سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 237
وَإِن طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَمَسُّوهُنَّ وَقَدْ فَرَضْتُمْ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً فَنِصْفُ مَا فَرَضْتُمْ إِلَّآ أَن يَعْفُونَ أَوْ يَعْفُوَا۟ ٱلَّذِى بِيَدِهِۦ عُقْدَةُ ٱلنِّكَاحِ ۚ وَأَن تَعْفُوٓا۟ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۚ وَلَا تَنسَوُا۟ ٱلْفَضْلَ بَيْنَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ ﴿237﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And if you divorce them before you have touched (had a sexual relation with) them, and you have appointed unto them the Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage), then pay half of that (Mahr), unless they (the women) agree to forego it, or he (the husband), in whose hands is the marriage tie, agrees to forego and give her full appointed Mahr. And to forego and give (her the full Mahr) is nearer to At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness). And do not forget liberality between yourselves. Truly, Allâh is All-Seer of what you do.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِن
wa-in
And if
طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ
ṭallaqtumūhunna
you divorce them
مِن
min
from
قَبْلِ
qabli
before
أَن
an
[that]
تَمَسُّوهُنَّ
tamassūhunna
you (have) touched them
وَقَدْ
waqad
while already
فَرَضْتُمْ
faraḍtum
you have specified
لَهُنَّ
lahunna
for them
فَرِيضَةًۭ
farīḍatan
an obligation (dower)
فَنِصْفُ
faniṣ'fu
then (give) half
مَا
mā
(of) what
فَرَضْتُمْ
faraḍtum
you have specified
إِلَّآ
illā
unless
أَن
an
[that]
يَعْفُونَ
yaʿfūna
they (women) forgo (it)
أَوْ
aw
or
يَعْفُوَا۟
yaʿfuwā
forgoes
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
the one
بِيَدِهِۦ
biyadihi
in whose hands
عُقْدَةُ
ʿuq'datu
(is the) knot
ٱلنِّكَاحِ ۚ
l-nikāḥi
(of) the marriage
وَأَن
wa-an
And that
تَعْفُوٓا۟
taʿfū
you forgo
أَقْرَبُ
aqrabu
(is) nearer
لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۚ
lilttaqwā
to [the] righteousness
وَلَا
walā
And (do) not
تَنسَوُا۟
tansawū
forget
ٱلْفَضْلَ
l-faḍla
the graciousness
بَيْنَكُمْ ۚ
baynakum
among you
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
بِمَا
bimā
of what
تَعْمَلُونَ
taʿmalūna
you do
بَصِيرٌ
baṣīrun
(is) All-Seer
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.
237. 1 This is the second situation: if divorce is given before consummation and the dower (mahr) has also been fixed, then it is necessary for the husband to pay half the dower. And if the woman forgives her right, then the husband will not have to pay anything.
237. 2 By this is meant the husband, because the knot of marriage (its breaking or maintaining) is in his hand. He may forgive half the dower, meaning instead of taking back half of the dower already paid, he may forgo his right (to half the dower) and give the entire dower to the woman. Further, by emphasizing not to forget mutual grace and kindness, encouragement is given to adopt this grace and kindness even in the matter of dower.
237. 2 By this is meant the husband, because the knot of marriage (its breaking or maintaining) is in his hand. He may forgive half the dower, meaning instead of taking back half of the dower already paid, he may forgo his right (to half the dower) and give the entire dower to the woman. Further, by emphasizing not to forget mutual grace and kindness, encouragement is given to adopt this grace and kindness even in the matter of dower.
