Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 236

Mufti Taqi Usmani

There is no liability (of dower) on you if you divorce women when you have not yet touched them, nor fixed for them an amount. So, give them mut‘ah (a gift), a rich man according to his means and a poor one according to his means - a benefit in the recognized manner, an obligation on the virtuous.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

There is no blame if you divorce women before the marriage is consummated or the dowry is settled. But give them a ˹suitable˺ compensation—the rich according to his means and the poor according to his. A reasonable compensation is an obligation on the good-doers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

There is no sin on you if you divorce women before you have consummated the marriage or the dowry has been fixed; but give them a compensation – the wealthy according to his means and the poor according to his means – a reasonable compensation is an obligation upon those who do good.

A. J. Arberry

There is no fault in you, if you divorce women while as yet you have not touched them nor appointed any marriage-portion for them; yet make provision for them, the affluent man according to his means, and according to his means the needy man, honourably -- an obligation on the good-doers.

Abdul Haleem

You will not be blamed if you divorce women when you have not yet consummated the marriage or fixed a bride-gift for them, but make fair provision for them, the rich according to his means and the poor according to his- this is a duty for those who do good.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

No blame is on you if ye divorce women while yet ye have not touched them nor settled unto them a settlement. Benefit them on the affluent is due according to his means, and on the straitened is due according to his means. a reputable present, and duty on the well-doers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

There is no blame on you if ye divorce women before consummation or the fixation of their dower; but bestow on them (A suitable gift), the wealthy according to his means, and the poor according to his means;- A gift of a reasonable amount is due from those who wish to do the right thing.

Abul Ala Maududi

It is no sin if you divorce your wives while you have not yet touched them or fixed any dower for them. In such a case, pay them something anyhow. A rich man should pay fairly according to his means and a poor man according to his resources, for this is an obligation on the righteous people.

Ahmed Ali

There is no sin in divorcing your wives before the consummation of marriage or settling the dowry; but then provide adequately for them, the affluent according to their means, the poor in accordance with theirs as is befitting. This is surely the duty of those who do good.

Ahmed Raza Khan

There is no sin upon you if you divorce women while you have not touched them or appointed their bridal money; and give them some provision; the rich according to their means, and the poor according to their means; a fair provision according to custom; this is a duty upon the virtuous.

Ali Quli Qarai

There is no sin upon you if you divorce women while you have not yet touched them or settled a dowry for them. Yet provide for them—the well-off according to his capacity, and the poorly-off according to his capacity—with a sustenance that is honourable, an obligation on the virtuous.

Ali Ünal

There is no blame on you if you divorce women (with whom you made a marriage contract,) while as yet you have not touched them nor appointed any marriage-portion for them. Yet, make some provision for them, the affluent according to his means, and the straitened according to his means – a provision according to customary good and religiously approvable practice, as a duty upon those devoted to doing good, aware that God is seeing them.

Amatul Rahman Omar

There is no blame on you if you divorce women, while you have not touched them and you have not yet settled for them any marriage portion (- dowry money). But provide for them, - the affluent man according to his means and the one in straitened circumstances according to his means - a provision in an equitable manner (and in accordance with popular usage; this is) an obligation on the doers of good to others.

English Literal

No offense/guilt/sin (is) on you if you divorced the women as long as you did not touch them (F), or specify/stipulate for them (F) a specification/stipulation (dowry) , and give them (F) alimony on the enriched/rich, his capability , and on the tight/restricted (poor) his capability alimony with the kindness/generosity , dutifully/deservedly/rightfully on the good doers .

Faridul Haque

There is no sin upon you if you divorce women while you have not touched them or appointed their bridal money; and give them some provision; the rich according to their means, and the poor according to their means; a fair provision according to custom; this is a duty upon the virtuous.

Hamid S. Aziz

It is no crime in you if you divorce your women ere you have yet touched them, or settled for them a settlement. But provide fair maintenance for them; the wealthy according to his power, and the straitened according to his power - a duty this upon the virtuous.

Hilali & Khan

There is no sin on you, if you divorce women while yet you have not touched (had sexual relation with) them, nor appointed unto them their Mahr (bridal money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage). 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.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

There is no blame on you if you divorce women while yet you have not touched them, nor appointed for them a portion. And provide for them, the wealthy according to his means and the strained according to his means, a provision according to usage. (This is) a duty on the doers of good.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

There is no blame on you if you divorce women when you have not touched them or appointed for them a portion, and make provision for them, the wealthy according to his means and the straitened in circumstances according to his means, a provision according to usage; (this is) a duty on the doers of good (to others).

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

It is no sin for you if ye divorce women while yet ye have not touched them, nor appointed unto them a portion. Provide for them, the rich according to his means, and the straitened according to his means, a fair provision. (This is) a bounden duty for those who do good.

Muhammad Sarwar

Also, it is not a sin if you divorce your wives before the consummation of the marriage or the fixing of the dowry. But the dowry will be due from a husband whether he is rich or poor. It is payable in a reasonable amount according to the husband's financial ability. This is an obligation for the righteous ones.

Qaribullah & Darwish

It shall be no offense for you to divorce your wives as long as you have not touched them or obligated a right for them. Provide for them with fairness; the rich according to his means, and the restricted according to his. A right on the gooddoers.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

There is no sin on you, if you divorce women while yet you have not touched them, nor appointed for them their due (dowry). But give them a Mut`ah (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.

Wahiduddin Khan

You will not be blamed [for not paying the dower money] if you divorce women when you have not yet consummated the marriage or fixed a dower money upon them, but make fair provision for them, the affluent according to his means and the straitened according to his means; this is binding on righteous men.

Talal Itani

You commit no error by divorcing women before having touched them, or before having set the dowry for them. And compensate them—the wealthy according to his means, and the poor according to his means—with a fair compensation, a duty upon the doers of good.

Tafsir jalalayn

You would not be at fault if you divorce women while you have not touched them (tamasshunna; also read tumsshunna), that is, [while] you have not had sexual intercourse with them, nor appointed any obligation, dowry, for them (the particle m, `while', relates to the verbal action and is also adverbial) that is to say, there are no sinful consequences for divorcing them if you have not copulated with them or assigned them a dowry, so divorce them; yet make provision of comforts for them honourably, that is, in accordance with the Law (bi'l-ma`rf, `honourably', is an adjectival qualification of mat`an, `comforts'), giving them what they can enjoy, the one of ample means, the affluent among you, according to his means, and the needy man, of restricted income, according to his means -- an obligation (haqqan, `obligation', is either a second qualifier of mat`an, `comforts', or an emphatic verbal noun), on the virtuous, the obedient ones.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Divorce before consummating the Marriage

Allah says;

لااَّ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِن طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاء مَا لَمْ تَمَسُّوهُنُّ أَوْ تَفْرِضُواْ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً وَمَتِّعُوهُنَّ عَلَى الْمُوسِعِ قَدَرُهُ وَعَلَى الْمُقْتِرِ قَدْرُهُ مَتَاعًا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى الْمُحْسِنِينَ



There is no sin on you, if you divorce women while yet you have not touched them, nor appointed for them their due (dowry). But give them a Mut`ah (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.

Allah allowed divorce after the marriage contract and before consummating the marriage.
Ibn Abbas, Tawus, Ibrahim and Al-Hasan Al-Basri said that;

`touched' (mentioned in the Ayah) means sexual intercourse.
The husband is allowed to divorce his wife before consummating the marriage or giving the dowry if it was deferred.
The Mut`ah (Gift) at the time of Divorce

Allah commands the husband to give the wife (whom he divorces before consummating the marriage) a gift of a reasonable amount, the rich according to his means and the poor according to his means, to compensate her for her loss.

Al-Bukhari reported in his Sahih that Sahl bin Sa`d and Abu Usayd said that;

Allah's Messenger married Umaymah bint Sharahil. When she was brought to the Prophet he extended his hand to her, but she did not like that. The Prophet then ordered Abu Usayd to provide provisions for her along with a gift of two garments