The Debate (Al-Mujaadalah)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
۞ Certainly has Allah heard the speech of the one who argues with you, [O Muhammad], concerning her husband and directs her complaint to Allah. And Allah hears your dialogue; indeed, Allah is Hearing and Seeing. 1 Those who separate themselves from their wives by pronouncing, "To me you are like my mother's back," must concede that they are not their mothers; none are their mothers except those who gave birth to them -- surely they utter an evil word and a lie. God is pardoning, forgiving. 2 Those who put away their wives (by saying they are as their mothers) and afterward would go back on that which they have said, (the penalty) in that case (is) the freeing of a slave before they touch one another. Unto this ye are exhorted; and Allah is Informed of what ye do. 3 And if any has not (the wherewithal), he should fast for two months consecutively before they touch each other. But if any is unable to do so, he should feed sixty indigent ones, this, that ye may show your faith in Allah and His Messenger. Those are limits (set by) Allah. For those who reject (Him), there is a grievous Penalty. 4 Surely those who oppose God and His Messenger shall be frustrated as those before them were frustrated. Now We have sent down signs, clear signs; and for the unbelievers awaits a humbling chastisement, 5 upon the day when God shall raise them up all together, then He shall tell them what they did. 6