At-Talaq (ٱلطَّلَاق)

Surah At-Talaq, where Talaq means “Divorce,” is the 65th Surah in the Quran and can be found in 28th Juz. It has 12 verses divided into 2 Rukus, making it a small yet impactful Surah. The Surah was revealed to shed light and rulings on the social issue of divorce and the period after divorce. It delivers a powerful message for Muslims, being an essential guide on the respect of handling divorce, making it Halal, and defining ways that ease the life of both men and women in Islam.It focuses on maintaining respect, kindness, and justice in the sensitive matter of divorce. Surah Talaq was revealed in Madinah when a woman, Asma binte Yazid, came to Muhammad (S.A.W) with a concern regarding the treatment of women during and after divorce. This situation led to the revelation of this Surah, which provides clear guidance in this matter.

٦٥ - ٱلطَّلَاق

65 - At-Talaq

يٰۗاَيُّہَا النَّبِيُّ اِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاۗءَ فَطَلِّقُوْہُنَّ لِعِدَّتِہِنَّ وَاَحْصُوا الْعِدَّۃَ۝۰ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللہَ رَبَّكُمْ۝۰ۚ لَا تُخْرِجُوْہُنَّ مِنْۢ بُيُوْتِہِنَّ وَلَا يَخْرُجْنَ اِلَّاۗ اَنْ يَّاْتِيْنَ بِفَاحِشَۃٍ مُّبَـيِّنَۃٍ۝۰ۭ وَتِلْكَ حُدُوْدُ اؘ۝۰ۭ وَمَنْ يَّتَعَدَّ حُدُوْدَ اللہِ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ نَفْسَہٗ۝۰ۭ لَا تَدْرِيْ لَعَلَّ اللہَ يُحْدِثُ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ اَمْرًا۝۱
Ya ayyuha alnnabiyyu itha tallaqtumu alnnisaa fatalliqoohunna liAAiddatihinna waahsoo alAAiddata waittaqoo Allaha rabbakum la tukhrijoohunna min buyootihinna wala yakhrujna illa an yateena bifahishatin mubayyinatin watilka hudoodu Allahi waman yataAAadda hudooda Allahi faqad thalama nafsahu la tadree laAAalla Allaha yuhdithu baAAda thalika amran

English

Ahmed Ali

O PROPHET WHEN you divorce women, divorce them at their appointed period, and calculate that period, and fear God, your Lord. Do not expel them from their houses, nor should they go away themselves, unless they are openly guilty of adultery. These are the limits set by God. Any one who exceeds the limits set by God sins against his own self. You never know that God may perchance lead to a new situation after this.

1

فَاِذَا بَلَغْنَ اَجَلَہُنَّ فَاَمْسِكُوْہُنَّ بِمَعْرُوْفٍ اَوْ فَارِقُوْہُنَّ بِمَعْرُوْفٍ وَّاَشْہِدُوْا ذَوَيْ عَدْلٍ مِّنْكُمْ وَاَقِيْمُوا الشَّہَادَۃَ لِلہِ۝۰ۭ ذٰلِكُمْ يُوْعَظُ بِہٖ مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللہِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْاٰخِرِ۝۰ۥۭ وَمَنْ يَّـتَّقِ اللہَ يَجْعَلْ لَّہٗ مَخْرَجًا۝۲ۙ
Faitha balaghna ajalahunna faamsikoohunna bimaAAroofin aw fariqoohunna bimaAAroofin waashhidoo thaway AAadlin minkum waaqeemoo alshshahadata lillahi thalikum yooAAathu bihi man kana yuminu biAllahi waalyawmi alakhiri waman yattaqi Allaha yajAAal lahu makhrajan

English

Ahmed Ali

When they have reached their appointed time, then either keep them lawfully or let them go honourably; but have two witnesses from among you, and give truthful evidence for (being acceptable to) God. This is to warn him who believes in God and the Last Day. God will furnish a way out for him who fears Him,

2

وَّيَرْزُقْہُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ۝۰ۭ وَمَنْ يَّتَوَكَّلْ عَلَي اللہِ فَہُوَحَسْبُہٗ۝۰ۭ اِنَّ اللہَ بَالِغُ اَمْرِہٖ۝۰ۭ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللہُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرًا۝۳
Wayarzuqhu min haythu la yahtasibu waman yatawakkal AAala Allahi fahuwa hasbuhu inna Allaha balighu amrihi qad jaAAala Allahu likulli shayin qadran

English

Ahmed Ali

And provide for him from where he does not reckon. God is sufficient for him who places his trust in Him. Certainly God fulfills His purpose. God has indeed fixed a measure of everything.

3

وَاڿ يَىِٕسْنَ مِنَ الْمَحِيْضِ مِنْ نِّسَاۗىِٕكُمْ اِنِ ارْتَبْتُمْ فَعِدَّتُہُنَّ ثَلٰثَۃُ اَشْہُرٍ۝۰ۙ وَّاڿ لَمْ يَحِضْنَ۝۰ۭ وَاُولَاتُ الْاَحْمَالِ اَجَلُہُنَّ اَنْ يَّضَعْنَ حَمْلَہُنَّ۝۰ۭ وَمَنْ يَّتَّقِ اللہَ يَجْعَلْ لَّہٗ مِنْ اَمْرِہٖ يُسْرًا۝۴
Waallaee yaisna mina almaheedi min nisaikum ini irtabtum faAAiddatuhunna thalathatu ashhurin waallaee lam yahidna waolatu alahmali ajaluhunna an yadaAAna hamlahunna waman yattaqi Allaha yajAAal lahu min amrihi yusran

English

Ahmed Ali

As for your women who have lost hope of menstruation, and in case you have a doubt, the prescribed period (of waiting) for them is three months, as also for those who have not menstruated yet. As for those who are pregnant, their prescribed period is until the delivery of the child. God will make things easy for him who is mindful of God.

4

ذٰلِكَ اَمْرُ اللہِ اَنْزَلَہٗۗ اِلَيْكُمْ۝۰ۭ وَمَنْ يَّتَّقِ اللہَ يُكَفِّرْ عَنْہُ سَـيِّاٰتِہٖ وَيُعْظِمْ لَہٗۗ اَجْرًا۝۵
Thalika amru Allahi anzalahu ilaykum waman yattaqi Allaha yukaffir AAanhu sayyiatihi wayuAAthim lahu ajran

English

Ahmed Ali

This is the commandment of God that is sent down to you. God will forgive the ills of those who fear Him, and increase their reward.

5

اَسْكِنُوْہُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ سَكَنْتُمْ مِّنْ وُّجْدِكُمْ وَلَا تُضَاۗرُّوْہُنَّ لِتُضَيِّقُوْا عَلَيْہِنَّ۝۰ۭ وَاِنْ كُنَّ اُولَاتِ حَمْلٍ فَاَنْفِقُوْا عَلَيْہِنَّ حَتّٰى يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَہُنَّ۝۰ۚ فَاِنْ اَرْضَعْنَ لَكُمْ فَاٰتُوْہُنَّ اُجُوْرَہُنَّ۝۰ۚ وَاْتَمِرُوْا بَيْنَكُمْ بِمَعْرُوْفٍ۝۰ۚ وَاِنْ تَعَاسَرْتُمْ فَسَتُرْضِعُ لَہٗۗ اُخْرٰى۝۶ۭ
Askinoohunna min haythu sakantum min wujdikum wala tudarroohunna litudayyiqoo AAalayhinna wain kunna olati hamlin faanfiqoo AAalayhinna hatta yadaAAna hamlahunna fain ardaAAna lakum faatoohunna ojoorahunna watamiroo baynakum bimaAAroofin wain taAAasartum fasaturdiAAu lahu okhra

English

Ahmed Ali

House the (divorced) women where you live, according to your means; but do not harass them so as to reduce them to straitened circumstances. If they are pregnant, then spend on them until they give birth to the child. And if they suckle the child for you, then make the due payment to them, and consult each other appropriately. But if you find this difficult, let some other woman suckle (the child) for her.

6

لِيُنْفِقْ ذُوْ سَعَۃٍ مِّنْ سَعَتِہٖ۝۰ۭ وَمَنْ قُدِرَ عَلَيْہِ رِزْقُہٗ فَلْيُنْفِقْ مِمَّاۗ اٰتٰىہُ اؙ۝۰ۭ لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللہُ نَفْسًا اِلَّا مَاۗ اٰتٰىہَا۝۰ۭ سَيَجْعَلُ اللہُ بَعْدَ عُسْرٍ يُّسْرًا۝۷ۧ
Liyunfiq thoo saAAatin min saAAatihi waman qudira AAalayhi rizquhu falyunfiq mimma atahu Allahu la yukallifu Allahu nafsan illa ma ataha sayajAAalu Allahu baAAda AAusrin yusran

English

Ahmed Ali

Let the man of means spend according to his means, and he whose means are limited, should spend of what God has given him. God does not burden a soul beyond what He has given him. God will bring ease after hardship.

7

وَكَاَيِّنْ مِّنْ قَرْيَۃٍ عَتَتْ عَنْ اَمْرِ رَبِّہَا وَرُسُلِہٖ فَحَاسَبْنٰہَا حِسَابًا شَدِيْدًا۝۰ۙ وَّعَذَّبْنٰہَا عَذَابًا نُّكْرًا۝۸
Wakaayyin min qaryatin AAatat AAan amri rabbiha warusulihi fahasabnaha hisaban shadeedan waAAaththabnaha AAathaban nukran

English

Ahmed Ali

How many habitations rebelled against their Lord's command and His apostles; but We took them to severe task, and punished them with the harshest punishment.

8

فَذَاقَتْ وَبَالَ اَمْرِہَا وَكَانَ عَاقِبَۃُ اَمْرِہَا خُسْرًا۝۹
Fathaqat wabala amriha wakana AAaqibatu amriha khusran

English

Ahmed Ali

So they tasted the pain of their actions; and the consequence of their deeds was ruin.

9

اَعَدَّ اللہُ لَہُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيْدًا۝۰ۙ فَاتَّقُوا اللہَ يٰۗاُولِي الْاَلْبَابِ۝۰ڀ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا۝۰ۭۣۛ قَدْ اَنْزَلَ اللہُ اِلَيْكُمْ ذِكْرًا۝۱۰ۙ
aAAadda Allahu lahum AAathaban shadeedan faittaqoo Allaha ya olee alalbabi allatheena amanoo qad anzala Allahu ilaykum thikran

English

Ahmed Ali

God has prepared for them severe punishment. So, you men of wisdom, and those who believe, take heed for yourselves and fear God. God has indeed sent down a Reminder for you,

10

Theme and Subject Matter of Surah At-Talaq

Surah At-Talaq highlights the most difficult and sensitive topic in today’s world: divorce. The Surah reveals the rights of women during and after divorce. It focuses on dealing with the situation with utmost respect, kindness, justice, and patience. The Surah begins by guiding divorcing a woman and the right to an iddah period for her. The Surah clearly explains how and when to initiate divorce, making every matter related to it clear. Surah At-Talaq instructs the men to bear the financial responsibilities of the wife during the iddah period and give her some amount while bidding her farewell. It is also instructed that the husband will fulfill the financial responsibility of the children after divorce.

In the Surah, Allah tells us to maintain mutual respect despite divorce, fear Allah, and obey His commands. Allah also conveys the consequences of disobeying Allah and not following His commands in the marriage and divorce aspects. The Surah focuses on maintaining justice in family life, protecting the dignity of spouses, and ensuring that the process of divorce, which is a bitter reality for men and women, does not harm any of them. It is only Allah who will provide for those who trust Him.

Virtues and Benefits of Surah At-Talaq

Surah At-Talaq’s main objective is to explain the procedure of divorce and following the commandments of Allah when taking this big step, and especially focuses on the rights of women at the time of divorce and even after it, this Surah is often referred to as a mini version of Surah Nisa. The need to guide men in providing their women with rights after divorce and the right of the iddat period was the reason behind the revelation of this Surah, as there was no clear instruction on divorce until then. The right of the Iddat period was first revealed in Surah Al Baqarah, but clear instructions on finances and justice were given in Surah At-Talaq. 

It was narrated by Abdullah (R.A) that the shorter Surah, which speaks of women (At-Talaq) was revealed after Al-Baqarah (Sunan an Nasai 3523, Book 27, Hadith 135). In another Hadith, it is narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (R.A) that:

“I can invoke the curse of Allah on anyone who wishes: The smaller surat an-Nisa (i.e. Surat at-Talaq) was revealed after the verse regarding the waiting period of four months and ten days has been revealed.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 2307, Book 13, Hadith 133)

Surah At-Talaq helps Muslim men and women learn about the sensitive issue of marriage and how to deal with it when things don’t go the right way. The Surah tells us how to keep respect and dignity while parting ways so it may not hurt any of the spouses. Surah At-Talaq reveals that the financial responsibility of children is upon the father even after divorcing the mother. This clears the biggest issue of handling finances and who carries what sort of responsibility.

The Surah clearly states the rule of divorce when the woman is pregnant. It is said in verse 6, it is clearly stated to keep the pregnant woman until she delivers and if she feeds the child her milk, “make the due payment to them, and consult each other appropriately. But if you find this difficult, let some other woman suckle (the child) for her” (Quran 65:6). Everything related to divorce and the rights of spouses, especially women, is discussed in detail. We must follow His commandments to make our lives easy and gain rewards.