سُوْرَةُ الْمُمْتَحِنَةِ
Surah Al-Mumtahana (60) — Ayah 11
وَإِن فَاتَكُمْ شَىْءٌ مِّنْ أَزْوَٰجِكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكُفَّارِ فَعَاقَبْتُمْ فَـَٔاتُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ ذَهَبَتْ أَزْوَٰجُهُم مِّثْلَ مَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنتُم بِهِۦ مُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿11﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And if any of your wives have gone from you to the disbelievers, (as apostates and you asked them to return back your Mahr but they refused) - then you went out for a Ghazwah (military expedition) (against them and) gained booty; then pay from that booty to those whose wives have gone, the equivalent of what they had spent (on their Mahr ). And fear Allâh in Whom you believe.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِن
wa-in
And if
فَاتَكُمْ
fātakum
have gone from you
شَىْءٌۭ
shayon
any
مِّنْ
min
of
أَزْوَٰجِكُمْ
azwājikum
your wives
إِلَى
ilā
to
ٱلْكُفَّارِ
l-kufāri
the disbelievers
فَعَاقَبْتُمْ
faʿāqabtum
then your turn comes
فَـَٔاتُوا۟
faātū
then give
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
(to) those who
ذَهَبَتْ
dhahabat
have gone
أَزْوَٰجُهُم
azwājuhum
their wives
مِّثْلَ
mith'la
(the) like
مَآ
mā
(of) what
أَنفَقُوا۟ ۚ
anfaqū
they had spent
وَٱتَّقُوا۟
wa-ittaqū
And fear
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
ٱلَّذِىٓ
alladhī
(in) Whom
أَنتُم
antum
you
بِهِۦ
bihi
[in Him]
مُؤْمِنُونَ
mu'minūna
(are) believers
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.
11. And if any of your wives go over to the disbelievers, and then you have your turn (by gaining spoils from them) [24], then give those whose wives have gone the equivalent of what they had spent (as dowry). And fear Allah in whom you believe.
[24] This decision of Allah Almighty was extremely just and wise for both parties. For the Muslims, it was, in any case, obligatory to obey, but the disbelievers refused to accept it. They were not willing to give to those Muslims the previous dowry of those disbelieving women who had formerly been in their marriage. In this regard, Allah Almighty described two methods by which Muslims could be paid the amount they had given to their disbelieving wives, and both these methods are derived from the word ﴿عاقَبْتُمْ﴾. One meaning of this word has already been clarified in the translation: that such Muslims were paid their due from the spoils of war, and if that was not possible, then from the public treasury (Bayt al-Mal). And the meaning of ﴿عاقَبْتُمْ﴾ is also given as "when your turn comes" or "when your chance arises." This means that the account should be settled through calculation and adjustment. For example, suppose "A" and "B" are two Muslims who are to marry believing women who have reached Madinah from the disbelievers, and their previous dowry, which was agreed upon with the disbelievers, was two hundred dirhams each. On the other hand, "C" and "D" are two disbelievers who are in possession of the disbelieving wives of Muslims in Makkah, and their previous dowry, for example, was one hundred and fifty dirhams each. Now, the Muslims have to pay the disbelievers four hundred dirhams, and they have to receive three hundred dirhams from the disbelievers. So, the Muslims will now settle the account by giving only one hundred dirhams to the disbelievers. And if the matter is the opposite, that is, if the Muslims are to receive something instead of giving, and the disbelievers are not willing to pay or are not paying the full amount, then the situation will be as previously mentioned: they will be paid when spoils of war are obtained from the disbelievers, or this amount can also be paid from the public treasury.
[24] This decision of Allah Almighty was extremely just and wise for both parties. For the Muslims, it was, in any case, obligatory to obey, but the disbelievers refused to accept it. They were not willing to give to those Muslims the previous dowry of those disbelieving women who had formerly been in their marriage. In this regard, Allah Almighty described two methods by which Muslims could be paid the amount they had given to their disbelieving wives, and both these methods are derived from the word ﴿عاقَبْتُمْ﴾. One meaning of this word has already been clarified in the translation: that such Muslims were paid their due from the spoils of war, and if that was not possible, then from the public treasury (Bayt al-Mal). And the meaning of ﴿عاقَبْتُمْ﴾ is also given as "when your turn comes" or "when your chance arises." This means that the account should be settled through calculation and adjustment. For example, suppose "A" and "B" are two Muslims who are to marry believing women who have reached Madinah from the disbelievers, and their previous dowry, which was agreed upon with the disbelievers, was two hundred dirhams each. On the other hand, "C" and "D" are two disbelievers who are in possession of the disbelieving wives of Muslims in Makkah, and their previous dowry, for example, was one hundred and fifty dirhams each. Now, the Muslims have to pay the disbelievers four hundred dirhams, and they have to receive three hundred dirhams from the disbelievers. So, the Muslims will now settle the account by giving only one hundred dirhams to the disbelievers. And if the matter is the opposite, that is, if the Muslims are to receive something instead of giving, and the disbelievers are not willing to pay or are not paying the full amount, then the situation will be as previously mentioned: they will be paid when spoils of war are obtained from the disbelievers, or this amount can also be paid from the public treasury.
