سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 228
وَٱلْمُطَلَّقَـٰتُ يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ ثَلَـٰثَةَ قُرُوٓءٍ ۚ وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَهُنَّ أَن يَكْتُمْنَ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ فِىٓ أَرْحَامِهِنَّ إِن كُنَّ يُؤْمِنَّ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۚ وَبُعُولَتُهُنَّ أَحَقُّ بِرَدِّهِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ إِنْ أَرَادُوٓا۟ إِصْلَـٰحًا ۚ وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيْهِنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ وَلِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَجَةٌ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿228﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And divorced women shall wait (as regards their marriage) for three menstrual periods, and it is not lawful for them to conceal what Allâh has created in their wombs, if they believe in Allâh and the Last Day. And their husbands have the better right to take them back in that period, if they wish for reconciliation. And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect) to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱلْمُطَلَّقَـٰتُ
wal-muṭalaqātu
And the women who are divorced
يَتَرَبَّصْنَ
yatarabbaṣna
shall wait
بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ
bi-anfusihinna
concerning themselves
ثَلَـٰثَةَ
thalāthata
(for) three
قُرُوٓءٍۢ ۚ
qurūin
monthly periods
وَلَا
walā
And (it is) not
يَحِلُّ
yaḥillu
lawful
لَهُنَّ
lahunna
for them
أَن
an
that
يَكْتُمْنَ
yaktum'na
they conceal
مَا
mā
what
خَلَقَ
khalaqa
(has been) created
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
(by) Allah
فِىٓ
fī
in
أَرْحَامِهِنَّ
arḥāmihinna
their wombs
إِن
in
if
كُنَّ
kunna
they
يُؤْمِنَّ
yu'minna
believe
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
in Allah
وَٱلْيَوْمِ
wal-yawmi
and the Day
ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۚ
l-ākhiri
[the] Last
وَبُعُولَتُهُنَّ
wabuʿūlatuhunna
And their husbands
أَحَقُّ
aḥaqqu
(have) better right
بِرَدِّهِنَّ
biraddihinna
to take them back
فِى
fī
in
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
that (period)
إِنْ
in
if
أَرَادُوٓا۟
arādū
they wish
إِصْلَـٰحًۭا ۚ
iṣ'lāḥan
(for) reconciliation
وَلَهُنَّ
walahunna
And for them
مِثْلُ
mith'lu
(is the) like
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
(of) that which
عَلَيْهِنَّ
ʿalayhinna
(is) on them
بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ
bil-maʿrūfi
in a reasonable manner
وَلِلرِّجَالِ
walilrrijāli
and for the men
عَلَيْهِنَّ
ʿalayhinna
over them
دَرَجَةٌۭ ۗ
darajatun
(is) a degree
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
عَزِيزٌ
ʿazīzun
(is) All-Mighty
حَكِيمٌ
ḥakīmun
All-Wise
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 228) ➊ If a husband divorces his wife, she does not separate from him immediately, rather she must spend a certain period in waiting, during which the husband can take her back, and after this period passes, the woman is free to marry whomever she wishes. This period is called ‘iddah.
➋ The issue is that if a husband divorces his wife after intercourse and she does not menstruate, then her ‘iddah is three months, and if she is pregnant, then until she delivers. (See Talaq: 4) And if divorce occurs before intercourse, then there is no ‘iddah for her. (See Ahzab: 49) Thus, in this verse, the word {”الْمُطَلَّقٰتُ“} (those women who are divorced) is intended to explain the ‘iddah of those women with whom the husband has had intercourse, and who are neither pregnant, nor among those who do not menstruate, nor slave women. So their ‘iddah is three “quroo’.” The word {”قُرُوْٓءٍ “} is plural, its singular is {”قُرْءٌ“}, and it is used for the days of menstruation as well as the days of purity (i.e., being free from menstruation). According to my research, the meaning of menstruation is more correct. For more issues, see the opening verses of Surah Talaq.
➌ Asma bint Yazid Ansariyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that previously there was no ‘iddah for a divorced woman (the husband could take her back whenever he wished), so when I was divorced, Allah revealed the command of ‘iddah for divorce on that occasion. [ أبو داوٗد، الطلاق، باب فی عدۃ المطلقۃ :۲۲۸۱، وسندہ حسن ]
➍ { وَ لَا يَحِلُّ لَهُنَّ اَنْ يَّكْتُمْنَ …:} means it is not lawful for women to conceal what is in their wombs, i.e., pregnancy, menstruation, or purity, and to lie about it, because ‘iddah depends on this. If pregnancy is concealed, someone’s child may be attributed to another, and if menstruation is concealed, the ‘iddah may end before or after its actual time, in which case there is a possibility of committing something unlawful.
➎ {وَ بُعُوْلَتُهُنَّ اَحَقُّ بِرَدِّهِنَّ فِيْ ذٰلِكَ :} means that if the husband wishes to take her back during the ‘iddah, the woman must accept it. (Ibn Kathir)
➏ {وَ لَهُنَّ مِثْلُ الَّذِيْ عَلَيْهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِ :} means that women also have rights over men in a recognized manner, just as men have rights over women. Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Your right over them (women) is that they do not allow anyone you dislike to sit on your bed, and if they do so, then beat them, but not severely, and their right over you is that you provide for them food and clothing in a recognized manner.” [ مسلم، الحج، باب حجۃ النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم : ۱۲۱۸ ]
➐ {وَ لِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَجَةٌ:} means in rank, in the right to obedience, in spending, in natural strengths, in inheritance, especially in the right to divorce and taking back as mentioned in these verses, in short, many honors of religion and world are the cause of their superiority over women. In Surah Nisa it is said: «اَلرِّجَالُ قَوّٰمُوْنَ عَلَى النِّسَآءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللّٰهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلٰى بَعْضٍ وَّ بِمَاۤ اَنْفَقُوْا مِنْ اَمْوَالِهِمْ» [ النساء : ۳۴ ] “Men are guardians over women because Allah has given some of them superiority over others and because they spend from their wealth.”
➋ The issue is that if a husband divorces his wife after intercourse and she does not menstruate, then her ‘iddah is three months, and if she is pregnant, then until she delivers. (See Talaq: 4) And if divorce occurs before intercourse, then there is no ‘iddah for her. (See Ahzab: 49) Thus, in this verse, the word {”الْمُطَلَّقٰتُ“} (those women who are divorced) is intended to explain the ‘iddah of those women with whom the husband has had intercourse, and who are neither pregnant, nor among those who do not menstruate, nor slave women. So their ‘iddah is three “quroo’.” The word {”قُرُوْٓءٍ “} is plural, its singular is {”قُرْءٌ“}, and it is used for the days of menstruation as well as the days of purity (i.e., being free from menstruation). According to my research, the meaning of menstruation is more correct. For more issues, see the opening verses of Surah Talaq.
➌ Asma bint Yazid Ansariyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that previously there was no ‘iddah for a divorced woman (the husband could take her back whenever he wished), so when I was divorced, Allah revealed the command of ‘iddah for divorce on that occasion. [ أبو داوٗد، الطلاق، باب فی عدۃ المطلقۃ :۲۲۸۱، وسندہ حسن ]
➍ { وَ لَا يَحِلُّ لَهُنَّ اَنْ يَّكْتُمْنَ …:} means it is not lawful for women to conceal what is in their wombs, i.e., pregnancy, menstruation, or purity, and to lie about it, because ‘iddah depends on this. If pregnancy is concealed, someone’s child may be attributed to another, and if menstruation is concealed, the ‘iddah may end before or after its actual time, in which case there is a possibility of committing something unlawful.
➎ {وَ بُعُوْلَتُهُنَّ اَحَقُّ بِرَدِّهِنَّ فِيْ ذٰلِكَ :} means that if the husband wishes to take her back during the ‘iddah, the woman must accept it. (Ibn Kathir)
➏ {وَ لَهُنَّ مِثْلُ الَّذِيْ عَلَيْهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِ :} means that women also have rights over men in a recognized manner, just as men have rights over women. Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Your right over them (women) is that they do not allow anyone you dislike to sit on your bed, and if they do so, then beat them, but not severely, and their right over you is that you provide for them food and clothing in a recognized manner.” [ مسلم، الحج، باب حجۃ النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم : ۱۲۱۸ ]
➐ {وَ لِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَجَةٌ:} means in rank, in the right to obedience, in spending, in natural strengths, in inheritance, especially in the right to divorce and taking back as mentioned in these verses, in short, many honors of religion and world are the cause of their superiority over women. In Surah Nisa it is said: «اَلرِّجَالُ قَوّٰمُوْنَ عَلَى النِّسَآءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللّٰهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلٰى بَعْضٍ وَّ بِمَاۤ اَنْفَقُوْا مِنْ اَمْوَالِهِمْ» [ النساء : ۳۴ ] “Men are guardians over women because Allah has given some of them superiority over others and because they spend from their wealth.”
