Surah Baqarah ayat 231 Tafsir Quran 2:231

﴿وَإِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَبَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ سَرِّحُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ ۚ وَلَا تُمْسِكُوهُنَّ ضِرَارًا لِّتَعْتَدُوا ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ نَفْسَهُ ۚ وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا آيَاتِ اللَّهِ هُزُوًا ۚ وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَمَا أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ يَعِظُكُم بِهِ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ﴾
[ البقرة: 231]

2:231 And when you divorce women and they have [nearly] fulfilled their term, either retain them according to acceptable terms or release them according to acceptable terms, and do not keep them, intending harm, to transgress [against them]. And whoever does that has certainly wronged himself. And do not take the verses of Allah in jest. And remember the favor of Allah upon you and what has been revealed to you of the Book and wisdom by which He instructs you. And fear Allah and know that Allah is Knowing of all things.

When you divorce women and they have very nearly reached the end of their term then retain them by returning to them honourably not harming them or set them free honourably or leave them until their term is completed; do not retain them when reverting in harm dirāran is an object denoting reason to transgress that is so as to force them to redemption or to repudiate them or confine them indoors for a long time; whoever does that has wronged his soul by exposing it to God’s chastisement; take not God’s verses in mockery in jest by contravening them and remember God’s grace upon you that is Islam and the Book the Qur’ān and the wisdom the rulings contained therein He has revealed to you to exhort you therewith so that you should give thanks by acting in accordance with it; and fear God and know that God has knowledge of all things and nothing can be hidden from Him.

When you have divorced women and they have fulfilled their determined period of waiting for three months and both of you are willing to reconcile, then you either reclaim them in equity and honour or free them in equity and honour. Do not reclaim them for a selfish end or spite them and he who acts in this manner will wrong himself. And do not mock Allah’s revelations and statutes, and render solemn acknowledgement of Allah’s divine favour conferred upon you and revere the Book He sent down to you and the knowledge and wisdom He imparted to you to caution you to commendable conduct, and revere Allah, and realise that Allah is Alimun of all

Being Kind to the Divorced Wife 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: وَلاَ تُمْسِكُوهُنَّ ضِرَارًا لِّتَعْتَدُواْ ( But do not take them back to hurt them, ) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Masruq, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` 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; وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ نَفْسَهُ ( ...and whoever does that, then he has wronged himself. ) meaning, by defying Allah's commandments.
Allah then said: وَلاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ آيَـتِ اللَّهِ هُزُوًا ( And treat not the verses (Laws ) of Allah in a jest,) Ibn Jarir said that Abu Musa ( Al-Ash`ari ) narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ once became angry at the Ash`ari tribe.
Abu Musa went to him and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Are you angry with the Ash`ariyyin" The Prophet said:
«يَقُولُ أَحَدُكُمْ: قَدْ طَلَّقْتُ، قَدْ رَاجَعْتُ، لَيْسَ هَذَا طَلَاقُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، طَلِّقُوا الْمَرْأَةَ فِي قُبُلِ عِدَّتِهَا»
( One of you says, `I divorced her' -then says- `I took her back!' This is not the appropriate way Muslims conduct divorce.
Divorce the woman when she has fulfilled the term of the prescribed period. ) Masruq said that the Ayah refers to the man who harms his wife by divorcing her and then taking her back, so that the `Iddah term is prolonged for her.
Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Ar-Rabi` and Muqatil bin Hayyan said, "He is the man who divorces his wife and says, `I was joking.' Or he frees a servant or gets married and says, `I was only joking.' Allah revealed: وَلاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ آيَـتِ اللَّهِ هُزُوًا ( And treat not the verses (Laws ) of Allah in a jest,) Then such men were made to bear the consequences of their actions. Allah then said: وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ( .
..but remember Allah's favors on you, ) meaning, by His sending His Messenger with the right guidance and clear signs to you: وَمَآ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ الْكِتَـبِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ ( ...and that which He has sent down to you of the Book (i.e., the Qur'an ) and Al-Hikmah) meaning the Sunnah, يَعِظُكُمْ بِهِ ( ...whereby He instructs you. ) meaning, commands you, forbids you and threatens you for transgressing His prohibitions.
Allah said: وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ ( And fear Allah ) meaning, concerning what you perform and what you avoid, وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ( and know that Allah is All-Aware of everything. ) none of your secret or public affairs ever escapes His knowledge, and He will treat you accordingly.

(2:231) And when you have divorced your wives and they are about to complete their prescribed term, then either retain them gracefully or release them generously. It is transgression to retain them merely for harassment; and whoever' does that indeed wrongs his own self. *254 Do not play with Allah's Commandments, and remember that Allah has blessed you with a great favour. He admonishes you to show due respect to the Book and the Wisdom He has sent to you. *255 Fear Allah and know that He is fully aware of everything.

And when you divorce women and they meaning

*254).
It is absolutely improper that a person should revoke the divorce he pronounced on his wife before the lapse of the period of waiting merely in order to use this revocation as a pretext to harass and torment her .
God commands that if a person revokes the divorce this decision should be prompted by a sincere desire to live together amicably.
Should that intention be lacking, it is better to part company in a graceful manner ( see further n.
250 above ).

*255).
Muslims should not forget that by teaching them the Book and Wisdom, God entrusted them with the glorious task of guiding the world.
They should also not forget that they were appointed the 'community, of the middle way' and appointed as witnesses to good and righteousness ( see verse 143 above ).
It does not become them, therefore, to indulge in sophistry and to play with the verses of the Book of God, to exploit the words of the Law to their advantage in achieving ends counter to its spirit, and to slump into injustice and other evil behaviour instead of directing the world to the Right Way.

 

Being Kind to the Divorced Wife 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: وَلاَ تُمْسِكُوهُنَّ ضِرَارًا لِّتَعْتَدُواْ ( But do not take them back to hurt them, ) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Masruq, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` 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; وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ نَفْسَهُ ( ...and whoever does that, then he has wronged himself. ) meaning, by defying Allah's commandments.
Allah then said: وَلاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ آيَـتِ اللَّهِ هُزُوًا ( And treat not the verses (Laws ) of Allah in a jest,) Ibn Jarir said that Abu Musa ( Al-Ash`ari ) narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ once became angry at the Ash`ari tribe.
Abu Musa went to him and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Are you angry with the Ash`ariyyin" The Prophet said: «يَقُولُ أَحَدُكُمْ: قَدْ طَلَّقْتُ، قَدْ رَاجَعْتُ، لَيْسَ هَذَا طَلَاقُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، طَلِّقُوا الْمَرْأَةَ فِي قُبُلِ عِدَّتِهَا» ( One of you says, `I divorced her' -then says- `I took her back!' This is not the appropriate way Muslims conduct divorce.
Divorce the woman when she has fulfilled the term of the prescribed period. ) Masruq said that the Ayah refers to the man who harms his wife by divorcing her and then taking her back, so that the `Iddah term is prolonged for her.
Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Ar-Rabi` and Muqatil bin Hayyan said, "He is the man who divorces his wife and says, `I was joking.' Or he frees a servant or gets married and says, `I was only joking.' Allah revealed: وَلاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ آيَـتِ اللَّهِ هُزُوًا ( And treat not the verses (Laws ) of Allah in a jest,) Then such men were made to bear the consequences of their actions. Allah then said: وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ( .
..but remember Allah's favors on you, ) meaning, by His sending His Messenger with the right guidance and clear signs to you: وَمَآ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ الْكِتَـبِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ ( ...and that which He has sent down to you of the Book (i.e., the Qur'an ) and Al-Hikmah) meaning the Sunnah, يَعِظُكُمْ بِهِ ( ...whereby He instructs you. ) meaning, commands you, forbids you and threatens you for transgressing His prohibitions.
Allah said: وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ ( And fear Allah ) meaning, concerning what you perform and what you avoid, وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ( and know that Allah is All-Aware of everything. ) none of your secret or public affairs ever escapes His knowledge, and He will treat you accordingly.

( When ye have divorced women ) one pronouncement of divorce, ( and they have reached their term ) their waiting period before they have a major ritual ablution after the third menstruation, ( then retain them ) take them back as your wives ( in kindness ) with kind companionship and intercourse ( or release them ) let them have their major ritual ablution and end the waiting period ( in kindness ) that will restore their rights. ( Retain them not to their hurt ) in a way that causes their hurt ( so that ye transgress (the limits )) that you transgress against them by prolonging their waiting period for them. ( He who doeth that ) he who so hurts his wife ( hath wronged his own soul ) has caused harm to himself. ( Make not the revelations of Allah ) His commands and prohibitions ( a laughing stock (by your behaviour )) by not acting upon them, ( but remember Allah’s grace upon you ) preserve Allah’s blessing on you Who gave you Islam ( and that which He hath revealed unto you of the Scripture ) in the Scripture of commands and prohibitions ( and of wisdom ) the lawful and the unlawful, ( whereby He doth exhort you ) prohibits you from hurting them. ( Observe your duty to Allah ) fear Allah if you hurt them ( and know that Allah is Aware of all things ) harming others as well as other things.

And when you have divorced women and they have fulfilled the term of their prescribed period, either take them back on reasonable basis or set them free on 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 as a jest, but remember Allah's Favours on you (i.e. Islam), and that which He has sent down to you of the Book (i.e. the Quran) and Al-Hikmah (the Prophet's Sunnah - legal ways - Islamic jurisprudence, etc.) whereby He instructs you. And fear Allah, and know that Allah is All-Aware of everything.

Page 37 English transliteration