سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 231
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﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And when you have divorced women and they have fulfilled the term of their prescribed period, either take them back on reasonable basis or set them free on reasonable basis. But do not take them back to hurt them, and whoever does that, then he has wronged himself. And treat not the Verses (Laws) of Allâh as a jest, but remember Allâh’s Favours on you (i.e. Islâm), and that which He has sent down to you of the Book (i.e. the Qur’ân) and Al-Hikmah (the Prophet’s Sunnah - legal ways - Islâmic jurisprudence.) whereby He instructs you. And fear Allâh, and know that Allâh is All-Aware of everything.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذَا
wa-idhā
And when
طَلَّقْتُمُ
ṭallaqtumu
you divorce
ٱلنِّسَآءَ
l-nisāa
the women
فَبَلَغْنَ
fabalaghna
and they reach
أَجَلَهُنَّ
ajalahunna
their (waiting) term
فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ
fa-amsikūhunna
then retain them
بِمَعْرُوفٍ
bimaʿrūfin
in a fair manner
أَوْ
aw
or
سَرِّحُوهُنَّ
sarriḥūhunna
release them
بِمَعْرُوفٍۢ ۚ
bimaʿrūfin
in a fair manner
وَلَا
walā
And (do) not
تُمْسِكُوهُنَّ
tum'sikūhunna
retain them
ضِرَارًۭا
ḍirāran
(to) hurt
لِّتَعْتَدُوا۟ ۚ
litaʿtadū
so that you transgress
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
يَفْعَلْ
yafʿal
does
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
that
فَقَدْ
faqad
then indeed
ظَلَمَ
ẓalama
he wronged
نَفْسَهُۥ ۚ
nafsahu
himself
وَلَا
walā
And (do) not
تَتَّخِذُوٓا۟
tattakhidhū
take
ءَايَـٰتِ
āyāti
(the) Verses
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
هُزُوًۭا ۚ
huzuwan
(in) jest
وَٱذْكُرُوا۟
wa-udh'kurū
and remember
نِعْمَتَ
niʿ'mata
(the) Favors
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
upon you
وَمَآ
wamā
and what
أَنزَلَ
anzala
(is) revealed
عَلَيْكُم
ʿalaykum
to you
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ
l-kitābi
the Book
وَٱلْحِكْمَةِ
wal-ḥik'mati
and [the] wisdom
يَعِظُكُم
yaʿiẓukum
He instructs you
بِهِۦ ۚ
bihi
with it
وَٱتَّقُوا۟
wa-ittaqū
And fear
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟
wa-iʿ'lamū
and know
أَنَّ
anna
that
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah (is)
بِكُلِّ
bikulli
of every
شَىْءٍ
shayin
thing
عَلِيمٌۭ
ʿalīmun
All-Knower
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
231. 1. (الطلاق مرتن) had stated that up to two divorces, there is the option of reconciliation. In this verse, it is being said that reconciliation can take place within the waiting period (iddah), not after the waiting period has passed. Therefore, this is not repetition as it may apparently seem.
132. 2. Some people issue divorce, contract marriage, or grant freedom in jest. Then they say, "I was only joking." Allah has declared this as mockery of the divine verses, the purpose of which is to prevent such behavior. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ said that if anyone performs any of these mentioned acts in jest, it will be considered as reality, and a divorce, marriage, or emancipation done in jest will be enforced (Tafsir Ibn Kathir).
132. 2. Some people issue divorce, contract marriage, or grant freedom in jest. Then they say, "I was only joking." Allah has declared this as mockery of the divine verses, the purpose of which is to prevent such behavior. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ said that if anyone performs any of these mentioned acts in jest, it will be considered as reality, and a divorce, marriage, or emancipation done in jest will be enforced (Tafsir Ibn Kathir).
