His saying, exalted is He: "And if a woman fears from her husband disobedience or aversion, there is no sin upon them if they make terms of settlement between them. And settlement is best. And human souls have been inclined to avarice. But if you do good and fear Allah, then indeed Allah is All-Aware of what you do." "And you will never be able to be just between the women, even if you should strive to do so. So do not incline completely to one and leave another hanging. And if you amend and fear Allah, then indeed Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." This verse is a ruling from Allah, exalted is He, regarding a woman who is of age and has beauty, or something similar that makes her husband disinclined towards her. The husband may go to divorce her or prefer a younger woman over her. This is something he intends for the betterment of himself, and it does not harm her in a way that obligates him to do so. Rather, he may present to her the option of separation or patience with preference. She desires to maintain the bond of marriage. This is the situation that Allah has permitted for them to make a settlement, and He has lifted the sin therein. For the sin in every settlement that occurs due to harm from the husband is something that needs to be addressed. Allah has permitted settlement in the case of fear and the appearance of signs of disobedience or aversion. This, even with its occurrence, is also permitted. "Disobedience" is the elevation of oneself from the rank of good companionship, and "aversion" is lighter than disobedience. All types of settlement are permitted in this case: that the husband gives something in exchange for her patience, or she gives something in exchange for the husband not preferring another, or for him to prefer and hold onto the bond of marriage, or the settlement may be on the condition of patience with preference. All of this is permitted. The interpreters have differed regarding the reason for the verse. Ibn Abbas and a group with him said: It was revealed concerning the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and Sawda bint Zam'a. Al-Tabari narrated with a chain from Ibn Abbas who said: "Sawda feared that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, would divorce her, so she said: 'Do not divorce me; keep me with your wives; and do not divide for me.' So he did, and then the verse was revealed: 'And if a woman fears from her husband disobedience or aversion.'" In the compilations, it is mentioned that when Sawda grew old, she gifted her day to Aisha. This is similar to the first. And Said ibn al-Musayyib, Sulaiman ibn Yasar, Ubaidah al-Salmani, and others said: The verse was revealed due to Rafi' ibn Khadij and Khawla bint Muhammad ibn Salama, because he was free from her age and married a younger woman. He preferred the younger woman, and she could not be patient, so he divorced her once. Then they reconciled, and he returned to prefer the younger woman. She could not be patient, so he divorced her again. When there remained a little of her waiting period, he said to her: 'If you wish, I will reconcile with you and you will be patient with preference; and if you wish, I will leave you until your term is complete.' She said: 'Rather, reconcile with me and I will be patient.' So he reconciled with her, then preferred the younger woman again. She could not be patient, and he said: 'It is only one. So either you accept what you see of preference, or I will divorce you.' She accepted. This is the settlement that Allah revealed about: 'And if a woman fears.'

Mujahid said: The verse was revealed because of Abu al-Sanabil ibn Ba'kak and his wife.

Nafi', Ibn Kathir, Abu 'Amr, and Ibn 'Amir read "yasaalaha" with a فتح on the ياء and a شَدّ on the صاد and an ألف after it. Its original form is "yatasaalaha." Hamzah, al-Kisai, and 'Asim read "yusliha" with a ضم on the ياء and a سكون on the صاد without an ألف. Ubaidah al-Salmani read "yusaaliha" with a ضم on the ياء from the مفاعلة. Al-Jahdari and 'Uthman al-Batti read "yasliha" with a فتح on the ياء and a شَدّ on the صاد. Its original form is "yastaliha." Abu al-Fath said: He replaced the طاء with صاد, then he merged the صاد which is the فاء, so it became "yasliha." Al-Amash read "in is-saalaha," and likewise it is in the reading of Ibn Mas'ud.

His saying: "peace"; the صلح is not a مصدر based on one of these verbs that have been read. What is possible is that it could be a name, like "al-'ata'" with "a'taytu," and "al-karama" with "akramtu." So whoever reads "yusliha," his transitive relation to peace is like his transitive relation to names, as you say: "I repaired a garment." And whoever reads "yasaalaha" from "tafa'ala," it is known that "tafa'ala" does not take a transitive form. The explanation is that "tafa'ala" has come in a transitive form in the saying of Dhī al-Rummah:

And from a bare, unguarded plain, the embroidery of the winds and their softness improved.

And it is permissible that the صلح is a مصدر from which its excesses have been removed, as it was said:

... And if you perish, that was my fate.

(p-37) That is: my تقدير.

The judge Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: This is the statement of Abu Ali, on the assumption that "al-qadr" is a مصدر that is derived from "qadartu al-amr" meaning: "I determined" with emphasis.

And His saying, the Exalted: "And peace is better"; is a general term, absolute, which necessitates that the true peace, to which souls find tranquility and by which disputes are resolved, is better in general. And under this generality, the peace between the spouses - as we have mentioned - is better than separation.

And His saying, the Exalted: "And the souls were made to feel the sting of greed"; is an excuse from His servants, the Exalted; meaning: it is necessary for a person, by the nature of his creation and disposition, to be stingy regarding his desires, until it leads him to some of what he dislikes. The interpreters have specified this term here; Ibn Jubayr said: It is the stinginess of a woman regarding the spending from her husband and his division for her during her days. Ibn Zayd said: The stinginess here is from him and from her.

The judge Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: This is better; for the predominant characteristic of a woman is her stinginess regarding her share from her husband, and the predominant characteristic of a husband is his stinginess regarding his share from the young woman.

'And 'al-shuh' (the stinginess) is the holding back regarding beliefs, intentions, aspirations, wealth, and similar matters. What is excessive of it contains some blame. It is that which Allah, the Most High, said about: ﴿And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul﴾ [At-Taghabun: 16]. And what leads to the withholding of legal rights, or those which are necessitated by honor, is miserliness, and it is a disgraceful trait. However, it may occur in a believer, and from this is the hadith: 'It was said, O Messenger of Allah, can a believer be stingy? He said:

And His saying, exalted is He: "So you leave it like the suspended one"; meaning: it is neither a widow nor a married woman. This is a comparison to something that is suspended from something; because it is neither settled on the ground nor carried by what it is suspended from. This is consistent with their saying in the proverb: "Be content with the ride by means of suspension"; and in the custom of grammarians regarding the suspension of the verb; and from it in the hadith of Umm Zar'a: the saying of the woman: "My husband is the one who is suspended; if I speak, I will be divorced; and if I remain silent, I will be suspended."

And Ubayy ibn Ka'b read: "So you leave it like the imprisoned one"; and Abdullah ibn Mas'ud read: "So you leave it as if it is suspended."

Then He, exalted is He, said: "And if you amend and fear Allah"; meaning: and if you adhere to what is required of you in justice concerning what you possess; "then indeed Allah is Forgiving and Merciful"; for what you do not possess; overlooking it. And Al-Tabari said: the meaning of the verse is: Forgiving for what has passed from you of complete deviation before the revelation of the verse.

(p-40) The judge Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said:

So based on this, it is a specific forgiveness for a people by their very selves; who committed the prohibited during the time of the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him.

And it came in the previous verse: "And if you do good"; and in this one: "And if you amend"; because the first is in something recommended; and this one is in something necessary; because the man there may not do good; and he may be stingy and amend with what pleases him; and in this one, he is not allowed to amend; rather, he is required to be just concerning what he possesses.