Surah Baqarah ayat 235 Tafsir Quran 2:235

﴿وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا عَرَّضْتُم بِهِ مِنْ خِطْبَةِ النِّسَاءِ أَوْ أَكْنَنتُمْ فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ سَتَذْكُرُونَهُنَّ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تُوَاعِدُوهُنَّ سِرًّا إِلَّا أَن تَقُولُوا قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا ۚ وَلَا تَعْزِمُوا عُقْدَةَ النِّكَاحِ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ الْكِتَابُ أَجَلَهُ ۚ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُ ۚ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ﴾
[ البقرة: 235]

2:235 There is no blame upon you for that to which you [indirectly] allude concerning a proposal to women or for what you conceal within yourselves. Allah knows that you will have them in mind. But do not promise them secretly except for saying a proper saying. And do not determine to undertake a marriage contract until the decreed period reaches its end. And know that Allah knows what is within yourselves, so beware of Him. And know that Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing.

You would not be at fault regarding the proposal with the intention of marriage you present offer or hide in your hearts during the waiting period to women whose spouses have died such as men saying ‘How beautiful you are!’ or ‘Who could find one like you?’ or ‘How many a man must desire you!’. God knows that you will be mindful of them in proposing to them impatiently and so He has permitted you to make such offers; but do not make arrangements of marriage with them secretly unless you speak honourable words such as are acknowledged by the Law in other words such as proposals that which is permitted to you. And do not resolve on the knot the consummation of marriage until that which is written the period prescribed has reached its term and has been completed; and know that God knows what is in your souls of resolve or otherwise; so be fearful of Him that He should chastise you if you have made such resolve; and know that God is Forgiving toward him who is fearful of Him Forbearing in delaying the chastisement of the one deserving it.

You men incur no consequence if, at this time, you ethically and indirectly advance your marriage offer for consideration, or if you only entertain the idea or cling to hope. Allah knows well that attraction to women is natural to you and that you think about them. But do not secretly propose to them during this determined period, but you may hold honourable conversation with them. Nor can you enter into a marriage contract until the determined period has been fulfilled. You ought to realise that Allah knows what is hidden in your innermost being, therefore, beware of Him and be cautious and realise that He is Ghafurun and Halimun (Indulgent and Forbearing)

Mentioning Marriage indirectly during the `Iddah Allah said: وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ ( And there is no sin on you ) meaning, to indirectly mention marriage to the widow during the term of `Iddah for her deceased husband.
Ath-Thawri, Shu`bah and Jarir stated that Ibn `Abbas said: وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا عَرَّضْتُم بِهِ مِنْ خِطْبَةِ النِّسَآءِ ( And there is no sin on you if you make a hint of betrothal ) "means saying, `I want to marry and I am looking for a woman whose qualities are such and such,' thus talking to her in general terms in a way that is better." In another narration ( by Ibn `Abbas ), "Saying, `I wish that Allah endows me with a wife,' but he should not make a direct marriage proposal." Al-Bukhari reported that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah: وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا عَرَّضْتُم بِهِ مِنْ خِطْبَةِ النِّسَآءِ ( And there is no sin on you if you make a hint of betrothal ) means, "The man could say, `I wish to marry,' `I desire a wife,' or, `I wish I could find a good wife'." Mujahid, Tawus, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Ash-Sha`bi, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Az-Zuhri, Yazid bin Qusayt, Muqatil bin Hayyan and Al-Qasim bin Muhammad and several others among the Salaf and the Imams said that one is allowed to mention marriage indirectly to the woman whose husband died.
It is also allowed to indirectly mention marriage to a woman who had gone through final, irrevocable divorce.
The Prophet ordered Fatimah bint Qays to remain in the house of Ibn Umm Maktum for `Iddah when her husband Abu `Amr bin Hafs divorced her for the third time.
He said to her:
«فَإِذَا حَلَلْتِ فَآذِنِينِي»
( Inform me when your `Iddah term ends. ) When she finished the `Iddah, Usamah bin Zayd, the Prophet's freed slave asked to marry her, and the Prophet married her to him.
As for the divorced wife ( not irrevocably divorced ), there is no disagreement that it is not allowed for other than her husband to mention marriage proposals to her directly or indirectly ( before the `Iddah finishes ).
Allah knows best. Allah said: أَوْ أَكْنَنتُمْ فِى أَنفُسِكُمْ ( ...or conceal it in yourself, ) meaning, if you hide the intention of seeking marriage with them.
Similarly, Allah said: وَرَبُّكَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُكِنُّ صُدُورُهُمْ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ( And your Lord knows what their breasts conceal, and what they reveal ) ( 28:69 ) and: وَأَنَاْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَآ أَخْفَيْتُمْ وَمَآ أَعْلَنتُمْ ( ...while I am All-Aware of what you conceal and what you reveal. ) ( 60: 1 ) So, Allah said here: عَلِمَ اللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ سَتَذْكُرُونَهُنَّ ( Allah knows that you will remember them ) meaning, in your hearts, so He made it easy for you.
Allah then said: وَلَـكِن لاَّ تُوَاعِدُوهُنَّ سِرًّا ( ...but do not make a promise (of contract ) with them in secret) `Ali bin Abu Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said that وَلَـكِن لاَّ تُوَاعِدُوهُنَّ سِرًّا ( but do not make a promise (of contract ) with them in secret) means do not say to her, "I am in love ( with you )," or, "Promise me you will not marry someone else ( after the `Iddah finishes )," and so forth.
Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ash-Sha`bi, `Ikrimah, Abu Ad-Duha, Ad-Dahhak, Az-Zuhri, Mujahid and Ath-Thawri said that it ( meaning of the Ayah ) means taking the woman's promise not to marry someone else. Afterwards, Allah said: إِلاَّ أَن تَقُولُواْ قَوْلاً مَّعْرُوفًا ( ...except that you speak an honorable saying. ) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, As-Suddi, Ath-Thawri and Ibn Zayd said that the Ayah means to indirectly refer to marriage, such as saying, "I desire someone like you." Muhammad bin Sirin said: I asked `Ubaydah about the meaning of Allah's statement: إِلاَّ أَن تَقُولُواْ قَوْلاً مَّعْرُوفًا ( .
..except that you speak an honorable saying. ) He said, "He says to her Wali, `Do not give her away ( in marriage ) until you inform me first'." This statement was narrated by Ibn Abu Hatim. Allah then said: وَلاَ تَعْزِمُواْ عُقْدَةَ النِّكَاحِ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ الْكِتَـبُ أَجَلَهُ ( And do not be determined on the marriage bond until the term prescribed is fulfilled. ) meaning, do not make marriage contracts before the `Iddah finishes.
Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ash-Sha`bi, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Abu Malik, Zayd bin Aslam, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Az-Zuhri, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi, Ath-Thawri and Ad-Dahhak said that: حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ الْكِتَـبُ أَجَلَهُ ( until the term prescribed is fulfilled. ) means, `Do not consummate the marriage before the `Iddah term finishes.' The scholars agree that marriage contracts during the `Iddah are invalid. Allah then said: وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى أَنفُسِكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُ ( And know that Allah knows what is in your minds, so fear Him. ) warning the men against the ideas they conceal in their hearts about women, directing them to think good about them rather than the evil, and Allah would not let them despair of His mercy, as He said: وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ ( And know that Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing. )

Mentioning Marriage indirectly during the `Iddah Allah said: وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ ( And there is no sin on you ) meaning, to indirectly mention marriage to the widow during the term of `Iddah for her deceased husband.
Ath-Thawri, Shu`bah and Jarir stated that Ibn `Abbas said: وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا عَرَّضْتُم بِهِ مِنْ خِطْبَةِ النِّسَآءِ ( And there is no sin on you if you make a hint of betrothal ) "means saying, `I want to marry and I am looking for a woman whose qualities are such and such,' thus talking to her in general terms in a way that is better." In another narration ( by Ibn `Abbas ), "Saying, `I wish that Allah endows me with a wife,' but he should not make a direct marriage proposal." Al-Bukhari reported that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah: وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا عَرَّضْتُم بِهِ مِنْ خِطْبَةِ النِّسَآءِ ( And there is no sin on you if you make a hint of betrothal ) means, "The man could say, `I wish to marry,' `I desire a wife,' or, `I wish I could find a good wife'." Mujahid, Tawus, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Ash-Sha`bi, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Az-Zuhri, Yazid bin Qusayt, Muqatil bin Hayyan and Al-Qasim bin Muhammad and several others among the Salaf and the Imams said that one is allowed to mention marriage indirectly to the woman whose husband died.
It is also allowed to indirectly mention marriage to a woman who had gone through final, irrevocable divorce.
The Prophet ordered Fatimah bint Qays to remain in the house of Ibn Umm Maktum for `Iddah when her husband Abu `Amr bin Hafs divorced her for the third time.
He said to her: «فَإِذَا حَلَلْتِ فَآذِنِينِي» ( Inform me when your `Iddah term ends. ) When she finished the `Iddah, Usamah bin Zayd, the Prophet's freed slave asked to marry her, and the Prophet married her to him.
As for the divorced wife ( not irrevocably divorced ), there is no disagreement that it is not allowed for other than her husband to mention marriage proposals to her directly or indirectly ( before the `Iddah finishes ).
Allah knows best. Allah said: أَوْ أَكْنَنتُمْ فِى أَنفُسِكُمْ ( ...or conceal it in yourself, ) meaning, if you hide the intention of seeking marriage with them.
Similarly, Allah said: وَرَبُّكَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُكِنُّ صُدُورُهُمْ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ( And your Lord knows what their breasts conceal, and what they reveal ) ( 28:69 ) and: وَأَنَاْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَآ أَخْفَيْتُمْ وَمَآ أَعْلَنتُمْ ( ...while I am All-Aware of what you conceal and what you reveal. ) ( 60: 1 ) So, Allah said here: عَلِمَ اللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ سَتَذْكُرُونَهُنَّ ( Allah knows that you will remember them ) meaning, in your hearts, so He made it easy for you.
Allah then said: وَلَـكِن لاَّ تُوَاعِدُوهُنَّ سِرًّا ( ...but do not make a promise (of contract ) with them in secret) `Ali bin Abu Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said that وَلَـكِن لاَّ تُوَاعِدُوهُنَّ سِرًّا ( but do not make a promise (of contract ) with them in secret) means do not say to her, "I am in love ( with you )," or, "Promise me you will not marry someone else ( after the `Iddah finishes )," and so forth.
Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ash-Sha`bi, `Ikrimah, Abu Ad-Duha, Ad-Dahhak, Az-Zuhri, Mujahid and Ath-Thawri said that it ( meaning of the Ayah ) means taking the woman's promise not to marry someone else. Afterwards, Allah said: إِلاَّ أَن تَقُولُواْ قَوْلاً مَّعْرُوفًا ( ...except that you speak an honorable saying. ) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, As-Suddi, Ath-Thawri and Ibn Zayd said that the Ayah means to indirectly refer to marriage, such as saying, "I desire someone like you." Muhammad bin Sirin said: I asked `Ubaydah about the meaning of Allah's statement: إِلاَّ أَن تَقُولُواْ قَوْلاً مَّعْرُوفًا ( .
..except that you speak an honorable saying. ) He said, "He says to her Wali, `Do not give her away ( in marriage ) until you inform me first'." This statement was narrated by Ibn Abu Hatim. Allah then said: وَلاَ تَعْزِمُواْ عُقْدَةَ النِّكَاحِ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ الْكِتَـبُ أَجَلَهُ ( And do not be determined on the marriage bond until the term prescribed is fulfilled. ) meaning, do not make marriage contracts before the `Iddah finishes.
Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ash-Sha`bi, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Abu Malik, Zayd bin Aslam, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Az-Zuhri, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi, Ath-Thawri and Ad-Dahhak said that: حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ الْكِتَـبُ أَجَلَهُ ( until the term prescribed is fulfilled. ) means, `Do not consummate the marriage before the `Iddah term finishes.' The scholars agree that marriage contracts during the `Iddah are invalid. Allah then said: وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى أَنفُسِكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُ ( And know that Allah knows what is in your minds, so fear Him. ) warning the men against the ideas they conceal in their hearts about women, directing them to think good about them rather than the evil, and Allah would not let them despair of His mercy, as He said: وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ ( And know that Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing. )

( There is no sin on you ) there is no harm in talking ( in that which ye proclaim or hide in your mind concerning your troth with women ) concerning your offer to the woman whose husband is dead, before the waiting period ends, that you desire to marry her after the waiting period, such as saying to her: If Allah unites us lawfully, I would like that. ( Allah knoweth that you will remember them ) remember marrying them. ( But plight not your troth with them ) to have sexual intercourse with them ( except by uttering a recognised form of words ) properly and unequivocally by saying for example: If Allah unites us lawfully, I would like that, and no more. ( And do not consummate the marriage until (the term ) prescribed is run) until the waiting period comes to an end. ( And know that Allah knoweth what is in your minds ) in your hearts whether you are going to honour your pledge or not, ( so beware of Him ) beware of contravening Him; ( and know that Allah is Forgiving ) of those who repent of transgressing against Him, ( Clement ) since He does not hasten His punishment upon those who transgress against Him.

And there is no sin on you if you make a hint of betrothal or conceal it in yourself, Allah knows that you will remember them, but do not make a promise of contract with them in secret except that you speak an honourable saying according to the Islamic law (e.g. you can say to her, "If one finds a wife like you, he will be happy"). And do not consummate the marriage until the term prescribed is fulfilled. And know that Allah knows what is in your minds, so fear Him. And know that Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing.

Page 38 English transliteration