Surah 2:231
Show Full Scripture Context (2:231) — 1 Verse
وَإِذَا طَلَّقۡتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَبَلَغۡنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمۡسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعۡرُوفٍ أَوۡ سَرِّحُوهُنَّ بِمَعۡرُوفٖۚ وَلَا تُمۡسِكُوهُنَّ ضِرَارٗا لِّتَعۡتَدُواْۚ وَمَن يَفۡعَلۡ ذَٰلِكَ فَقَدۡ ظَلَمَ نَفۡسَهُۥۚ وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوٓاْ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ هُزُوٗاۚ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةِ يَعِظُكُم بِهِۦۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٞ
When you divorce women, and they have reached (the end of) their term, either retain them rightfully, or send them away rightfully. Do not retain them harmfully, so that you transgress. Whoever does that has done himself evil. Do not take the signs of God in mockery, but remember the blessing of God on you, and what he has sent down to you of the Book and the wisdom. He admonishes you by means of it. Guard (yourselves) against God, and know that God has knowledge of everything.
231. And when you have divorced women and they have fulfilled the term of their prescribed period, either take them back on a reasonable basis or set them free on a 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 Allah in jest, but remember Allah's favors on you (i.e., Islam), and that which He has sent down to you of the Book (i.e., the Qur'an) and Al-Hikmah (the Prophet's Sunnah - legal ways - Islamic jurisprudence) whereby He instructs you. And fear Allah, and know that Allah is All- Aware of everything.
This is a command from Allah to men that when one of them divorces his wife with a reversible divorce, he should treat her kindly. So when her term of ‘Iddah (waiting period) nears its end, he either takes her back in a way that is better, including having witnesses that he has taken her back, and he lives with her with kindness. Or, he should release her after her ‘Iddah finishes and then kindly asks her to depart from his house, without disputing, fighting with her or using foul words. Allah then said:
Ibn ‘Abbas, Mujahid, Masruq, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabl‘ and Muqatil bin Hayyan said that a man used to divorce his wife, and when her ‘Iddah came near its end, he would take her back to harm her and to stop her from marrying someone else. He then divorced her and she would begin her ‘Iddah and when her ‘Iddah term neared its end, he would take her back again, so that the term of ‘Iddah would be prolonged for her. After that, Allah prohibited this practice. Allah has also threatened those who indulge in such practices, when He said;
meaning, by defying Allah’s commandments.
Allah then said:
Ibn Jarir said that Abu Musa (Al-Ash‘ari) narrated that Allah’s Messenger once became angry at the Ash'ari tribe. Abu Musa went to him and said, “O Messenger of Allah! Are you angry with the Ash'ariyyin?” The Prophet said:
“One of you says, 7 divorced her' -then says- 7 took her back!' This is not the appropriate way Muslims conduct divorce.
none of your secret or public affairs ever escapes His knowledge, and He will treat you accordingly.
— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 1, Page 645-647)