Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 230

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Thereafter, if he divorces her, she shall no longer remain lawful for him unless she marries a man other than him. Should he too divorce her, then there is no sin on them in their returning to each other, if they think they would maintain the limits set by Allah. These are the limits set by Allah that He makes clear to a people who know (that Allah is alone capable of setting these limits).

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

So if a husband divorces his wife ˹three times˺, then it is not lawful for him to remarry her until after she has married another man and then is divorced. Then it is permissible for them to reunite, as long as they feel they are able to maintain the limits of Allah. These are the limits set by Allah, which He makes clear for people of knowledge.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Thereafter, if he divorces her [the third time], it is not lawful for him to remarry her until she marries another man. Should he divorce her, then there is no sin on them to return to each other, provided that they would maintain the limits ordained by Allah. These are the limits ordained by Allah, which He makes clear to people who understand.

A. J. Arberry

If he divorces her finally, she shall not be lawful to him after that, until she marries another husband. If he divorces her, then it is no fault in them to return to each other, if they suppose that they will maintain God's bounds. Those are God's bounds; He makes them clear unto a people that have knowledge.

Abdul Haleem

If a husband re-divorces his wife after the second divorce, she will not be lawful for him until she has taken another husband; if that one divorces her, there will be no blame if she and the first husband return to one another, provided they feel that they can keep within the bounds set by God. These are God’s bounds, which He makes clear for those who know.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

If he divorceth her, then she is not allowed unto him thereafter until she wed a husband other than he; then if he divorceth her, no blame is on the twain in that they return unto each other, if they imagine they will oh serve the bonds of Allah. And these are the bonds of Allah; He expoundeth them unto a people who know.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

So if a husband divorces his wife (irrevocably), He cannot, after that, re-marry her until after she has married another husband and He has divorced her. In that case there is no blame on either of them if they re-unite, provided they feel that they can keep the limits ordained by Allah. Such are the limits ordained by Allah, which He makes plain to those who understand.

Abul Ala Maududi

And if the husband divorces his wife (for the third time), she shall not remain his lawful wife after this (absolute) divorce, unless she marries another husband and the second husband divorces her. (In that case) there is no harm if they re-marry, provided that the woman and her first husband are convinced that they will be able to keep within the bounds fixed by Allah. And these are Allah's bounds, which He makes clear for the guidance of those who know (the consequences of transgression).

Ahmed Ali

If a man divorces her again (a third time), she becomes unlawful for him (and he cannot remarry her) until she has married another man. Then if he divorces her there is no harm if the two unite again if they think they will keep within the bounds set by God and made clear for those who understand.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Then if he divorces her the third time, she will not be lawful to him until she has stayed with another husband; then if the other husband divorces her, it is no sin for these two to reunite if they consider that they can keep the limits of Allah established; these are the limits set by Allah which He explains for people of intellect.

Ali Quli Qarai

And if he divorces her, she will not be lawful for him thereafter until she marries a husband other than him, and if he divorces her, there is no sin upon them to remarry if they think that they can maintain Allah’s bounds. These are Allah’s bounds, which He clarifies for a people who have knowledge.

Ali Ünal

If he divorces her (finally, for the third time), she will no longer be lawful to him unless she marries another husband (of her own volition). (If she and her new husband do not get along well and) if he divorces her, there is no blame on them (the woman and her first husband, if they agree) to return to each other, if they think that they can keep within the bounds set by God. These are the bounds set by God; He makes them clear for a people who know (the wisdom and benefit in the bounds prescribed for them by their Creator).

Amatul Rahman Omar

But if he divorces her (for the third time) then she is not lawful for him after that, until she has married another husband. Now if he (- the second husband also) divorces her (of his own accord) then there is no blame on them (- the former husband and wife) to return to each other (by remarriage) provided they are sure that they will be able to abide by the injunctions of Allâh. These are the injunctions of Allâh. He makes them clear to the people who would know.

English Literal

So if he divorced her, so she does not become permitted/allowed to him from after, until she marries a husband/spouse other than him, so if he (the second husband) divorced her, so no offense/guilt/sin on them (B) that they (B) return to each other if they (B) assumed/supposed (B) that they (B) (would) keep up God`s limits/boundaries , and these are God`s limits/boundaries He clarifies/explains it to a nation knowing.

Faridul Haque

Then if he divorces her the third time, she will not be lawful to him until she has stayed with another husband; then if the other husband divorces her, it is no sin for these two to reunite if they consider that they can keep the limits of Allah established; these are the limits set by Allah which He explains for people of intellect.

Hamid S. Aziz

But if he divorce her (a third time) she shall not be lawful to him after that, until she marry another husband; but, if he divorce her too, it is no crime in them both to come together again, if they think that they can keep within Allah´s bounds. These are Allah´s bounds which He explains to a people who have knowledge.

Hilali & Khan

And if he has divorced her (the third time), then she is not lawful unto him thereafter until she has married another husband. Then, if the other husband divorces her, it is no sin on both of them that they reunite, provided they feel that they can keep the limits ordained by Allah. These are the limits of Allah, which He makes plain for the people who have knowledge.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So if he divorces her (the third time), she shall not be lawful to him afterwards until she marries another husband. If he divorces her, there is not blame on them both if they return to each other (by marriage), if they think that they can keep within the limits of Allah. And these are the limits of Allah which He makes clear for a people who know.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

So if he divorces her she shall not be lawful to him afterwards until she marries another husband; then if he divorces her there is no blame on them both if they return to each other (by marriage), if they think that they can keep within the limits of Allah, and these are the limits of Allah which He makes clear for a people who know.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And if he hath divorced her (the third time), then she is not lawful unto him thereafter until she hath wedded another husband. Then if he (the other husband) divorce her it is no sin for both of them that they come together again if they consider that they are able to observe the limits of Allah. These are the limits of Allah. He manifesteth them for people who have knowledge.

Muhammad Sarwar

After a divorce for the third time, it is not lawful for the husband to resume marital relations with her or remarry her until she has been married and divorced by another husband. In that case, there is no sin for the former husband to marry her if they (both) think that they can abide by the law. These are the laws of God. He explains them for the people of knowledge.

Qaribullah & Darwish

If he divorces her (for the third time), she shall not be lawful to him after that until she has wed (not for the purpose of remarrying her former husband) another spouse and then if he divorces her it shall be no offense for either of them to return to each other, if they think that they can keep within the Bounds of Allah. Those are the Bounds of Allah. He makes them plain to people who know.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And if he has divorced her (the third time), then she is not lawful unto him thereafter until she has married another husband. Then, if the other husband divorces her, it is no sin on both of them that they reunite, provided they feel that they can keep the limits ordained by Allah. These are the limits of Allah, which He makes plain for the people who have knowledge.

Wahiduddin Khan

And if man finally divorces his wife, he cannot remarry her until she has married another man. Then if the next husband divorces her, there will be no blame on either of them if the former husband and wife return to one another, provided they think that they can keep within the bounds set by God. These are the bounds prescribed by God, which He makes clear to men of understanding.

Talal Itani

If he divorces her, she shall not be lawful for him again until she has married another husband. If the latter divorces her, then there is no blame on them for reuniting, provided they think they can maintain God's limits. These are God’s limits; He makes them clear to people who know.

Tafsir jalalayn

If he, the husband, divorces her, after the two utterances [of divorce]; she shall not be lawful to him after that, after the third [utterance of] divorce, until she marries another husband, who has sexual intercourse with her, as reported by the two Shaykhs [Bukhr and Muslim]. If he, the second husband, divorces her, then neither of them would be at fault, that is, the woman and her first husband, to return to each other, in wedlock, after the completion of the waiting period, if they think that they will maintain God's bounds. Those, matters mentioned, are God's bounds, which He makes clear to a people who have knowledge, [a people who] reflect.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

فَإِن طَلَّقَهَا فَلَ تَحِلُّ لَهُ مِن بَعْدُ حَتَّىَ تَنكِحَ زَوْجًا غَيْرَهُ
And if he has divorced her (the third time), then she is not lawful for him thereafter until she has married another husband.

This Ayah indicates that if the man divorces his wife for the third time after he divorced her twice, then she will no longer be allowed for marriage to him.

Allah said;

حَتَّىَ تَنكِحَ زَوْجًا غَيْرَهُ
until she has married another husband.

meaning, until she legally marries another man.
For instance, if she has sexual intercourse with any man, even her master (if she was a servant), she would still be ineligible for marriage for her ex-husband (who divorced her thrice), because whomever she had sexual relations with was not her legal husband.
If she marries a man without consummating the marriage, she will not be eligible for her ex-husband.

Muslim reported that Aishah said that;

Allah's Messenger was asked about a woman who marries a man who thereafter divorces her (thrice). She then marries another man and he divorces her before he has sexual relations with her, would she be allowed for her first husband?

Allah's Messenger said;

لَاا حَتَّى يَذُوقَ عُسَيْلَتَهَا
No, until he enjoys her Usaylah (sexual relation).

Al-Bukhari also reported this Hadith.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Aishah said,

"The wife of Rifa`ah Al-Qurazi came while I and Abu Bakr were with the Prophet and she said, `I was Rifa`ah's wife, but he divorced me and it was an irrevocable divorce. Then I married Abdur-Rahman bin Az-Zubayr, but his sexual organ is minute like a string.' She then took a small string of her garment (to resemble how small his sexual organ was).

Khalid bin Sa`id bin Al-`As, who was next to the door and was not yet allowed in, said, `O Abu Bakr! Why do you not forbid this (woman) from what she is revealing frankly before the Prophet?'
The Prophet merely smiled. Then, Allah's Messenger asked her;

كَأَنَّكِ تُرِيدِينَ أَنْ تَرْجِعِي إِلى رِفَاعَةَ لَاأ حَتَّى تَذُوقِي عُسَيْلَتَهُ وَيَذُوقَ عُسَيْلَتَك
Do you want to remarry Rifa`ah? You cannot unless you experience his Usaylah and he experiences your Usaylah (i.e., had a complete sexual relation with your present husband)."

Al-Bukhari, Muslim, and An-Nasa'i also recorded this Hadith.

Muslim's wording is "Rifa`ah divorced his wife for the third and final time."
The word Usaylah mentioned in the Hadith,

means sexual intercourse.
Imam Ahmad and An-Nasa'i reported that Aishah said that Allah's Messenger said;

أَلَا إِنَّ الْعُسَيْلَةَ الْجِمَاع
Usaylah is sexual intercourse.
The Curse on the Participants of Tahlil/Halalah
The reason for the woman (who was divorced thrice) to marry another man must be that the man desires her and has the intention of having an extended married life with her. These are the legal goals and aims behind marriage. If the reason behind the second marriage was to make the woman eligible for her ex-husband again, then this is the Tahlil that the Hadiths have cursed and criticized.
In addition, when the reason behind this marriage (if it was Tahlil) is announced in the contract, it would make the contract invalid according to the majority of the scholars.

Imam Ahmad reported that Abdullah bin Mas`ud said,

"Allah's Messenger cursed the one who does Tahlil, the one in whose favor it is done, those who eat Riba (usury) and those who feed it (pay the usury)."

At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i reported this Hadith and At-Tirmidhi said, "This Hadith is Hasan."
He said, "This is what is acted upon according to people of knowledge among the Companions, among whom are Umar, Uthman and Ibn Umar.
It was also the saying of the scholars of Fiqh among the Tabi`in (second generation of Islam). And it has been reported from Ali, Ibn Mas`ud and Ibn Abbas."
In his Mustadrak, Al-Hakim reported that Nafi said;
"A man came to Ibn Umar and asked him about a man who divorced his wife three times. Then, his brother married her to make Tahlil for his brother, without the brother knowing this fact. He then asked, "Is she allowed for the first (husband)?"
He said, "No, unless it is a marriage that involves desire. We used to consider this an act of adultery during the time of Allah's Messenger."

Al-Hakim said, "This Hadith has a Sahih chain although they (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it."
The wording of this Hadith indicates that the ruling came from the Prophet.
Abu Bakr bin Abu Shaybah, Al-Jawzjani, Harb Al-Kirmani and Abu Bakr Al-Athram said that Qabisah bin Jabir said that Umar said,
"If the participants to Tahlil are brought to me, I will have them stoned."
When does a Woman who was divorced Three Times become Eligible for Her First Husband

Allah said;

فَإِن طَلَّقَهَا
And if he has divorced her,

meaning, the second husband after he had complete sexual relations with her.

فَلَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَن يَتَرَاجَعَا
it is no sin on both of them that they reunite,

meaning, the wife and her first husband.

إِن ظَنَّا أَن يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ اللّهِ

provided they feel that they can keep the limits ordained by Allah.

meaning, they live together honorably.

Mujahid said,
"If they are convinced that the aim behind their marriage is honorable."

Next, Allah said;

وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللّهِ

These are the limits of Allah,
His commandments and legislation.

يُبَيِّنُهَا
He makes plain,

لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ


for the people who have knowledge