresses and jewellery, make use of henna, kohl, and perfumes, nor set her hair in an attractive style. There is disagreement, however, as to whether the widow may go out of her house during the waiting period. 'Umar, 'UthmaAn, Ibn 'Umar, Zayd ibn Thabit, Ibn Mas'uid, Ummn Salamah, Said ibn al-Musayyib, Ibrahim al-Nakha'i, Muhammad ibn Sirin and the founders of the four legal schools are of the opinion that during the waiting period a woman should stay in the house in which her husband died. During the daytime she may go out to do necessary errands, but her residence should be her own home. On contrary, 'A'ishah, Ibn 'Abbas, 'Ali, Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah. 'Ata'. Ta'us, Hasan al-Basri. 'Umar ibn'Abd al'Aziz and the Zahiris are of the opinion that a widow may spend her waiting period wherever she likes, and may even go on journeys. (See the commentary on the verse in JassAs. vol. 1, pp. 418 f. - Ed.)