(Revealed after Hijrah)
Date of Revelation and Context
The Surah was revealed at Medina, sometime in the fifth or sixth year of the Hijrah. The immediate cause of its revelation seems to be the divorce pronounced by 'Abd Allah bin 'Umar against his wife during her monthly course, a procedure which the Surah is intended to prohibit (Bukhari). In the preceding Surah a note of warning was sounded against some of the wives and children of believers, as sometime they tend to become an impediment in the way of men wishing to make monetary sacrifice in the cause of Truth. This may possibly lead to estrangement between the husband and the wife and ultimately to divorce, or the divorce may result from incompatibility of dispositions, or from some other cause. It was, therefore, necessary to lay down the correct procedure for divorce. This may be regarded as the immediate connection of this Surah with the preceding one. But there also runs a deeper connection in the subject matter of the Qur'an as a whole.
t is characteristic of the style of the Qur'an that when any of its Surahs deals with a particular subject in its opening verses, then in order to emphasize its importance it briefly, but pointedly, reverts to the same subject in its closing verses. The same procedure has been adopted in the Qur'an as regards the whole Surahs. Thus some of the social and political problems whish were dealt with in detail in the opening Medinite Chapters such as Al-Baqarah, Al 'Imran, Al Nisa', have again been briefly treated in the last ten Medinite Chapters. The subject of divorce with which this Surah briefly deals has already been dealt with in detail in Surah Al-Baqarah.
Subject-Matter
The Surah opens with the procedure to be adopted when a man intends to divorce his wife, and also with the treatment to be extended to her after the divorce has been pronounced and she is waiting for her 'Iddah (period of waiting) to expire. It is enjoined that during this period she should be provided with all the necessities of life, commensurate with the financial means of the husband. It is significant that four times in the course of five brief verses of the Surah believers have been exhorted to observe fear of God in their dealings. This shows that in the matter of divorce husbands are generally tempted to treat their divorced wives unjustly. Hence the repeated injunction to observe fear of God.
 بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم
[65:1] In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
يَاأَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا طَلَّقْتُمْ النِّسَاءَ فَطَلِّقُوهُنَّ لِعِدَّتِهِنَّ وَأَحْصُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ رَبَّكُمْ لاَ تُخْرِجُوهُنَّ مِنْ بُيُوتِهِنَّ وَلاَ يَخْرُجْنَ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَأْتِينَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُبَيِّنَةٍ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ يَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ نَفْسَهُ لاَ تَدْرِي لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ يُحْدِثُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَمْرًا
[65:2] O Prophet! when you divorce women[3064], divorce them for the prescribed period, and reckon the period; and fear Allah. Turn them not out of their houses[3064A], nor should they themselves leave unless they commit an act which is manifestly foul. And these are the limits set by Allah; and whoso transgresses the limits of Allah, he indeed wrongs his own soul. Thou knowest not; it may be that thereafter Allah will bring something[3065] new to pass.
فَإِذَا بَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ فَارِقُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ وَأَشْهِدُوا ذَوَى عَدْلٍ مِنْكُمْ وَأَقِيمُوا الشَّهَادَةَ لِلَّهِ ذَلِكُمْ يُوعَظُ بِهِ مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا
[65:3] Then, when they are about to reach their prescribed term, keep them with kindness, or put them away with kindness, and call to witness two just persons from among you; and bear true witness for Allah. This is by which is admonished he who believes in Allah and the Last Day. And he who fears Allah — He will make for him a way out,[3066]
وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَنْ يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرًا
[65:4] And will provide for him from where he expects not. And he who puts his trust in Allah — He is sufficient for him. Verily, Allah will accomplish His purpose. For everything has Allah appointed a measure.
وَاللاَّئِي يَئِسْنَ مِنْ الْمَحِيضِ مِنْ نِسَائِكُمْ إِنْ ارْتَبْتُمْ فَعِدَّتُهُنَّ ثَلاَثَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَاللاَّئِي لَمْ يَحِضْنَ وَأُوْلاَتُ الأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًا
[65:5] And if you are in doubt[3067] as to such of your women as despair of monthly courses, then know that the prescribed period for them is three months, and the same is for such as have not had their monthly courses yet. And as for those who are with child, their period shall be until they are delivered of their burden. And whoso fears Allah, He will provide facilities for him in his affair.
 ذَلِكَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ أَنزَلَهُ إِلَيْكُمْ وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يُكَفِّرْ عَنْهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِ وَيُعْظِمْ لَهُ أَجْرًا
[65:6] That is the command of Allah which He has revealed to you. And whoso fears[3068] Allah — He will remove the evil consequences of his deeds and will enlarge his reward.
أَسْكِنُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ سَكَنتُمْ مِنْ وُجْدِكُمْ وَلاَ تُضَارُّوهُنَّ لِتُضَيِّقُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ وَإِنْ كُنَّ أُولاَتِ حَمْلٍ فَأَنْفِقُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ حَتَّى يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ فَإِنْ أَرْضَعْنَ لَكُمْ فَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَأْتَمِرُوا بَيْنَكُمْ بِمَعْرُوفٍ وَإِنْ تَعَاسَرْتُمْ فَسَتُرْضِعُ لَهُ أُخْرَى
[65:7] Lodge them during the prescribed period in the houses wherein you dwell, according to the best of your means;[3068A] and harass them not that you may create hardships for them. And if they be with child, spend on them until they are delivered of their burden. And if they give suck to the child for you, give them their recompense, and consult with one another in kindness; but if you meet with difficulty from each other, then another woman shall suckle the child for him (the father).
لِيُنفِقْ ذُو سَعَةٍ مِنْ سَعَتِهِ وَمَنْ قُدِرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقُهُ فَلْيُنفِقْ مِمَّا آتَاهُ اللَّهُ لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ مَا آتَاهَا سَيَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ عُسْرٍ يُسْرًا
[65:8] Let him who has abundance of means spend out of his abundance. And let him whose means of subsistence are straitened spend out of what Allah has given him. Allah burdens not any soul beyond that which He has given it. Allah will soon bring about ease after hardship.
 وَكَأَيِّنْ مِنْ قَرْيَةٍ عَتَتْ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهَا وَرُسُلِهِ فَحَاسَبْنَاهَا حِسَابًا شَدِيدًا وَعَذَّبْنَاهَا عَذَابًا نُكْرًا
[65:9] How many a city rebelled against the command of its Lord[3069] and His Messengers, and We called it to severe account, and punished it with dire punishment!
 فَذَاقَتْ وَبَالَ أَمْرِهَا وَكَانَ عَاقِبَةُ أَمْرِهَا خُسْرًا
[65:10] So it tasted the evil consequences[3070] of its conduct, and the end of its affair was ruin.
 أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَا أُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَدْ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكُمْ ذِكْرًا
[65:11] Allah has prepared for them a severe punishment; so fear Allah, O ye men of understanding, who have believed. Allah has indeed sent down to you a Reminder —
رَسُولاً يَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ مُبَيِّنَاتٍ لِيُخْرِجَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنْ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ وَمَنْ يُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَيَعْمَلْ صَالِحًا يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا قَدْ أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ لَهُ رِزْقًا
[65:12] A Messenger, who recites unto you the clear Signs of Allah, that he may bring those who believe and do good deeds out of every kind of darkness into light. And whoso believes in Allah and does good deeds — He will make him enter Gardens, through which rivers flow, to abide therein for ever. Allah has indeed made excellent provision for him.
اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ وَمِنْ الأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ الأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِتَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا
[65:13] Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like thereof[3070A]. The divine command comes down in their midst, that you may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah encompasses all things in His knowledge.
3064. This is one of those verses of the Qur'an in which the address made to the Holy Prophet is, in reality, meant for the believers. Since the Holy Prophet was debarred from divorcing any of his wives (33:53), the injunction is meant clearly for his followers.
3064A. The pronouncement of divorce should be made in the interval between two monthly courses, during which the husband and wife should not have conjugal relations. This ensures that the decision to divorce has not been taken hastily in a fit of anger or under the influence of some other momentary a divorced wife is to remain in her house till the expiry of 'Iddah (period of waiting). This procedure of divorce is enjoined because it is possible that during the period of waiting the causes of friction may wear out and reconciliation may take place between the estranged parties.
3065. Amr here signifies reconciliation between the estranged husband and wife.
3066. If differences between husband and wife are due to the poverty of the husband, God will provide for him from sources he never could imagine, provided he fears Allah and makes an honest effort to tide over the difficult situation.
3067. The words 'if you are in doubt' have been added because the stoppage of monthly course may be due to some disorder in the womb or to some other cause, though menopause may not yet have arrived.
3068. In the preceding five verses the believers have been repeatedly enjoined to fear God. This shows that in the matter of divorce men are generally tempted to deal unjustly with their divorced wives and to deprive them of their just rights.
3068A. In her 'Iddah a divorced woman is to be looked after by the husband with the same care and consideration as when she was the mistress of his house, according to the best of his means, till she leaves the house and is free to adopt the way of life she chooses.
3069. From the subject of divorce dealt with in the preceding verses, the present verse passes on to the defiance of Divine commandments because those who defy Divine commandments, in fact, divorce themselves from God's grace.
3070. Wabd means, injury; sin; punishment of sin. Wabil means, dangerous, pernicious, violent (Aqrab).
3070A. 'Seven earths' may be the seven major planets of the solar system and seven heavens their orbits or ways as elsewhere so called in the Qur'iin (23:18). Or, spiritually speaking 'seven heavens' may signify seven stages of the spiritual development of man and 'seven earths' those of his physical growth.
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