Tafsir of Surah At-Tahrim Ayah 1–5 Some Conditions of the Prophet’s Wives

 

66:1 O Prophet, why do you forbid yourself what Allah has made lawful to you, seeking to please your wives? And Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.

66:2 Allah has ordained for you the expiation of your oaths and Allah is your Guardian, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

66:3 And when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a certain matter, and when she revealed it, and Allah disclosed that to him, he made known some of it and turned aside from some of it. And when he told her about it, she said, ‘Who told you about it?’ He said, ‘ I was told about it by the All-Knowing, the All-Aware.’

66:4 If you both repent to Allah, as your hearts have deviated, and if you support one another against him, verily, Allah is his Guardian, Gabriel, and the righteous among the believers, and angels are thereafter are supporters.

66:5 It may be that if he divorces you, his Lord will give him instead of you wives, who are better than you, women, who are submissive, believing, pious, repentant, devout, fasting, and who have been previously married and virgins.

Tafsir

66:1 66:1 O Prophet, why do you forbid yourself what Allah has made lawful to you, seeking to please your wives? And Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.

The scholars have different opinions as to what was the lawful thing that Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him] made prohibited for himself.

Some scholars say that Prophet Muhammad vowed not to have a sexual relationship with his slave girl to please his wife Hafsa, daughter of Umar, as she was jealous when she learned that Prophet Muhammad had a sexual relationship with his slave girl on her day and in her room. Other scholars say that Prophet Muhammad vowed not to drink honey.

Zayd Bin Aslam reported that Messenger Muhammad had a sexual relationship with his slave girl, Maria, the Copt, the mother of his son Ibrahim, in the house of one of his wives. The Prophet’s wife said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you did such an act in my house and on my bed!’ Thus, he made his slave girl prohibited for himself.

Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said, ‘Messenger Muhammad used to drink honey when he stayed in the house of his wife Zainab Bint Jahsh. Thus, I and Hafsa decided to say to him whenever he would come to any of them, ‘I perceive the odor of unpleasant thing from you.’ Prophet Muhammad said, ‘No, but I drank honey at the house of Zainab Bint Jahsh. I will not drink it again; I have vowed not to do so. Do not tell anyone about this matter.’

After mentioning narrations related to this Ayah, Imam Muhammad Bin Jarir At-Tabari wrote, ‘The correct opinion about this matter is that Messenger Muhammad made a lawful thing prohibited for himself. I might be his slave girl, something that he used to drink, or another thing. When Messenger Muhammad made a lawful thing prohibited for himself, Allah, Exalted be He, reproached him and taught him how to expiate for his oath.’

66:1 O Prophet, why do you forbid yourself what Allah has made lawful to you, seeking to please your wives? And Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.

O noble Prophet Muhammad, why do you forbid yourself something that Allah has made lawful to you, whether it is a drink or another thing? Did you do so to please your wives?

You should not have done such a thing since it is impermissible to prohibit a lawful matter and exhaust yourself to please other people.

And Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.

This is a consolation to Prophet Muhammad to remove whatever negative effect he might experience when he was reproached.

O noble Prophet Muhammad, Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful. Allah, out of His mercy and generosity, has forgiven you for what you did due to the conduct of some of your wives.

66:2 Allah has ordained for you the expiation of your oaths and Allah is your Guardian, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O believers, Allah has ordained for you the expiation of your oaths by offering atonement for them. Allah is your Guardian, Who takes care of all your affairs and supports and helps you. Allah is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. He knows all your deeds and statements, and He manages all your affairs wisely.

66:3 And when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a certain matter, and when she revealed it, and Allah disclosed that to him, he made known some of it and turned aside from some of it. And when he told her about it, she said, ‘Who told you about it?’ He said, ‘ I was told about it by the All-Knowing, the All-Aware.’

Prophet Muhammad confided a certain matter to one of his wives, and this wife revealed that matter to another wife of the Prophet, though Prophet Muhammad had asked her not to reveal it. Allah, Exalted be He, disclosed to His Prophet Muhammad and told him that his wife had revealed the matter that he had asked her to conceal.

He made known some of it and turned aside from some of it.

When Prophet Muhammad talked with his wife about the matter that she had revealed, he made known some of it and turned aside from some of it. He did not tell her all the details that she had revealed, as he was endowed with high moral characteristics that made him avoid embarrassing her. He only told her some of what she had revealed to draw her attention to the mistake that she had made and to remind her that she should preserve his secret and not tell anyone about it.

And when he told her about it, she said, ‘Who told you about it?’ He said, ‘ I was told about it by the All-Knowing, the All-Aware.’

When the Prophet told his wife the matter that she had revealed, she asked him, ‘Who told you about it?’ Prophet Muhammad said, ‘Allah, the All-Knowing, the All-Aware, told me about the matter.’

Verily, Allah knows all the conditions of His slaves, and He knows all their deeds and statements. Nothing of their affairs is hidden from Him, Exalted be He.

It is worth mentioning the learned lesson from this Ayah, namely, that every sane person should keep the secrets that he is asked to preserve. He must not reveal them, even to a limited number of people. He should remember that Allah knows all things and that nothing is hidden from His perfect knowledge.

66:4 If you both repent to Allah, as your hearts have deviated, and if you support one another against him, verily, Allah is his Guardian, Gabriel, and the righteous among the believers, and angels are thereafter are supporters.

In this Ayah, Allah, Exalted be He, addressed the Prophet’s wives, namely, Ashia and Hafsa, may Allah be pleased with them. He commanded them to repent to Him.

If you both repent to Allah, as you have done what necessitates repentance and your hearts have deviated from the proper method of conduct towards Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him], you should have kept his secret, cared for the Prophet’s comfort, and respected all his conduct.

And if you support one another against him, verily, Allah is his Guardian, Gabriel, and the righteous among the believers, and angels are thereafter are supporters.

And if you support one another against him…

The wives of Messenger Muhammad who revealed his secret were Aisha and Hafsa, may Allah be pleased with them. Abdullah Bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that he asked Umar Bin Al-Khattab about the two wives of Messenger Muhammad to whom the following Ayah refers: [66:4 If you both repent to Allah, as your hearts have deviated, and if you support one another against him…]. Umar said that they were Ashia and Hafsa, may Allah be pleased with them.

Addressing the two wives of Messenger Muhammad, Allah, Exalted be He, says that if you support one another against Messenger Muhammad by doing what annoys and angers him, he will surely find the best supporter. Indeed, Allah is the Guardian of Messenger Muhammad, and He will support and help him. Likewise, the angel Gabriel will help and support him against whoever may annoy or anger him, as will the righteous among the believers, who are his supporters and helpers. The angels are thereafter supporters of Messenger Muhammad.

This Ayah mentions the strongest types of support and help for Messenger Muhammad, which indicates the sublime rank of Messenger Muhammad with his Lord, Allah, Exalted be He. Moreover, it alludes to the fact that whoever tries to anger Messenger Muhammad does not belong to the righteous believers.

The angel Gabriel is mentioned first in the Ayah to highlight his superior rank among the angels, as he is entrusted with bringing the divine revelation to Allah’s Prophets and Messengers.

66:5 It may be that if he divorces you, his Lord will give him instead of you wives, who are better than you, women, who are submissive, believing, pious, repentant, devout, fasting, and who have been previously married and virgins.

[66:5 It may be that…]

May is used to express possibility; however, in the context of this Ayah, it expresses a fact since Allah, Exalted be He, issued the statement.

It was reported that this Ayah was revealed to warn the Prophet’s wives when they were jointly jealous concerning him. Umar Bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ‘The Messenger’s wives were jointly jealous concerning him, so I said to them, ‘It may be that if he divorces you, his Lord will give him instead of you wives, who are better than you.’ Thereafter, a divine revelation confirming this statement.’

If Messenger Muhammad divorces his wives, with Allah’s will and leave, Allah will give him instead of them other wives who are better and possess sublime characters. They shall be submissive and obedient to Allah and His Messenger Muhammad, believing in all that Prophet Muhammad brings from his Lord, Allah, and pious, revering Allah’s commands and fulfilling their religious obligations. They shall also be constantly repentant of sins and evil acts, devout worshippers, and fasting for the sake of Allah. Moreover, those wives shall have been previously married and virgins.

Contemplating this Ayah, one finds that it portrays an aspect of the Prophet’s life with his wives to bring home some lessons. Some of these are that Allah honored His Prophet Muhammad and guided him to what was best concerning how to treat his wives, warning the Prophet’s wives against annoying and angering Messenger Muhammad, and teaching the believers, at all times and places, how good relationships between men and women should be.

The Learned Lessons from Surah At-Tahrim Ayah 1–5

• Allah, Exalted be He, reproached His beloved Prophet Muhammad when he refrained from consuming what Allah made lawful. It is impermissible to make a lawful matter forbidden. This reproach clearly confirms that the Quran is divine revelation, since it is impossible that one would reproach himself or reveal a personal affair that took place within his household.
• If one swears not to do something, he can atone for his oath by offering certain expiation specified by Islamic law.
• Women usually have unreasonable jealousy that leads them to have strange attitudes.
• Women are usually unable to preserve secrets.
• Man often forgets that Allah knows all his affairs, so he unconsciously does things that he may regret in the future.
• The noble Quran provides teachings, discipline, and refinement. Therefore, Allah, Exalted be He, urged Ashia and Hafsa, may Allah be pleased with them, to repent as they did what displeased Messenger Muhammad.
• Ashia and Hafsa, may Allah be pleased with them, were warned against supporting one another against Prophet Muhammad. They were advised not to do so, as Allah is His Guardian and Protector, as well as the angel Gabriel, the angels, and the righteous among the believers.

 

Introduction to English Translation and Tafsir of Surah At-Tahrim

 

Name of the Surah

This surah is called ‘At-Tahrim’ because Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him] made something prohibited for himself. This surah begins with a gentle reproof to Messenger Muhammad as a way of drawing his attention. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

66:1 O Prophet, why do you forbid yourself what Allah has made lawful to you.

Surah at-Tahrim was revealed in Al-Madinah and contains twelve Ayat.

Relationship between Surah At-Talaq and At-Tahrim

• Both surahs begin by addressing Prophet Muhammad, ‘O Prophet…’
• Both surahs discuss rules related to women. Surah at-Talaq discusses the rules of divorce, the waiting period of divorce, the rights of the divorcée, and the commandment of good companionship between the spouses. On the other hand, surah at-Tahrim begins by referring to the attitude of some of Prophet Muhammad’s wives and how he treated them gently and advised them.

Most Important Topics Discussed in Surah At-Tahrim

Surah at-Tahrim discusses some rules related to the wives of Messenger Muhammad [peace be him] so that it will serve as a role model for all individuals of the Islamic nation.

Surah at-Tahrim begins with a gentle reproof to Prophet Muhammad as he made a permissible thing prohibited for himself, namely, honey, to please some of his wives.

66:1 O Prophet, why do you forbid yourself what Allah has made lawful to you, seeking to please your wives? And Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.

Then, the surah reproached some of the wives of Prophet Muhammad as they revealed a secret that Prophet Muhammad had told only to his wife Hafsa, may Allah be pleased with her. Hafsa told that secret to Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, which angered Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him], and he was about to divorce his wives. Moreover, Allah threatened Prophet Muhammad’s wives that He would replace them with wives who were better than them.

66:5 It may be that if he divorces you, his Lord will give him instead of you wives, who are better than you, women, who are submissive, believing, pious, repentant, devout, fasting, and who have been previously married and virgins.

Then, the believers are admonished to protect themselves and their families against the severe punishment of Hell, which is guarded by strong angels who obey the commands of Allah and do as they are commanded. Moreover, the believers are commanded to fight against the disbelievers for the sake of Allah and are promised that they will be rewarded immensely on the Day of Judgment.

66:6 O you who believe protect yourselves and your families against a Fire whose fuel is men and stones, and over which are harsh strong angels who disobey not Allah in what He commands them, and do what they are commanded.

Surah at-Tahrim is concluded by citing two examples, one for the disbelievers and the other for the believers. The first example is about a disbelieving wife, namely, the wife of Prophet Noah, and Prophet Lot. The second example is about believing women, namely, the wife of Pharaoh, and Maryam, the daughter of Imran, and the mother of Messenger Jesus [peace be upon him].

66:11 And Allah sets forth an example for those who believe: the wife of Pharaoh when she said, ‘My Lord, build for me with You a house in Paradise and save me from Pharaoh and his work, and save me from the wrongdoing people.’

 

Tafsir of Surah At-Talaq Ayah 8-12 Warning to the Wrongdoers and Good News to the Obedient

 

65:8 How many a town insolently disobeyed the command of its Lord and His Messengers; and then We called it to a severe reckoning and punished it with a horrible punishment.

65:9 So it tasted the evil consequence of its affair and the end of its affair was loss.

65:10 Allah has prepared for them a horrible punishment. So fear Allah, O men of sound minds! O you who believe, Allah has revealed to you a reminder.

65:11 A Messenger reciting to you the revelation of Allah, containing clear guidance, that he may bring those who believe and perform righteous deeds out of the darkness to the light. And whoever believes in Allah and performs righteous deeds, He will make him enter Gardens underneath which river flow, to dwell therein forever; He has made for him goodly provision.

65:12 It is Allah, Who created seven heavens and of the earth their like, between them the command descends, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah has encompasses all things with knowledge.

Relationship with the Previous Part

The previous part speaks about the rules of divorce and its waiting period, as well as the rights of divorced women. Then, this part warns of severe punishment for those who transgress the limits set by Allah. They shall suffer punishment similar to that which befell the former wrongdoers and disbelievers who disbelieved in their messengers. Then, it refers to the great ability of Allah and His perfect knowledge that encompasses all things.

Tafsir

65:8 How many a town insolently disobeyed the command of its Lord and His Messengers; and then We called it to a severe reckoning and punished it with a horrible punishment.

65:8 How many a town…

The reference is to the town's inhabitants, which is a method used by the Quran to refer to a place while the intended meaning is the condition of those in a specific place.

Many inhabitants of former towns insolently disobeyed the command of Allah and His Messengers; thus, they were severely punished. Allah precisely recorded their deeds, called them to a severe reckoning, and punished them with a horrible punishment.

65:9 So it tasted the evil consequence of its affair and the end of its affair was loss.

Therefore, the disobedient inhabitants of the former towns tasted the evil consequences of their insolence and disobedience to the commands of Allah and His Messengers, and loss was the end of their affairs, as they will suffer horrible torment in Hell.

65:10 Allah has prepared for them a horrible punishment. So fear Allah, O men of sound minds! O you who believe, Allah has revealed to you a reminder.

Allah has prepared for those people who insolently disobeyed Allah and His Messengers a horrible punishment in Hell on the Day of Judgment. So, O men of sound minds, who believe in the Oneness of Allah and His Messengers, fear Allah by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions. Allah has revealed to you a reminder, the noble Quran, which Allah revealed to His Messenger Muhammad.

Calling the believers "men of sound minds" indicates that sound minds invite fear of Allah by obeying His commands, avoiding His prohibitions, and following the right path.

65:11 A Messenger reciting to you the revelation of Allah, containing clear guidance, that he may bring those who believe and perform righteous deeds out of the darkness to the light. And whoever believes in Allah and performs righteous deeds, He will make him enter Gardens underneath which river flow, to dwell therein forever; He has made for him goodly provision.

O believers, fear Allah by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions. Allah has revealed to you the noble Quran, which reminds you to perform righteous deeds for success in the life of this world and the Hereafter. Allah has also sent you His Messenger Muhammad to recite the revelation of the Quran, containing clear guidance and teachings. He has done so to bring those who believe in the Oneness of Allah and perform righteous deeds out of the darkness of disbelief into the light of belief in the Oneness of Allah.

And whoever believes in Allah and performs righteous deeds, He will make him enter Gardens underneath which river flow, to dwell therein forever; He has made for him goodly provision.

Whoever believes in the Oneness of Allah and performs righteous deeds for the sake of Allah, Allah will make him enter Gardens in Paradise underneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein forever by the bounty of Allah. Allah, the Generous, has made for the truthful believers goodly provision in Paradise and will give them what brings happiness and comfort to their hearts.

65:12 It is Allah, Who created seven heavens and of the earth their like, between them the command descends, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah has encompasses all things with knowledge.

Surah At-Talaq is concluded with what indicates the perfect ability of Allah and His infinite knowledge.

Allah, Exalted be He, informs about His perfect ability and great sovereignty to motivate souls to magnify the religion of Allah.

It is Allah Who created the seven heavens, one above the other, and created seven earths like them.

…between them the command descends, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah has encompasses all things with knowledge.

The commands, the rules, and the revelation of Allah descend between the heavens and the earth, so that people may know that Allah has power over all things and that His perfect knowledge encompasses all things in this universe.

The Learned Lessons from Surah At-Talaq Ayah 8-12

• Allah, Exalted be He, has warned against disobeying His commands by mentioning that the former disbelieving nations were severely punished for disobeying the commands of Allah and His Messengers.
• Allah has commanded those who are endowed with sound minds to fear Him by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions.
• Allah has sent His Messenger Muhammad and revealed the Quran, containing all that people need to achieve success in the life of this world and the Hereafter.
• Allah is All-able. He will gather all people for reckoning on the Day of Judgment.
• Allah created the seven heavens and the seven earths. His perfect knowledge encompasses all things in this universe.

 

Tafsir of Surah At-Talaq Ayah 6–7 Maintenance of a Divorced Woman

 

65:6 Let them dwell where you dwell according to your means, and do not harass them to straiten their conditions. If they are pregnant, then spend on them until they give birth to their babies. And if they suckle your child, give them their compensation. And you should advise one another honorably and if you have a disagreement, then another woman may suckle for him.

65:7 Let one of vast means spend according to his vast means, and he whose means is limited, let him spend of what Allah has given him. Allah does not make a soul obliged beyond what He has given it. Surely, after hardship, Allah will bring ease.

Relationship with the Previous Part

The previous part mentions the waiting period of divorce for a menopausal woman, a young woman who does not menstruate, and a pregnant woman. Then, this part mentions the rights of the divorcée during the waiting period. It also mentions that the divorcée deserves a wage for breastfeeding her baby; however, if she does not want to breastfeed her baby, another woman may breastfeed him/her.

Tafsir

65:6 Let them dwell where you dwell according to your means, and do not harass them to straiten their conditions. If they are pregnant, then spend on them until they give birth to their babies. And if they suckle your child, give them their compensation. And you should advise one another honorably and if you have a disagreement, then another woman may suckle for him.

Allah, Exalted be He, has commanded the believers to treat their divorced wives kindly and has forbidden them from abusing them in any manner.

O believers, when you decide to divorce your wives, let them dwell where you dwell according to your means. Do not harass them to straiten their conditions or to deprive them of their rights. Do not prolong their waiting period of divorce or harass them in their dwelling in order to force them to waive their rights or leave their homes.

In other words, the husband should let his divorced wife dwell in a place whose conditions are similar to those of the dwelling in which he resides, according to his means and ability. He should not harass her concerning her dwelling or the granting of her rights in order to force her to leave her home or waive her rights. He should let her live in a dwelling until her waiting period ends without causing her any harm.

If they are pregnant, then spend on them until they give birth to their babies.

O believers, if the divorced woman is pregnant, her husband should spend on her until she gives birth to her baby.

And if they suckle your child, give them their compensation.

After mentioning the waiting period of the divorcées, surah at-Talaq discusses the rights of the divorcées after they give birth to their babies.

O believers, you should spend on your divorced women, whom you divorced irrevocably, until they give birth to their babies. After they give birth to their babies and are willing to breastfeed them, you should give them compensation for doing so.

The scholars deduced from this Ayah that if the mother who is divorced irrevocably demands to be paid for breastfeeding her baby, no one can prevent her from doing so. That is because she has more right than other women to breastfeed her baby, as she is very affectionate towards her baby. They also deduced that the father must spend on his children since he must pay for breastfeeding them; thus, all other expenses of the child shall have a similar rule.

And you should advise one another honorably and if you have a disagreement, then another woman may suckle for him.

This is advice to the parents to cooperate with one another concerning righteous matters.

O parents, you should advise one another honorably in order to achieve what serves your child's best interest. You should also advise one another to make the best decision concerning suckling, payment of compensation, and all issues related to your children. However, if you cannot reach an agreement—for example, if the father refuses to pay the compensation for suckling or the mother refuses to breastfeed her baby—you can find another woman to suckle the child, as it is impossible to leave the child hungry. The father should look for a woman to breastfeed the baby.

It should be noted that both the father and the mother should not be a cause of harm to their baby. Rather, they should do their best to achieve what brings comfort and happiness to their baby. Moreover, the father should not annoy the mother to the extent that she is forced to reject breastfeeding her baby.

65:7 Let one of vast means spend according to his vast means, and he whose means is limited, let him spend of what Allah has given him. Allah does not make a soul obliged beyond what He has given it. Surely, after hardship, Allah will bring ease.

Let one to whom Allah has given vast means spend according to the vast means that Allah has provided for him. He should not be stingy, which is an ugly trait, especially when it is practiced by a wealthy person. The fathers should spend generously on their dependents, especially their children and their divorced wives who breastfeed their children.

And he whose means is limited, let him spend of what Allah has given him. Allah does not make a soul obliged beyond what He has given it.

Let one to whom Allah has given limited means of sustenance spend from what Allah has given him. Allah does not make a soul obliged beyond what He has given it. If one has vast means of sustenance, let him spend generously on his dependents. On the other hand, if one has limited means of sustenance, let him spend according to his means. Allah is merciful and does not oblige a soul to do anything beyond its capability.

Surely, after hardship, Allah will bring ease.

This is good news for those who comply with the commands of Allah. Surely, after hardship and difficulty, Allah will bring ease and comfort. Allah will bring ease after affliction and, out of His mercy and generosity, will bring wealth after poverty.

The Learned Lessons from Surah At-Talaq Ayah 6–7

• Providing a dwelling for the divorced woman is obligatory on the husband; however, it shall be according to his means and ability, as Allah does not oblige a soul beyond its capability. The husband is also obliged to spend on his divorced wife during the waiting period of divorce.
• It is prohibited to harass or annoy the divorced wife in any manner.
• It is obligatory on the husband to provide a dwelling and spend on his pregnant, divorced wife until she gives birth to the baby.
• The fathers are obliged to give compensation to their divorced wives if they breastfeed their babies. The husband shall not bring another woman to breastfeed the baby as long as its mother agrees to do so. However, if the mother refuses to breastfeed her baby, the husband can bring another woman to do so.
• The father is obliged to spend on his wife and his children according to his means.
• The husbands and the wives should advise one another honorably if the divorce takes place in all matters.
• Allah does not oblige any soul beyond its means. Accordingly, the wealthy shall spend according to their means, and the poor shall spend according to their means.
• Allah is merciful; surely, Allah will bring ease and comfort after hardship and affliction.
  
  

 

Tafsir of Surah At-Talaq Ayah 4–5 The Waiting Period of a Menopausal Woman and a Little Woman

 

65:4 And those of your women, who have passed the age of menstruation, if you are unsure, their waiting period is three months and those who have not menstruated too, and the pregnant, their waiting period, is until they give birth. And whoever fears Allah, Allah will make his affair easy for him.

65:5 That is the command of Allah; He has revealed to you. And whoever fears Allah, He shall absolve him of his sins and grant him a great reward.

Relationship with the Previous Part

In the previous part, Allah instructed the believers on the correct method to follow when deciding to divorce their wives. This part then explains the waiting period of divorce for a menopausal woman and a little woman who does not menstruate. Their waiting period of divorce is three months. Furthermore, this part mentions the waiting period of divorce for a pregnant woman, which ends when she gives birth to her baby.

Tafsir

65:4 And those of your women, who have passed the age of menstruation, if you are unsure, their waiting period is three months and those who have not menstruated too, and the pregnant, their waiting period, is until they give birth. And whoever fears Allah, Allah will make his affair easy for him.

O believers, Allah has informed you of the waiting period of divorce for menstruating women. As for menopausal women and little women who do not menstruate, their waiting period of divorce is three months if you are unsure how long their waiting period should be.

And the pregnant, their waiting period, is until they give birth.

The waiting period of divorce for pregnant women ends when they give birth to their babies. This is a general rule that includes all pregnant women, whether they are divorced or their husbands have died.

And whoever fears Allah, Allah will make his affair easy for him.

This Ayah repeats the command to fear Allah by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions.

Whoever fears Allah, Allah will make his affairs easy for him. He will make the hardest matter easy for him, for Allah, Exalted be He, has control over all things in this universe, and nothing can stand before His perfect ability and will.

65:5 That is the command of Allah; He has revealed to you. And whoever fears Allah, He shall absolve him of his sins and grant him a great reward.

The aforementioned rules regarding the waiting period of divorce are the commands of Allah, which He revealed to the believers so that they may know them and comply with their dictates. Whoever fears Allah in all his affairs by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions, Allah shall absolve him of his sins and forgive him, and He shall grant him a great reward on the Day of Judgment.

The Learned Lessons from Surah At-Talaq Ayah 4–5

• The waiting period of divorce for a menopausal woman and a little woman who does not menstruate is three months.
• The waiting period for a pregnant woman ends when she gives birth to her baby, whether she is divorced or a widow.
• Whoever fears Allah by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions, Allah, out of His bounty, will make his affairs easy for him and guide him to the right path.
• The rules related to divorce and the waiting period of women are commands of Allah that He revealed to people so that they may comply with them.

 

Tafsir of Surah At-Talaq Ayah 1–3 Rules of Divorce and the Waiting Period for the Divorcee

65:1 O Prophet, when you divorce women, divorce them during the purity period and calculate the period, and fear Allah, your Lord. Do not drive them out of their homes, nor should they leave unless they commit clear immoral conduct. These are the limits set by Allah, and whoever transgresses the limits set by Allah has wronged himself. You do not know that Allah may bring about something.

65:2 And when their appointed term is about to end, retain them honorably, or part from them honorably. And make two just men among yourselves witnesses and establish the testimony for the sake of Allah. That is an admonition for whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day. And whoever fears Allah, He will make a way out for him.

65:3 And He will provide for him from whence he never imagines. And whoever puts his trust in Allah, He shall suffice him. Surely, Allah shall fulfill His decree; Allah has appointed a measure for everything.

Tafsir

65:1 O Prophet, when you divorce women, divorce them during the purity period and calculate the period, and fear Allah, your Lord. Do not drive them out of their homes, nor should they leave unless they commit clear immoral conduct. These are the limits set by Allah, and whoever transgresses the limits set by Allah has wronged himself. You do not know that Allah may bring about something.

O noble Messenger of Allah and the believers, when you want to divorce your wives, you should divorce them during the purity period of their menstruation.

 In other words, when a believer wishes to divorce his wife, he should divorce her during her period of purity, and no sexual intercourse should take place between them during that period.

Although these words are specifically addressed to Messenger Muhammad, the ruling is general and applies to both Messenger Muhammad and his nation. This manner of address honors Messenger Muhammad and demonstrates his high rank with Allah, Exalted be He.

The Ayah clearly states that it is unlawful to divorce one's wife during her period of menstruation.

Nafa narrated that Abdul Allah ibn Umar divorced his wife during her period of menstruation at the time of Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him]. Then Umar Ibn Al-Khattab asked Messenger Muhammad about the matter. Messenger Muhammad said to him:

"Tell him to revoke the divorce and wait until she is purified of her menstruation. Then she menstruates and is purified of her menstruation. Then he may keep her as his wife if he wishes, or divorce her before having sexual intercourse with her. That is the waiting period that Allah has commanded the believers to observe."

Nafa also narrated that Abdul Allah ibn Umar told him that he had divorced his wife during her period of menstruation. His father, Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, informed Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him] of the matter. Thereupon, Messenger Muhammad said:

"Tell Abdul Allah to revoke the divorce and keep his wife with him until she is purified of her menstruation. Then he should wait until she menstruates for the second time and is purified of her menstruation. After that, he may divorce her before having sexual intercourse with her, or, if he wishes, he may keep her as his wife. That is the waiting period that Allah has commanded the believers to observe."

Types of Divorce

There are two types of divorce:

1.      Divorce that complies with the teachings of the Sunnah of Messenger Muhammad. In this type of divorce, the husband divorces his wife during her period of purity, provided that no sexual intercourse has taken place during that period. After that, if he wishes, he may divorce her, and her waiting period begins from the time the divorce takes place.

2.     Divorce that does not comply with the teachings of the Sunnah of Messenger Muhammad. In this type of divorce, the husband divorces his wife during her period of menstruation, or during her period of purity after sexual intercourse has taken place during that period. This divorce takes effect, but the husband is sinful in this case.

And calculate the period.

O believers, you should calculate the waiting period of the divorce so that it is completed correctly. It consists of three complete menstruation periods, or three complete periods of purification.

It is obligatory to calculate the waiting period accurately in order to observe all the rulings related to divorce.

And fear Allah, your Lord.

O believers, fear Allah and obey His commands. Do not cause your divorcées to suffer by prolonging their waiting period, thereby preventing them from remarrying.

The intended meaning is to warn against negligence regarding the rulings of divorce and the waiting period of the divorcées.

Do not drive them out of their homes, nor should they leave unless they commit clear immoral conduct.

O believers, fear Allah and do not drive your divorcées out of their homes before their waiting period ends, nor should the divorcées leave their homes unless they commit clear immoral conduct.

The intended meaning is to forbid husbands from driving their divorcées out of their homes and to forbid the divorcées from leaving their homes before the completion of their waiting period unless they commit clear immoral conduct.

It should be noted that the Ayah says, "their homes," indicating that the divorcées have the right to remain in the homes of their husbands during the waiting period. Therefore, the scholars deduce from this Ayah that a divorcée should neither be driven out of her home nor leave it during the waiting period of divorce unless there is a necessary reason to do so.

These are the limits set by Allah, and whoever transgresses the limits set by Allah has wronged himself.

These rulings mentioned in the Ayah are the limits set by Allah, which you are prohibited from transgressing. You must always comply with them and apply them. Whoever transgresses the limits set by Allah has wronged himself and made himself liable to severe punishment.

You do not know that Allah may bring about something.

This Ayah encourages the believers to comply with the aforementioned rulings and invites reconciliation between the husband and his wife rather than hastily pursuing divorce.

O believer, follow the method mentioned in this Ayah in your marital life and comply with the rulings of divorce. Do not divorce your wife during her period of menstruation, and do not drive her out of her home before her waiting period has ended.

Moreover, do not close the door to reconciliation between you; rather, keep it open. You do not know that Allah may bring about something between you and your wife. Perhaps hatred may change into love, and disagreement may change into harmony.

In summary, this Ayah embodies the most sublime guidance for healing hearts that are on the verge of separation. It calls people to prudence and carefulness and keeps the door of reconciliation open even after disagreement has reached the point of separation. This is because hearts are in the Hand of Allah. It is easy for Him to change hatred into love. By His perfect will, Allah can make a husband love his wife after having hated her, and He can make him desire to remain with her after having intended to divorce her. Indeed, Allah is Able to do all things.

65:2 And when their appointed term is about to end, retain them honorably, or part from them honorably. And make two just men among yourselves witnesses and establish the testimony for the sake of Allah. That is an admonition for whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day. And whoever fears Allah, He will make a way out for him.

This Ayah explains the rights of the husband and the wife when divorce takes place.

O believers, Allah has prescribed the rulings of divorce. When the waiting period of the divorcée is about to end, you may either retain your wives honorably or separate from them permanently in an honorable manner by giving them all their rights.

It is worth noting that the Ayah mentions retaining the wife before mentioning separation from her. This indicates that preserving the marital relationship is preferable whenever it serves the best interests of married life.

And make two just men among yourselves witnesses and establish the testimony for the sake of Allah.

O believers, you should appoint two just men from among yourselves as witnesses when deciding to divorce your wives or when taking back your divorcées into the marriage after resolving, as much as possible, the causes of dispute and disagreement between you.

Moreover, you should establish the testimony for the sake of Allah and give it honestly, without favoritism or partiality toward either party, whether the testimony is in favor of one party or the other.

This Ayah indicates that testimony must always be given truthfully and honestly, regardless of the time or place in which it is given.

That is an admonition for whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day.

The aforementioned rulings concerning divorce—such as calculating the waiting period accurately and not driving the divorcée out of the marital home until her waiting period has ended—are an admonition and a warning for whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day. Such believers comply with these rulings and act according to their requirements.

It should be noted that the Ayah specifically refers to those who believe in Allah and the Last Day because they are the ones who benefit from these rulings and apply them properly.

And whoever fears Allah, He will make a way out for him.

Then Allah, Exalted be He, gives glad tidings to His servants who fear Him and comply with His commandments.

Whoever fears Allah in all his statements and deeds by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions, Allah, out of His mercy and generosity, will make a way out for him from the afflictions and difficulties of this world and the Hereafter. Allah will also protect him from the agonies of death and the horrors of the Day of Judgment.

65:3 And He will provide for him from whence he never imagines. And whoever puts his trust in Allah, He shall suffice him. Surely, Allah shall fulfill His decree; Allah has appointed a measure for everything.

Furthermore, Allah will provide those who fear Him with the best provision in this world and the Hereafter and will provide for them from sources they could never imagine. Indeed, the means of Allah's provision are known only to Allah, Exalted be He.

Verily, these glad tidings strengthen the believer's heart and encourage him to obey Allah to the best of his ability. They also demonstrate that fearing Allah is the true means of deliverance from the afflictions of this world and the Hereafter, as well as from the agonies of death.

And whoever puts his trust in Allah, He shall suffice him. Surely, Allah shall fulfill His decree; Allah has appointed a measure for everything.

Whoever puts his trust in Allah, Allah will suffice him in all his affairs. Allah will fulfill His decree and enable him to attain all his objectives, for nothing can stand before the will and power of Allah, Exalted be He.

Verily, Allah has appointed a measure for everything before its existence, and He perfectly knows how, where, and when it will take place.

Allah has appointed a measure for everything.

Verily, Allah has appointed a measure for everything. Some people may feel that it is impossible or unlikely for their needs to be fulfilled or for their afflictions to be removed, and so they fall into despair. However, they forget that Allah is All-Able and All-Powerful. By His will, Allah can change a person's condition from affliction to prosperity and happiness in the blink of an eye. Therefore, O people, do not despair of the mercy of Allah.

Learned Lessons from Surah At-Talaq Ayah 1–3

·         Divorce is permissible in Islam, provided that the parties involved comply with the teachings and rulings of Islamic Shariah related to divorce. However, a husband should divorce his wife only when there is no remaining possibility of preserving the marriage. When he decides to divorce her, he should pronounce only one divorce at a time, thereby giving both himself and his wife an opportunity to reconsider the causes that led to the breakdown of their relationship and to rectify them, if possible.

·         A husband should divorce his wife during her period of purity, provided that no sexual intercourse has taken place during that period. After the divorce is pronounced, the calculation of the waiting period begins.

·         The waiting period of divorce for a menstruating woman consists of three menstrual cycles.

·         The waiting period of divorce should be calculated accurately.

·         A husband must not drive his divorced wife out of the marital home during her waiting period.

·         It is permissible to drive the divorced wife out of the marital home during the waiting period if she commits clear immoral conduct.

·         The rulings of divorce mentioned in Surah At-Talaq are among the limits set by Allah. It is impermissible to transgress them. Whoever transgresses the limits set by Allah wrongs himself. For example, a husband may later regret divorcing his wife and wish to restore the marriage. If he has complied with the rulings of Islamic Shariah regarding divorce, he can do so with ease. However, if he has ignored those rulings and transgressed the limits set by Allah, he may regret his actions and find no lawful way to restore the marriage.

·         When the waiting period is about to end, the husband may either take his divorcée back into the marriage or terminate the marriage permanently. In either case, he must act honorably and refrain from doing anything that would harm the divorcée.

·         It is recommended to appoint two just men as witnesses to the divorce and to the husband's restoration of his wife to the marriage in order to prevent future disputes.

·         A true believer is one who is pleased with the rulings prescribed by Allah and benefits from the admonitions of the Quran.

·         Whoever fears Allah by complying with His commandments and avoiding His prohibitions, Allah will make a way out for him from the afflictions and difficulties of this world and the Hereafter.

·         Whoever puts his trust in Allah, Allah will suffice him in all his affairs. Allah has appointed a measure for everything, and whatever Allah decrees for the believer is good, whether the believer realizes it or not. Therefore, the believer should be content with all the decrees of Allah.