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 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 237) This is the second case: if the dowry has been fixed and the husband divorces before consummation (sexual intercourse or valid seclusion), then in this case the woman is entitled to half the dowry. However, if the woman herself forgives, that is another matter, or if the husband, who holds the knot of marriage in his hand, forgives, meaning he has already given the full dowry and does not take back half, or willingly gives the full dowry. Then, by saying «وَ اَنْ تَعْفُوْۤا اَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوٰى », the husband is encouraged that giving the full dowry is closer to piety, because here the men are addressed.
Issue: If the husband dies before consummation, the wife is entitled to the full dowry, she will also receive inheritance, and she will be obliged to observe the waiting period (‘iddah), as has been mentioned above in the hadith of Barwa‘ bint Washiq. It should be clear that there are two types of divorced women: (1) The dowry had been fixed and the husband divorced after consummation. (See Al-Baqarah: 229) (2) The dowry was not fixed at the time of the contract, but the divorce took place after consummation. In this case, the woman is entitled to a suitable dowry (mahr al-mithl), i.e., the amount of dowry generally fixed for women of her family should be given to her, as detailed in Surah An-Nisa, Ayah (24). (Shawkani)
Issue: If the husband dies before consummation, the wife is entitled to the full dowry, she will also receive inheritance, and she will be obliged to observe the waiting period (‘iddah), as has been mentioned above in the hadith of Barwa‘ bint Washiq. It should be clear that there are two types of divorced women: (1) The dowry had been fixed and the husband divorced after consummation. (See Al-Baqarah: 229) (2) The dowry was not fixed at the time of the contract, but the divorce took place after consummation. In this case, the woman is entitled to a suitable dowry (mahr al-mithl), i.e., the amount of dowry generally fixed for women of her family should be given to her, as detailed in Surah An-Nisa, Ayah (24). (Shawkani)
