Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) in English

1. والذين يتوفون منكم ويذرون أزواجا يتربصن بأنفسهن أربعة أشهر وعشرا فإذا بلغن أجلهن فلا جناح عليكم فيما فعلن في أنفسهن بالمعروف والله بما تعملون خبير

   234

   As for those of you who die leaving wives, they shall wait by themselves four months and ten days, and when they complete their term, there will be no sin upon you in respect of what they may do with themselves in accordance with honourable norms. And Allah is well aware of what you do.

   wa-lladhīna yutawaffawna minkum wa-yadharūna ʾazwājan yatarabbaṣna bi-ʾanfusihinna ʾarbaʿata ʾashhurin wa-ʿashran fa-ʾidhā balaghna ʾajalahunna fa-lā junāḥa ʿalaykum fī-mā faʿalna fī ʾanfusihinna bi-l-maʿrūfi wa-llāhu bi-mā taʿmalūna khabīrun

2. ولا جناح عليكم فيما عرضتم به من خطبة النساء أو أكننتم في أنفسكم علم الله أنكم ستذكرونهن ولكن لا تواعدوهن سرا إلا أن تقولوا قولا معروفا ولا تعزموا عقدة النكاح حتى يبلغ الكتاب أجله واعلموا أن الله يعلم ما في أنفسكم فاحذروه واعلموا أن الله غفور حليم

   235

   There is no sin upon you in what you may hint in proposing to [recently widowed] women, or what you may secretly cherish within your hearts. Allah knows that you will be thinking of them, but do not make troth with them secretly, unless you say honourable words, and do not resolve on a marriage tie until the prescribed term is complete. Know that Allah knows what is in your hearts, so beware of Him; and know that Allah is all-forgiving, all-forbearing.

   wa-lā junāḥa ʿalaykum fī-mā ʿarraḍtum bihī min khiṭbati n-nisāʾi ʾaw ʾaknantum fī ʾanfusikum ʿalima llāhu ʾannakum sa-tadhkurūnahunna wa-lākin lā tuwāʿidūhunna sirran ʾillā ʾan taqūlū qawlan maʿrūfan wa-lā taʿzimū ʿuqdata n-nikāḥi ḥattā yablugha l-kitābu ʾajalahū wa-ʿlamū ʾanna llāha yaʿlamu mā fī ʾanfusikum fa-ḥdharūhu wa-ʿlamū ʾanna llāha ghafūrun ḥalīmun

3. لا جناح عليكم إن طلقتم النساء ما لم تمسوهن أو تفرضوا لهن فريضة ومتعوهن على الموسع قدره وعلى المقتر قدره متاعا بالمعروف حقا على المحسنين

   236

   There is no sin upon you if you divorce women while you have not yet touched them or settled a dowry for them. Yet provide for them—the well-off according to his capacity, and the poorly-off according to his capacity—with a sustenance that is honourable, an obligation on the virtuous.

   lā junāḥa ʿalaykum ʾin ṭallaqtumu n-nisāʾa mā lam tamassūhunna ʾaw tafriḍū lahunna farīḍatan wa-mattiʿūhunna ʿalā l-mūsiʿi qadaruhū wa-ʿalā l-muqtiri qadaruhū matāʿan bi-l-maʿrūfi ḥaqqan ʿalā l-muḥsinīna

4. وإن طلقتموهن من قبل أن تمسوهن وقد فرضتم لهن فريضة فنصف ما فرضتم إلا أن يعفون أو يعفو الذي بيده عقدة النكاح وأن تعفوا أقرب للتقوى ولا تنسوا الفضل بينكم إن الله بما تعملون بصير

   237

   And if you divorce them before you touch them, and you have already settled a dowry for them, then [pay them] half of what you have settled, unless they forgo it, or someone in whose hand is the marriage tie forgoes it. And to forgo is nearer to Godwariness; so do not forget graciousness among yourselves. Indeed Allah watches what you do.

   wa-ʾin ṭallaqtumūhunna min qabli ʾan tamassūhunna wa-qad faraḍtum lahunna farīḍatan fa-niṣfu mā faraḍtum ʾillā ʾan yaʿfūna ʾaw yaʿfuwa lladhī bi-yadihī ʿuqdatu n-nikāḥi wa-ʾan taʿfū ʾaqrabu li-t-taqwā wa-lā tansawu l-faḍla baynakum ʾinna llāha bi-mā taʿmalūna baṣīrun