Summary of Quran Chapter 65 Surah At-Talaq The Divorce
In the last two Surahs, Muslims were warned not to neglect the remembrance of Allah by being engrossed in the love of their wives and children. Now in this surah and the next surah, some important rules regarding the relationship between husband and wife have been explained. Divorce is a very controversial issue in marital relations.
Therefore, the Holy Quran has described some rules of divorce in Surah Baqarah (2: 226-232) to adopt a balanced approach to it. Now in this surah, the rules of divorce have been explained which were not explained there. So, it has been mentioned that if divorce is to be given, what is the right time and the right way for it, for women who do not menstruate, how long will their probationary period be, and what is the standard of their expenses to their ex-husbands during the probationary period (probationary period of three months for divorced woman or of four months ten days for widow)?
And how long will it take? If a child has been born, who will be responsible for feeding it? While stating these kinds of rulings, it has been repeatedly emphasized that every man and woman should perform their duties while fearing Allah Almighty, because the relationship between husband and wife is such that not all their grievances can be remedied by the courts. can be found A balanced family system cannot be established until each party performs its duties with a sense of accountability to Allah Almighty. And those who do so, are blessed with success in this world and the Hereafter. (An Islamic Scholar, Mufti Taqi Usmani).
Summary of Surah At-Talaq
The last and extremely beautiful pair of Medinan chapters consists of Surah At-Talaq (The Divorce) and Surah At-Tahrim (The Prohibition). A significant connection between these two chapters is that both commence with the expression “Ya Ayyuh an-Nabi” (O Prophet), indicating that both were revealed through the word of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Furthermore, their content is also intertwined.
Both Surahs discuss not only the social system of Islam but specifically address points related to the family system. The details and intricacies of family laws and social destinies are explained in the Quran with great emphasis, suggesting the particular importance of this subject in the eyes of Allah.
If one takes a closer look at the Quran, it becomes evident that Surah Al-Baqarah’s (The Cow) continuous four (sections) and the various discussions in Surah An-Nisa (The Woman) are dedicated to this subject. Detailed guidance on this matter is also provided in Surah An-Nur (The Light) and Surah Al-Ahzab (The Confederates).
Surah Al-Mujadilah (The Woman Who Disputed) begins with a family issue (devoice effective elevation of one’s wife to the supposed status of one’s mother or sister), and then Surah At-Talaq (Divorce) and Surah At-Tahrim (The Prohibition), both complete chapters, are also related to the same theme.
Since the husband-and-wife pair is the fundamental unit of human society, it is essential for maintaining a healthy society that the mutual relationships between these two individuals remain within the boundaries of balance and moderation. An exemplary scenario is that both the husband and wife, as Muslims, fulfill the rights owed to Allah while also being committed to fulfilling each other’s rights as prescribed by Islam.
It should be understood here incidentally that while the basic religious obligations assigned by Allah to men and women are the same, such as prayer, fasting, zakat (Community Wealth Tax), and Hajj, compliance with these under the legal provisions and limits is their responsibility.
However, in terms of the obligation of propagating and engaging in the struggle for the establishment of religion (especially Jihad), women are obliged to fulfill their role within their means. For example, they can create conducive conditions and opportunities for their sons, brothers, and husbands in which they can fulfill their responsibilities in establishing religion. Nevertheless, the responsibility of a balanced and exemplary family life is that both the husband and wife fulfill their respective responsibilities with fairness and a pleasant demeanor.
In this context, another possible scenario is that due to the disagreement in the natures of the husband and wife, household affairs may not be proceeding according to the norm, and there may be a continuous shortfall in the fulfillment of rights and duties.
This situation can lead to a constant atmosphere of conflict in the home, and if these differences escalate, divorce may also become a possibility. Issues related to such situations are addressed in Surah At-Talaq (The Divorce) (It should be noted that matters related to divorce and laws and regulations are also mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah and Surah An-Nisa).
Another extreme imbalance in domestic life is when an individual indulges so much in pleasing his wife and family that he neglects the requirements of Sharia and the demands of the struggle for the establishment of religion. This matter will be discussed in Surah At-Tahrim (The Prohibition).
Here, it is essential to understand that although the specific address in the words “Ya Ayyuh-an-Nabi” أيها النبي (O Prophet) is directly to Prophet Muhammad PBUH in these two Surahs, the real purpose is to impart guidance to the entire Muslim community.
Prophet Muhammad PBUH is addressed in the capacity of the teacher of the Ummah (community) for the fulfillment of this purpose. This point becomes even clearer from the ruling of the first verse of Surah At-Talaq, which implies that the directive is not from the Prophet’s desire.
The verse suggests that Prophet Muhammad did not divorce any of his wives, nor was he permitted to do so. This is evident from the fact that in Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 4, the purified wives of Prophet Muhammad PBUH are declared as the Mothers of the believers, and according to Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 53, they were not allowed to marry anyone else after him.
Therefore, there was no question of Prophet Muhammad PBUH giving divorce to any of his purified wives. Hence, Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 50, specifically granted the Prophet the privilege of marrying more wives after his existing ones. (Late DR. Israr Ahmed, a Renowned Islamic Scholar).
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