Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 236–242

2. Al-Baqara · The Cow

Madinan286 verses

لَّا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِن طَلَّقْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ مَا لَمْ تَمَسُّوهُنَّ أَوْ تَفْرِضُوا۟ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةًۭ ۚ وَمَتِّعُوهُنَّ عَلَى ٱلْمُوسِعِ قَدَرُهُۥ وَعَلَى ٱلْمُقْتِرِ قَدَرُهُۥ مَتَٰعًۢا بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۖ حَقًّا عَلَى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

2:236There is no sin upon you if you divorce women while you have not yet touched them or settled a dowry for them. Yet provide for them—the well-off according to his capacity, and the poorly-off according to his capacity—with a sustenance that is honourable, an obligation on the virtuous.1

وَإِن طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَمَسُّوهُنَّ وَقَدْ فَرَضْتُمْ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةًۭ فَنِصْفُ مَا فَرَضْتُمْ إِلَّآ أَن يَعْفُونَ أَوْ يَعْفُوَا۟ ٱلَّذِى بِيَدِهِۦ عُقْدَةُ ٱلنِّكَاحِ ۚ وَأَن تَعْفُوٓا۟ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۚ وَلَا تَنسَوُا۟ ٱلْفَضْلَ بَيْنَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

2:237And if you divorce them before you touch them, and you have already settled a dowry for them, then [pay them] half of what you have settled, unless they forgo it, or someone in whose hand is the marriage tie forgoes it. And to forgo is nearer to Godwariness; so do not forget graciousness among yourselves. Indeed Allah watches what you do.2

حَٰفِظُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَوَٰتِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ٱلْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا۟ لِلَّهِ قَٰنِتِينَ

2:238Be watchful of your prayers, and [especially] the middle prayer, and stand in obedience to Allah;3

فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ فَرِجَالًا أَوْ رُكْبَانًۭا ۖ فَإِذَآ أَمِنتُمْ فَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ كَمَا عَلَّمَكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُوا۟ تَعْلَمُونَ

2:239and should you fear [a danger], then [pray] on foot or mounted, and when you are safe remember Allah, as He taught you what you did not know.5

وَٱلَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَٰجًۭا وَصِيَّةًۭ لِّأَزْوَٰجِهِم مَّتَٰعًا إِلَى ٱلْحَوْلِ غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍۢ ۚ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى مَا فَعَلْنَ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِنَّ مِن مَّعْرُوفٍۢ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ

2:240Those of you who die leaving wives shall bequeath for their wives providing for a year, without turning them out; but if they leave, there is no sin upon you in respect of what they may do with themselves in accordance with honourable norms. And Allah is all-mighty, all-wise.

وَلِلْمُطَلَّقَٰتِ مَتَٰعٌۢ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۖ حَقًّا عَلَى ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ

2:241For the divorced women there shall be a provision, in accordance with honourable norms—an obligation on the Godwary.

كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

2:242Thus does Allah clarify His signs to you so that you may exercise your reason.

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 238

1.There are some conditions of the woman at the time of divorce. (i) One is when neither the marriage is consummated nor is the maher dower been paid. That the fixing of the dower is not considered a condition of an Aqd. In such case the maher is not wajib but it is the responsible behaviour of the benevolent people that they should give the woman food and clothes and send her off with honour. (ii) When the marriage is not consummated but the dower is fixed. In such a condition half the dower is necessary but it is better the woman condones this also as the man has not derived any pleasure from her and it is better for the husband to give her the full dower as the woman has become his wife and is considered a married woman in the society. (iii) Forgiveness is nearest to piety. Whoever it might be that forgives. The secret of the proximity to piety is that piety is a reward of the hereafter and for the hereafter Allah says that if you forgive My servants your rights I will forgive you My rights on you.

Verse 240

2.In fixing the middle prayer, eighteen statements are related. The most well known is about the prayers of Zuhr and Asr. That this is the prayer between sunrise and sunset. Many exegetes have explained wusta to be ‘the best’. That the Muslim should not only be steadfast in prayers but he should be steadfast in the best of the prayers. And the fact is that where there is no steadfastness in prayer you would find every kind of defects in it. Who can prevent from sins the one who does not fear Allah and does not attend the prayer?

Verse 241

3.In the beginning in Islam, this Arabian custom was accepted but later it was abrogated and now neither merchandise nor maintenance of the year is obligatory but only she has to observe the period of probation of four months and ten days and after that she is free. Though it could denote those people who have made a bequest. Their will must be honoured and the maintenance must be provided for a year. These are the same divorced women whose dower was not settled otherwise except for the dower no other payment is obligatory. And in the meaning of the Quran there is no scope of personal interpretation. Rather disobedience of the ayats of the Quran is equal to senselessness.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    Mataa’ are those useful items and dresses that can be used in life. This is not necessary for anyone except those divorced wives.

    Benefit: In the 236th ayat two problems are explained. (i) Divorce is allowed before the consummation of marriage and before the giving of dower. There is no necessity of these conditions in Divorce. (ii) In case of divorce before the consummation of marriage if the dower has not been fixed the husband must give a respectable gift to the woman, which can compensate to some extent her sacrifice. Mohsineen does not denote that it is mere obligation but actually it is the right that can be felt only by righteous people.

  2. 2

    Some people think that this word denotes Wali (guardian) and some think it denotes the husband or the wife may herself condone her half and the husband may pay his half, which is compared to be near to piety and greatness.

  3. 3

    In view of some wusta is the feminine of Aswat. That is middle. According to the others it in the meaning of Fazla. That is to observe the best of the prayers. 4. Qunoot is the zenith of humility and sincerity. That is why probably that supplication during ritual prayers is called Qunoot.

  4. 5

    Fear can also be in the battlefield and also during the journey etc. In each case the prayer will be offered as is possible.

  5. Benefit

    We should know that Mataa’ is not cash because cash is useful only when it is converted into goods and Mataa’ is mentioned because giving of cash may seem insulting but it would not be so if some articles were given. Also in the 237th ayat Talaqtamuhunna and Ta’affoo is aimed for the husband but Bida-e-Aqdul Nikah denotes the woman’s guardian and it is for this that the third person verb is used.