yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū idhā nakaḥtumu l-mu'mināti thumma ṭallaqtumūhunna min qabli an tamassūhunna famā lakum ʿalayhinna min ʿiddatin taʿtaddūnahā famattiʿūhunna wasarriḥūhunna sarāḥan jamīlan
Translation
O you who have believed, when you marry believing women and then divorce them before you have touched them [i.e., consummated the marriage], then there is not for you any waiting period to count concerning them. So provide for them and give them a gracious release.
Verse 49 of Surah Al-Ahzab (33:49), a Medinan surah, is in juz 22, on page 424 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 73 reciters.
Listen to verse 49 of Surah Al-Ahzab
79 recitations by 73 reciters: pick one and it plays in the player.
All voices (79)
Tafsir of verse 49
Al-Mukhtasar
O those who have faith in Allah and do whatever Allah has legislated for them! When you tie the knot of marriage with believing women, and then you divorce them before consummating the marriage with them, they are not required to go through the waiting period for you, regardless of whether it is through menstrual cycles or by counting months. This is because their wombs being free is known due to you having not consummated marriage with them. Also, give them some compensation according to your financial situations to console their broken emotions as a result of divorce, and clear the way for them to return to their families without causing them any inconvenience.
O you who believe, when you marry believing women and then divorce them before the marriage is consummated40, you have no reason to ask them to observe any waiting period41, so give them compensation and release them in a pleasant manner.
Notes
[40] Lit., before you touch them.
[41] After divorce a waiting period of three months is observed; however, if the marriage is not consummated, then there is no waiting period after the divorce.
O you who believe! When you marry believing women, and then divorce them before you have sexual intercourse with them, no ‘Iddah [divorce prescribed period, see (V.65:4)] have you to count in respect of them. So give them a present, and set them free (i.e. divorce), in a handsome manner.
O ye who believe! If ye wed believing women and divorce them before ye have touched them, then there is no period that ye should reckon. But content them and release them handsomely.
O ye who believe! When ye marry believing women, and then divorce them before ye have touched them, no period of 'Iddat have ye to count in respect of them: so give them a present. And set them free in a handsome manner.
O you who believe! when you marry the believing women, then divorce them before you touch them, you have in their case no term which you should reckon; so make some provision for them and send them forth a goodly sending forth.
O you who have believed, when you marry women believers, thereafter divorce them even before you touch them, then in no way do you have any (fixed) spell (In Arabic ciddah, a definite number of days calculated) to calculate against them; so allow them (the necessary) enjoyment, and release them a becoming release.
And thus We have made you a median [i.e., just] community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you. And We did not make the qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels. And indeed, it is difficult except for those whom Allāh has guided. And never would Allāh have caused you to lose your faith [i.e., your previous prayers]. Indeed Allāh is, to the people, Kind and Merciful.
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
