Surah Al-Baqara 2:237 — translation and meaning

البقرة · Verse 237 / 286 · Page 38

ۚ ۚ ۚ وَإِن طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَمَسُّوهُنَّ وَقَدْ فَرَضْتُمْ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً فَنِصْفُ مَا فَرَضْتُمْ إِلَّا أَن يَعْفُونَ أَوْ يَعْفُوَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ عُقْدَةُ النِّكَاحِ وَأَن تَعْفُوا أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى وَلَا تَنسَوُا الْفَضْلَ بَيْنَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

Word by Word

ۚ
ۚ
ۚ
وَإِن
wa-in
And if
طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ
tallaqtumuhunna
you divorce them
مِن
min
from
قَبْلِ
qabli
before
أَن
an
[that]
تَمَسُّوهُنَّ
tamassuhunna
you (have) touched them
وَقَدْ
waqad
while already
فَرَضْتُمْ
faradtum
you have specified
لَهُنَّ
lahunna
for them
فَرِيضَةً
faridatan
an obligation (dower)
فَنِصْفُ
fanis'fu
then (give) half
مَا
ma
(of) what
فَرَضْتُمْ
faradtum
you have specified
إِلَّا
illa
unless
أَن
an
[that]
يَعْفُونَ
ya'funa
they (women) forgo (it)
أَوْ
aw
or
يَعْفُوَ
ya'fuwa
forgoes
الَّذِي
alladhi
the one
بِيَدِهِ
biyadihi
in whose hands
عُقْدَةُ
uq'datu
(is the) knot
النِّكَاحِ
al-nikahi
(of) the marriage
وَأَن
wa-an
And that
تَعْفُوا
ta'fu
you forgo
أَقْرَبُ
aqrabu
(is) nearer
لِلتَّقْوَى
lilttaqwa
to [the] righteousness
وَلَا
wala
And (do) not
تَنسَوُا
tansawu
forget
الْفَضْلَ
al-fadla
the graciousness
بَيْنَكُمْ
baynakum
among you
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
اللَّهَ
al-laha
Allah
بِمَا
bima
of what
تَعْمَلُونَ
ta'maluna
you do
بَصِيرٌ
basirun
(is) All-Seer

Transliteration

Wa in tallaqtumoohunna min qabli an tamassoohunna wa qad farad tum lahunna fareedatan fanisfu maa faradtum illaaa ai ya'foona aw ya'fuwallazee biyadihee 'uqdatunnikaah; wa an ta'foona aw ya'fuwallazee biyadihee 'uqdatunnikaah; wa an ta'fooo aqrabu littaqwaa; wa laa tansawulfadla bainakum; innal laaha bimaa ta'maloona Baseer

Translation

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 Allah, of whatever you do, is Seeing.

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

If you divorce your wives with whom you have entered into marriage before having sexual intercourse with them and you had fixed the amount of the dowry, you will have to pay half of this amount to them, unless they give up this right of theirs or the husband wishes to pay the full dowry. To give up your right is closer to Mindfulness. Do not forget to show kindness and compassion to one another in matters of rights. Allah sees what you do, so try to do what is best to earn His reward.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

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"And if you divorce them before you have touched them and you hav…" — Al-Baqara 2:237