2:228 Al-Baqara (The Cow)

أي: النساء اللاتي طلقهن أزواجهن { يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنْفُسِهِنَّ } أي: ينتظرن ويعتددن مدة { ثَلَاثَةَ قُرُوءٍ } أي: حيض, أو أطهار على اختلاف العلماء في المراد بذلك, مع أن الصحيح أن القرء, الحيض, ولهذه العدةِ عِدّةُ حِكَمٍ، منها: العلم ببراءة الرحم, إذا تكررت عليها ثلاثة الأقراء, علم أنه ليس في رحمها حمل, فلا يفضي إلى اختلاط الأنساب، ولهذا أوجب تعالى عليهن الإخبار عن { مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ فِي أَرْحَامِهِنَّ } وحرم عليهن, كتمان ذلك, من حمل أو حيض, لأن كتمان ذلك, يفضي إلى مفاسد كثيرة، فكتمان الحمل, موجب أن تلحقه بغير من هو له, رغبة فيه واستعجالا لانقضاء العدة، فإذا ألحقته بغير أبيه, حصل من قطع الرحم والإرث, واحتجاب محارمه وأقاربه عنه, وربما تزوج ذوات محارمه، وحصل في مقابلة ذلك, إلحاقه بغير أبيه, وثبوت توابع ذلك, من الإرث منه وله, ومن جعل أقارب الملحق به, أقارب له، وفي ذلك من الشر والفساد, ما لا يعلمه إلا رب العباد، ولو لم يكن في ذلك, إلا إقامتها مع من نكاحها باطل في حقه, وفيه الإصرار على الكبيرة العظيمة, وهي الزنا لكفى بذلك شرا. وأما كتمان الحيض, بأن استعجلت وأخبرت به وهي كاذبة, ففيه من انقطاع حق الزوج عنها, وإباحتها لغيره وما يتفرع عن ذلك من الشر, كما ذكرنا، وإن كذبت وأخبرت بعدم وجود الحيض, لتطول العدة, فتأخذ منه نفقة غير واجبة عليه, بل هي سحت عليها محرمة من جهتين: من كونها لا تستحقه, ومن كونها نسبته إلى حكم الشرع وهي كاذبة, وربما راجعها بعد انقضاء العدة, فيكون ذلك سفاحا, لكونها أجنبية عنه, فلهذا قال تعالى: { وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَهُنَّ أَنْ يَكْتُمْنَ مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ فِي أَرْحَامِهِنَّ إِنْ كُنَّ يُؤْمِنَّ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ } فصدور الكتمان منهن دليل على عدم إيمانهن بالله واليوم الآخر, وإلا فلو آمن بالله واليوم الآخر, وعرفن أنهن مجزيات عن أعمالهن, لم يصدر منهن شيء من ذلك. وفي ذلك دليل على قبول خبر المرأة, عما تخبر به عن نفسها, من الأمر الذي لا يطلع عليه غيرها, كالحيض والحمل ونحوه ثم قال تعالى: { وَبُعُولَتُهُنَّ أَحَقُّ بِرَدِّهِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ } أي: لأزواجهن ما دامت متربصة في تلك العدة, أن يردوهن إلى نكاحهن { إِنْ أَرَادُوا إِصْلَاحًا } أي: رغبة وألفة ومودة. ومفهوم الآية أنهم إن لم يريدوا الإصلاح, فليسوا بأحق بردهن, فلا يحل لهم أن يراجعوهن, لقصد المضارة لها, وتطويل العدة عليها، وهل يملك ذلك, مع هذا القصد؟ فيه قولان. الجمهور على أنه يملك ذلك, مع التحريم, والصحيح أنه إذا لم يرد الإصلاح, لا يملك ذلك, كما هو ظاهر الآية الكريمة, وهذه حكمة أخرى في هذا التربص، وهي: أنه ربما أن زوجها ندم على فراقه لها, فجعلت له هذه المدة, ليتروى بها ويقطع نظره. وهذا يدل على محبته تعالى, للألفة بين الزوجين, وكراهته للفراق, كما قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: \" أبغض الحلال إلى الله الطلاق \" وهذا خاص في الطلاق الرجعي، وأما الطلاق البائن, فليس البعل بأحق برجعتها، بل إن تراضيا على التراجع, فلا بد من عقد جديد مجتمع الشروط. ثم قال تعالى: { وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ } أي: وللنساء على بعولتهن من الحقوق واللوازم مثل الذي عليهن لأزواجهن من الحقوق اللازمة والمستحبة. ومرجع الحقوق بين الزوجين يرجع إلى المعروف, وهو: العادة الجارية في ذلك البلد وذلك الزمان من مثلها لمثله، ويختلف ذلك باختلاف الأزمنة والأمكنة, والأحوال, والأشخاص والعوائد. وفي هذا دليل على أن النفقة والكسوة, والمعاشرة, والمسكن, وكذلك الوطء - الكل يرجع إلى المعروف، فهذا موجب العقد المطلق. وأما مع الشرط, فعلى شرطهما, إلا شرطا أحل حراما, أو حرم حلالا. { وَلِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَجَةٌ } أي: رفعة ورياسة, وزيادة حق عليها, كما قال تعالى: { الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَبِمَا أَنْفَقُوا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ } ومنصب النبوة والقضاء, والإمامة الصغرى والكبرى, وسائر الولايات مختص بالرجال، وله ضعفا ما لها في كثير من الأمور, كالميراث ونحوه. { وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ } أي: له العزة القاهرة والسلطان العظيم, الذي دانت له جميع الأشياء, ولكنه مع عزته حكيم في تصرفه. ويخرج من عموم هذه الآية, الحوامل, فعدتهن وضع الحمل، واللاتي لم يدخل بهن, فليس لهن عدة، والإماء, فعدتهن حيضتان, كما هو قول الصحابة رضي الله عنهم، وسياق الآيات يدل على أن المراد بها الحرة.

هذا أمر من الله سبحانه وتعالى للمطلقات المدخول بهن من ذوات الأقراء بان يتربصن بأنفسهن ثلاثة قروء أي بأن تمكث إحداهن بعد طلاق زوجها لها ثلاثة قروء ثم تتزوج إن شاءت وقد أخرج الأئمة الأربعة من هذا العموم الأمة إذا طلقت فإنها تعتد عندهم بقرأين لأنها على النصف من الحرة والقرء لا يتبعض فكمل لها قرءان ولما رواه ابن جرير عن مظاهر بن أسلم المخزومي المدني عن القاسم عن عائشة أن رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - قال: "طلاق الأمة تطليقتان وعدتها حيضتان" رواه أبو داود والترمذي وابن ماجه ولكن مظاهر هذا ضعيف بالكلية وقال الحافظ الدارقطني وغيره الصحيح أنه من قول القاسم بن محمد نفسه ورواه ابن ماجه من طريق عطية العوفي عن ابن عمر مرفوعا قال: الدارقطني والصحيح ما رواه سالم ونافع عن ابن عمر قوله وهكذا روي عن عمر بن الخطاب قالوا: ولم يعرف بين الصحابة خلاف وقال: بعض السلف: بل عدتها عدة الحرة لعموم الآية ولأن هذا أمر جبلي فكان الحرائر والإماء في هذا سواء حكى هذا القول الشيخ أبو عمر بن عبدالبر عن محمد بن سيرين وبعض أهل الظاهر وضعفه وقد قال ابن أبي حاتم: حدثنا أبي حدثنا أبو اليمان حدثنا إسماعيل يعني ابن عياش عن عمرو بن مهاجر عن أبيه أن أسماء بنت يزيد بن السكن الأنصارية قالت: طلقت على عهد رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - ولم يكن للمطلقة عدة فأنزل الله عز وجل حين طلقت أسماء العدة للطلاق فكانت أول من نزلت فيها العدة للطلاق يعني "والمطلقات يتربصن بأنفسهن ثلاثة قروء" وهذا حديث غريب من هذا الوجه. وقد اختلف السلف والخلف والأئمة في المراد بالأقراء ما هو على قولين: "أحدهما" أن المراد بها الأطهار وقال مالك في الموطإ عن ابن شهاب عن عروة عن عائشة أنها انتقلت حفصة بنت عبدالرحمن بن أبي بكر حين دخلت في الدم من الحيضة الثالثة فذكرت ذلك لعمرة بنت عبدالرحمن فقالت صدق عروة وقد جادلها في ذلك ناس فقالوا: إن الله تعالى يقول في كتابه "ثلاثة قروء" فقالت عائشة: صدقتم وتدرون ما الأقراء؟ إنما الأقراء الأطهار وقال مالك عن ابن شهاب سمعت أبا بكر بن عبدالرحمن يقول: ما أدركت أحدا من فقهائنا إلا وهو يقول ذلك يريد قول عائشة وقال مالك عن نافع عن عبدالله بن عمر أنه كان يقول: إذا طلق الرجل امرأته فدخلت في الدم من الحيضة الثالثة فقد برئت منه وبرئ منها وقال مالك وهو الأمر عندنا وروي مثاله عن ابن عباس وزيد بن ثابت وسالم والقاسم وعروة وسليمان بن يسار وأبي بكر بن عبدالرحمن وأبان بن عثمان وعطاء ابن أبي رباح وقتادة والزهري وبقية الفقهاء السبعة وهو مذهب مالك والشافعي وغير واحد وداود وأبي ثور وهو رواية عن أحمد واستدلوا عليه بقوله تعالى "فطلقوهن لعدتهن" أي في الأطهار ولما كان الطهر الذي يطلق فيه محتسبا دل على أنه أحد الأقراء الثلاثة المأمور بها ولهذا قال هؤلاء: إن المعتدة تنقضي عدتها وتبين من زوجها بالطعن في الحيضة الثالثة وأقل مدة تصدق فيها المرأة في انقضاء عدتها اثنان وثلاثون يوما ولحظتان واستشهد أبو عبيد وغيره على ذلك بقول الشاعر وهو الأعشى: ففي كل عام أنت جاشم غزوة تشد لأقصاها عزيم عزائكا مورثة مالا وفي الأصل رفعة لما ضاع فيها من قروء نسائكا يمدح أميرا من أمراء العرب آثر الغزو على المقام حتى ضاعت أيام الطهر من نسائه لم يواقعهن فيها. "القول الثاني" إن المراد بالأقراء الحيض فلا تنقضي العدة حتى تطهر من الحيضة الثالثة زاد آخرون وتغتسل منها وأقل وقت تصدق فيه المرأة في انقضاء عدتها ثلاثة وثلاثون يوما ولحظة قال الثوري عن منصور عن إبراهيم عن علقمة قال: كنا عند عمر بن الخطاب - رضي الله عنه - فجاءته امرأة فقالت: إن زوجي فارقني بواحدة أو اثنتين فجاءني وقد نزعت ثيابي وأغلقت بابي فقال عمر لعبدالله بن مسعود: أراها امرأته ما دون أن تحل لها الصلاة قال: وأنا أرى ذلك. وهكذا روي عن أبي بكر الصديق وعمر وعثمان وعلي وأبي الدرداء وعبادة بن الصامت وأنس بن مالك وابن مسعود ومعاذ وأبي بن كعب وأبي موسى الأشعري وابن عباس وسعيد بن المسيب وعلقمة والأسود وإبراهيم ومجاهد وعطاء وطاوس وسعيد بن جبير وعكرمة ومحمد بن سيرين والحسن وقتادة والشعبي والربيع ومقاتل بن حيان والسدي ومكحول والضحاك وعطاء الخراساني أنهم قالوا: الأقراء: الحيض وهذا مذهب أبي حنيفة وأصحابه وأصح الروايتين عن الإمام أحمد بن حنبل وحكى عنه الأثرم أنه قال الأكابر من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقولون الأقراء الحيض وهو مذهب الثوري والأوزاعي وابن أبي ليلى وابن شبرمة والحسن بن صالح بن حي وأبي عبيد وإسحق بن راهويه ويؤيد هذا ما جاء في الحديث الذي رواه أبو داود والنسائي من طريق المنذر بن المغيرة عن عروة بن الزبير عن فاطمة بنت أبي حبيش أن رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - قال لها "دعي الصلاة أيام أقرائك" فهذا لو صح لكان صريحا في أن القرء هو الحيض ولكن المنذر هذا قال فيه أبو حاتم مجهول ليس بمشهور وذكره ابن حبان في الثقات وقال: ابن جرير أصل القرء في كلام العرب الوقت لمجيء الشيء المعتاد مجيئه في وقت معلوم ولإدبار الشيء المعتاد إدباره لوقت معلوم وهذه العبارة تقتضي أن يكون مشتركا بين هذا وهذا وقد ذهب إليه بعض الأصوليين والله أعلم. وهذا قول الأصمعي أن القرء هو الوقت. وقال أبو عمرو بن العلاء: العرب تسمي الحيض قرءا وتسمي الطهر قرءا وتسمي الطهر والحيض جميعا قرءا. وقال الشيخ أبو عمر بن عبدالبر: لا يختلف أهل العلم بلسان العرب والفقهاء أن القرء يراد به الحيض ويراد به الطهر وإنما اختلفوا في المراد من الآية ما هو على قولين. وقوله "ولا يحل لهن أن يكتمن ما خلق الله في أرحامهن" أي من حبل أو حيض. قاله ابن عباس وابن عمر ومجاهد والشعبي والحكم بن عينية والربيع بن أنس والضحاك وغير واحد. وقوله "إن كن يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر" تهديد لهن على خلاف الحق ودل هذا على أن المرجع في هذا إليهن لأنه أمر لا يعلم إلا من جهتهن ويتعذر إقامة البينة غالبا على ذلك فرد الأمر إليهن وتوعدن فيه لئلا يخبرن بغير الحق إما استعجالا منها لانقضاء العدة أو رغبة منها في تطويلها لما لها في ذلك من المقاصد فأمرت أن تخبر بالحق في ذلك من غير زيادة ولا نقصان. وقوله "وبعولتهن أحق بردهن في ذلك إن أرادوا إصلاحا" أي وزوجها الذي طلقها أحق بردها ما دامت في عدتها إذا كان مراده بردها الإصلاح والخير وهذا في الرجعيات فأما المطلقات البوائن فلم يكن حال نزول هذه الآية مطلقة بائن وإنما كان ذلك لما حصروا في الطلاق الثلاث فأما حال نزول هذه الآية. فكان الرجل أحق برجعة امرأته وإن طلقها مائة مرة فلما قصروا في الآية التي بعدها على ثلاث تطليقات صار للناس مطلقة بائن وغير بائن وإذا تأملت هذا تبين لك ضعف ما سلكه بعض الأصوليين من استشهادهم على مسألة عود الضمير هل يكون مخصصا لما تقدمه من لفظ العموم أم لا بهذه الآية الكريمة فإن التمثيل بها غير مطلق لما ذكروه والله أعلم. وقوله "ولهن مثل الذي عليهن بالمعروف" أي ولهن على الرجال من الحق مثل ما للرجال عليهن فليؤد كل واحد منهما إلى الآخر ما يجب عليه بالمعروف كما ثبت في صحيح مسلم عن جابر أن رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - قال في خطبته في حجة الوداع: "فاتقوا الله في النساء فإنكم أخذتموهن بأمانة الله واستحللتم فروجهن بكلمة الله ولكم عليهن أن لا يوطئن فرشكم أحدا تكرهونه فإن فعلن ذلك فاضربوهن ضربا غير مبرح ولهن رزقهن وكسوتهن بالمعروف" وفي حديث بهز بن حكيم عن معاوية بن حيدة القشيري عن أبيه عن جده أنه قال يا رسول الله ما حق زوجة أحدنا قال "أن تطعمها إذا طعمت وتكسوها إذا اكتسيت ولا تضرب الوجه ولا تقبح ولا تهجر إلا في البيت" وقال وكيع عن بشير بن سليمان عن عكرمة عن ابن عباس قال: إنى لأحب أن أتزين للمرأة كما أحب أن تتزين لي المرأة لأن الله يقول: "ولهن مثل الذي عليهن بالمعروف". رواه ابن جرير وابن أبي حاتم وقوله "وللرجال عليهن درجة" أي في الفضيلة في الخلق والخلق والمنزلة وطاعة الأمر والإنفاق والقيام بالمصالح والفضل في الدنيا والآخرة كما قال تعالى: "الرجال قوامون على النساء بما فضل الله بعضهم على بعض بما أنفقوا من أموالهم". وقوله "والله عزيز حكيم" أي عزيز في انتقامه ممن عصاه وخالف أمره حكيم في أمره وشرعه وقدره.

The `Iddah (Waiting Period) of the Divorced Woman

This Ayah contains a command from Allah that the divorced woman, whose marriage was consummated and who still has menstruation periods, should wait for three (menstrual) periods (Quru') after the divorce and then remarry if she wishes.

The Meaning of Al-Quru

Ibn Jarir related that `Alqamah said: We were with `Umar bin Al-Khattab when a woman came and said, "My husband divorced me one or two periods ago. He then came back to me while I had prepared my water for taking a bath, took off my clothes and closed my door." `Umar asked `Abdullah bin Mas`ud, "What do you think" He said, "I think that she is still his wife, as long as she is not allowed to resume praying (i.e., until the third period ends before he takes her back)." `Umar said, "This is my opinion too." This is also the opinion of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, `Umar, `Uthman, `Ali, Abu Ad-Darda', `Ubadah bin As-Samit, Anas bin Malik, Ibn Mas`ud, Mu`adh, Ubayy bin Ka`b, Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari and Ibn `Abbas. Furthermore, this is the opinion of Sa`id bin Musayyib, `Alqamah, Aswad, Ibrahim, Mujahid, `Ata', Tawus, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, Muhammad bin Sirin, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ash-Sha`bi, Ar-Rabi`, Muqatil bin Hayyan, As-Suddi, Makhul, Ad-Dahhak and `Ata' Al-Khurasani. They all stated that the Quru' is the menstruation period. What testifies to this is the Hadith that Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i reported that Fatimah bint Abu Hubaiysh said that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said to her:

«دَعِي الصَّلاَةَ أَيَّامَ أَقْرَائِك»

(Do not pray during your Aqra' (pl. for Quru', the menstruation period).)

If this Hadith was authentic, it would have been a clear proof that the Quru' is the menstruation period. However, one of the narrators of this Hadith, Al-Mundhir, is an unknown person (in Hadith terminology), as Abu Hatim has stated, although Ibn Hibban has mentioned Al-Mundhir in his book Ath-Thiqat.

A Woman's Statement about Menses and Purity is to be accepted

Allah said:

وَلاَ يَحِلُّ لَهُنَّ أَن يَكْتُمْنَ مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ فِى أَرْحَامِهِنَّ

(...and it is not lawful for them to conceal what Allah has created in their wombs,) meaning, of pregnancy or menstruation periods. This is the Tafsir of Ibn `Abbas, Ibn `Umar, Mujahid, Ash-Sha`bi, Al-Hakam bin `Utaybah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Ad-Dahhak and others.

Allah then said:

إِن كُنَّ يُؤْمِنَّ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ

(...if they believe in Allah and the Last Day.)

This Ayah warns women against hiding the truth (if they were pregnant or on their menses), indicating that they are the authority in such matters as they alone know such facts about themselves. Since verifying such matters is difficult, Allah left this decision with them. Yet, women were warned not to hide the truth in case they wish to end the `Iddah sooner, or later, according to their desires. Women were thus commanded to say the truth (if they were pregnant or on their menses), no more and no less.

The Husband has the Right to take back his Divorced Wife during the `Iddah (Waiting Period)

Allah said:

وَبُعُولَتُهُنَّ أَحَقُّ بِرَدِّهِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ إِنْ أَرَادُواْ إِصْلَـحاً

(And their husbands have the better right to take them back in that period, if they wish for reconciliation.)

Hence, the husband who divorces his wife can take her back, providing she is still in her `Iddah (time spent before a divorced woman or a widow can remarry) and that his aim, by taking her back, is righteous and for the purpose of bringing things back to normal. However, this ruling applies where the husband is eligible to take his divorced wife back. We should mention that (when this Ayah 2:228 was revealed), the ruling that made the divorce thrice and specified when the husband is ineligible to take his divorced wife back, had not been revealed yet. Previously, the man used to divorce his wife and then take her back even if he had divorced her a hundred separate times. Thereafter, Allah revealed the following Ayah (2:229) that made the divorce only thrice. So there was now a reversible divorce and an irreversible final divorce.

The Rights the Spouses have over Each Other

Allah said:

وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ الَّذِى عَلَيْهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ

(And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect) to what is reasonable,)

This Ayah indicates that the wife has certain rights on her husband, just as he has certain rights on her, and each is obliged to give the other spouse his due rights. Muslim reported that Jabir said that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:

«فَاتَّقُوا اللهَ فِي النِّسَاءِ، فَإِنَّكُمْ أَخَذْتُمُوهُنَّ بِأَمَانَةِ اللهِ، وَاسْتَحْلَلْتُمْ فُرُوجَهُنَّ بِكَلِمَةِ اللهِ، وَلَكُمْ عَلَيْهِنَّ أَنْ لَا يُوطِئْنَ فُرُشَكُمْ أَحَدًا تَكْرَهُونَهُ، فَإِنْ فَعَلْنَ ذَلِكَ فَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ ضَرْبًا غَيْرَ مُبَرِّحٍ، وَلَهُنَّ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوف»

(Fear Allah regarding your women, for you have taken them by Allah's covenant and were allowed to enjoy with them sexually by Allah's Words. You have the right on them that they do not allow anyone you dislike to sit on your mat. If they do that, then discipline them leniently. They have the right to be spent on and to be bought clothes in what is reasonable.)

Bahz bin Hakim said that Mu`awiyah bin Haydah Al-Qushayri related that his grandfather said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! What is the right the wife of one of us has" The Prophet said:

«أَنْ تُطْعِمَهَا إِذَا طَعِمْتَ، وتَكْسُوَهَا إِذَا اكْتَسَيْتَ، وَلَا تَضْرِبِ الْوَجْهَ، وَلَا تُقَبِّحْ، وَلَا تَهْجُرْ إِلَّا فِي الْبَيْت»

(To feed her when you eat, buy her clothes when you buy for yourself and to refrain from striking her on the face, cursing her or staying away from her except in the house.)

Waki` related that Ibn `Abbas said, "I like to take care of my appearance for my wife just as I like for her to take care of her appearance for me. This is because Allah says:

وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ الَّذِى عَلَيْهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ

(And they (women) have rights similar (to those of their husbands) over them to what is reasonable.)" This statement is reported by Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abu Hatim.

The Virtue Men have over Women

Allah said:

وَلِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَجَةٌ

(but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them.)

This Ayah indicates that men are in a more advantageous position than women physically as well as in their mannerism, status, obedience (of women to them), spending, taking care of the affairs and in general, in this life and in the Hereafter. Allah said (in another Ayah):

الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَآءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَبِمَآ أَنفَقُواْ مِنْ أَمْوَلِهِمْ

(Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means.) (4:34)

Allah's statement:

وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكُيمٌ

(And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise) means, He is Mighty in His punishment of those who disobey and defy His commands. He is Wise in what He commands, destines and legislates.

Divorced women shall wait by themselves before remarrying for three periods qurū’in is the plural of qar’ of purity or menstruation — these are two different opinions — which begin from the moment of divorce. This stipulation applies to those who have been sexually penetrated but not to those otherwise on account of His saying there shall be no waiting period for you to reckon against them Q. 3349. The waiting period for immature or menopausal women is three months; pregnant women on the other hand must wait until they give birth as stated in the sūrat al-Talāq Q. 654 while slavegirls must wait two months according to the Sunna. And it is not lawful for them to hide what God has created in their wombs of child or menstruation if they believe in God and the Last Day. Their mates their spouses have a better right to restore them to bring them back even if they refuse in such time that is during the waiting period if they desire to set things right between them and put pressure on the woman to return; the statement is not a condition for the possibility of return but an incitement to set things right in the case of repealed divorce; the term ahaqq ‘better right to’ does not denote any priority since in any case no other person has the right to marry them during their waiting period; women shall have rights due from their spouses similar to those rights due from them with justice as stipulated by the Law in the way of kind conjugality and not being harmed; but their men have a degree above them in rights as in their duty to obey their husbands because of their the husbands’ payment of a dowry and their husbands being the bread-winners; God is Mighty in His Kingdom Wise in what He has ordained for His creatures.

A great verse defining the status of man and woman

This verse contains a rule of Shari` ah concerning the mutual rights and duties enjoined upon men and women and explains the degree of their role. Important details of this very rule appear before this verse, and again, after the verse, through several sections.

The place of women in Islam

At this point, it seems pertinent to explain to some extent the status given by Islam to women. If understood in its full perspective, it will certainly lead to the conclusion that a just and moderate social system would not have required more than this. It may be noted that this is the crucial place, any deviation or departure from which becomes a great danger for man's life here and in the Hereafter.

Deliberation would reveal that two things serve as the necessary basis for the survival and development of this world. These are: woman and wealth. But, a look at the other side of the coin shows that this twosome is also a source of disturbance, bloodshed and tribulation. Further deliberation would easily help one reach the conclusion that although these two, given their real place in life, are instrumental in the progress of this world, yet, as and when, they are aimlessly moved away from their real place, they are capable of shaking the world like an earthquake.

The Qur'an has given man a way of life, a system. Both these human factors have been assigned their correct respective places in a way that they yield the maximum benefits to the total exclusion of peacelessness. The proper place of wealth, the sources of its acquisition and the ways of spending it, as well as, a just system of the distribution of wealth is a regular field of knowledge. Detailed discussions of this subject will Insha Allah appear on some other occasion. My published treatise entitled, 'The Distribution of Wealth' could serve as an indicator of basics.

Being discussed here, at this point, is woman and her rights and duties. About this, the verse under reference states: As there are rights of men over women which must be given, so there are rights of women over men which must be given. However, the quantum of difference that must be recognized here is: Men have a 'step' above women. Almost the same subject has appeared in Surah Al-Nisa' in this manner:

الرِّ‌جَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللَّـهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَا أَنفَقُوا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ

Men stand care-takers of women, since Allah has made some of them excel the other, and because they have spent of their wealth. (4:34)

The status of women in pre-Islamic society

Before Islam, in the age of ignorance (Jahiliyyah جاھلیہ ), it was common practice that women were equated with articles of home use. They would be bought and sold like cattle. She had no right whatsoever in relation to her marriage. She had to go where she was sent by her guardians. Far from being entitled to some share in the inheritance from her relatives, she herself was treated as a piece of inheritance like any other household item. She was considered as something owned by men while she owned nothing. And, even that which she allegedly owned she could not spend without the permission of men.

However, her husband had all the right in the world to spend that which belonged to her as and how he elected to do so. She did not even have the right to question. So much so that some groups from amongst the European countries which are considered to be among the most civilized in the world today had reached the limit where they did not even accept that women were human beings!

Women had no place in religion. They were considered unfit for worship, and for Paradise. In some synods of Rome, it was decided after mutual consultations that she was a dirty animal which had no soul. Usually, it was considered permissible for a father to kill, or even, bury her daughter alive. In fact, this act was judged to be a mark of honour and a standard of nobility. There were some who held the opinion that anybody who killed a woman did not have to pay blood-money or be charged with retaliatory action. And should the husband die, the wife too was burnt alive with his dead body. Following the birth of the noble Prophet ﷺ and before his prophethood, in the year 586, France showed its compassion for women by passing a resolution, of course after great deliberation and controversy, that woman is after all a human being, but she has been created for the sole purpose of serving man!

In short, the whole world, and all nations and religions that inhabited it, had been treating women with callousness that makes one tremble with fear. For this poor creature, there was no reason, no justice, anywhere.

Ransomed be our lives for him who came as mercy for the worlds (ﷺ), and for the true religion which opened the eyes of the people of this world, taught man to respect man, made justice and equity the law, men were made responsible for the rights of women parallel to their own rights on them. Woman was made free and independent. She became the owner of her life and property, similar to men. No man can, even if he be a father or grandfather, force a woman to marry someone. Should she be given in marriage without her consent, the act remains dangling on her consent. If she says no, it stands annulled. No man has any right to spend anything from that which belongs to her, without her consent and approval. After the death of her husband or after having been divorced by him, she becomes independent and she cannot be compelled by anyone for anything. She gets a share in the inheritance of her relatives just like men. To spend on her and to keep her happy has been declared an act of ` ibadah (worship) under the blessed law of Muhammad ﷺ ، on him be peace and blessing. Should the husband fail to give the due rights, she could, through an Islamic court, force him to do so or to divorce her.

Man's guardianship is essential for peace and order

Not giving women their due rights was ranked as injustice, oppression, stinginess and villainy which was erased by Islam. Similarly, leaving them to go their way with an unbridled liberty from the guardianship and care of men, and to make them earn their own sustenance and life support amounts to wasting her rights and destroying her genius. Neither does she deserve that fate in view of her physique nor does that great mission of bringing up children and the charge of family management, which has been naturally entrusted to her, deserve it.

In addition to that, women are, when deprived of the guardianship and care of men, a great danger for the whole human society, a situation that is bound to create all sorts of disturbances, including riots and bloodshed, as a matter of daily routine. That is why the noble Qur'an, while stating the mandatory rights of women, also declared وَلِلرِّ‌جَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَ‌جَةٌ that is, men are a step above women which, in still other words, amounts to saying that men are responsible for them as their caretakers.

As it was in the first age of ignorance before Islam, all nations of the world, by keeping women as a household item or a dumb animal, had fallen prey to this mistake. So it came to pass that, following Islam's age of decadence, there started a later age of ignorance. Here the first mistake is being matched by yet another mistake, as a reaction in the opposite direction, when efforts are being made continuously to get rid of even this much degree of precedence men have over women. As a result, obscenity and shamelessness became common, the world became a home of conflicts and disorder, and bloodshed became so cheap that the first age of ignorance remained no match anymore. There is an Arab saying: الجاھل اما مفرط او مفرط which means: The ignorant man never stays on moderation. If he decides to stay from acting excessively, he slides into a behaviour of neglect.

This is the prevailing attitude in the world of today. There was that time when they were not even prepared to call or understand women as a member of the human race. Now they have advanced to the limit that the 'yoke' of man's guardianship and caretaking of women, which is perfectly wise and suitable universally for men and women, is being thrown away, the ill consequences of which are becoming visible every day. And believe it, unless they bow down before this noble statement of the Qur'an, such disorders will go on increasing day by day.

Governments today make new laws incessantly to bring peace into the world. New institutions are established for this purpose. Millions are spent but the source of disorders goes unnoticed by them. If a Commission of Inquiry was to be established to determine the causes of disorder, bloodshed and internecine wars, it is likely that the cause of more than fifty percent of such crimes will turn out to be woman and her unbridled freedom. But, in the contemporary world, the prevailing pursuit of desires has confounded even the best of minds. No corrective check against the worship of desires is even entertained.

May Allah Almighty enlighten our hearts with the light of faith and help us act according to the guidance given in His Book and in the conduct of the Holy Prophet because that is our blessed capital both in this world and in the Hereafter.

A Conflict and its Resolution

We find out from this verse that the Qur'an tells the husband and wife about duties assigned to each, whereby men have been placed under obligation to give women their rights, in the same manner as women have been placed under obligation to give men their rights. This indicates that each party should watch out on the fulfillment of its respective duties rather than go after demanding rights. And should they succeed in doing so, the very issue of demanding rights will cease to exist, because the duties of men are the rights of women and the duties of women are the rights of men. When duties are taken care of, rights will be automatically fulfilled. These days the root of all troubles lies in the attitude of people who are alert to their rights but negligent of their duties.

As a result, rights are demanded on a war footing as is evident from the current confrontation between governments and masses, husbands and wives and between other authorities and their challengers. This indicator of the Qur'an has modified the confrontational aspect of the issue by stressing that everyone should make all possible effort to fulfill his or her duties and when it comes to his or her own rights try to overlook any infringements gently, forego and forgive. If this teaching of the Qur'an could become common universal practice, homes, families, even countries and governments will find that most of their conflicts have been resolved for good.

Man's higher position over woman is for discipline only

A universal system in the world, the human nature and the best interests of women themselves required that men be not only given a particular sort of controlling and care-taking right over women, but that it be rather made incumbent on them. This is what has been stated in the verse الرِّ‌جَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ : Men stand care-takers of women.' But, this does not necessarily entail that all men are superior to all women because being superior in the sight of Allah wholly depends on belief and good conduct. In Divine dispension, the increase or decrease in degrees operates in synchronization with the degrees of belief and conduct. Therefore, in matters relating to the Hereafter, it is not necessary that men alone should continue to have that step or degree above women. This too is possible and, as elaborated in Qur'anic verses and Hadith narrations, this is what would come to pass -- that some women, through their obedience to and worship of Allah, will become superior to many men with their degree of precedence raising higher than many men.

Although the Holy Qur'an, while describing the injunctions of Shari` ah, according to its own clear stress, declares that men and women are absolutely equal and the injunctions where there is some difference have been expressly explained, but the address is generally to men and the gender used is masculine. This treatment, however, is not peculiar to the noble Qur'an. Governments too, use the masculine gender in their laws fairly commonly, although the law is universally applicable to men and women both.

One immediate reason for this is the very difference identified in the verses of the noble Qur'an, that is, for men there is a step above women.

The second consideration, perhaps implied here as well, may be that satr ستر (concealment) is better even when there is a discussion about masturat مستورات (women: the concealed ones). But, when women realized that the noble Qur'an does not address them directly at various places like it does address men, the venerated mother of the faithful, Sayyidah Umm Salmah ؓ اُم سلمہ سیدہ pointed this out to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and thereupon the following verse of the Surah Al-Ahzab was revealed:

إِنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ وَالْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْقَانِتِينَ وَالْقَانِتَاتِ

Submitting men and submitting women, believing men and believing women, obedient men and obedient women ... (This appears in details in Nasa i, Musnad Ahmad and Tafsir Ibn Jarir etc.)

where women were clearly and expressly identified along with men which implies that the status of women is no less than men in obedience to Allah and in His worship, in being near Him and His approval, and in the ranks of Paradise,

According to a report in Tafsir Ibn Kathir, some Muslim women came to the the blessed wives of the Holy Prophet and asked about the general absence of any mention of Muslim women in the Holy Qur'an, while it does mention men at several places, and also refers to the blessed wives of the Holy Prophet ﷺ from among women. Thereupon, the verse referred to above was revealed.

To sum up, it can be said that a certain measure of precedence and authority in regulating the affairs of worldly life is for the good of women and that wisdom so dictates. Other than that, there is no difference in the reward and retribution for deeds, good or bad, and in the degree of merit attained in the Hereafter.

The same subject appears in the noble Qur'an with much more clarity in the following manner:

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ‌ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً

And whosoever male or female, does a righteous deed, while he (or she) is a believer, we shall assuredly get him (or her) to live a goodly life. (16:97)

After these preliminary remarks let's ponder over the words of the original verse under discussion. It was said: وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِنَّ "And women have rights similar to what they owe" that is, their rights are incumbent upon men similarly as the rights of men are incumbent upon them. Here the rights of women were mentioned before the rights of men, one reason for which is that man after all, given his physical power and God-given precedence, manages to wrest his rights from women anyway. The concern should be for the rights of women since they cannot habitually wrest their rights by force.

There is yet another hint here which suggests that men should take the first step to give the rights of women. However, the similarity and equivalency declared by the use of the word mithl مِثْلُ : like, similar) in the text here could just never mean that the kind of job men do should also be done by women, or vice versa, because the distribution of work and respective duties for men and women are naturally different. In fact, it means that it is obligatory that rights belonging to both be observed equally and mutually and that the punishment for any negligence or shortcoming be also equal.

It is worth observing at this point how the noble Qur'an has, in a sentence so small, miniaturized a whole roster of rights and duties since all rights women have over men and all rights men have over women are included under the sense of this verse. (Muhit) Simply by adding one more word (bi l'ma` ruf بالمَعروف . justly, uprightly, kindly, courteously, according to the practice approved by the Shari'ah, or simply - "as recognized", a closer expression used in the accompanying translation of the verse) the possible occurrence of mutual controversies was eliminated. It was established that rights should be given using the ma` ruf مَعروف method because the meaning of مَعروف ma` ruf includes that which is neither prohibited nor impermissible under the dictates of the Shari'ah nor does it have any element of hardship or excess under common habit or custom or ` urf عُرف . The purport is that observing the routine of legal provisions is not enough, instead, it will be examined that, according to ` urf عُرف or customarily approved practice, the other party does not in any case suffer from pain or loss. That which is judged to be a source of pain and loss, in view of ` urf عُرف ، will be forbidden and remain impermissible, for instance, coldness, indifference or such behaviour or conduct which causes pain. These can hardly be covered under an article of law but the word bi l'ma` ruf بالمَعروف does encompass them. After that it was said: وَلِلرِّ‌جَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَ‌جَةٌ:'Though for men there is a step above them.' The well-known meaning and sense of this verse is that despite the rights of the parties being equal, Allah Almighty has bestowed upon men a certain degree of precedence and authority over women. That there is great wisdom in doing so has been hinted at by the use of the words` وَاللَّـهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ :"And Allah is Mighty, Wise" towards the end of the verse. Giving the meaning of this sentence, Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ has added that Allah Almighty has given men a degree of precedence as compared to women, therefore they should act with much more forbearance. Even if women fall short of giving them their rights, the degree of their precedence is such that they should bear by it, be patient and do nothing to desist from giving them their rights. (Qurtubi)