وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَاجًا يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنْفُسِهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا فَإِذَا بَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا فَعَلْنَ فِي أَنْفُسِهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ ﴿۲۳۴﴾ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا عَرَّضْتُمْ بِهِ مِنْ خِطْبَةِ النِّسَاءِ أَوْ أَكْنَنْتُمْ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ سَتَذْكُرُونَهُنَّ وَلَكِنْ لَا تُوَاعِدُوهُنَّ سِرًّا إِلَّا أَنْ تَقُولُوا قَوْلًا مَعْرُوفًا وَلَا تَعْزِمُوا عُقْدَةَ النِّكَاحِ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ الْكِتَابُ أَجَلَهُ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ ﴿۲۳۵﴾
﴾234﴿ Wallazeena yutawaffawna minkum wa yazaroona azwaajai yatarabbasna bi anfusihinna arba'ata ashhurinw wa 'ashran fa izaa balaghna ajalahunna falaa junaaha 'alaikum feemaa fa'alna feee anfusihinna bilma'roof; wallaahu bimaa ta'maloona Khabeer
﴾235﴿ Wa laa junaaha 'alaikum feema 'arradtum bihee min khitbatin nisaaa'i aw aknantum feee anfusikum; 'alimal laahu annakum satazkuroonahunna wa laakil laa tuwaa'idoohunna sirran illaaa an taqooloo qawlamma'roofaa; wa laa ta'zimoo 'uqdatan nikaahi hattaa yablughal kitaabu ajalah; wa'lamooo annal laaha ya'lamumaa feee anfusikum fahzarooh; wa'lamooo annallaaha Ghafoorun Haleem
﴾234﴿ And those among you who die and leave behind wives, their wives must wait for themselves for four months and ten nights.
When they have completed their waiting period, there is no sin upon you regarding what they do for themselves in a permissible way (such as getting married), and Allah is fully aware of what you do.
﴾235﴿ There is no sin upon you in what you subtly mention as a proposal to women, or what you keep hidden in your hearts (for marrying them).
Allah knows that you will remember them (for marriage), but do not make a secret promise to them except that you say something appropriate, and do not firmly tie the marriage contract until the waiting period has reached its end.
And know that Allah knows what is in your hearts, so guard yourselves from disobeying Allah, and know that Allah is Forgiving and Patient.
[234] In this verse is the thirteenth ruling: the waiting period after the husband's death, and after that, permission for marriage.
It is a rejection of the customs of the people of ignorance, who used to oppress their widows severely and did not allow them to remarry, but rather sold them.
This waiting period is for women who are not pregnant—the waiting period for pregnant women is mentioned in verse 4 of Surah At-Talaq.
"In a proper manner" here refers to marriage, and during the waiting period, it is also obligatory for the woman to abstain from adornment and beautification.
[235] This is the fourteenth ruling: the ruling on proposing and marrying during the waiting period.
The summary is that during the waiting period, two things are allowed: (1) indirectly expressing an intention for marriage after the waiting period is completed, and (2) keeping the intention for marriage hidden in one’s heart.
And two things are prohibited: (1) making a marriage contract during the waiting period is invalid, and (2) making a clear and direct promise to marry is a sin.
"Allah knows that you..." refers to the reason for allowing the two previous actions.
"A proper word" here refers to speaking indirectly (by hinting).