There is no blame upon you if you divorce women you have not touched94 nor specified for them an obligation.95 But give them [a gift of] compensation - the wealthy according to his capability and the poor according to his capability - a provision according to what is acceptable, a duty upon the doers of good.
Notes
[94] The marriage has not been consummated.
[95] Required bridal gift (mahr) .
Verse 236 of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:236), a Medinan surah, is in juz 2, on page 38 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 236
Al-Mukhtasar
There is no sin on you if you divorce your wives with whom you have entered into marriage before you have sexual intercourse with them and before you fix a dowry for them. If you must divorce them in such a situation, they will not be entitled to any dowry from you; but they must be given something that they will enjoy, to make it easy on their feelings. This must be done by both a rich and a poor man according to their means. This gift is binding on those who wish to do good in their actions and dealings.
There is no sin on you if you divorce women before you have consummated the marriage or the dowry has been fixed; but give them a [gift of] compensation – the wealthy according to his means and the poor according to his means – a reasonable compensation is an obligation upon those who do good.
There is no sin on you, if you divorce women while yet you have not touched (had sexual relation with) them, nor appointed unto them their Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage). But bestow on them (a suitable gift), the rich according to his means, and the poor according to his means, a gift of reasonable amount is a duty on the doers of good.
It is no sin for you if ye divorce women while yet ye have not touched them, nor appointed unto them a portion. Provide for them, the rich according to his means, and the straitened according to his means, a fair provision. (This is) a bounden duty for those who do good.
There is no blame on you if ye divorce women before consummation or the fixation of their dower; but bestow on them (A suitable gift), the wealthy according to his means, and the poor according to his means;- A gift of a reasonable amount is due from those who wish to do the right thing.
There is no blame on you if you divorce women when you have not touched them or appointed for them a portion, and make provision for them, the wealthy according to his means and the straitened in circumstances according to his means, a provision according to usage; (this is) a duty on the doers of good (to others).
There is no fault in you in case you divorce women as long as you have not touched them nor ordained any marriage-portion (Literally: an ordinance) for them; and allow for their (necessary) enjoyment, the affluent man according to his determined means, and the one in reduced circumstances (Literally: grudging "circumstances") according to his determined means, an enjoyment with beneficence, a truly (binding) right on the fair-doers.
O Prophet, say to your wives, "If you should desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and give you a gracious release.
