وَإِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَبَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ سَرِّحُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ ۚ وَلَا تُمْسِكُوهُنَّ ضِرَارًا لِّتَعْتَدُوا۟ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ نَفْسَهُۥ ۚ وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوٓا۟ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ هُزُوًا ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلْحِكْمَةِ يَعِظُكُم بِهِۦ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ 231
Translations
And when you divorce women and they have [nearly] fulfilled their term, either retain them according to acceptable terms or release them according to acceptable terms, and do not keep them, intending harm, to transgress [against them]. And whoever does that has certainly wronged himself. And do not take the verses of Allāh in jest. And remember the favor of Allāh upon you and what has been revealed to you of the Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] and wisdom [i.e., the Prophet's sunnah] by which He instructs you. And fear Allāh and know that Allāh is Knowing of all things.
Transliteration
Wa-idha tallaqtum al-nisa'a fa-balaghna ajalahunna fa-amsiküuhunna bi-ma'rüf aw sarriḥühunna bi-ma'rüf. Wa-la tumsikühunna diraran li-ta'tadü. Wa-man yaf'al dhalika faqad zalama nafsah. Wa-la tattakhidhu ayat Allah huzuw. Wa-dhkurü ni'mat Allah alaikum wa-ma anzala alaikum min al-kitab wa-al-hikmah ya'iẓkum bih. Wa-ttaqü Allah wa-a'lamü anna Allah bi-kulli shai' alim.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the treatment of women after the waiting period (iddah) following divorce, commanding men to either reconcile with their wives in a kind manner (ma'rüf) or release them in goodness, and strictly prohibiting retaining them out of spite or to cause harm. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir emphasize that the phrase 'bi-ma'rüf' (with kindness) encompasses financial support, respectful conduct, and consideration of women's rights and dignity. The ayah then condemns mockery of Allah's signs and reminds believers to remember Allah's blessings, the Quran, and wisdom as a means of God-consciousness.
Revelation Context
This verse is part of the section on divorce (talaq) in Surah Al-Baqarah, revealed in Medina where the Islamic legal framework for family matters was being established. It addresses the pre-Islamic Arabian practice of men retaining divorced women in a state of limbo to harm them or prevent remarriage, establishing instead a framework of mutual respect and compassion within Islamic law.
Related Hadiths
Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: 'The best among you are those who are best to their wives' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3895). Also related is the hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah regarding the prohibition of harm in marriage and divorce: 'There should be no harm and no reciprocal harm' (La darar wa la dirar).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Islamic law prioritizes compassion, justice, and the dignity of women, forbidding manipulation or abuse even within the context of divorce. For modern readers, it emphasizes that faith is measured not by ritual alone but by how one treats others, especially in moments of conflict or separation, and that remembering Allah's favors cultivates the moral integrity needed to treat others with kindness.
Related Ayahs
وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ۖ كُلَّمَا رُزِقُوا۟ مِنْهَا مِن ثَمَرَةٍ رِّزْقًا ۙ قَالُوا۟ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى رُزِقْنَا مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَأُتُوا۟ بِهِۦ مُتَشَـٰبِهًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ فِيهَآ أَزْوَٰجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ ۖ وَهُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
And give good tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds that they will have gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow. Whenever they are provided with a provision of fruit therefrom, they will say, "This is what we were provided with before." And it is given to them in likeness. And they will have therein purified spouses, and they will abide therein eternally.
۞ وَإِذِ ٱبْتَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ رَبُّهُۥ بِكَلِمَـٰتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّى جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا ۖ قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى ۖ قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
And [mention, O Muḥammad], when Abraham was tried by his Lord with words [i.e., commands] and he fulfilled them. [Allāh] said, "Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people." [Abraham] said, "And of my descendants?" [Allāh] said, "My covenant does not include the wrongdoers."
۞ أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا۟ لَكُمْ وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَـٰمَ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُۥ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
Do you covet [the hope, O believers], that they would believe for you while a party of them used to hear the words of Allāh and then distort it [i.e., the Torah] after they had understood it while they were knowing?
وَعَلَّمَ ءَادَمَ ٱلْأَسْمَآءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنۢبِـُٔونِى بِأَسْمَآءِ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."