The Holy Quran 2:240 — Surah Al-Baqarah

Arabic text

وَٱلَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَٰجًا وَصِيَّةً لِّأَزْوَٰجِهِم مَّتَـٰعًا إِلَى ٱلْحَوْلِ غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ ۚ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى مَا فَعَلْنَ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِنَّ مِن مَّعْرُوفٍ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

Translation

Those of you who are about to die and leave their wives behind should bequeath to their wives a provision for a year without turning them out (of their homes). (However) If they go out (of their own accord) there is no sin for you in that which they do with themselves within their rights. Allaah is Mighty, the Wise. (The command to bequeath a year's maintenance for the wife was cancelled when the laws of inheritance stipulated a share for the wife of the deceased)

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

This was the initial ruling. After this, when the verse of inheritance was revealed and the share of women too was fixed, and on the other side the iddah (waiting period) of the woman was set at four months and ten days, from then on the ruling of this verse was suspended.

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