2:240 Al-Baqara (The Cow)

أي: الأزواج الذين يموتون ويتركون خلفهم أزواجا فعليهم أن يوصوا { وصية لأزواجهم متاعا إلى الحول غير إخراج } أي: يوصون أن يلزمن بيوتهم مدة سنة لا يخرجن منها { فإن خرجن } من أنفسهن { فلا جناح عليكم } أيها الأولياء { فيما فعلن في أنفسهم من معروف والله عزيز حكيم } أي: من مراجعة الزينة والطيب ونحو ذلك وأكثر المفسرين أن هذه الآية منسوخة بما قبلها وهي قوله: { وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَاجًا يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنْفُسِهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا } وقيل لم تنسخها بل الآية الأولى دلت على أن أربعة أشهر وعشر واجبة، وما زاد على ذلك فهي مستحبة ينبغي فعلها تكميلا لحق الزوج، ومراعاة للزوجة، والدليل على أن ذلك مستحب أنه هنا نفى الجناح عن الأولياء إن خرجن قبل تكميل الحول، فلو كان لزوم المسكن واجبا لم ينف الحرج عنهم.

قال الأكثرون هذه الآية منسوخة بالتي قبلها وهي قوله "يتربصن بأنفسهن أربعة أشهر وعشرا" قال البخاري: حدثنا أمية حدثنا يزيد بن زريع عن حبيب عن ابن أبي مليكة قال ابن الزبير: قلت لعثمان بن عفان "والذين يتوفون منكم ويذرون أزواجا" قد نسختها الآية الأخرى فلم تكتبها أو تدعها قال: يا أبن أخي لا أغير شيئا منه من مكانه ومعنى هذا الإشكال الذي قاله ابن الزبير لعثمان إذا كان حكمها قد نسخ بالأربعة الأشهر فما الحكمة في إبقاء رسمها مع زوال حكمها وبقاء رسمها بعد التي نسختها يوهم بقاء حكمها؟ فأجابه أمير المؤمنين بأن هذا أمر توقيفي وأنا وجدتها مثبتة في المصحف كذلك بعدها فأثبتها حيث وجدتها قال ابن أبي حاتم: حدثنا الحسن بن محمد بن الصباح حدثنا حجاج بن محمد عن ابن جريج وعثمان بن عطاء عن عطاء عن ابن عباس في قوله "والذين يتوفون منكم ويذرون أزواجا وصية لأزواجهم متاعا إلى الحول غير إخراج" فكان للمتوفى عنها زوجها نفقتها وسكناها في الدار سنة فنسختها آية المواريث فجعل لهن الثمن أو الربع مما ترك الزوج ثم قال: وروي عن أبي موسى الأشعري وابن الزبير ومجاهد وإبراهيم وعطاء والحسن وعكرمة وقتادة والضحاك وزيد بن أسلم والسدي ومقاتل بن حيان وعطاء الخراساني والربيع بن أنس أنها منسوخة وروي عن طريق علي بن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس قال: كان الرجل إذا مات وترك امرأة اعتدت سنة في بيته ينفق عليها من ماله ثم أنزل الله بعد "والذين يتوفون منكم ويذرون أزواجا يتربصن بأنفسهن أربعة أشهر وعشرا" فهذه عدة المتوفى عنها زوجها إلا أن تكون حاملا فعدتها أن تضع ما في بطنها وقال "ولهن الربع مما تركتم إن لم يكن لكم ولد فإن كان لكم ولد فلهن الثمن مما تركتم" فبين ميراث المرأة وترك الوصية والنفقة قال: وروي عن مجاهد والحسن وعكرمة وقتادة والضحاك والربيع ومقاتل بن حيان قالوا نسختها "أربعة أشهر وعشرا" قال وروي عن سعيد بن المسيب قال نسختها التي في الأحزاب "يا أيها الذين آمنوا إذا نكحتم المؤمنات" الآية "قلت" وروي عن مقاتل وقتادة أنها منسوخة بآية الميراث وقال البخاري حدثنا إسحق بن منصور حدثنا روح حدثنا شبل عن ابن أبي نجيح عن مجاهد "والذين يتوفون منكم ويذرون أزواجا" قال كانت هذه للمعتدة تعتد عند أهل زوجها واجب فأنزل الله "والذين يتوفون منكم ويذرون أزواجا وصية لأزواجهم متاعا إلى الحول غير إخراج فإن خرجن فلا جناح عليكم فيما فعلن في أنفسهن من معروف" قال: جعل الله تمام السنة سبعة أشهر وعشرين ليلة وصية إن شاءت سكنت في وصيتها وإن شاءت خرجت وهو قول الله "غير إخراج فإن خرجن فلا جناح عليكم" فالعدة كما هي واجب عليها زعم ذلك عن مجاهد رحمه الله وقال عطاء قال ابن عباس نسخت هذه الآية عدتها عند أهلها فتعتد حيث شاءت وهو قول الله تعالى "غير إخراج" قال عطاء: إن شاءت اعتدت عند أهلها وسكنت في وصيتها وإن شاءت خرجت لقول الله "فلا جناح عليكم فيما فعلن" قال عطاء: ثم جاء الميراث فنسخ السكنى فتعتد حيث شاءت ولا سكنى لها ثم أسند البخاري عن ابن عباس مثل ما تقدم عنه بهذا القول الذي عول عليه مجاهد وعطاء من أن هذه الآية لم تدل على وجوب الاعتداد سنة كما زعمه الجمهور حتى يكون ذلك منسوخا بالأربعة الأشهر وعشر وإنما دلت على أن ذلك كان من باب الوصاة بالزوجات أن يمكن من السكنى في بيوت أزواجهن بعد وفاتهم حولا كاملا إن اخترن ذلك ولهذا قال "وصية لأزواجهم" أي يوصيكم الله بهن وصية كقوله "يوصيكم الله في أولادكم" الآية وقوله "وصية من الله" وقيل إنما انتصب على معنى فلتوصوا لهن وصية وقرأ آخرون بالرفع وصية على معنى كتب عليكم وصية واختارها ابن جرير ولا يمنعن من ذلك لقوله "غير إخراج" فأما إذا انقضت عدتهن بالأربعة الأشهر والعشر أو بوضع الحمل واخترن الخروج والانتقال من ذلك المنزل فإنهن لا يمنعن من ذلك لقوله "فإن خرجن فلا جناح عليكم فيما فعلن في أنفسهن من معروف" وهذا القول له اتجاه وفي اللفظ مساعدة له وقد اختاره جماعة منهم الإمام أبو العباس بن تيمية ورده آخرون منهم الشيخ أبو عمر بن عبد البر وقول عطاء ومن تابعه على أن ذلك منسوخ بآية الميراث إن أرادوا ما زاد على الأربعة الأشهر والعشر فمسلم وإن أرادوا أن سكنى الأربعة الأشهر وعشر لا تجب في تركة الميت فهذا محل خلاف بين الأئمة وهما قولان للشافعي رحمه الله وقد استدلوا على وجوب السكنى في منزل الزوج بما رواه مالك في موطئه عن سعد بن إسحق بن كعب بن عجرة عن عمته زينب بنت كعب بن عجرة أن الفريعة بنت مالك بن سنان وهي أخت أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنهما أخبرتها أنها جاءت إلى رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - تسأله أن ترجع إلى أهلها في بني خدرة فإن زوجها خرج في طلب أعبد له أبقوا حتى إذا كان بطرف القدوم لحقهم فقتلوه قالت: فسألت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم أن أرجع إلى أهلي في بني خدرة فإن زوجي لم يتركني في مسكن يملكه ولا نفقة قالت: فقال رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - نعم قالت فانصرفت حتى إذا كنت في الحجرة ناداني رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - أو أمر بي فنوديت له فقال كيف قلت؟ فرددت عليه القصة التي ذكرت له من شأن زوجي فقال امكثي في بيتك حتى يبلغ الكتاب أجله قالت فاعتددت فيه أربعة أشهر وعشرا قالت: فلما كان عثمان بن عفان أرسل إلي فسألني عن ذلك فأخبرته فاتبعه وقضى به وكذا رواه أبو داود والترمذي والنسائي من حديث مالك به. ورواه النسائي أيضا وابن ماجه من طرق عن سعد بن إسحاق وبه قال الترمذي حسن صحيح.

Ayah (2:240) was abrogated

The majority of the scholars said that this Ayah (2:240) was abrogated by the Ayah (2:234), what Allah said:

يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا

(...they (the wives) shall wait (as regards their marriage) for four months and ten days.) (2:234)

For instance, Al-Bukhari reported that Ibn Az-Zubayr said: I said to `Uthman bin `Affan:

وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَجًا

(And those of you who die and leave wives behind them) was abrogated by the other Ayah (2:234). Therefore, why did you collect it (meaning, in the Qur'an)" He said, "O my nephew! I shall not change any part of the Qur'an from its place."

The question that Ibn Az-Zubayr asked `Uthman means: `If the ruling of the Ayah (2:240) was abrogated to four months (the `Iddah of the widow, and refer to 2:234), then what is the wisdom behind including it in the Qur'an, although its ruling has been abrogated If the Ayah (2:240) remains (in the Qur'an) after the Ayah that abrogated it (2:234), this might imply that its ruling is still valid.' `Uthman, the Leader of the faithful, answered him by stating that this is a matter of the revelation, which mentioned these Ayat in this order. `Therefore, I shall leave the Ayah where I found it in the Qur'an.'

Ibn Abu Hatim reported that Ibn `Abbas said about what Allah said:

وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَجًا وَصِيَّةً لازْوَاجِهِم مَّتَـعًا إِلَى الْحَوْلِ غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ

(And those of you who die and leave behind wives should bequeath for their wives a year's maintenance (and residence) without turning them out, ) "The widow used to reside, and have her provisions provided for her for a year, in her deceased husband's house. Later, the Ayah that specified the inheritance (4:12) abrogated this Ayah (2:240), and thus the widow inherits one-fourth or one-eighth of what her (deceased) husband leaves behind."

Ibn Abu Hatim also related that `Ali bin Abu Talhah stated that Ibn `Abbas said, "When a man died and left behind a widow, she used to remain in his house for a year for her `Iddah, all the while receiving her provisions during this time. Thereafter, Allah revealed this Ayah:

وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَجًا يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا

(And those of you who die and leave wives behind them, they (the wives) shall wait (as regards their marriage) for four months and ten days.) (2:234)

So, this is the `Iddah of the widow, unless she was pregnant, for her `Iddah then ends when she gives birth. Allah also said:

وَلَهُنَّ الرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُمْ إِن لَّمْ يَكُنْ لَّكُمْ وَلَدٌ فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمْ وَلَدٌ فَلَهُنَّ الثُّمُنُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُم

(In that which you leave, their (your wives') share is a fourth if you leave no child; but if you leave a child, they get an eighth of that which you leave.) (4:12)

So Allah specified the share of the widow in the inheritance and there was no need for the will or the Nafaqah (maintenance) which were mentioned in (2:240)."

Ibn Abu Hatim stated that Mujahid, Al-Hasan, `Ikrimah, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` and Muqatil bin Hayyan said that the Ayah (2:240) was abrogated by:

أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا

(four months and ten days.) (2:234)

Al-Bukhari reported that Mujahid said that:

وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَجًا

(And those of you who die and leave wives behind them) (2:234) used to be the `Iddah, and the widow had to remain with her (deceased) husband's family (during that period, i.e., four months and ten days). Then, Allah revealed:

وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَجًا وَصِيَّةً لازْوَاجِهِم مَّتَـعًا إِلَى الْحَوْلِ غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى مَا فَعَلْنَ فِي أَنفُسِهِنَّ مِن مَّعْرُوفٍ

(And those of you who die and leave behind wives should bequeath for their wives a year's maintenance (and residence) without turning them out, but if they (wives) leave, there is no sin on you for that which they do of themselves, provided it is honorable (e.g., lawful marriage).)

So, Allah made the rest of the year, which is seven months and twenty days, as a will and testament for her. Consequently, if she wants, she could use her right in this will and remain in the residence (for the rest of the year). Or, if she wants, she could leave the (deceased husband's) house after the four months and ten days have passed. This is the meaning of what Allah said:

غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ

(...without turning them out, but if they (wives) leave, there is no sin on you.)

Therefore, the required term of `Iddah is still unchanged (refer to 2:234).

`Ata' quoted Ibn `Abbas, "This Ayah (2:240) has abrogated (the requirement that) the widow spends the `Iddah with his (i.e., her deceased husband's) family. So, she spends her `Iddah wherever she wants. This is the meaning of what Allah said:

غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ

(without turning them out,)."

`Ata' also said: "If she wants, she spends the `Iddah with his family and resides there according to the will (meaning the rest of the year). If she wants, she is allowed to leave, for Allah said:

فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا فَعَلْنَ

(there is no sin on you for that which they do of themselves,)."

`Ata' then said: "Then (the Ayah on) the inheritance (refer to 4:12) came and abrogated the residence. Hence, the widow spends her `Iddah wherever she wants and does not have the right to residence any more."

The statement of `Ata' and those who held the view that the Ayah (2:240) was abrogated by the Ayah on the inheritance (4: 12), is only valid for more than the four months and ten days (required in 2:234). However, if they mean that the four months and ten days are not required from the deceased husband's estate, then this opinion is the subject of disagreement among the scholars. As proof, they said that the widow is required to remain in her (deceased) husband's house (for four months and ten days) according to what Malik reported from Zaynab bint Ka`b bin `Ujrah. She said that Fari`ah bint Malik bin Sinan, the sister of Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri, told her that she came to Allah's Messenger ﷺ asking him to return to her family's residence with Banu Khudrah. Her husband had pursued some of his servants who ran away, but when he reached the area of Al-Qadum, they killed him. She said, "So I asked Allah's Messenger ﷺ if I should stay with my family in Banu Khudrah, for my (deceased) husband did not leave me a residence that he owns or Nafaqah (maintenance). Allah's Messenger ﷺ answered in the positive. While I was in the room, Allah's Messenger ﷺ summoned me or had someone summon me and said:

«كَيْفَ قُلْت»

(What did you say) I repeated the story to him about my (deceased) husband. He said:

«امْكُثي فِي بَيْتِكِ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ الكِتَابُ أَجَلَه»

(Stay at your home until the term reaches its end.) So I remained through the `Iddah term for four months and ten days in my (deceased husband's) house. Thereafter, `Uthman bin `Affan sent for me during his reign and asked me about this matter and I told him what happened. He made a judgment to the same effect." This Hadith was also collected by Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah. At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih".

The Necessity of the Mut`ah (Gift) at the Time of Divorce

Allah said:

وَلِلْمُطَلَّقَـتِ مَتَـعٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى الْمُتَّقِينَ

(And for divorced women, maintenance (should be provided) on reasonable (scale). This is a duty on Al-Muttaqin (the pious).)

`Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that when Allah's statement:

مَتَـعاً بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(...a gift of reasonable amount is a duty on the doers of good) (2:236) was revealed, a man said, "If I want, I will be excellent and if I do not, I will not." Thereafter, Allah revealed this Ayah:

وَلِلْمُطَلَّقَـتِ مَتَـعٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى الْمُتَّقِينَ

(And for divorced women, maintenance (should be provided) on reasonable (scale). This is a duty on Al-Muttaqin (the pious).)

The scholars who ruled that the Mut`ah (reasonable gift) at the time of divorce is required for every divorced woman, whether she had a bridal-money appointed for her or not, and whether the marriage was consummated or not, relied on this Ayah (2:241) when they issued their ruling. This is the view taken on this subject by Sa`id bin Jubayr and several others among the Salaf and also Ibn Jarir. Hence, Allah's statement:

لاَّ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِن طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَآءَ مَا لَمْ تَمَسُّوهُنَّ أَوْ تَفْرِضُواْ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً وَمَتِّعُوهُنَّ عَلَى الْمُوسِعِ قَدَرُهُ وَعَلَى الْمُقْتِرِ قَدْرُهُ مَتَـعاً بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(There is no sin on you, if you divorce women while yet you have not touched (had sexual relation with) them, nor appointed for them their due (dowry). But bestow on them (a suitable gift), the rich according to his means, and the poor according to his means, a gift of reasonable amount is a duty on the doers of good.) (2:236) only mentions some specifics of this general ruling.

Allah then said:

كَذلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُآيَـتِهِ

(Thus Allah makes clear His Ayat (Laws) to you,) meaning, what He allows, forbids, requires, His set limits, His commandments and His prohibitions are all explained and made plain and clear for you. He did not leave any matter in general terms if you needed the specifics,

لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

(in order that you may understand.) meaning, understand and comprehend.

And those of you who die leaving wives let them make testament wasiyyatan or wasiyyatun for their wives as an obligation and give them provision what they can enjoy of property and clothes for until the completion of a year matā‘an ilā l-hawl ‘provision for a year’ is a circumstantial qualifier that is without expelling them from their habitations; but if they go forth of their own accord you would not be at fault you the guardians of the dead one regarding what they may do with themselves honourably in accordance with the Law such as adorning themselves or abandoning the mourning or that you should cut off their expenditure; God is Mighty in His Kingdom Wise in His actions. The testament mentioned here was abrogated by the ‘inheritance’ verse Q. 412 and the waiting of one year without expulsion was abrogated by the previous verse four months and ten Q. 2234 which was revealed later. In the opinion of al-Shāfi‘ī may God have mercy on him the habitation remains hers.

The text now returns to the subject of divorce mentioned in verses 234-237. The command to take due care of all prayers (verses 238-239) put in between was to remind that the real thing in life is a constant orientation towards Allah, not only in prayers where it is more pronounced, but also in social relationships such as marriage and divorce, rather, in all areas of one's life. The message is: Follow rules set by Allah in your ultimate interest.

Verses 240-242 cited above give guidance on the provision of

residence and maintenance for widows which has been explained in the commentary which follows.

1. In the Age of Ignorance, the period of waiting for a widow was one year, and in Islam, it came to be four months and ten days rather than one full year as we already know from يَتَرَ‌بَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ أَرْ‌بَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ‌ وَعَشْرً‌ا : 'They keep themselves waiting for four months and ten days,' in Verse 234, explained earlier. However, women were given a certain advantage in this respect. Those were the days when the injunction of inheritance was not revealed and a wife's share in the inheritance was yet to be determined; in fact, the rights of all others simply revolved around the will of the deceased, as we have already learnt from the explanation of the verse 2:180. Therefore, it was made obligatory that a woman should be allowed to live in the premises of her late husband's house for one full year if she so desires. It was also mandatory under this arrangement that she be given her maintenance during this period out of what has been left behind by her husband. This rule is mentioned in this verse. Husbands have been instructed to make wills to this effect. Since this was the right of the woman and she had the choice to receive or leave it, therefore, it was not permissible for the inheritors to evict her out of the house, but it was permissible for her not to live in that house at her discretion, and leave her due for the inheritors. The condition, however, was that ` iddah or the waiting period of four months and ten days be completed. After the completion of this period she could leave the house of her husband and could enter into a new marriage with another person. This is what is meant by the Qur'anic expression: "Then, if they move out, there is no sin on you in what they have done for themselves of the recognized practice." However, going out during the period of ` iddah and getting married was all counted as sin -- not only for the woman concerned but also for those who could stop her yet did not do so. When 'the verse of inheritance' was revealed, the woman received her ordained share in the house and in all other items of inheritance on the strength of which she had the choice to live in her section of the house and spend out of her share in the inheritance after the completion of four months and ten days, and this verse was abrogated.