Quran 2:237 — Al-Baqara, verse 237
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
If you divorce wives before consummating the marriage but after fixing a bride-gift for them, then give them half of what you had previously fixed, unless they waive [their right], or unless the one who holds the marriage tie waives [his right]. Waiving [your right] is nearer to godliness, so do not forget to be generous towards one another: God sees what you do.
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 لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۚ وَلَا تَنْسَوُا الْفَضْلَ بَيْنَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
wa-in ṭallaqtumūhunna min qabli an tamassūhunna waqad faraḍtum lahunna farīḍatan faniṣ'fu mā faraḍtum illā an yaʿfūna aw yaʿfuwā alladhī biyadihi ʿuq'datu l-nikāḥi wa-an taʿfū aqrabu lilttaqwā walā tansawū l-faḍla baynakum inna l-laha bimā taʿmalūna baṣīrun
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- And if you divorce them before you have touched them, and you have already appointed for them a marriage-portion, then one-half of what you have appointed, unless it be they make remission, or he makes remission in whose hand is the knot of marriage; yet that you should remit is nearer to godfearing. Forget not to be bountiful one towards another. Surely God sees the things you do.
- Muhammad Asad
- And if you divorce them before having touched them, but after having settled a dower upon them, then [give them] half of what you have settled - unless it be that they forgo their claim or he in whose hand is the marriage-tie forgoes his claim [to half of the dower]: and to forgo what is due to you is more in accord with God-consciousness. And forget not [that you are to act with] grace towards one another: verily, God sees all that you do.
- Sahih International
- And if you divorce them before you have touched them and you have already specified for them an obligation, then [give] half of what you specified - unless they forego the right or the one in whose hand is the marriage contract foregoes it. And to forego it is nearer to righteousness. And do not forget graciousness between you. Indeed Allāh, of whatever you do, is Seeing.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | وَإِنwa-in | And if | — |
| 2 | طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّṭallaqtumūhunna | you divorce them | طلق |
| 3 | مِنmin | from | — |
| 4 | قَبْلِqabli | before | قبل |
| 5 | أَنan | [that] | — |
| 6 | تَمَسُّوهُنَّtamassūhunna | you (have) touched them | مسس |
| 7 | وَقَدْwaqad | while already | — |
| 8 | فَرَضْتُمْfaraḍtum | you have specified | فرض |
| 9 | لَهُنَّlahunna | for them | — |
| 10 | فَرِيضَةًۭfarīḍatan | an obligation (dower) | فرض |
| 11 | فَنِصْفُfaniṣ'fu | then (give) half | نصف |
| 12 | مَاmā | (of) what | — |
| 13 | فَرَضْتُمْfaraḍtum | you have specified | فرض |
| 14 | إِلَّآillā | unless | — |
| 15 | أَنan | [that] | — |
| 16 | يَعْفُونَyaʿfūna | they (women) forgo (it) | عفو |
| 17 | أَوْaw | or | — |
| 18 | يَعْفُوَا۟yaʿfuwā | forgoes | عفو |
| 19 | ٱلَّذِىalladhī | the one | — |
| 20 | بِيَدِهِۦbiyadihi | in whose hands | يدي |
| 21 | عُقْدَةُʿuq'datu | (is the) knot | عقد |
| 22 | ٱلنِّكَاحِ ۚl-nikāḥi | (of) the marriage | نكح |
| 23 | وَأَنwa-an | And that | — |
| 24 | تَعْفُوٓا۟taʿfū | you forgo | عفو |
| 25 | أَقْرَبُaqrabu | (is) nearer | قرب |
| 26 | لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۚlilttaqwā | to [the] righteousness | وقي |
| 27 | وَلَاwalā | And (do) not | — |
| 28 | تَنسَوُا۟tansawū | forget | نسي |
| 29 | ٱلْفَضْلَl-faḍla | the graciousness | فضل |
| 30 | بَيْنَكُمْ ۚbaynakum | among you | بين |
| 31 | إِنَّinna | Indeed | — |
| 32 | ٱللَّهَl-laha | Allah | أله |
| 33 | بِمَاbimā | of what | — |
| 34 | تَعْمَلُونَtaʿmalūna | you do | عمل |
| 35 | بَصِيرٌbaṣīrun | (is) All-Seer | بصر |