Quran Ayah of The Day, 2:231

Hassan

Laa ilaha ilaa Allah
Staff member
:bismillah1:

Al Baqarah, 2:231

Translation:
Yusuf Ali: When ye divorce women, and they fulfil the term of their (`Iddah), either take them back on equitable terms or set them free on equitable terms; but do not take them back to injure them, (or) to take undue advantage; if anyone does that he wrongs his own soul. Do not treat Allah's Signs as a jest, but solemnly rehearse Allah's favours on you, and the fact that He sent down to you the Book and Wisdom, for your instruction. And fear Allah and know that Allah is well acquainted with all things.

Dr. Mohsin: And when you have divorced women and they have fulfilled the term of their prescribed period, either take them back on reasonable basis or set them free on reasonable basis. But do not take them back to hurt them, and whoever does that, then he has wronged himself. And treat not the Verses (Laws) of Allâh as a jest, but remember Allâh's Favours on you (i.e. Islâm), and that which He has sent down to you of the Book (i.e. the Qur'ân) and Al-Hikmah (the Prophet's Sunnah - legal ways - Islâmic jurisprudence). whereby He instructs you. And fear Allâh, and know that Allâh is All-Aware of everything.

Arabic:
وَإِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَبَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ سَرِّحُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ وَلاَ تُمْسِكُوهُنَّ ضِرَاراً لِّتَعْتَدُواْ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ نَفْسَهُ وَلاَ تَتَّخِذُوۤاْ آيَاتِ ٱللَّهِ هُزُواً وَٱذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَابِ وَٱلْحِكْمَةِ يَعِظُكُمْ بِهِ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوۤاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

Audio:
http://transliteration.org/quran/WebSite_CD/MixPure/..\..\WebSite_CD3\Sound2/0022311.mp3

Transliteration:
Wa 'Idhā Ţallaqtumu An-Nisā' Fabalaghna 'Ajalahunna Fa'amsikūhunna Bima`rūfin 'Aw Sarriĥūhunna Bima`rūfin Wa Lā Tumsikūhunna Đirārāan Lita`tadū Wa Man Yaf`al Dhālika Faqad Žalama Nafsahu Wa Lā Tattakhidhū 'Āyāti Al-Lahi Huzūan Wa Adhkurū Ni`mata Al-Lahi `Alaykum Wa Mā 'Anzala `Alaykum Mina Al-Kitābi Wa Al-Ĥikmati Ya`ižukum Bihi Wa Attaqū Al-Laha Wa A`lamū 'Anna Al-Laha Bikulli Shay'in `Alīmun

Tafsir al-Jalalayn:
When you divorce women, and they have, very nearly, reached, the end of, their term, then retain them, by returning to them, honourably, not harming them, or set them free honourably, or leave them until their term is completed; do not retain them, when reverting, in harm (dirāran is an object denoting reason), to transgress, that is, so as to force them to redemption, or to repudiate them or confine them indoors for a long time; whoever does that has wronged his soul, by exposing it to God’s chastisement; take not God’s verses in mockery, in jest by contravening them, and remember God’s grace upon you, that is, Islam, and the Book, the Qur’ān, and the wisdom, the rulings contained therein, He has revealed to you, to exhort you therewith, so that you should give thanks by acting in accordance with it; and fear God, and know that God has knowledge of all things, and nothing can be hidden from Him.

Tafsir ibn Kathir:
(231. And when you have divorced women and they have fulfilled the term of their prescribed period, either take them back on a reasonable basis or set them free on a reasonable basis. But do not take them back to hurt them, and whoever does that, then he has wronged himself. And treat not the verses (Laws) of Allah in jest, but remember Allah's favors on you (i.e., Islam), and that which He has sent down to you of the Book (i.e., the Qur'an) and Al-Hikmah (the Prophet's Sunnah ـ legal ways ـ Islamic jurisprudence) whereby He instructs you. And fear Allah, and know that Allah is All-Aware of everything).

Being Kind to the Divorced Wife

This is a command from Allah to men that when one of them divorces his wife with a reversible divorce, he should treat her kindly. So when her term of `Iddah (waiting period) nears its end, he either takes her back in a way that is better, including having witnesses that he has taken her back, and he lives with her with kindness. Or, he should release her after her `Iddah finishes and then kindly asks her to depart from his house, without disputing, fighting with her or using foul words. Allah then said:

﴿وَلاَ تُمْسِكُوهُنَّ ضِرَارًا لِّتَعْتَدُواْ﴾


(But do not take them back to hurt them,)

Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Masruq, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` and Muqatil bin Hayyan said that a man used to divorce his wife, and when her `Iddah came near its end, he would take her back to harm her and to stop her from marrying someone else. He then divorced her and she would begin her `Iddah and when her `Iddah term neared its end, he would take her back again, so that the term of `Iddah would be prolonged for her. After that, Allah prohibited this practice. Allah has also threatened those who indulge in such practices, when He said;

﴿وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ نَفْسَهُ﴾

(...and whoever does that, then he has wronged himself.) meaning, by defying Allah's commandments. Allah then said:

﴿وَلاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ آيَـتِ اللَّهِ هُزُوًا﴾

(And treat not the verses (Laws) of Allah in a jest,)

Ibn Jarir said that Abu Musa (Al-Ash`ari) narrated that Allah's Messenger once became angry at the Ash`ari tribe. Abu Musa went to him and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Are you angry with the Ash`ariyyin'' The Prophet said:

«يَقُولُ أَحَدُكُمْ: قَدْ طَلَّقْتُ، قَدْ رَاجَعْتُ، لَيْسَ هَذَا طَلَاقُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، طَلِّقُوا الْمَرْأَةَ فِي قُبُلِ عِدَّتِهَا»

(One of you says, `I divorced her' -then says- `I took her back!' This is not the appropriate way Muslims conduct divorce. Divorce the woman when she has fulfilled the term of the prescribed period.)

Masruq said that the Ayah refers to the man who harms his wife by divorcing her and then taking her back, so that the `Iddah term is prolonged for her. Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Ar-Rabi` and Muqatil bin Hayyan said, "He is the man who divorces his wife and says, `I was joking.' Or he frees a servant or gets married and says, `I was only joking.' Allah revealed:

﴿وَلاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ آيَـتِ اللَّهِ هُزُوًا﴾

(And treat not the verses (Laws) of Allah in a jest,)

Then such men were made to bear the consequences of their actions.

Allah then said:

﴿وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ﴾

(. ..but remember Allah's favors on you,) meaning, by His sending His Messenger with the right guidance and clear signs to you:

﴿وَمَآ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ الْكِتَـبِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ﴾

(...and that which He has sent down to you of the Book (i.e., the Qur'an) and Al-Hikmah) meaning the Sunnah,

﴿يَعِظُكُمْ بِهِ﴾

(...whereby He instructs you.) meaning, commands you, forbids you and threatens you for transgressing His prohibitions. Allah said:

﴿وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ﴾

(And fear Allah) meaning, concerning what you perform and what you avoid,

﴿وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ﴾


(and know that Allah is All-Aware of everything.) none of your secret or public affairs ever escapes His knowledge, and He will treat you accordingly.
 
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