Al-Baqarah: (232) "And when you have divorced women..."

(And when you have divorced women and they have reached their term), meaning their waiting period (‘iddah) has concluded, as indicated by the context.

(Do not prevent them from remarrying their [former] husbands), meaning: do not forbid them from doing so. The root meaning of ‘adl (preventing) is confinement and restriction. From this comes the expression "the hen was ‘adlat," used when its egg is stuck and cannot come out. The verb’s middle letter can be vocalized with fathah, kasrah, or dammah.

There is a difference of opinion regarding whom the address is directed towards: It is said—and the Imam [Al-Razi] preferred this—that it is addressed to the husbands who divorced them, as they used to prevent their ex-wives from remarrying after the ‘iddah had passed, out of injustice, coercion, and pre-Islamic tribal pride. This might be done by secretly inducing those who propose to them to fear doing so, or by attributing to the women qualities that alienate men from desiring them. In this interpretation, the term "husbands" is applied to those whom the women wish to marry; the Arabs frequently name a thing by what it will become.

Others—and the Judge [Al-Qadi] preferred this—say it is addressed to the guardians (awliya'). Al-Bukhari, Al-Tirmidhi, Al-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Abu Dawood, and many others have recorded through various chains from Ma'qil ibn Yasar, who said: "I had a sister, and my cousin came to me, so I gave her to him in marriage. She stayed with him for as long as she stayed, then he divorced her a single pronouncement and did not take her back until the ‘iddah had expired. Then he desired her, and she desired him, and he came to propose to her along with others. I said to him: 'O fool! I honored you with her and married her to you, and you divorced her, and now you come proposing to her? By Allah, she will never return to you!' He was otherwise a man of no fault, and the woman wanted to return to him. Allah—Exalted is He—knew his need for her and her need for her husband, so Allah sent down this verse." He said: "It was revealed regarding me, so I made expiation for my oath and married her to him." In another narration: "When Ma'qil heard it, he said: 'Hearing and obedience to my Lord.' Then he called him and said: 'I will marry you [to her] and honor you.'"

Based on this, "husbands" is interpreted as those who were previously husbands. In this case, the address of "divorcing" either targets those whom this [entire] address targets—making the attribution of divorce to the guardians one of causality, as the act of preventing (‘adl) suggests—or it remains in its literal sense referring to the divorced husbands, with the shift in pronouns being tolerated based on the clarity of the meaning.

It is also said—and Al-Zamakhshari preferred this—that it is addressed to all people. Thus, it encompasses the ‘adl of both husbands and guardians. This avoids the dispersion of the pronouns of address and the distinction between the two predications, while still aligning with the occasion of the revelation. It emphasizes the severity of ‘adl by asserting that it is the right of guardians not to even hover around such an act, and the right of all people to support the oppressed. Some have applied the previous addresses in this manner, stating that because the execution of an act depends on intellectual and legal conditions, the address is distributed according to them. For example, if it were said to a group—whether defined or indefinite—"Pay Zakat," "Marry off the compatible," and "Prevent the oppressors," everyone would be addressed, and the distribution would be as previously described.

This verse contains no evidence—regardless of how it is interpreted—that a woman does not have the right to marry herself off, as some have erroneously thought. The prohibition against the guardians’ ‘adl is not because the validity of the marriage depends on their consent, but rather to repel harm from the women; for even if they are legally capable of marrying themselves, they refrain from doing so for fear of blame, social rupture, or physical abuse. Furthermore, attributing the marriage [in the verse] to the women contains an indication that it does not depend on the guardians' permission; to argue for mandatory consent is to rely on metaphor, which is contrary to the apparent meaning.

Two interpretations are allowed for "from remarrying their [former] husbands" (an yankihu azwajahunna):

1. It is a substitution (badal ishtimal) for the pronoun [the 'hu' in 'ta‘duluhunna'] preceding it.
2. It is based on the omission of a preposition (i.e., ‘an an yankihu), and the grammatical position is either accusative or genitive, depending on the differing schools of thought.

(If they agree between themselves) is an adverbial phrase modifying "do not prevent them." The masculine [plural pronoun] is used due to the rule of dominance (taghlib), and it is restricted to this because it is the customary norm, not to imply that preventing them is permissible before mutual agreement. Others say it is an adverbial phrase for "remarrying." His statement (between themselves) is an adverbial phrase for "agreement," indicating its stability and firmness.

(In an honorable manner) means in a way that is not disapproved of by the Law or by human decency. The ba (in bil-ma'ruf) is either attached to a deleted state (hal) from the doer of "they agree," or it is an adjective for a deleted verbal noun (i.e., an agreement being "in an honorable manner"). Alternatively, it is attached to "agree" or "remarrying." Restricting it to this suggests that preventing a marriage to someone who is not a match (kufu') or one involving less than the appropriate dowry (mahr al-mithl) is not considered ‘adl.

(That) is a reference to what has been detailed. The address is to the collective, interpreted as the "tribe" or to each individual separately. Or, the kaf indicates an address where the specific identity of the addressee is disregarded—regarding unity, gender, etc.—and the intent is to indicate that the referent is present for the one being addressed, to distinguish it from a past, absent entity. Or, it is addressed to the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) to match the usage in Surah At-Talaq. This signals that what is referred to is a matter not everyone can easily conceive; rather, to conceive it, one needs aid from Allah.

(Is an exhortation for whoever among you believes in Allah and the Last Day): He specified this group because they are the ones who hasten to comply out of reverence for Allah and fear of His punishment. And "(among) you" is either connected to "believes" [as a state] or to a deleted phrase [acting as a state for the subject of "believes"].

(That), meaning this exhortation and acting according to its requirements, (is more virtuous for you), meaning of greater blessing and benefit, (and purer), meaning more effective in purifying one from the filth of sins. The [phrase] "for you" was omitted [in the second instance] due to the sufficiency of what preceded it. It is also said that the meaning is "purer for you and for them," due to the suspicion that might be feared for the couple because of the relationship between them.

(And Allah knows) what it contains of benefit, (while you do not know). Thus, there is no opinion [to be held] except obedience. It is possible that the object is generalized in both places, with the mentioned matter being the primary inclusion. The benefit of the sentence is to urge compliance.