Al-Baqarah 2:237
The Cow · Juz 2 · Page 38
وَإِن طَلَّقۡتُمُوهُنَّ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن تَمَسُّوهُنَّ وَقَدۡ فَرَضۡتُمۡ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةٗ فَنِصۡفُ مَا فَرَضۡتُمۡ إِلَّآ أَن يَعۡفُونَ أَوۡ يَعۡفُوَاْ ٱلَّذِي بِيَدِهِۦ عُقۡدَةُ ٱلنِّكَاحِۚ وَأَن تَعۡفُوٓاْ أَقۡرَبُ لِلتَّقۡوَىٰۚ وَلَا تَنسَوُاْ ٱلۡفَضۡلَ بَيۡنَكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ ٢٣٧
And if you divorce them before you have touched them and you have already specified for them an obligation, then [give] half of what you specified - unless they forego the right or the one in whose hand is the marriage contract foregoes it. And to forego it is nearer to righteousness. And do not forget graciousness between you. Indeed Allāh, of whatever you do, is Seeing.
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Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 2:237
The Wife gets half of Her Mahr if She is divorced before the Marriage is consummated
This honorable Ayah is not a continuation of the Mut`ah (gift) that was mentioned in the previous Ayah (i.e., divorce before the marriage is consummated). This Ayah (2:237) requires the husband to relinquish half of the appointed Mahr if he divorces his wife before the marriage is consummated. If it was discussing any other type of gift, then it would have been mentioned that way, especially when this Ayah follows the previous Ayah related to this subject. Allah knows best. Giving away half of the bridal-money in this case is the agreed practice according to the scholars. So, the husband pays half of the appointed Mahr if he divorces his wife before consummating the marriage.
Allah then said:
إَّلا أَن يَعْفُونَ
(unless they (the women) agree to remit it,) meaning, the wife forfeits the dowry and relieves the husband from further financial responsibility. As-Suddi said that Abu Salih mentioned that Ibn `Abbas commented on Allah's statement:
إَّلا أَن يَعْفُونَ
(unless they (the women) agree to remit it,) "Unless the wife forfeits her right."Furthermore, Imam Abu Muhammad bin Abu Hatim said that it was reported that Shurayh, Sa`id bin Musayyib, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Ash-Sha`bi, Al-Hasan, Nafi`, Qatadah, Jabir bin Zayd, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Ad-Dahhak, Az-Zuhri, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Ibn Sirin, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and As-Suddi said similarly.
Allah then said:
أَوْ يَعْفُوَاْ الَّذِى بِيَدِهِ عُقْدَةُ النِّكَاحِ
(...or he (the husband), in whose hands is the marriage tie, agrees to remit it.)
Ibn Abu Hatim reported that `Amr bin Shu`ayb said that his grandfather narrated that the Prophet said:
«وَلِيُّ عُقْدَةِ النِّكَاحِ الزَّوْج»
(The husband is he who has the marriage tie.)
Ibn Marduwyah also reported this Hadith, and it is the view chosen by Ibn Jarir. The Hadith states that the husband is the person who really holds the marriage tie in his hand, as it is up to him to go on with the marriage or end it. On the other hand, the Wali of the wife is not allowed to give away any of her rightful dues without her permission, especially the dowry.
Allah then stated:
وَأَن تَعْفُواْ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى
(And to remit it is nearer to At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness).)
Ibn Jarir said, "Some scholars said that this statement is directed at both men and women." Ibn `Abbas said:
وَأَن تَعْفُواْ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى
(And to remit it is nearer to At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness).) indicates that the one who forgives, is nearer to At-Taqwa (piety)." A similar statement was made by Ash-Sha`bi and several other scholars.
Mujahid, An-Nakha`i, Ad-Dahhak, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Thawri stated that `liberality' mentioned in the Ayah refers to the woman giving away her half Mahr, or the man giving away the full Mahr. This is why Allah said here:
وَلاَ تَنسَوُاْ الْفَضْلَ بَيْنَكُمْ
(And do not forget liberality between yourselves.) meaning, kindness (or generosity), as Sa`id has stated. Allah said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
(Truly, Allah is All-Seer of what you do.) meaning, none of your affairs ever escapes His perfect Watch, and He will reward each according to his deeds.
حَفِظُواْ عَلَى الصَّلَوَتِ والصَّلَوةِ الْوُسْطَى وَقُومُواْ لِلَّهِ قَنِتِينَ
Page 38
2:234
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوۡنَ مِنكُمۡ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزۡوَٰجٗا يَتَرَبَّصۡنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ أَرۡبَعَةَ أَشۡهُرٖ وَعَشۡرٗاۖ فَإِذَا بَلَغۡنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فِيمَا فَعَلۡنَ فِيٓ أَنفُسِهِنَّ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞ ٢٣٤
And those who are taken in death among you and leave wives behind - they, [the wives, shall] wait four months and ten [days]. And when they have fulfilled their term, then there is no blame upon you for what they do with themselves in an acceptable manner.1 And Allāh is [fully] Aware of what you do.
1 translator’s note
- They may remarry if they wish. ↩
2:235
وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فِيمَا عَرَّضۡتُم بِهِۦ مِنۡ خِطۡبَةِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ أَوۡ أَكۡنَنتُمۡ فِيٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡۚ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّكُمۡ سَتَذۡكُرُونَهُنَّ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تُوَاعِدُوهُنَّ سِرًّا إِلَّآ أَن تَقُولُواْ قَوۡلٗا مَّعۡرُوفٗاۚ وَلَا تَعۡزِمُواْ عُقۡدَةَ ٱلنِّكَاحِ حَتَّىٰ يَبۡلُغَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبُ أَجَلَهُۥۚ وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعۡلَمُ مَا فِيٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ فَٱحۡذَرُوهُۚ وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٞ ٢٣٥
There is no blame upon you for that to which you [indirectly] allude concerning a proposal to women or for what you conceal within yourselves. Allāh knows that you will have them in mind. But do not promise them secretly except for saying a proper saying. And do not determine to undertake a marriage contract until the decreed period1 reaches its end. And know that Allāh knows what is within yourselves, so beware of Him. And know that Allāh is Forgiving and Forbearing.
1 translator’s note
- The ʿiddah (bereavement period) after the death of a husband. ↩
2:236
لَّا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِن طَلَّقۡتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ مَا لَمۡ تَمَسُّوهُنَّ أَوۡ تَفۡرِضُواْ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةٗۚ وَمَتِّعُوهُنَّ عَلَى ٱلۡمُوسِعِ قَدَرُهُۥ وَعَلَى ٱلۡمُقۡتِرِ قَدَرُهُۥ مَتَٰعَۢا بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِۖ حَقًّا عَلَى ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ٢٣٦
There is no blame upon you if you divorce women you have not touched1 nor specified for them an obligation.2 But give them [a gift of] compensation - the wealthy according to his capability and the poor according to his capability - a provision according to what is acceptable, a duty upon the doers of good.
2:237
وَإِن طَلَّقۡتُمُوهُنَّ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن تَمَسُّوهُنَّ وَقَدۡ فَرَضۡتُمۡ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةٗ فَنِصۡفُ مَا فَرَضۡتُمۡ إِلَّآ أَن يَعۡفُونَ أَوۡ يَعۡفُوَاْ ٱلَّذِي بِيَدِهِۦ عُقۡدَةُ ٱلنِّكَاحِۚ وَأَن تَعۡفُوٓاْ أَقۡرَبُ لِلتَّقۡوَىٰۚ وَلَا تَنسَوُاْ ٱلۡفَضۡلَ بَيۡنَكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ ٢٣٧
And if you divorce them before you have touched them and you have already specified for them an obligation, then [give] half of what you specified - unless they forego the right or the one in whose hand is the marriage contract foregoes it. And to forego it is nearer to righteousness. And do not forget graciousness between you. Indeed Allāh, of whatever you do, is Seeing.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy