2-222 And they ask thee about menstruation. Say: It is harmful; so keep aloof from women during menstrual discharge and go not near them until they are clean. But when they have cleansed themselves, go in to them as Allah has commanded you. Surely Allah loves those who turn much (to Him), and He loves those who purify themselves.a
وَيَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡمَحِيضِۖ قُلۡ هُوَ أَذً۬ى فَٱعۡتَزِلُواْ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فِى ٱلۡمَحِيضِۖ وَلَا تَقۡرَبُوهُنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَطۡهُرۡنَۖ فَإِذَا تَطَهَّرۡنَ فَأۡتُوهُنَّ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ أَمَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلتَّوَّٲبِينَ وَيُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُتَطَهِّرِينَ (٢٢٢)
2-222a: ٱلۡمَحِيضِ – حِيضِ is the blood which is discharged during certain days and flows out of the uterus. In common parlance, it is called monthlies because it occurs after twenty-nine or thirty days in women. And مَحِيضِ is used for menstruation, for the period of menstruating, and also for the place.
أَذً۬ى – Taj Al-Arus defines it as: المکروہ الیسیر, that is a small inconvenience or a little disliked thing, and also as: الشرالخفیف, that is a small harm, and when the harm is more, it is called ضرر .
ٱعۡتَزِلُواْ – ٱعۡتَزاِل is derived from عزل which means to separate from something. Here separation from women is used as a metaphor. It does not mean leaving the home, or not touching them. It just means not to have conjugal relations with them.
يَطۡهُرۡن – طھر is both the opposite of filth, and also the opposite of menstruation. When a woman finishes her period, she is said to be طاھر. The meaning of طَھُرَت means that menstrual flow has stopped, and the meaning of تطھرت and اطَّھَّرت is that she took a bath (T). Just as a person’s state of طہارت or purity is one in which a person can develop and grow, filth and impurity being an impediment to growth, in a woman the state of طہر is one in which she can conceive. During menstruation, the woman herself is not unclean, but the word طہر is used because in this state she is not able to fulfil the objective of growing mankind. The choice of words shows great wisdom.
The connection between the issues of divorce and war: From here to the end of the thirty-first section, the text deals with issues of menstruation, divorce, and widows. These are some subsidiary issues that are interrelated and also are related to war. An outcome of war is that women get widowed and therefore there is a need to give injunctions about their remarriage, and period of waiting before remarriage. These injunctions are similar to the injunctions for divorced women, and hence these issues are also dealt with here. Finally, issues of menstruation are connected with divorce because divorce cannot be given during the period of menstruation. The following text starts with menstruation, then delves into the issues of divorce, and widows. During a state of war, nations do not have time for reform and new legislation. However, almost the entire shariah of Islam was revealed during a state of hostilities. The successful reform of a nation proceeded with the prolonged years of war. What other nation can present a similar example?
The question in this verse relates to conjugal relations during menstruation as is clear from the reply. Hence the indication in هُوَ أَذً۬ى is to conjugal relations, that is, conjugal relations during menstruation are harmful. The meaning is not that menstruation by itself is harmful. The scholars are unanimous that it is not permissible to have conjugal relations unless she has finished her cycle and has taken a bath, or performed tayamumum if some mitigating reasons prevent her from bathing. By using the word تَطَهَّرۡنَ , the Quran indicates the necessity of taking a bath. Imam Abu Hanifa, however, is of the opinion that when the maximum period for menstruation has passed, which is ten days, then stoppage of the menstrual flow is sufficient. The last words of the verse, that Allah loves those who purify themselves, draws attention to internal purity along with physical purity.
2-223 Your wives are a tilth for you, so go in to your tilth when you like, and send (good) beforehand for yourselves. And keep your duty to Allah, and know that you will meet Him. And give good news to the believers.a
نِسَآؤُكُمۡ حَرۡثٌ۬ لَّكُمۡ فَأۡتُواْ حَرۡثَكُمۡ أَنَّىٰ شِئۡتُمۡۖ وَقَدِّمُواْ لِأَنفُسِكُمۡۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّڪُم مُّلَـٰقُوهُۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ (٢٢٣)
2-223a: أَنَّىٰ – It is stated in Al-Mufradat that both state and place are relevant in أَنَّىٰ . For this reason it is used both for اَین meaning where or what place and کَیف meaning how or in what way. According to ibn Dahak, the meaning of أَنَّىٰ in this verse is متٰی , meaning when. Taj al-Arus states that all the three meanings are evidenced by their widespread use. Ibn Abbas gives the following example: شئتم من اللیل والنھار أَنَّىٰ meaning whenever you want – day or night. This is the meaning adopted in the translation.
The Quran is a book that prescribes a complete code of conduct, and it is necessary for it to contain the required injunctions for all aspects of life. This includes the relationship between men and women. It gives all the essentials in the relationship, but it does so in a language that is not embarrassing even for the most delicate ears This speaks to the perfection of the Quran.
Indecent stories in the Bible: The Bible, which Christians want the whole world to accept as a holy book, contains narratives with no redeeming value that would make a person blush even in the privacy of a room. In this civilized age, what Swami Dayananda wrote about Niyoga in the fourth chapter of his book Satyarth Prakash and the view he has expressed in section 43 of the chapter under girbawan sansar describes the relationship between men and women in such vulgar language that a common man would not use in polite society. But it is a miracle of the Quran that fourteen hundred years ago, an unlettered Arab describes these delicate relationships in gentle and fine words when the environment in which he lived was replete with poetry filled with vulgar descriptions of sexual relations, proudly recited in gatherings.
The rationale for the use of the word tilth in place of woman: This is another topic which for no good reason becomes the butt of criticism by filthy minded people. It is stated here that a woman is like your tilth. The comparison is meant to indicate that the object of the physical relationship between men and women is to reproduce. Since conjugal relationship during menstruation does not serve this purpose, it is disallowed during this period as it would only result in harm and possibly disease.
The meaning of أَنَّىٰ شِئۡتُمۡ (when you like): A second reason for prohibiting conjugal relations during menstruation is given here by stating that the reason for them is the development of the human race, just as the reason for tilth is the development of seed, and since this objective is not achievable during menstruation, it is not right to have conjugal relations with a woman. Once this period is over, then conjugal relations can resume, but the objective must be kept in mind. Keeping this objective in mind, permission is given to have physical relations with one’s wives whenever, however, and wherever one wants. In the previous verse, it is clearly stated that physical relations have to be “as Allah has commanded”. Allah’s command is in accordance with the physical nature of a person and that is why Islam is a religion in accordance with the nature of humans, as in: فِطۡرَتَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِى فَطَرَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَيۡہَا (..the nature made by Allah in which He has created men…). Thus, unnatural acts are proscribed here. It is a shameful act to criticize such a holy book for the use of metaphor by interpreting it in a way that is clearly against its objective and intentions.
2-224 And make not Allah by your oaths a hindrance to your doing good and keeping your duty and making peace between men. And Allah is Hearing, Knowing.a
وَلَا تَجۡعَلُواْ ٱللَّهَ عُرۡضَةً۬ لِّأَيۡمَـٰنِڪُمۡ أَن تَبَرُّواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ وَتُصۡلِحُواْ بَيۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ۬ (٢٢٤)
2-224a: عُرۡضَةً۬ – It is derived from عَرض for which see 2-83a, and عُرۡضَةً۬ is a hindrance that is put in front of a thing (R). A shield is also called عُرۡضَةً۬ .
ایمان – is the plural of یَمین . The literal meaning is right hand. It is metaphorically used for oaths by virtue of raising the right hand at the time of taking an oath or entering into a covenant (R).
تَبَرُّواْ – For the meaning of برّ see 2-44a. And the meaning of بِرّ الوالدین means doing abundant good to parents (R). This is the meaning of تَبَرُّواْ here, and also in Surah Al-Mumtahanah 60:8 where the treatment of non-Muslims is the subject.
In order to discuss the issue of divorce, one affair is discussed, and continuing in the same vein another preliminary issue is now taken up. A type of divorce prevalent in Arabia was called ایلاء , mention of which occurs in the verse after next. A person would take an oath that he would not have conjugal relations with his wife. Because the Quran mentions this kind of divorce, it first states some related things about oaths as a prelude. This type of oath is classified with other such oaths in which a person takes an oath to abstain from acts of goodness, or protection of rights, or acts of reformation. The Quran stops one from taking such oaths, and also imparts a general and encompassing education not to commit to any such action that will stop one from performing acts of goodness, or results in failure to perform duties that are one’s responsibility, or to abandon efforts of reformation even if the oath is taken in the name of Allah. An oath is a covenant and when made in the name of Allah, it is a covenant with Allah. When an oath of the type described is not valid even when made with Allah because He teaches goodness and guarding of rights, then any such oath made with another person can have no validity. Those jobs whose responsibilities require confiscation of the rights of Muslim brothers or giving them pain also fall under this provision.
2-225 Allah will not call you to account for what is vain in your oaths, but He will call you to account for what your hearts have earned. And Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing.
لَّا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِٱللَّغۡوِ فِىٓ أَيۡمَـٰنِكُمۡ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ قُلُوبُكُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ۬ (٢٢٥)
اَللَّغۡوِ – لغو is speech not worth considering, that is, a thing said without thought and consideration.
حَلِيمٌ۬ – The meaning of حلم is to control one’s nature and inclination from flying into a rage (R). One of the attributes of Allah is حلیم and Lissan al-Arab gives its meaning as الصبور and explains as follows: Disobedience of the disobedient does not diminish Him, nor does He lose control because of His anger.
By vain oaths is meant those oaths that may form part of one’s speech in normal parlance as a habit. The Arabs would frequently say: لا واللّٰه – بلیٰ واللّه . Some learned friends from South Asia in order to show their literacy also frequently punctuate their speech with واللّٰه باللّٰه ثم تاللّٰه . By بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ قُلُوبُكُمۡ are meant those oaths that are taken deliberately with due consideration. It is for such oaths that expiation is mentioned in Surah Maidah 5:89.
Vain oaths prohibited: Although vain oaths that are made without thinking and due consideration are not subject to the same penalty, it does not mean that taking such oaths is not prohibited. In Surah Al-Muminun, believers are instructed to abstain from all vain talk and actions by stating: وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَنِ ٱللَّغۡوِ مُعۡرِضُونَ (And who shun what is vain) (23:3). The sanctity of oaths is mentioned elsewhere in Surah Al-Maidah where it is stated: وَٱحۡفَظُوٓاْ أَيۡمَـٰنَكُمۡ (And keep your oaths) (5:89).
2-226 Those who swear that they will not go in to their wives should wait four months; then if they go back, Allah is surely Forgiving, Merciful.a
لِّلَّذِينَ يُؤۡلُونَ مِن نِّسَآٮِٕهِمۡ تَرَبُّصُ أَرۡبَعَةِ أَشۡہُرٍ۬ۖ فَإِن فَآءُو فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬ (٢٢٦)
226a: يُؤۡلُونَ – اِلی is an article which indicates the end goal in a direction. And the meaning of اٰلَوتُ فی الامر is I was negligent in this affair. It is, as if the worker sees the final goal but does not move towards it, as in this reference from Surah Al-Imran: لَا يَأۡلُونَكُمۡ خَبَالاً۬ (they spare no pains to cause you loss) (3:118). And ایلاء is that oath, the purpose of which is to be remiss in work or in the discharge of duty. In the terminology of the shariah ایلاء is that a man makes an oath not to have conjugal relations with his wife. That is an oath in which the rights of the wife are diminished (R).
فَآءُو – It is from فیء which means to return to a good state (R).
Oath of not having conjugal relations with wife: It is narrated by Said ibn-al-Musayyib that it was the custom in Arabia that when a husband did not like his wife, and also did not wish her to marry someone else, he would take an oath not to have conjugal relations with her, and in this way left her stuck, unable to remarry and not being properly married. The whole purpose of this was to hurt the woman. The first step in discussing the issues arising out of divorce was to do away with this obnoxious custom. The Quran has, first, stopped the custom of ایلاء by classifying it among oaths that prevents a person from righteousness and discharging duty. However, if someone was to make such an oath, he is given a period of four months to reconcile with his wife, which is stated to be a good state as is apparent from the use of the word فاء . After the passage of four months, according to some jurists, divorce is affected, but the woman has to complete the waiting period before remarrying. According to other jurists, after the passage of four months, the woman can demand of her husband either to divorce her or to reconcile. The Quranic text favors the first interpretation.
2-227 And if they resolve on a divorce, Allah is surely Hearing, Knowing.a
وَإِنۡ عَزَمُواْ ٱلطَّلَـٰقَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ۬ (٢٢٧)
2-227a: عَزَمُواْ – عَزۡم is a firm determination to do a thing.
ٱلطَّلَـٰقَ – The real meaning of طلاق is to be released from a bond, and it is used in particular for release from the marriage contract.
The subject of divorce starts from here: Arabs were free to divorce women at will during the pre-Islamic period and there was little regard for women. The marriage contract had no sanctity, and men could divorce and take back the women at will. The Jewish laws were also relatively lax in the matter of divorce as compared to some nations, for example Hinduism which does not sanction the dissolution of marriage under any circumstance. The foundation of the Christian law of divorce is so strict that for all practical purposes, all Christian nations have abandoned it. The Bible states: “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’[a] 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” (Mathew 5:31-32). The legal edifice that the Christians built on this foundation was pulverized by time. There is no Christian country where this law is not discarded. Every other day laws are passed contrary to the Biblical command, and the legislators who call upon Jesus as god, gather in their Parliaments and state that the Biblical injunctions are impractical. This is not surprising because God did not come Himself to give them this shariah. Is it not shameful then to propagate this religion in the world? The reality is that when the Jews became extremely lax in the matter of divorce, Jesus, whose teachings were specific to his nation and only for an interim period, issued this command as a temporary fix knowing that the everlasting shariah will be moderate in all issues and will come later.
Islam established moderation in matters of divorce: Accordingly, Islam established the rules of divorce on the right foundation. It neither kept the permissive rules of Judaism and the pre-Islamic Arabs, nor did it uphold the strict rules of Christianity and Hinduism as practical, but instead gave such a moderate guidance that the whole world is moving towards it. Thus, it permitted divorce but subjected it to many restraints and conditions. The Holy Prophet understood the real Quranic intention, and stated: ابغض الحلال الی اللّٰه الطلاق (Of all the permissible things, the most disliked by Allah is divorce). Unless there are overwhelming circumstances, these words are a sufficient restraint for Muslims. The restrictions imposed by the Quran on divorce are mentioned later on. It is true that Quran has not established and specified the conditions which can form the basis for divorce because the law has to be spacious enough to accommodate the requirements of all nations for all times. Hence, it would not have been right to establish the reasons for divorce. Today, the Christian nations who follow the same religion, have a similarly high level of education and development, and great similarity in their economic and cultural laws cannot agree upon what conditions should trigger divorce. Islam puts forward a way that is free from any defects. It is not possible for an unlettered person of Arabia to make such a balanced law of divorce without Divine revelation when even the great civilized and educated people of today cannot do the same.
2-228 And the divorced women should keep themselves in waiting for three courses.a And it is not lawful for them to conceal that which Allah has created in their wombs, if they believe in Allah and the Last Day.b And their husbands have a better right to take them back in the meanwhile if they wish for reconciliation.c And women have rights similar to those against them in a just manner, and men are a degree above them. And Allah is Mighty, Wise.d
وَٱلۡمُطَلَّقَـٰتُ يَتَرَبَّصۡنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ ثَلَـٰثَةَ قُرُوٓءٍ۬ۚ وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَهُنَّ أَن يَكۡتُمۡنَ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ فِىٓ أَرۡحَامِهِنَّ إِن كُنَّ يُؤۡمِنَّ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِۚ وَبُعُولَتُہُنَّ أَحَقُّ بِرَدِّهِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ إِنۡ أَرَادُوٓاْ إِصۡلَـٰحً۬اۚ وَلَهُنَّ مِثۡلُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيۡہِنَّ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِۚ وَلِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيۡہِنَّ دَرَجَةٌ۬ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ (٢٢٨)
2-228a: قُرُوٓءٍ۬ۚ – It is the plural of قَرء which means entering from the pre-menstrual state of purity to the state of menstruation, and because it involves both the states, that is, the pre-menstrual state and the menstrual state, it can also be used for each state individually (R). It is stated in Mufradat that any noun that requires two attributes simultaneously can also be used for each attribute individually. So ثَلَـٰثَةَ قُرُوٓءٍ۬ۚ means three menstrual cycles.
Divorce can only be granted in the period when a woman is not menstruating: Although apparently the text mentions the waiting period before women can remarry, by bringing the word قُرُوٓءٍ۬ۚ , it is conveyed that the first condition for divorcing is that it be given in a period when the woman is not menstruating, because the waiting period cannot begin unless the woman is in a state of purity from which the state of menstruation will follow. (This is different from the waiting period for a widow where the waiting period is given in months and days). This is also indicated in: طلقو ھن بعد تھن , and it is narrated in an authentic hadith that when Ibn Umar divorced his wife when she was having her period, the Holy Prophet expressed his displeasure and asked him to reconcile with his wife. This condition is in fact a restraint on divorce because during a woman’s period, the husband and wife are separated, and it is easier to pronounce divorce in this state. It is much more difficult during the period of conjugal relations and the love that it fosters.
The second restraint that is imposed on divorce in this passage is the waiting period after divorce. Its major purpose appears to be that a short separation may lead to an appreciation of each other, and if there is still any love left in the marriage, those emotions of love may overcome the temporary irritation that may have led to divorce. Thus, divorce is not immediate upon pronouncement but becomes final only after a lapse of about three months during which reconciliation, if possible, can be affected. Marriage without love and affection cannot fulfill its real purpose, and if there is no love, it not only destroys the morals and virtues of the husband and wife, but is also destructive of the manners and morality of their children. Sometimes there is underlying love but temporarily hatred from certain issues clouds it, and a waiting period is instituted for temporary factors to abate and the underlying love to preponderate. Another purpose for prescribing a waiting period is that if the woman is pregnant, her pregnancy is revealed, as is mentioned in the words that follow.
2-228b: It is the plural of رَحم and is the active voice of a verb.
One apparent reason for the waiting period is described above, namely as a restraint on divorce. In the passage here, a second reason for the waiting period is described, namely that if the woman is pregnant, her pregnancy is revealed. Because children often create a strong bond of love between husband and wife, this aspect is brought up here because often the pregnancy of the wife can negate the desire for divorce.
2-228c: بُعُولَة – is the plural of بَعۡل and بَعۡل really means that which is superior to another and a husband is also called بَعۡل .
This is the third restraint on divorce. If the parties desire reconciliation during the waiting period (and reconciliation is strongly encouraged), the husband has the right to ask the wife to return to him. This is meant as an effective remedy to right any hasty action taken in the matter of divorce. Three months is a long enough period for any temporary unpleasantness to subside, and for a person to reflect and ponder with a cool mind. If there is any spark of love still in the relationship it will rekindle the love and dissipate the temporary hostility. By introducing reconciliation and bringing the word احق it is underscored, that as far as possible, all efforts should be made to restore the original relationship.
2-228d: مَعۡرُوف – is derived from عرف for which see 2-198b, and مَعۡرُوف is that affair which is desirable according to the shariah (R)۔
دَرَجَةۗ – is منزلة or high status.
Equality of rights between men and women and men’s degree of superiority: The Quran solves two great conundrums with great finesse. The first rule it establishes is that just as men have rights against women, women have rights against men. Thus, as far as rights are concerned, there is equality between men and women. This is a fundamental truth of which other religions seem to be unaware. In fact, even the civilized nations do not fully accepted this. However, this equality of rights can create a problem as to how to maintain order in the home, because no arrangement can be maintained unless one is given some superiority over another. The household is the basic unit on which the welfare of human societies depends. Civilization means the ability to live together and it begins with the ability to live together in households. Just as there is some superiority even in egalitarian societies, similarly in household matters there is need for some superiority to maintain order even though egalitarianism is the rule. So, along with the mention of equality of sexes, it is stated that men have a degree of superiority over women as well. If the injunction is just left it at equality, harmonious living in the home would be well-nigh impossible. If the systems of organization in the world are analyzed, it men have an edge over women. Men have more courage and strength than women, even as women are more endowed with love and mercy than men, but strength and courage make men superior in governing. So, neither should men deny equal rights for women, and neither should women deny the superiority that nature gives men. This is a balance without which the peace of the house would be destroyed. Just as at the macro level, equality of rights is established and the rights of the governed over the government are recognized, similarly equality of rights are established in the household and the rights of women over men are recognized.
It is necessary to remind men about the rights of women while discussing the subject of divorce so that men may not think that since the authority to divorce is vested in them, that women have no rights. They have the same rights as men. This is the fourth restraint on men.
Bayan-ul-Quran 