Surat Al Baqarah (234-244)

{وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَاجًا يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنْفُسِهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا فَإِذَا بَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا فَعَلْنَ فِي أَنْفُسِهِنَّ بِالمَعْرُوفِ وَاللهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ} [البقرة: 234]

234- Those who die and leave behind wives, their wives have to wait for four months and ten nights which is the duration of their `Iddah and mourning whether their husbands consummated marriage with them or not. If they reached that term and their `Iddah has ended, the guardians of the wives should find no harm if the widows apply adornment and accept proposals for marriage; that is something is not denied by the Shari`ah. If the widow is pregnant, her `Iddah is to deliver the baby whether the time of delivery is further than the four months and ten nights or not. Indeed, Allah knows quite well your deeds, so do not do against what you have been told for He shall reward or retribute each one for what they did.

{وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا عَرَّضْتُمْ بِهِ مِنْ خِطْبَةِ النِّسَاءِ أَوْ أَكْنَنْتُمْ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَلِمَ اللهُ أَنَّكُمْ سَتَذْكُرُونَهُنَّ وَلَكِنْ لَا تُوَاعِدُوهُنَّ سِرًّا إِلَّا أَنْ تَقُولُوا قَوْلًا مَعْرُوفًا وَلَا تَعْزِمُوا عُقْدَةَ النِّكَاحِ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ الكِتَابُ أَجَلَهُ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ} [البقرة: 235]

235- There is no harm on you if you make a hint- without explicit mention – of betrothal while widows are still in their `Iddah after such one says to them: I wish I found a good pious woman like yourself or to say: I want to marry you.

Allah knew that you would mention them in yourselves and would not keep silent from mentioning them and showing desire towards them, therefore, Allah has lifted the hardship from you in this regard.

It is not permissible to marry them or promise them with marriage secretly as long as they are still in their `Iddah, such as one of you say: Do not marry someone but me because I shall marry you. You may refer or make a hint of betrothal without explicit mention by which a widow will understand your wish of marrying her.

It is not permissible to conclude the marriage contract during their `Iddah but you have to wait until their `Iddah is over.

Be sure that Allah is All-Acquainted with that you have concealed in yourselves. Beware of His Punishment if you disobeyed His Orders. Indeed, Allah forgives the sins of those who sinned and repented to Him for He is Forbearing and does not punish them as soon as they commit a sin, yet He gives them a chance after another until they seek His Forgiveness and repent to Him.

{لَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنْ طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ مَا لَمْ تَمَسُّوهُنَّ أَوْ تَفْرِضُوا لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً وَمَتِّعُوهُنَّ عَلَى المُوسِعِ قَدَرُهُ وَعَلَى المُقْتِرِ قَدَرُهُ مَتَاعًا بِالمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى المُحْسِنِينَ} [البقرة: 236]

236- There is no harm on you if you divorce your wives before having sexual intercourse with them or before you fix a dowry for them. If you divorce them, give them of your money an amount that they use to enjoy themselves as a compensation to them. Each person shall give that amount according to his social status; a rich person gives according to his high standard while the poor gives according to his low standard. That amount is a financial right that is given by the divorcer to the divorcee in the way that is approved by the Shari`ah and good manners. This ruling is for those who want to obey Allah and want to do good for themselves by hastening to comply to the command of Allah and treat his harmed divorcee kindly.

{وَإِنْ طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تَمَسُّوهُنَّ وَقَدْ فَرَضْتُمْ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً فَنِصْفُ مَا فَرَضْتُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ يَعْفُونَ أَوْ يَعْفُوَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ عُقْدَةُ النِّكَاحِ وَأَنْ تَعْفُوا أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى وَلَا تَنْسَوُا الفَضْلَ بَيْنَكُمْ إِنَّ اللهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ} [البقرة: 237]

237- If have divorced your wives before having sexual intercourse with them after you had fixed dowry for them, give them half of this value unless they agree to forego it, their guardians agreed to forego it, or their husbands gave up their rights which is the other half of dowry.

If you forgive and give up your right of dowry, it will be closer to Allah and most pleasant to Him.

If you had sexual intercourse with them then divorced her, they are entitled to take the full dowry.

Do not forget about generosity and kindness when you deal with one another in terms of a man gives his divorced wife the full dowry or a woman gives up her right to him or vice-versa.

Let it be known that Allah is All-Acquainted with your deeds and would not waste the reward of your kind treatment and benevolence.

{حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الوُسْطَى وَقُومُوا للهِ قَانِتِينَ} [البقرة: 238]

239- Keep up to performing the Salah in its fixed time with its pillars and pre-conditions, especially Salat Al `Asr. You should perform it in submission and reverence before Allah in order to devote Him.

It was reported in Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim that the Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him] was asked about the best deeds, he said: "Keeping up Salah in its fixed time."

{فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ فَرِجَالًا أَوْ رُكْبَانًا فَإِذَا أَمِنْتُمْ فَاذْكُرُوا اللهَ كَمَا عَلَّمَكُمْ مَا لَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْلَمُونَ}[البقرة: 239]

239- When you engage in fight in the battlefield, perform Salah on any condition: whether on foot or riding or facing the Qiblah or not. When the war is over and you are safe, perform Salah in the way I commanded you. Thank Allah tremendously for He taught you what you did not know of laws and rulings of which how to perform Salah in case of fear and security.

{وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَاجًا وَصِيَّةً لِأَزْوَاجِهِمْ مَتَاعًا إِلَى الحَوْلِ غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي مَا فَعَلْنَ فِي أَنْفُسِهِنَّ مِنْ مَعْرُوفٍ وَاللهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ} [البقرة: 240]

240- Those who die and leave wives, and they allowed them to stay in their homes for a full year, they are entitled to stay if they want to do so.

If they want to leave their homes after completing their four months and ten nights `Iddah before completing a full year, there is no harm to approve that. Allah is Powerful in His Judgment, Wise in that He ordains and directs to.

It was mentioned that the previous Ayah No. [234] abrogated the current Ayah, but the Tafsir of this Ayah does not entail this saying.

{وَلِلْمُطَلَّقَاتِ مَتَاعٌ بِالمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى المُتَّقِينَ} [البقرة: 241]

241- The divorced women are given their right of Mut`ah [i.e., an amount of dowry as a compensation for them]; each person according to his social status and should treat his divorcee according to his moral standards in order that the Islamic brotherhood strong and in order not to spread rivalries and enmity in the community. That is well known by those who fear their Lord in terms of what they take and leave.

{كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللهُ لَكُمْ آَيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ} [البقرة: 242]

242- Thus, Allah explains the Shari`ah rulings which distinguish lawful and unlawful so that you may understand, consider, and recognize the wisdom, facility, and benefit therein.

{أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ خَرَجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ وَهُمْ أُلُوفٌ حَذَرَ المَوْتِ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ اللهُ مُوتُوا ثُمَّ أَحْيَاهُمْ إِنَّ اللهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ} [البقرة: 243]

243- Those are people in ancient times, who were in thousands, left their homes to escape death, which was trying to catch them. Perhaps that was the result of epidemics and diseases that had been spread among them, or they were inflicted with plague and wanted to escape it. When they reached the new place, Allah caused them all to die in one time in order to know that escaping death does not avail anything against Allah's Will. When He predestined something, it shall happen no matter the precautions taken to escape it. Then Allah gave them life after death in a decisive evidence on the ability of Allah to revive the dead and resurrect people on the Day of Resurrection.

This is one of the favors of Allah to people: to show them the signs, references, and examples to believe and consider, however, most of them are not grateful to Allah by thanking the Giver for these gifts.

This is a preface to encourage the Muslims to fight which is mentioned in the next Ayah. Whether in peace or war, a person has one lifetime to live.

{وَقَاتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌْ} [البقرة: 244]

244- Fight in the way of Allah, sacrificing your lives and monies to make the word of Allah superior and do not fear death because this will not elongate or shorten your lifetime. Escape does not save you from death as well because death is inevitable, the sustenance is divided among the people, and no one can escape destiny. Indeed, Allah hears what you speech in all that you do, either going for Jihad or escaping it, All-Knowing of what you intended in yourselves, so hasten to obey His Orders and beware not to disobey Him.