قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُْ ْ 1386 اَلطَّلَاق
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَطَلِّقُوهُنَّ لِعِدَّتِهِنَّ وَأَحْصُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ رَبَّكُمْ لَا تُخْرِجُوهُنَّ مِنْ بُيُوتِهِنَّ وَلَا يَخْرُجْنَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَأْتِينَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُبَيِّنَةٍ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ يَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ نَفْسَهُ لَا تَدْرِي لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ يُحْدِثُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَمْرًا ﴿۱﴾
﴾1﴿ Yaaa ayyuhan nabiyyu izaa tallaqtummun nisaaa'a fatalliqoohunna li'iddatihinna wa ahsul'iddata wattaqul laaha rabbakum; laa tukhri joohunna min bu-yootihinna wa laa yakhrujna illaaa any ya'teena bifaahishatim mubaiyinah; wa tilka hudoodul laah; wa many yata'adda hudoodal laahi faqad zalama nafsah; laa tadree la'allal laaha yuhdisu ba'dazaalika amraa
﴾1﴿ O Prophet, when you divorce women, then divorce them at the beginning of their waiting period and count the waiting period properly. And fear Allah, your Lord. Do not expel them from their houses, nor should they leave on their own, unless they commit open immorality. These are the limits set by Allah, and whoever transgresses the limits of Allah has indeed wronged himself. No soul knows what Allah may bring about after this.
Another name for that surah is Al-Nisa' Al-Qasira.
Relevancy:
This surah is connected to the previous one in several ways.
The first connection is that the previous surah mentioned the enmity of some women, while this surah explains the lawful method of separation when necessary.
The second connection is that the previous surah commanded piety (taqwa), while this surah mentions five benefits of piety.
Claim of this surah:
It is a command to observe the legal limits of Sharia in general, and specifically in matters of divorce and the waiting period of women. This is the essence of piety (taqwa), the benefits of which are mentioned in five aspects. The legal limits are outlined in thirteen commandments and three prohibitions. The declaration of monotheism appears in verse (12), and three of Allah’s beautiful names are mentioned.
Summary of the surah:
In the first verse, the lawful method of divorce and the waiting period (ʿiddah) is mentioned, along with the ruling on a woman’s residence (suknā) during her waiting period, which is referred to as "limits" (ḥudūd).
In verse (2), the rulings on returning (rajʿah) or not returning to the wife are stated.
In verse (3), two benefits of piety (taqwa) are mentioned.
In verse (4), certain types of waiting periods and the third benefit of piety are discussed.
In verse (5), these rulings are referred to as the command of Allah, and two benefits of piety are highlighted.
In verse (6), the rulings regarding residence (suknā), financial support (nafaqah), and nursing (riḍāʿ) of a child are mentioned.
In verse (7), it is stated that financial support should be in accordance with the husband's means.
Then, in three verses, a warning is given about worldly and afterlife consequences for transgressing Allah’s limits.
In two verses, the truthfulness of the Qur’an and the Messenger is affirmed, along with the promise of reward in the hereafter.
The surah concludes with the mention of monotheism (tawḥīd), summarizing the divine names and attributes, particularly two attributes: knowledge (ʿilm) and power (qudrah).
[1] In this verse, eight statements are present, each containing numerous legal rulings and wisdoms of Sharia. It includes three commands and two prohibitions.
The phrase "O Prophet" (يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ) indicates that Sharia rulings are revealed from Allah through the Prophet ﷺ, and no ruling can be established without this divine transmission.
The command "then divorce them at their waiting period" (فَطَلِّقُوهُنَّ لِعِدَّتِهِنَّ) refers to the waiting period (ʿiddah), which, by consensus, begins during a state of purity (ṭuhr). The "lām" (لِ) in "li-ʿiddatihinna" is for specifying the timing, according to scholars who consider ʿiddah as the period of purity. Those who interpret ʿiddah as menstruation see an implicit reference to the future within the wording.
The command "and count the waiting period" (وَأَحْصُوا الْعِدَّةَ) obliges accurately tracking the number of days in the waiting period, whether in terms of menstrual cycles or periods of purity. This ruling applies to a woman who has been consummated in marriage (madkhūl bihā). Keeping count is essential because legal consequences depend on it, such as the right to return (rajʿah), remarriage, financial support, and other related rulings. The address here is directed at the husbands.
The prohibition "Do not expel them" (لَا تُخْرِجُوهُنَّ) establishes the requirement that a woman must stay in her husband's home during ʿiddah after divorce. The husband is forbidden from expelling her, and the wife is also prohibited from leaving.
The exception "unless they commit clear immorality" (إِلَّا أَنْ يَأْتِينَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُبَيِّنَةٍ) is interpreted in three ways:
Leaving without permission or without necessity.
Speaking abusively to the husband or his family.
Committing adultery (zinā), in which case she may be taken out of the home for the implementation of the prescribed punishment (ḥadd), but not as a means of expulsion without cause.
The phrase "You do not know; perhaps Allah will bring about after that a new matter" (لَا تَدْرِي لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ يُحْدِثُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَمْرًا) highlights the wisdom behind revocable divorce (ṭalāq rajʿī) and the requirement for the woman to stay in her husband's home during ʿiddah.
"Baʿda dhālik" (بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ) refers to one or two divorces.
"Amran" (أَمْرًا) refers to the husband's renewed desire to reconcile with his wife.
This serves as evidence that issuing three divorces at once is an act of oppression and contradicts this wisdom since it makes reconciliation impossible without a lawful intervening marriage (taḥlīl).