65- Surat Altalaq/Tafseer
12 Verses Medinan (revealed in Medina)
A'auzu Bellahi mena alshaiytani alrajeem
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan
Besmi Ellahi Alrhmani Alraheem
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Ya-ayyuha alnabiyyu iza tallaqtumu alnisaa fa-talliquhunna
li-iddateihinna wa-ahsu al-iddata wa-ttaqu Allaha Rabbakum la tukhrijuhunna men
buyutihinna wa-la yakhrujna illa an ya'tina bi-fahishatin mubayyinatin
wa-tilka hududu Allahi wa-man yata-adda hududa Allahi fa-qad zalama nafsahu la
tadri la-alla Allaha youhdithu ba'da zalika amra (1).
O Prophet! When you divorce women, then Divorce them for their waiting period, and Keep count of the waiting period, and Fear Allah your Lord, and Do not expel them from their houses, nor should they leave unless they commit a clear immorality, and these are the limits of
Allah, and whoever transgresses the limits of Allah, then
indeed, he has wronged himself, you do not know, perhaps Allah will bring about after that, a matter.
Fa-iza balaghna ajalahunna fa-amsikuhunna bi-ma'rufin aww fariquhunna bi-ma'rufin wa ashhidu zawayy adlin minkum wa aqeemu alshahadata li-llahi zalikum you-azu bihi man kana you'minu bi-llahi wa alyawmi al-akhiri wa-man yattaqi illaha yaj-al lahu makhraja (2).
Then when they have reached their term, then Retain them in a reasonable manner or Part with them in a reasonable manner, and Bring to witness two just men from among you and Establish the testimony for Allah, that is instructed to whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, and whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out.
Wa-yarzuqhu men haythu la yahtasibu wa man yatawakkal ala Allahi fa-huwa hasbuhu inna Allaha balighu amrihi qad ja-ala Allahu li-kulli shay-in qadra (3).
And will provide for him from where he does not expect, and whoever puts his trust upon Allah, then He is Sufficient for him, indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose, indeed, Allah has set for everything a measure.
Wa-allai ya-esna mina al-mahidi men nisa-ikum ini ertabtum fa-iddatuhunna thalathatu ashhurin wa-allai lam yahidna wa aulatu al-ahmali ajaluhunna an yada'na hamlahunna wa man yattaqi ellaha yaj-al lahu men amrihi yousra (4).
And those from among you who have despaired of menstruation, if you are in doubt, then their Iddah is three months and those who have not yet menstruated, and for those who are pregnant, their term is until they give birth, and whoever fears Allah, He will make for him of his matter ease.
Zalika amru allahi anzalahu ilaykum wa man yattaqi ellaha youkaffir anhu sayyi-atihi wa you'zim lahu ajra (5).
That is the command of Allah which He has sent down to you, and whoever fears Allah, He will remove from him his misdeeds, and make great for him his reward.
Askinuhunna men haythu sakantum men wujdikum wa-la tudarruhunna li-tudayyiku alayhinna wa in kunna aulati hamlin fa-anfiqu alayhinna hatta yada'na hamlahunna fa-in arda'na lakum fa-atuhunna ujurahunna wa'tameru baynakum bi-ma'rufin wa in ta-asartum fasa-turdiu lahu aukhra (6).
Lodge them of where you dwell out of your means, and Do not harm them in order to oppress them, and if they should be pregnant, then Spend on them until they give birth, and if they suckle for you, then Give them their payment, and consult among yourselves in a reasonable manner, but if you are in discord, then there may suckle for him another woman.
Li-younfiq zu sa-atin men sa-atihi wa man qudeira alayhi rizquhu fal-younfiq memma atahu Allahu la youkallifu Allahu nafsan illa ma ataha sa-yaj-alu Allahu ba'da ausrin yousra (7).
Let a man of ample means spend from his ample means, and he whose provision is restricted, Let him spend from what Allah has given him, Allah does not burden a soul except what He has given it, Allah will bring about, after hardship, ease.
Wa ka-ayyin men qaryatin atat an amri Rabbiha wa rusulihi fa-hasabnaha hisaban shadeedan wa azzabnaha azaban nukra (8).
And how many a town rebelled against the command of its Lord and His Messengers, so We took it to severe account, and punished it with a terrible punishment.
Fa-zaqat wabala amriha wa kana aqibatu amriha khusra (9).
So it tasted the bad consequence of its affair, and the end of its affair was loss.
A-adda Allahu lahum azaban shadeedan fa-ttaqu Allaha ya-auli al-albabi allazina amanu qad anzala Allahu ilaykum zekra (10).
Allah has prepared for them a severe punishment, so Fear Allah, O you of understanding who have believed, Allah has sent down to you a reminder.
Rasulan yatlu alaykum ayati ellahi mubayyinatin li-youkhrija allazina amanu wa amilu alsalihati mena alzulumati ela alnuri wa man you'men bi-llahi wa ya'mal salihan youdkhilhu jannatin tajri men tahtiha al-anharu khalidina feeha abadan qad ahsana Allahu lahu rizqa (11).
A Messenger who recites to you the distinct verses of Allah, so that He may bring out those who believe and do righteous deeds from darknesses into the light, and whoever believes in Allah and does righteousness, He will admit him into gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever, indeed, Allah will have perfected for him a provision.
Allahu allazi khalaqa saba samawatin wa mina al-ardi methlahunna yatanazzalu al-amru baynahunna li-ta'lamu anna Allaha ala kulli shay-in qadeerun wa anna Allaha qad ahata bi-kulli shay-in ilma (12).
Allah is the One who has created seven heavens and of the earth, the like of them, the command descends among them, so that you may know that Allah is All-Powerful over everything, and that Allah has certainly encompassed everything in knowledge.
Simplified interpretation:
Surat Altalaq came as legislation for those who determine to divorce their wives, and Allah has set conditions for a valid divorce, clarified what must be done during the waiting period, and addressed issues of divorcing a pregnant or breastfeeding women. Then Allah threatened the disbelievers with the painful punishment He inflicted upon the previous nations, and gave glad tidings of gardens of bliss to the righteous and the believers.
Allah Almighty says in the first verse (1) "O Prophet! When you divorce women, then Divorce them for their waiting period, and Keep count of the waiting period, and Fear Allah your Lord, and Do not expel them from their houses, nor should they leave unless they commit a clear immorality, and these are the limits of Allah, and whoever transgresses the limits of Allah, then indeed, he has wronged himself, you do not know, perhaps Allah will bring about after that, a matter", that is, Allah addresses His Prophet (PBUH) saying when you divorce women, then divorce them for their waiting period, so Allah has set limits for divorce, and emphasized that the divorce should be for the waiting period (Iddah), which means the state of purity i.e. when the woman menstruates, then becomes clean and her husband has not had intercourse with her after her purity. If her husband divorces her during this time, then he divorces her according to the waiting period that Allah has stipulated.
Ibn Shihab said that Salim told him that Abdullah Bin Umar told him that he had divorced his wife while she was in her menses, so Umar informed Allah's Messenger (PBUH) of that. Allah's Messenger (PBUH) became very angry at that and said Ibn Umar must return her to his house and keep her as his wife till she becomes clean, and then menstruates and becomes clean again, whereupon, if he wishes to divorce her, he may do so while she is still clean, and before having any sexual relations with her, for that is the legally prescribed period for divorce as Allah has ordered (Sahih Albukhari 4908). But if a man divorced his wife while she is menstruating or during a period of purity in which he had intercourse with her, then he has sinned and his divorce is valid according to majority of scholars.
Thereupon, a man is not allowed to divorce his wife while she is menstruating, nor while she is in a state of purity in which he had intercourse with her. He must leave her in her house until she menstruates and becomes clean, and if he intends to divorce her, he must do so while she is still clean, and before having any sexual relations with her, and they must count the legally prescribed period by knowing its beginning and its end. During the waiting period, a woman has the right to live with the husband as long as she is in the waiting period, and the man does not have the right to expel her from her house, and she is not allowed to leave because she is detained for the right of her husband as well, except in case of obvious necessity, and this is in the case of revocable divorce (Talaq Raj'i) in which the husband has the right to take his wife back to marriage during the waiting period of divorce (Iddah) without a new marriage contract or dowry, and she is permitted to observe her waiting period in a house other than the husband's house in the case of major irrevocable divorce (Talaq ba'in- Bainouna Kubra) when the husband divorces his wife three times, as she then is not lawful for him until she marries another husband as mentioned in Aya (230) of Surat Albaqarah, and she has no right to maintenance or housing with the husband during her waiting period in this case.
Abu Salamah bin Abdul-Rahman reported that Fatima bint Qais said that Abu Amr bin Hafs divorced her absolutely when he was away from home, and he sent his agent to her with some barely, she was displeased with him and when he said I swear by Allah! You have no claim on us, she went to Allah's Messenger (PBUH) and mentioned that to Him, He said there is no maintenance due to you from him, and He commanded her to spend the waiting period (Iddah) in the house of Umm Sharik, but then He said that is a woman whom my companions visit, so better Spend Iddah in the house of Ibn Umm Maktoum, for he is a blind man and you can put off your garment, and when the Iddah is over, Inform Me, she said when my waiting period was over, I mentioned to Him that Mu'awiya bin Abi Sufyan and Jahm had sent proposal of marriage to me, whereupon, Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said as for Abu Jahm, he does not put down his staff from his shoulder, and as or Mu'awiya, he is poor man having no property, Marry Usama bin Zaid, I objected to Him, but He again said Marry Usama, so I married him and Allah blessed therein and I was envied (by others)" (Sahih Muslim 1480 a). They do not leave their houses unless the woman commits a clear immorality (adultery), in which case, then she may leave the martial house. Then Allah affirms that these are the limits set by Allah and His law, and whoever deviates from them and transcends them to others, then he has wronged himself by doing that, and Allah says "You do not know, perhaps Allah will bring about after that, a matter", so Allah has allowed the divorced woman to remain in her husband's house during the waiting period, so that the husband perhaps the husband will regret divorcing her, and Allah will create in his heart the desire to take her back to marriage, making it easier for him.
Allah Almighty says in the two verses (2,3) "Then when they have reached their term, then Retain them in a reasonable manner or Part with them in a reasonable manner, and Bring to witness two just men from among you and Establish the testimony for Allah, that is instructed to whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, and whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out, and will provide for him from where he does not expect, and whoever puts his trust upon Allah, then He is Sufficient for him, indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose, indeed, Allah has set for everything a measure", that is, when a man divorces his wife a divorce in which he has the right to take her back in marriage, and the wife has reached her appointed time of the waiting period (Iddah), and there is nothing left of it except an amount within which the husband can take her back, he must either keep her in a reasonable manner, so he must treat his wife with kindness, respect her, and protect her, or part with her in a reasonable manner, so Let the wife complete the waiting period, and fulfill all her rights over you such as dowry and compensation, and this is similar to Ayat (231,232) of Surat Albaqarah. Whether a man takes his wife back into marriage or parts with her, he must bring two just men to bear witness on her return or her divorce.
And Bishr bin Hilal narrated that Ja'far bin Sulayman told them that Yazid Al-Rishk narrated from Mutarrif Bin Abdullah that: "Imran Bin Husaiyn was asked about a person who divorces his wife, and then has intercourse with her, but he does not call any witness to her divorce nor to her return, he said you divorced against the Sunnah and took her back against the Sunnah, Call someone to bear witness to her divorce and to her return in marriage, and Do not repeat it" (Sunan Abi Dawood 2186). Then Allah commanded the witnesses to establish their testimony for Allah if the need for it arose without alteration or change, only those who believe in Allah and the last day will comply with this command, and Allah confirms that whoever fears Him, He will make for him a way out from every anguish in the worldly life and in the Hereafter, and He will provide for him from where he does not expect, and Allah has also linked piety with sustenance in Aya (96) of Surat Ala'raf {And if only the people of the towns had believed and feared, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth}. And Allah assures that whoever puts his trust upon Allah, then He is Sufficient for him, indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose whether man puts his trust upon Him or not, and He has set a measure for every thing.
Allah Almighty says in the next verse (4) "And those from among you who have despaired of menstruation, if you are in doubt, then their Iddah is three months and those who have not yet menstruated, and for those who are pregnant, their term is until they give birth, and whoever fears Allah, He will make for him of his matter ease", that is, divorced women remain in waiting for three menstrual cycles as mentioned in Aya (228) Surat Albaqarah, but as for those who despaired of menstruation, if you are in doubt, their waiting period is three months, likewise, those who have not yet menstruated, their waiting period is three months. And those who are pregnant, their term is until they give birth. The pregnant woman, whether divorced or widowed, her waiting period (Iddah) ends as soon as she gives birth, and Sa'd bin Hafs said that Shayban told him from Yahya from Abu Salama: "A man came to Ibn Abbas while Abu Hurayrah was setting with him and said Give me your verdict regarding a lady who delivered a baby forty days after the death of her husband, Ibn Abbas said this indicates the end of one of the two prescribed periods, Abu Salama said "And for those who are pregnant, their term is until they give birth". Abu Hurayrah said I agree with my cousin (Abu Salama), then Ibn Abbas sent his slave (Kuraib) to Um Salama to ask her, she replied the husband of Subay'ah Al-Aslamyya was killed while she was pregnant, and she delivered a baby forty days after his death, then her hand was asked in marriage, and Allah's Messenger (PBUH) married her to somebody. Abu Al-Sanabil was one of those who asked her hand in marriage" (Sahih Albukhari 4909).
So Ibn Abbas combined this verse with Aya (234) of Surat Albaqarah and said that the pregnant woman whose husband has died should wait for the longer of the two waiting periods, whether for four months and tens day or for delivering her child, so he saw that if the delivery of her pregnancy was less than four months and ten days, then she should wait for four months and ten days, and if the delivery was more than that, then she should wait until the delivery of the pregnancy, and it was said that Ibn Abbas has retracted this verdict, and this opinion is refuted by the ruling of Allah's Messenger (PBUH) on Subay'ah bint Al-Harith Al-Aslamyya, when He ruled that her waiting period ended as soon as she gave birth, and Ibn Mas'ud confirmed that Surat Altalaq was revealed after Surat Albaqarah, as Muhammad bin Sereen reported: "I sat in a gathering in which the chiefs of the Ansar were present, and Abdul-Rahman bin Abi Laila was among them, I mentioned the narration of Abdullah bin Utba regarding the question of Subay'ah bint Al-Harith, Abdul-Rahman said but Abdullah's uncle used not to say so, I said I am too brave if I tell a lie concerning a person who is now in Al-kufa, and I raised my voice, then I went out and met Malik bin Amir or Malik bin Auf and said What was the verdict of Ibn Mas'ud about the pregnant widow whose husband had died?, he replied Ibn Mas'ud said Why do you impose on her the hard order and do not let her make use of the leave?, the shorter Surah of women (Surat Altalaq) was revealed after the longer Surah (Surat Albaqarah) i.e. her iddah is up till she delivers" (Sahih Albukhari 4532). And the pregnant woman can marry as soon as her waiting period ends after giving birth, even if she is still bleeding, but her new husband cannot have intercourse with her until she is pure, as Allah has forbidden intercourse during menstruation as mentioned in Aya (222) of Surat Albaqarah, and this is the opinion of the majority of scholars and jurists.
Allah Almighty says in the next verse (5) "That is the command of Allah which He has sent down to you, and whoever fears Allah, He will remove from him his misdeeds, and make great for him his reward", that is, Allah affirms that what He has explained of rulings on divorce and waiting period is His command which He has sent down so that people may obey it and act upon it, and Allah assures that whoever fears Allah and fears His punishment, so he fulfills His obligations and avoids His prohibition, Allah will forgive him, remove from him his evil deeds, and reward him with the best reward in the Hereafter.
Allah Almighty says in the next verse (6) "Lodge them of where you dwell out of your means, and Do not harm them in order to oppress them, and if they should be pregnant, then Spend on them until they give birth, and if they suckle for you, then Give them their payment, and consult among yourselves in a reasonable manner, but if you are in discord, then there may suckle for him another woman", that is, Allah commanded His servants when one of them divorces his wife to let her live in the house until the end of the waiting period, and not to harm her in order to distress her to leave the house, and if she is pregnant, he must spend on her until she gives birth, and there no disagreement among scholars regarding the obligation of maintenance and housing for a pregnant woman who has been divorced three times or less until she gives birth, at which point she will have the choice between breastfeeding the child or refusing to do so, and if she breastfeeds the child, then she deserves payment, and if they differed over the payment of breastfeeding, he must bring another woman to suckle the child.
And Allah says in the seventh verse "Let a possessor of ample means spend from his means, and he who his provision is restricted on him, Let him spend from what Allah has given him, Allah does not burden a soul except what He has given it, Allah will bring about, after hardship, ease", that is, whoever has ample wealth, he should spend on his wife in the wage of breastfeeding hid son, and on his child, and whoever his provision is not expanded for him, he should spend from what Allah has given him according to his money, and Allah does not burden the poor as the rich, and He will make ease and richness after hardship.
Then Allah says in the next three verses (8-10) as a threat for the infidels "And how many of a town rebelled against the command of its Lord, and His Messengers, so that We reckoned it with a severe reckoning, and We punished it a terrible punishment, so it tasted the consequence of its affair, and the end of its affair was loss, Allah has prepared for them a severe punishment, so fear Allah, O you of understanding who have believed, Allah has sent down to you a reminder". that is, Allah threatens the infidels with the torment that He inflicted on the previous nations such as the people of Ad, Hud, and Pharaoh as mentioned throughout the Holy Quran, where when they rebelled and became arrogant to follow Allah's command and to follow His Messengers, Allah reckoned them with a severe account and punished them a terrible punishment, and this was the consequence of their disbelief and their rebellion, and the end of them was loss in the worldly life and in the hereafter because they preferred following their desires over following the command of Allah. And this is similar to Ayat (5,6) of Surat Altaghabun.
Then Allah commands those of understanding who believed in Him not to be like them, and to fear Him, where He has sent down a reminder for them, and Allah described that reminder in the next verse (11) as "A Messenger who recites to you the verses of Allah, clear, so that he may bring those who believed and done righteous deeds out of the darknesses to the light, and whoever believes in Allah and does righteousness, He will admit him into gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever, indeed, Allah has made for him a good provision", that is, Allah sent the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) with the Holy Quran to bring out the believers and the righteous from the darknesses to the light and this is similar to Aya (1) of Surat Ibrahim "Alif Lam Ra. This is a book which We have revealed to You that You might bring mankind out of darknesses into the light by permission of their Lord to the path of the Exalted in Might, The Praiseworthy", and then whoever believes in Allah and does righteous deeds, Allah will admit him into gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever, indeed, Allah has made for him a good provision in Paradise.
Then Allah says informing of His complete power and His great authority in the last verse (12) "Allah who has created seven heavens and of the earth, the like of them, the command descends between them, that you may know that Allah is All-powerful over everything, and that Allah, indeed, has encompassed everything in knowledge", where Allah has created seven skies and seven earths, and His command and His decree descends between them, and He does whatever He wills, whenever He wills, and however He wills, and He has encompassed every thing in knowledge and nothing on the earth nor in the sky is hidden from Him.