[384] Unintentionally saying: “Yes, by God”, or: “No, by God”. (al-Bukhārī: 6663)
[385] That is, a person intentionally lies and yet swears by God that he is telling the truth. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī)
[386] This is the act of īlā’; vowing not to have intercourse with one’s wife with the purpose of punishing her. Four months is the maximum time limit allowed for this state of affairs to go on. Otherwise, the husband who took such a vow needs to either get things back to normal, in which case he does not need to make up for breaking his vow and is forgiven by God, or else he should conclude the divorce and no longer hurt his wife (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[387] Thalāthata qurū’ is either three menstrual cycles, or three clean intervals after menstruation before a divorced woman can remarry. This is so as to ensure that no pregnancy has taken place. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī, Ibn ʿĀshūr)
[388] That is to conceal pregnancy during their waiting period (ʿiddah), with the intention of concluding the divorce.
[389] Should they wish to reconcile. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī)
[390] Their rights and duties are the same as men’s. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī)
[391] The word maʿrūf, lit. the known, translated here as socially agreed, is recurrent over the next few ayas that deal with marital affairs. Social norms that are in agreement with Islamic laws come to bear on settling disputes of marriage and marital life, but the judgement of this is left for people of good reason and thorough knowledge, given that they intend to safeguard the sanctity of this bond.
[392] al-Shinqīṭī is of the opinion that this is explained by Aya 4: 34: “Men are in charge of women, because Allah favoured one over the other and of the money they ˹men˺ spend ”.
[393] A man is only allowed to divorce his wife and then take her back twice. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī)
[394] By being kind and nice to them, in accordance with agreed social norms, whilst they are under your roofs.
[395] Dowry and gifts.
[396] Here ḥudūd Allāh (God’s boundaries) means His commands regarding marital rights. A wife who seeks divorce because she does not feel affectionate towards, or just hates, her husband, in turn, alienates him by not fulfilling his rights, can, thus, compensate him for this. In this way, he is allowed to take the money in exchange for conceding to her demand for divorce (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Wāḥidī, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī).
[397] The ones who are brought to pass judgement on the case.
[398] That is giving the husband an agreed sum of the money she received from him as dowry or gifts, in order to make him divorce her.
[399] For a third time. (al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[400] The other husband.
[401] Going back to her earlier husband if the divorce from her subsequent husband is sealed.