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 Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
231. And when you divorce women and they have reached the end of their waiting period, then either retain them in a fair manner or release them in a good way [313]. Do not retain them to harm them so that you transgress. And whoever does that has wronged himself. Do not take the commands of Allah in jest [314], and remember Allah’s favor upon you and what He has sent down to you of the Book and wisdom by which He instructs you. And fear Allah and know that Allah is All-Knowing of everything.
[313] Here, the mention is of that social evil which has already been discussed in footnote number 1 of verse number 229. That is, when you have given one or two divorces and their waiting period (iddah) is about to be completed, then at that time you have only two options. One is to sincerely take them back with the intention that you will keep them properly in the future, or to let them go in a dignified manner after giving them something. And if you take them back with the intention of causing them harm, distress, or oppression, then remember that you will have to bear the consequences of this injustice and oppression before Allah.
[314]
Ways of Mocking Allah’s Verses:
Mocking means to interpret the verses and commands of Allah in such a way, through various tricks and schemes, that is contrary to their clear meaning and spirit. A clear example of such mockery is the practice of Nikah Halalah, and another example is that during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, a person gave his wife three divorces at once. When this came to his knowledge, he stood up in anger and said, “Is it that Allah’s commands are being played with in my lifetime, while I am still among you?” [نسائي، كتاب الطلاق، باب طلاق الثلاث المتفرقة] In this way, for one’s own interests, every command of Allah can be stripped of its real spirit, confined to mere words, and, by creating legalistic subtleties, molded according to one’s own wishes. And it is regarding this that Allah has warned that the wisdom and benefits which Allah has placed in these commands should not be destroyed by mocking them, and in this matter, keep fearing Allah.
[313] Here, the mention is of that social evil which has already been discussed in footnote number 1 of verse number 229. That is, when you have given one or two divorces and their waiting period (iddah) is about to be completed, then at that time you have only two options. One is to sincerely take them back with the intention that you will keep them properly in the future, or to let them go in a dignified manner after giving them something. And if you take them back with the intention of causing them harm, distress, or oppression, then remember that you will have to bear the consequences of this injustice and oppression before Allah.
[314]
Ways of Mocking Allah’s Verses:
Mocking means to interpret the verses and commands of Allah in such a way, through various tricks and schemes, that is contrary to their clear meaning and spirit. A clear example of such mockery is the practice of Nikah Halalah, and another example is that during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, a person gave his wife three divorces at once. When this came to his knowledge, he stood up in anger and said, “Is it that Allah’s commands are being played with in my lifetime, while I am still among you?” [نسائي، كتاب الطلاق، باب طلاق الثلاث المتفرقة] In this way, for one’s own interests, every command of Allah can be stripped of its real spirit, confined to mere words, and, by creating legalistic subtleties, molded according to one’s own wishes. And it is regarding this that Allah has warned that the wisdom and benefits which Allah has placed in these commands should not be destroyed by mocking them, and in this matter, keep fearing Allah.
