Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Surah Al-Baqarah
Surah 2 · Al-Baqarah · verse 231 of 286

Quran 2:231 · Al-Baqarah

وَإِذَا طَلَّقۡتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَبَلَغۡنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمۡسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعۡرُوفٍ أَوۡ سَرِّحُوهُنَّ بِمَعۡرُوفٖۚ وَلَا تُمۡسِكُوهُنَّ ضِرَارٗا لِّتَعۡتَدُواْۚ وَمَن يَفۡعَلۡ ذَٰلِكَ فَقَدۡ ظَلَمَ نَفۡسَهُۥۚ وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوٓاْ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ هُزُوٗاۚ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةِ يَعِظُكُم بِهِۦۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٞ

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

Translation: Sahih International
Maulana’s commentary · Tazkirul Quran

Even after taking a decision as regards separation, one must continue to consider the possibility of reconciliation. Even when relationships have to be finally severed, one must not take this as an end to all human relations. Even at such trying turns we have to fully adhere to God’s law. In carrying out the commands of the Islamic law, no legal loopholes or excuses should be sought to evade their execution. In the observance of the law, the spirit behind the words must be given great importance. For instance what the husband had given to his wife during their marriage should not be taken back after separation. If before their separation they showed goodwill towards each other, they should also be on their best behaviour during their separation. A man once divorced his wife and did not return to her during the time of waiting. After this period had come to an end, he had second thoughts and, along with some other prospective husbands, he too made her a proposal of marriage. The woman was willing to remarry her former husband, but her brother objected to it. He sought to thwart their reunion, but the Quran decreed that when both agreed between themselves in a lawful manner, they should not be prevented from being reunited.

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, Tazkirul Quran

In the lectures

Maulana does not cite this verse in the lectures indexed so far. The verses of this surah Maulana does cite →