002:237

The Holy Qor-aan                                                                                                                  002:237

لَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ اِنۡ طَلَّقۡتُمُ النِّسَآءَ مَا لَمۡ تَمَسُّوۡهُنَّ اَوۡ تَفۡرِضُوۡا لَهُنَّ فَرِيۡضَةً ۖۚ وَّمَتِّعُوۡهُنَّ ‌ۚ عَلَى الۡمُوۡسِعِ قَدَرُهٗ وَ عَلَى الۡمُقۡتِرِ قَدَرُهٗ ‌ۚ مَتَاعًا ۢ بِالۡمَعۡرُوۡفِ‌‌ۚ حَقًّا عَلَى الۡمُحۡسِنِيۡنَ‏

Laa-jo-naa-ha-alai-kom-in-tul-luq-to-moon-nay-saa-aa                                                            Maa-lum-ta-mus-soo-hoon-na-auo-tuf-ray-dzo                                                                          La-hoon-na-fa-ree-dza-tun-wa-mut-tay-oo-hoon-na.                                                            Alul-moo-say-aiy-qa-da-ra-hoo.                                                                                                    Wa-alul-mooq-tay-ray-qa-da-ra-hoo.                                                                                              Ma-taa-un-bil-mau-roof                                                                                                                        Huq-qun-alul-moh-say-nee-n.

No sin on you if you divorce the women                                                                             You do not touch them or undertake an obligation to pay dower.                           And you make provision for them.                                                                                        On the rich according to his ability.                                                                                      And on the poor according to his ability.                                                                             As a benefit, with grace is                                                                                                          A binding duty on those who do good.

•  لَا — Laa — No (= Absolute denial; never; not at all; total negation)
• جُنَاحَ — Jo-naa-ha — Sin (= Blame; inappropriate conduct; crime; illegal; misdeed; harm; offense; wrong; violation of a Prohibition)
• عَلَيۡ — Alai — On (= Above; against; before; during; for; on; on top of; over; to; upon)
• کُمۡ — Koom — You (= pro., pl., m., 2^nd person. You. The Holy Qor-aan states this way when addressing both men and women jointly
• اِنۡ — In — If (= If need be; if a situation arises; in case; under the circumstances)
• طَلَّقۡ — Tul-luq — Divorce (= v., Dissolve, end, finish, render non-existing, renounce or terminate marriage.   A must read with this section is Note 002:228.  Here the divorce means the third and final divorce)
• تُمُ — To-mo…(on) — You (= pro., pl., m., 2^nd person. You men)
• النِّسَآءَ — Nay-saa-aa — The women (= Wives.  Literal meanings include girls or females of the mankind; women folk)
• مَا — Maa — All that (= What; whatever; any time; when; whenever)
• لَمۡ — Lum — Not (= Never; no, not at all)
• تَمَسُّو — Ta-mus-soo — You touch (= v., pres., 2^nd person., Come close. Cause, complete or effectuate the marriage by consummation. Have had the conjugal intimate relationship with the wife)
• هُنَّ — Hoon-na — Them (= pl, f, in 3rd person. Refers to aforesaid women)
• اَوۡ — Auo — Or (= Alternatively; in substitution)
• تَفۡرِضُوۡا  — Tuf-ray-dzoo — Undertake (= v., pres., 2^nd person., Accept; agree; appoint; contract; determine; fix; incur; settle; specify; incur)
• لَ — La — For (= For what purpose; for what reason;
• هُنَّ — Hoon-na — Them (= pl, f, in 3rd person. Refers to aforesaid women)
• فَرِيۡضَةً — Free-dza-ton — An obligation (= n., Bridal money; dower money; dowry; marriage gift; marriage portion.  Mandated obligation, portion or share of the consideration required to form a valid marriage contract under Moslem law)
• وَّ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses; additionally; but also; more over; though; when; while; yet; whereupon)
• مَتِّعُو — Mut-tay-oo — Provide   *      (= v., Make provisions for their benefits, comforts, food, sustenance, means of decent living, fun, use, stay and temporary convenience.  Give them ample, great and lots of bounties, breaks, gifts, good provisions, valuable things, valued places and worldly assets.   Provide them with events, places or opportunities of enjoyment, reprieves and respite.  ‘Bestow on them a suitable gift’ – [A Yusuf Ali].  See Note 002:237 below)
• هُنَّ  — Hoon-na –Them (= pl, f, in 3rd person. Refers to aforesaid women)
• عَلَى — Alul — On (= Above; against; before; for; on top of; over; upon)
•  الۡمُوۡسِعِ — Moo-say-aiy — Rich (= Affluent; person with assets; wealthy; well-off; with the means)
• قَدَرُ — Qa-da-ro  — Ability (= Capacity; means; power.  In an appropriate or becoming manner)
• هٗ — Hoo — That (= pro., s., m., 3^rd person.  Refers to aforesaid person giving the divorce)
• وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses; additionally; but; also; more over; though; when; while; yet; whereupon)
• عَلَى — Alul — On (= 1. Above; for; on top of; over; upon.  Some translations have extrapolated this word to mean ‘according to’)
• الۡمُقۡتِرِ — Mooq-tay-ray — Poor (= Person with few assets, straitened circumstances or with little means)
• هٗ — Hoo — That (= pro., s., m., 3^rd person. Refers to aforesaid person giving the divorce)
• مَتَاعًا — Ma-taa-un — As a benefit *  (= adj/adv., Bounty; comfort; gift; provision.  See مَتِّعُو  above.  See Note 002:237 below)
• بِ  — B…(il) — With (= The Arabic word  بِ  literally means ‘with’ in English)
• الۡمَعۡرُوۡفِ‌ — Mau-roo-f — Grace (= With grace and honor.   In decency, equity, justice or kindness.   On equitable terms.   Appropriately; decently; equitably; fairly; honorably; lawfully; nicely; properly; reasonably;   righteously; suitably.  According to the custom and usage.  In a fair, just, appropriate, approved, becoming, befitting, customary, equitable, reasonable proper or suitable basis, fashion, manner, method, way or form.   As a gesture of kindness)
• حَقًّا — Huq-qun — Binding duty (= Bounded duty; due; obligation; responsibility imposed; something made binding)
• عَلَى — Alul — On (= Above; against; before; for; on top of; over; upon)
• الۡمُحۡسِنِيۡنَ — Moh-say-nee-n — Do-gooders (= n., pl., Who act, do and practice to be kind, caring, considerate, charitable, good, helpful, humane without seeking any consideration, reciprocation, quid pro quo or something for something. Altruistic. Benevolent. Philanthropic. Righteous. Self-sacrificing. Unselfish. Some authors narrowed the word to mean a Moslem)

* 002:237.  Some translations have narrowed the benefit مَتَاعًا (ma-taa-un) to only cash. Both A Yusuf Ali and Ahmad Zidan translated this portion of this verse as “Gift of a reasonable amount is due from ….”  However, the word has two distinct set of meanings.

• As a noun مَتَاعً  [ma-taa-oon] means the provision of food, clothing, shelter and decent living that includes all kinds of ample, great and lots of assets, benefits, bounties, breaks, gifts, comforts, convenience, fun, use, stay, sustenance, valuable things, valued places and worldly opportunities of enjoyment, attending events and going to places.   The element of a temporary reprieve or respite in all above has been added by some people.

• As an adjective or adverb مَتَاعًا  [ma-taa-un] means the giving of any or all of the above benefits financially, materially, psychologically and in socially acceptable and decently respectable manners.