Divorce (Al-Talaaq)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ 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 So when they have reached their prescribed time, then retain them with kindness or separate them with kindness, and call to witness two men of justice from among you, and give upright testimony for Allah. With that is admonished he who believes in Allah and the latter day; and whoever is careful of (his duty to) Allah, He will make for him an outlet, 2 And will provide him sustenance from a place he had never expected; and whoever relies on Allah – then Allah is Sufficient for him; indeed Allah will accomplish His command; indeed Allah has set a proper measure for all things. 3 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 This is the command of God which He has revealed to you. God will expiate the evil deeds of those who fear Him and will increase their rewards. 5 [Hence,] let the women [who are undergoing a waiting-period] live in the same manner as you live yourselves, in accordance with your means; and do not harass them with a view to making their lives a misery. And if they happen to be with child, spend freely on them until they deliver their burden; and if they nurse your offspring [after the divorce has become final,] give them their [due] recompense; and take counsel with one another in a fair manner [about the child's future]. And if both of you find it difficult [that the mother should nurse the child,] let another woman nurse it on behalf of him [who has begotten it]. 6 Let the well-to-do people spend abundantly (for the mother and the child) and let the poor spend from what God has given them. God does not impose on any soul that which he cannot afford. God will bring about ease after hardship. 7