Concerning Divorce
The Meaning of Provision
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When divorce takes place before the settling of the
dowry and the consummation of the marriage, even
then the man must give the woman money or goods
as a gesture of goodwill. In this instance the
question of his repaying dowry money does not
arise. The Qur’an is also quite explicit on this—-
”Believers, if you marry believing women and
divorce them before the marriage is consummated,
you have no right to require them to observe a
waiting period. Provide well for them and release
them honourably.”
8
This “waiting period” (
iddah
) actually applies to a
woman who has been married for some time and
who may, subsequent to the divorce, discover that
she is pregnant. This statutory waiting period of
three months makes her position clear and then the
man is required to pay her additional compensation
if she is expecting his child. But again there is no
question of maintenance for life, for the Qur’an
seeks a natural solution to all human problems. It
would, therefore, be wholly against the spirit of the
Qur’an for a woman to be entitled to life
maintenance from the very man with whom she
could not coexist. Such a ruling would surely have
