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Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 231

سورة البقرة، الآية ٢٣١

2:231 Juz 2 Hizb 4 Page 37 of the mushaf Medinan surah

Text of verse 2:231

وَإِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَبَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ سَرِّحُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ وَلَا تُمْسِكُوهُنَّ ضِرَارًا لِّتَعْتَدُوا۟ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ نَفْسَهُۥ وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوٓا۟ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ هُزُوًا وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَٱلْحِكْمَةِ يَعِظُكُم بِهِۦ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ۝٢٣١

Transliteration

wa-idhā ṭallaqtumu l-nisāa fabalaghna ajalahunna fa-amsikūhunna bimaʿrūfin aw sarriḥūhunna bimaʿrūfin walā tum'sikūhunna ḍirāran litaʿtadū waman yafʿal dhālika faqad ẓalama nafsahu walā tattakhidhū āyāti l-lahi huzuwan wa-udh'kurū niʿ'mata l-lahi ʿalaykum wamā anzala ʿalaykum mina l-kitābi wal-ḥik'mati yaʿiẓukum bihi wa-ittaqū l-laha wa-iʿ'lamū anna l-laha bikulli shayin ʿalīmun

Translation

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 Allāh in jest. And remember the favor of Allāh upon you and what has been revealed to you of the Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] and wisdom [i.e., the Prophet's sunnah] by which He instructs you. And fear Allāh and know that Allāh is Knowing of all things.

Translation in another language
Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary Read in the surah

Verse 231 of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:231), a Medinan surah, is in juz 2, on page 37 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 69 reciters.

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Tafsir of verse 231

Al-Mukhtasar

When you divorce women and they approach the end of their waiting period, you have the right to take them back or to leave them in a good way until their waiting period is over. Do not take them back in order to oppress and harm them, as was the practice in the period before Islam. Whoever acts with the aim of causing harm to them has wronged himself by exposing himself to sin and punishment. Do not make Allah’s words the object of mockery and play. Remember Allah’s favours on you: most importantly, the revelation you have received in the form of the Qur’ān and Sunnah, through which He reminds you to encourage and warn you. Fear Allah by fulfilling His instructions and avoiding His prohibitions. Know that Allah knows everything and that nothing is hidden from Him. He will reward you for your actions.

Tafsir of the whole Surah Al-Baqarah

Other translations of verse 231

When you divorce women and they have completed their waiting period, either retain them with fairness or release them with fairness. Do not retain them in order to harm them124, exceeding the limits. Whoever does this, he has wronged himself. Do not make mockery of Allah’s verses, and remember Allah’s grace upon you and what He has sent down to you of the Book and the Wisdom, to exhort you. And fear Allah, and know that Allah is All-Knowing of everything.

Notes

[124] By prolonging an agonizing waiting period, holding them back from marrying other husbands or forcing them into seeking separation.

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 Allâh as a jest, but remember Allâh’s Favours on you (i.e. Islâm), and that which He has sent down to you of the Book (i.e. the Qur’ân) and Al-Hikmah (the Prophet’s Sunnah - legal ways - Islâmic jurisprudence.) whereby He instructs you. And fear Allâh, and know that Allâh is All-Aware of everything.

When ye have divorced women, and they have reached their term, then retain them in kindness or release them in kindness. Retain them not to their hurt so that ye transgress (the limits). He who doeth that hath wronged his soul. Make not the revelations of Allah a laughing-stock (by your behaviour), but remember Allah's grace upon you and that which He hath revealed unto you of the Scripture and of wisdom, whereby He doth exhort you. Observe your duty to Allah and know that Allah is Aware of all things.

When ye divorce women, and they fulfil the term of their ('Iddat), either take them back on equitable terms or set them free on equitable terms; but do not take them back to injure them, (or) to take undue advantage; if any one does that; He wrongs his own soul. Do not treat Allah's Signs as a jest, but solemnly rehearse Allah's favours on you, and the fact that He sent down to you the Book and Wisdom, for your instruction. And fear Allah, and know that Allah is well acquainted with all things.

And when you divorce women and they reach their prescribed time, then either retain them in good fellowship or set them free with liberality, and do not retain them for injury, so that you exceed the limits, and whoever does this, he indeed is unjust to his own soul; and do not take Allah's communications for a mockery, and remember the favor of Allah upon you, and that which He has revealed to you of the Book and the Wisdom, admonishing you thereby; and be careful (of your duty to) Allah, and know that Allah is the Knower of all things.

And when you have divorced women, (and) so they have reached their term, (i.e., cIddah, the term during which a divorced woman may not remarry) then retain them with you with beneficence or release them with beneficence; and do not retain them to their injury so that you transgress. (i.e., by obliging them to relinquish part or all of their dower to you) And whoever performs that, then he has already done injustice to himself; And do not take to yourselves the signs of Allah in mockery (among yourselves); and remember the favor of Allah upon you, and whatever He has sent down on you of the Book and (the) Wisdom to admonish you. And be pious to Allah, and know that Allah is Ever-Knowing of everything.

Verse 231 word by word

  1. وَإِذَا wa-idhā And when
  2. طَلَّقْتُمُ ṭallaqtumu you divorce ط ل ق
  3. ٱلنِّسَآءَ l-nisāa the women ن س و
  4. فَبَلَغْنَ fabalaghna and they reach ب ل غ
  5. أَجَلَهُنَّ ajalahunna their (waiting) term أ ج ل
  6. فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ fa-amsikūhunna then retain them م س ك
  7. بِمَعْرُوفٍ bimaʿrūfin in a fair manner ع ر ف
  8. أَوْ aw or
  9. سَرِّحُوهُنَّ sarriḥūhunna release them س ر ح
  10. بِمَعْرُوفٍ bimaʿrūfin in a fair manner ع ر ف
  11. وَلَا walā And (do) not
  12. تُمْسِكُوهُنَّ tum'sikūhunna retain them م س ك
  13. ضِرَارًا ḍirāran (to) hurt ض ر ر
  14. لِّتَعْتَدُوا۟ litaʿtadū so that you transgress ع د و
  15. وَمَن waman And whoever
  16. يَفْعَلْ yafʿal does ف ع ل
  17. ذَٰلِكَ dhālika that
  18. فَقَدْ faqad then indeed
  19. ظَلَمَ ẓalama he wronged ظ ل م
  20. نَفْسَهُۥ nafsahu himself ن ف س
  21. وَلَا walā And (do) not
  22. تَتَّخِذُوٓا۟ tattakhidhū take أ خ ذ
  23. ءَايَٰتِ āyāti (the) Verses أ ي ي
  24. ٱللَّهِ l-lahi (of) Allah
  25. هُزُوًا huzuwan (in) jest ه ز أ
  26. وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ wa-udh'kurū and remember ذ ك ر
  27. نِعْمَتَ niʿ'mata (the) Favors ن ع م
  28. ٱللَّهِ l-lahi (of) Allah
  29. عَلَيْكُمْ ʿalaykum upon you
  30. وَمَآ wamā and what
  31. أَنزَلَ anzala (is) revealed ن ز ل
  32. عَلَيْكُم ʿalaykum to you
  33. مِّنَ mina of
  34. ٱلْكِتَٰبِ l-kitābi the Book ك ت ب
  35. وَٱلْحِكْمَةِ wal-ḥik'mati and [the] wisdom ح ك م
  36. يَعِظُكُم yaʿiẓukum He instructs you و ع ظ
  37. بِهِۦ bihi with it
  38. وَٱتَّقُوا۟ wa-ittaqū And fear و ق ي
  39. ٱللَّهَ l-laha Allah
  40. وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ wa-iʿ'lamū and know ع ل م
  41. أَنَّ anna that
  42. ٱللَّهَ l-laha Allah (is)
  43. بِكُلِّ bikulli of every ك ل ل
  44. شَىْءٍ shayin thing ش ي أ
  45. عَلِيمٌ ʿalīmun All-Knower ع ل م

Hadiths that cite this verse

Weak Muwatta Malik 1243

Yahya related to me from Malik from Thawr ibn Zayd ad-Dili that Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, sent down about a man who divorced his wife and then returned to her while he had no need of her and did not mean to keep her so as to make the idda period long for her by that in order to do her harm…

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ ثَوْرِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ الدِّيلِيِّ، أَنَّ الرَّجُلَ، كَانَ يُطَلِّقُ امْرَأَتَهُ ثُمَّ يُرَاجِعُهَا وَلاَ حَاجَةَ لَهُ بِهَا وَلاَ يُرِيدُ إِمْسَاكَهَا كَيْمَا يُطَوِّلَ بِذَلِكَ عَلَيْهَا…

Other hadiths (1)

Verses related to verse 231

Verses with similar wording

They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.

  • Al-’Ankabut 29:62

    ٱللَّهُ يَبْسُطُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَقْدِرُ لَهُۥٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

    Allāh extends provision for whom He wills of His servants and restricts for him. Indeed Allāh is, of all things, Knowing.

  • Al-Baqarah 2:244

    وَقَٰتِلُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

    And fight in the cause of Allāh and know that Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.

  • At-Tawbah 9:115

    وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوْمًۢا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَىٰهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يُبَيِّنَ لَهُم مَّا يَتَّقُونَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

    And Allāh would not let a people stray after He has guided them until He makes clear to them what they should avoid. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing of all things.

  • Al-Baqarah 2:194

    ٱلشَّهْرُ ٱلْحَرَامُ بِٱلشَّهْرِ ٱلْحَرَامِ وَٱلْحُرُمَٰتُ قِصَاصٌ فَمَنِ ٱعْتَدَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَٱعْتَدُوا۟ عَلَيْهِ بِمِثْلِ مَا ٱعْتَدَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ

    [Battle in] the sacred month is for [aggression committed in] the sacred month, and for [all] violations is legal retribution. So whoever has assaulted you, then assault him in the same way that he has assaulted you. And fear Allāh and know that Allāh is with those who fear Him.

  • Al-Anfal 8:75

    وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدُ وَهَاجَرُوا۟ وَجَٰهَدُوا۟ مَعَكُمْ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ مِنكُمْ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِى كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۢ

    And those who believed after [the initial emigration] and emigrated and fought with you - they are of you. But those of [blood] relationship are more entitled [to inheritance] in the decree of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing of all things.

  • Al-Baqarah 2:232

    وَإِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَبَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ أَن يَنكِحْنَ أَزْوَٰجَهُنَّ إِذَا تَرَٰضَوْا۟ بَيْنَهُم بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ذَٰلِكَ يُوعَظُ بِهِۦ مَن كَانَ مِنكُمْ يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَزْكَىٰ لَكُمْ وَأَطْهَرُ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

    And when you divorce women and they have fulfilled their term, do not prevent them from remarrying their [former] husbands if they [i.e., all parties] agree among themselves on an acceptable basis. That is instructed to whoever of you believes in Allāh and the Last Day. That is better for you and purer, and Allāh knows and you know not.

All similar verses of Surah Al-Baqarah

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