Marriage and Divorce

The Religion of the Koran, by Arthur N. Wollaston, [1911], at sacred-texts.com

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MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE

CHAPTER IV., Verse 3.—Marry what seems good to you of women, by twos, or threes, or fours; and if ye fear that ye cannot be equitable, then only one, or what your right hands possess. ^* That keeps you nearer to not being partial.

Chapter XXXIII., Verse 49.—O thou prophet! verily we make lawful for thee thy wives to whom thou hast given their hire (i.e. dowry), and what thy right hand possesses out of the booty that God has granted thee.

Chapter II., Verse 226.—Those who swear off from their women they must wait four months; but if they break their vow God is forgiving and merciful.

And if they intend to divorce them, verily, God hears and knows.

Divorce (may happen) twice; then keep them in reason, or let them go with kindness. It is not lawful for you to take from them anything of what you have given them, unless both fear that they cannot keep within God's bounds.

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(230).—But if he divorce her (a third time) she shall not be lawful to him after that, until she marry another husband; but if he divorce her too, it is no crime in them both to come together again, if they think that they can keep within God's bounds. These are God's bounds which He explains to a people who know.

When ye divorce women, and they have reached the prescribed time, then keep them kindly, or let them go in reason, but do not keep them by force to transgress; for whoso does that, he is unjust to his own soul.

It is no crime in you if ye divorce your women ere ye have yet touched them, or settled for them a settlement. But provide maintenance for them—the wealthy according to his power, and the straitened in circumstances according to his power, must provide in reason; a duty this upon the kind.

And if ye divorce them before ye have touched them, but have already settled for them a settlement, the half of what ye have settled, unless they remit it, or he in whose hand is the marriage tie remits it; and that ye should remit is nearer to piety, and forget not liberality between you. Verily, God on what ye do doth look.

And divorced women should have a maintenance in reason—a duty this on those that fear.

Chapter IV., Verse 24.—But if ye wish to exchange one wife for another, and have given one of them a talent, then take not from it anything.

Chapter XXXIII., Verse 46.—O ye who believe!

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when ye wed believing women, and then divorce them before ye have touched them, ye have no term that ye need observe; so make them some provision, and let them go handsomely at large.

Chapter LXV., Verse 2.—And when they have reached their appointed time, then retain them with kindness, or separate from them with kindness; and bring as witnesses men of equity from among you; and give upright testimony to God. That is what He admonishes him who believes in God and the last day; and whosoever fears God, He will make for him a (happy) issue, and will provide for him from whence he reckoned not.

Footnotes

67:* That is female slaves.