Surah Al-Baqarah (البقرة) • The Cow

Quran 2:229

2:229

ٱلطَّلَـٰقُ مَرَّتَانِ ۖ فَإِمْسَاكٌۢ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِيحٌۢ بِإِحْسَـٰنٍ ۗ وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَأْخُذُوا۟ مِمَّآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ شَيْـًٔا إِلَّآ أَن يَخَافَآ أَلَّا يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا فِيمَا ٱفْتَدَتْ بِهِۦ ۗ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَعْتَدُوهَا ۚ وَمَن يَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ

al-ṭalāqu marratāni fa-im'sākun bimaʿrūfin aw tasrīḥun bi-iḥ'sānin walā yaḥillu lakum an takhudhū mimmā ātaytumūhunna shayan illā an yakhāfā allā yuqīmā ḥudūda l-lahi fa-in khif'tum allā yuqīmā ḥudūda l-lahi falā junāḥa ʿalayhimā fīmā if'tadat bihi til'ka ḥudūdu l-lahi falā taʿtadūhā waman yataʿadda ḥudūda l-lahi fa-ulāika humu l-ẓālimūna

Divorce is twice. Then [after that], either keep [her] in an acceptable manner or release [her] with good treatment. And it is not lawful for you to take anything of what you have given them unless both fear that they will not be able to keep [within] the limits of Allāh. But if you fear that they will not keep [within] the limits of Allāh, then there is no blame upon either of them concerning that by which she ransoms herself. These are the limits of Allāh, so do not transgress them. And whoever transgresses the limits of Allāh - it is those who are the wrongdoers [i.e., the unjust].

— Saheeh International

Divorce can happen twice, and [each time] wives either be kept on in an acceptable manner or released in a good way. It is not lawful for you to take back anything that you have given [your wives], except where both fear that they cannot maintain [the marriage] within the bounds set by God: if you [arbiters] suspect that the couple may not be able to do this, then there will be no blame on either of them if the woman opts to give something for her release. These are the bounds set by God: do not overstep them. It is those who overstep God’s bounds who are doing wrong.

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

The divorce is twice, after that, either you retain her on reasonable terms or release her with kindness. And it is not lawful for you (men) to take back (from your wives) any of your Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage) which you have given them, except when both parties fear that they would be unable to keep the limits ordained by Allâh (e.g. to deal with each other on a fair basis). Then if you fear that they would not be able to keep the limits ordained by Allâh, then there is no sin on either of them if she gives back (the Mahr or a part of it) for her Al-Khul‘ (divorce). These are the limits ordained by Allâh, so do not transgress them. And whoever transgresses the limits ordained by Allâh, then such are the Zâlimûn (wrong-doers).

— Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Juz 2Page 36medinan

Word by Word

ٱلطَّلَـٰقُal-ṭalāquThe divorce
مَرَّتَانِۖmarratāni(is) twice
فَإِمْسَاكٌۢfa-im'sākunThen to retain
بِمَعْرُوفٍbimaʿrūfinin a reasonable manner
أَوْawor
تَسْرِيحٌۢtasrīḥunto release (her)
بِإِحْسَـٰنٍۢۗbi-iḥ'sāninwith kindness
وَلَاwalāAnd (it is) not
يَحِلُّyaḥillulawful
لَكُمْlakumfor you
أَنanthat
تَأْخُذُوا۟takhudhūyou take (back)
مِمَّآmimmāwhatever
ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّātaytumūhunnayou have given them
شَيْـًٔاshayananything
إِلَّآillāexcept
أَنanif
يَخَافَآyakhāfāboth fear
أَلَّاallāthat not
يُقِيمَاyuqīmāthey both (can) keep
حُدُودَḥudūda(the) limits
ٱللَّهِۖl-lahi(of) Allah
فَإِنْfa-inBut if
خِفْتُمْkhif'tumyou fear
أَلَّاallāthat not
يُقِيمَاyuqīmāthey both (can) keep
حُدُودَḥudūda(the) limits
ٱللَّهِl-lahi(of) Allah
فَلَاfalāthen (there is) no
جُنَاحَjunāḥasin
عَلَيْهِمَاʿalayhimāon both of them
فِيمَاfīmāin what
ٱفْتَدَتْif'tadatshe ransoms
بِهِۦۗbihiconcerning it
تِلْكَtil'kaThese
حُدُودُḥudūdu(are the) limits
ٱللَّهِl-lahi(of) Allah
فَلَاfalāso (do) not
تَعْتَدُوهَاۚtaʿtadūhātransgress them
وَمَنwamanAnd whoever
يَتَعَدَّyataʿaddatransgresses
حُدُودَḥudūda(the) limits
ٱللَّهِl-lahi(of) Allah
فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَfa-ulāikathen those
هُمُhumuthey
ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَl-ẓālimūna(are) the wrongdoers