ٱلطَّلَـٰقُ مَرَّتَانِ ۖ فَإِمْسَاكٌۢ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِيحٌۢ بِإِحْسَـٰنٍ ۗ وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَأْخُذُوا۟ مِمَّآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ شَيْـًٔا إِلَّآ أَن يَخَافَآ أَلَّا يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا فِيمَا ٱفْتَدَتْ بِهِۦ ۗ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَعْتَدُوهَا ۚ وَمَن يَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ 229
Translations
Divorce is twice. Then [after that], either keep [her] in an acceptable manner or release [her] with good treatment. And it is not lawful for you to take anything of what you have given them unless both fear that they will not be able to keep [within] the limits of Allāh. But if you fear that they will not keep [within] the limits of Allāh, then there is no blame upon either of them concerning that by which she ransoms herself. These are the limits of Allāh, so do not transgress them. And whoever transgresses the limits of Allāh - it is those who are the wrongdoers [i.e., the unjust].
Transliteration
Al-talāqu marratān, fa-immāsk bi-ma'rūfin aw tasrīḥ bi-iḥsān. Wa lā yaḥillu lakum an ta'khudū mimmā ātaytumūhunna shay'an illā an yakhāfā allā yuqīmā ḥudūd Allāh. Fa-in khiftum allā yuqīmā ḥudūd Allāh fa-lā junāḥa 'alayhimā fīmā iftadat bihi. Tilka ḥudūd Allāh fa-lā ta'tadū hā. Wa man yata'addad ḥudūd Allāh fa-ulā'ika hum al-ẓālimūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes the legal framework for divorce (ṭalāq) in Islam, permitting a man two divorces with the opportunity for reconciliation between them, followed by either honorable retention in marriage or kind release. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that after two divorces, the husband must choose to either keep his wife with kindness or release her with excellence; if he pronounces a third divorce, the marriage is permanently dissolved and she cannot return to him unless she remarries another. The ayah also forbids husbands from reclaiming the mahr (dower) or other gifts given to wives unless the wife herself fears she cannot maintain Allah's boundaries (ḥudūd), in which case redemption through khul' (mutually agreed divorce) is permissible.
Revelation Context
This verse was revealed in Medina during the early Islamic period when the Prophet's community needed clear legal guidance on marriage and divorce. The context addresses the pre-Islamic Arab practice of arbitrary divorce and establishes Islamic regulations that protect both spouses' rights, particularly women's financial security and dignity.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim 1472: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, 'The most disliked of permissible things to Allah is divorce.' This hadith emphasizes the gravity of divorce despite its permissibility. Additionally, Sunan Abu Dawud 2226 discusses the conditions and rulings of khul' (wife-initiated redemption divorce), which is referenced in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that while Islam permits divorce, it should be approached with gravity and justice, emphasizing reconciliation as the priority and requiring kindness and fair treatment when separation occurs. For modern Muslims, it serves as a reminder that family law in Islam balances personal rights with communal responsibility, and that financial or material disputes should never override the protection of human dignity.