سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 229
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﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
The divorce is twice, after that, either you retain her on reasonable terms or release her with kindness. And it is not lawful for you (men) to take back (from your wives) any of your Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage) which you have given them, except when both parties fear that they would be unable to keep the limits ordained by Allâh (e.g. to deal with each other on a fair basis). Then if you fear that they would not be able to keep the limits ordained by Allâh, then there is no sin on either of them if she gives back (the Mahr or a part of it) for her Al-Khul‘ (divorce). These are the limits ordained by Allâh, so do not transgress them. And whoever transgresses the limits ordained by Allâh, then such are the Zâlimûn (wrong-doers).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱلطَّلَـٰقُ
al-ṭalāqu
The divorce
مَرَّتَانِ ۖ
marratāni
(is) twice
فَإِمْسَاكٌۢ
fa-im'sākun
Then to retain
بِمَعْرُوفٍ
bimaʿrūfin
in a reasonable manner
أَوْ
aw
or
تَسْرِيحٌۢ
tasrīḥun
to release (her)
بِإِحْسَـٰنٍۢ ۗ
bi-iḥ'sānin
with kindness
وَلَا
walā
And (it is) not
يَحِلُّ
yaḥillu
lawful
لَكُمْ
lakum
for you
أَن
an
that
تَأْخُذُوا۟
takhudhū
you take (back)
مِمَّآ
mimmā
whatever
ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ
ātaytumūhunna
you have given them
شَيْـًٔا
shayan
anything
إِلَّآ
illā
except
أَن
an
if
يَخَافَآ
yakhāfā
both fear
أَلَّا
allā
that not
يُقِيمَا
yuqīmā
they both (can) keep
حُدُودَ
ḥudūda
(the) limits
ٱللَّهِ ۖ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
فَإِنْ
fa-in
But if
خِفْتُمْ
khif'tum
you fear
أَلَّا
allā
that not
يُقِيمَا
yuqīmā
they both (can) keep
حُدُودَ
ḥudūda
(the) limits
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
فَلَا
falā
then (there is) no
جُنَاحَ
junāḥa
sin
عَلَيْهِمَا
ʿalayhimā
on both of them
فِيمَا
fīmā
in what
ٱفْتَدَتْ
if'tadat
she ransoms
بِهِۦ ۗ
bihi
concerning it
تِلْكَ
til'ka
These
حُدُودُ
ḥudūdu
(are the) limits
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
فَلَا
falā
so (do) not
تَعْتَدُوهَا ۚ
taʿtadūhā
transgress them
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
يَتَعَدَّ
yataʿadda
transgresses
حُدُودَ
ḥudūda
(the) limits
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
fa-ulāika
then those
هُمُ
humu
they
ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ
l-ẓālimūna
(are) the wrongdoers
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.
(Ayah229) ➊ According to the narrations of Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and other Companions, in the early days after migration, following the pre-Islamic custom, men would divorce their wives multiple times and then take them back repeatedly, with the intention of causing hardship to the wife. To prevent this situation, this verse was revealed.
➋ In {”اَلطَّلَاقُ“}, the definite article “al” is for specification, so the translation is “this divorce,” meaning the divorce mentioned in the previous verse, after which the husband can take his wife back during the waiting period; this is allowed only twice.
➌ { فَاِمْسَاكٌۢ بِمَعْرُوْفٍ اَوْ تَسْرِيْحٌۢ بِاِحْسَانٍ:} means that after giving the first or second divorce, if the husband intends to reconcile, he should do so within the waiting period; this is “keeping her in a good manner.” If he does not intend to reconcile, he should not take her back, but rather let the waiting period pass, and the wife will automatically be separated; this is “releasing her with kindness.” The benefit of this is that after the waiting period, although the woman is free to marry any man she wishes, she also has the option to remarry her previous husband. However, after the third divorce, the husband can neither take her back during the waiting period nor remarry her after the waiting period, as will be mentioned in the next verse.
➍ { وَ لَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ اَنْ تَاْخُذُوْا …:} It is not permissible for the husband to harass his wife and take back the dowry from her. (See Nisa: 20) However, in the case of khul‘, if the husband agrees to divorce in exchange for compensation, then this return is permissible.
➎ {فِيْمَا افْتَدَتْ بِهٖ:} This mentions khul‘, meaning if a woman wants to separate from her husband and the husband is not willing to divorce her, then the woman can free herself by giving up her dowry or whatever is mutually agreed upon between the husband and wife or decided by the judge in court, as compensation. Then, whether the husband himself accepts the compensation and lets her go, or if he is not willing, the judge can order him to accept the compensation and let her go, and if he still does not comply, the court can annul the marriage. Since this is not actually a divorce but a separation initiated by the woman, it is called khul‘, and its waiting period is one menstrual cycle. [ ترمذی : ۱۱۸۵، عن الربیع بنت معوذ رضی اللہ عنہ ] This is so it can be determined whether the woman is pregnant, and during the waiting period, the husband cannot take her back.
➋ In {”اَلطَّلَاقُ“}, the definite article “al” is for specification, so the translation is “this divorce,” meaning the divorce mentioned in the previous verse, after which the husband can take his wife back during the waiting period; this is allowed only twice.
➌ { فَاِمْسَاكٌۢ بِمَعْرُوْفٍ اَوْ تَسْرِيْحٌۢ بِاِحْسَانٍ:} means that after giving the first or second divorce, if the husband intends to reconcile, he should do so within the waiting period; this is “keeping her in a good manner.” If he does not intend to reconcile, he should not take her back, but rather let the waiting period pass, and the wife will automatically be separated; this is “releasing her with kindness.” The benefit of this is that after the waiting period, although the woman is free to marry any man she wishes, she also has the option to remarry her previous husband. However, after the third divorce, the husband can neither take her back during the waiting period nor remarry her after the waiting period, as will be mentioned in the next verse.
➍ { وَ لَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ اَنْ تَاْخُذُوْا …:} It is not permissible for the husband to harass his wife and take back the dowry from her. (See Nisa: 20) However, in the case of khul‘, if the husband agrees to divorce in exchange for compensation, then this return is permissible.
➎ {فِيْمَا افْتَدَتْ بِهٖ:} This mentions khul‘, meaning if a woman wants to separate from her husband and the husband is not willing to divorce her, then the woman can free herself by giving up her dowry or whatever is mutually agreed upon between the husband and wife or decided by the judge in court, as compensation. Then, whether the husband himself accepts the compensation and lets her go, or if he is not willing, the judge can order him to accept the compensation and let her go, and if he still does not comply, the court can annul the marriage. Since this is not actually a divorce but a separation initiated by the woman, it is called khul‘, and its waiting period is one menstrual cycle. [ ترمذی : ۱۱۸۵، عن الربیع بنت معوذ رضی اللہ عنہ ] This is so it can be determined whether the woman is pregnant, and during the waiting period, the husband cannot take her back.
