Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) in English

1. وإذا طلقتم النساء فبلغن أجلهن فأمسكوهن بمعروف أو سرحوهن بمعروف ولا تمسكوهن ضرارا لتعتدوا ومن يفعل ذلك فقد ظلم نفسه ولا تتخذوا آيات الله هزوا واذكروا نعمت الله عليكم وما أنزل عليكم من الكتاب والحكمة يعظكم به واتقوا الله واعلموا أن الله بكل شيء عليم

   231

   When you divorce women and they complete their term [of waiting], then either retain them honourably or release them honourably, and do not retain them maliciously in order that you may transgress; and whoever does that certainly wrongs himself. Do not take the signs of Allah in derision, and remember Allah’s blessing upon you, and what He has sent down to you of the Book and wisdom, to advise you therewith. Be wary of Allah and know that Allah has knowledge of all things.

   wa-ʾidhā ṭallaqtumu n-nisāʾa fa-balaghna ʾajalahunna fa-ʾamsikūhunna bi-maʿrūfin ʾaw sarriḥūhunna bi-maʿrūfin wa-lā tumsikūhunna ḍirāran li-taʿtadū wa-man yafʿal dhālika fa-qad ẓalama nafsahū wa-lā tattakhidhū ʾāyāti llāhi huzuwan wa-dhkurū niʿmata llāhi ʿalaykum wa-mā ʾanzala ʿalaykum mina l-kitābi wa-l-ḥikmati yaʿiẓukum bihī wa-ttaqū llāha wa-ʿlamū ʾanna llāha bi-kulli shayʾin ʿalīmun

2. وإذا طلقتم النساء فبلغن أجلهن فلا تعضلوهن أن ينكحن أزواجهن إذا تراضوا بينهم بالمعروف ذلك يوعظ به من كان منكم يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر ذلكم أزكى لكم وأطهر والله يعلم وأنتم لا تعلمون

   232

   When you divorce women and they complete their term, do not hinder them from [re]marrying their husbands, when they honourably reach mutual consent. Herewith are advised those of you who believe in Allah and the Last Day. That will be more decent and purer for you, and Allah knows and you do not know.

   wa-ʾidhā ṭallaqtumu n-nisāʾa fa-balaghna ʾajalahunna fa-lā taʿḍulūhunna ʾan yankiḥna ʾazwājahunna ʾidhā tarāḍaw baynahum bi-l-maʿrūfi dhālika yūʿaẓu bihī man kāna minkum yuʾminu bi-llāhi wa-l-yawmi l-ʾākhiri dhālikum ʾazkā lakum wa-ʾaṭharu wa-llāhu yaʿlamu wa-ʾantum lā taʿlamūna

3. والوالدات يرضعن أولادهن حولين كاملين لمن أراد أن يتم الرضاعة وعلى المولود له رزقهن وكسوتهن بالمعروف لا تكلف نفس إلا وسعها لا تضار والدة بولدها ولا مولود له بولده وعلى الوارث مثل ذلك فإن أرادا فصالا عن تراض منهما وتشاور فلا جناح عليهما وإن أردتم أن تسترضعوا أولادكم فلا جناح عليكم إذا سلمتم ما آتيتم بالمعروف واتقوا الله واعلموا أن الله بما تعملون بصير

   233

   Mothers shall suckle their children for two full years—that for such as desire to complete the suckling—and on the father shall be their maintenance and clothing, in accordance with honourable norms. No soul is to be tasked except according to its capacity: neither the mother shall be made to suffer harm on her child’s account, nor the father on account of his child, and on the [father’s] heir devolve [duties and rights] similar to that. And if the couple desire to wean with mutual consent and consultation, there will be no sin upon them. And if you want to have your children wet-nursed, there will be no sin upon you so long as you pay what you give in accordance with honourable norms, and be wary of Allah and know that Allah watches what you do.

   wa-l-wālidātu yurḍiʿna ʾawlādahunna ḥawlayni kāmilayni li-man ʾarāda ʾan yutimma r-raḍāʿata wa-ʿalā l-mawlūdi lahū rizquhunna wa-kiswatuhunna bi-l-maʿrūfi lā tukallafu nafsun ʾillā wusʿahā lā tuḍārra wālidatun bi-waladihā wa-lā mawlūdun lahū bi-waladihī wa-ʿalā l-wārithi mithlu dhālika fa-ʾin ʾarādā fiṣālan ʿan tarāḍin minhumā wa-tashāwurin fa-lā junāḥa ʿalayhimā wa-ʾin ʾaradtum ʾan tastarḍiʿū ʾawlādakum fa-lā junāḥa ʿalaykum ʾidhā sallamtum mā ʾātaytum bi-l-maʿrūfi wa-ttaqū llāha wa-ʿlamū ʾanna llāha bi-mā taʿmalūna baṣīrun