البقرة · الآية 226

Commentary

Context: From General Oaths to a Specific Marital Oath

The text shifts here from the general discussion of oaths in the previous verses (224, 225) to a very specific type of oath that had devastating effects on women in pre-Islamic society: the oath of sexual withdrawal. The Quranic sequence is deliberate. Verse 224 prohibits using God's name as a barrier to virtue; verse 225 relieves the heart of unconsidered speech; and verse 226 applies these principles to the most sensitive arena of destructive oaths—the marital relationship.

(ʾ-l-w) and (y-m-n): The Essence of Īlāʾ

The term īlāʾ comes from the root (ʾ-l-w), signifying falling short or abstaining, and is understood here as being reinforced by an oath (yamīn). To perform īlāʾ meant to swear to refrain from marital intimacy. The verbal form yuʾlūn is in the present continuous, indicating an ongoing state rather than a single moment of swearing. In pre-Islamic Arabia, this oath was used to punish a wife without divorcing her, leaving her "suspended"—neither truly a wife nor truly divorced.

(n-s-w) and "from their wives": The Oath Does Not Nullify Marriage

The precision of the phrase "from their wives" (min nisāʾihim) is decisive. The text does not say "from women" in general. This confirms that even after the oath, she remains in his custody and the contract is not dissolved. This prevents the husband from manipulating the situation; he cannot swear to abstain and then claim she is no longer his wife to escape his obligations toward her.

(r-b-ṣ) and (sh-h-r): A Time Ceiling, Not an Open Suspension

"Waiting" (tarabbuṣ) from the root (r-b-ṣ) denotes a purposeful, watchful waiting rather than mere inertia. The text specifies its duration: "four months." This time ceiling is the heart of the verse. The Quran prohibits leaving a woman suspended without a horizon. Four months is a sufficient window for the man to reconsider his stance, yet not so long that it destroys the woman psychologically and socially.

(f-y-ʾ): "Fay" as a Natural Return, Not a Humiliating Retreat

The choice of the word fāʾū (they return) is profound. Its root (f-y-ʾ) refers to the shadow after the sun has passed its zenith—specifically, the shadow that returns to a position it had left. This choice is more precise than a standard word for "return" (rajaʿū). When the man retracts his oath, he is returning to his original state, as a shadow returns to its place. This fayʾ is a natural resumption rather than a humiliating climb-down, because the baseline is "kindly treatment" (ʿishra bi-al-maʿrūf), and the oath was merely an aberration.

(gh-f-r) and (r-ḥ-m): A Conclusion That Covers and Envelops

The verse concludes with "Forgiving and Merciful" rather than "Exalted in Might and Wise" or "Severe in Punishment." The reason is that a man who retracts such an oath carries regret and embarrassment. The text welcomes him with "Forgiving" (the one who covers) and "Merciful" (the one who treats with kindness). The door of return is not opened with a threat but with mercy, encouraging the man to return to normalcy rather than persisting in his oath out of stubborn pride.

Distinction: Īlāʾ vs. Legitimate Withdrawal

It is important to distinguish this scenario from the disciplinary withdrawal mentioned elsewhere (e.g., 4:34). Legitimate withdrawal from the bed is temporary and remains open to reconciliation. The pre-Islamic īlāʾ, however, was a cutting oath that closed off the horizon indefinitely. The verse does not legislate īlāʾ; it surrounds it and imposes a strict limit upon it.

Word precedes terminology, and role precedes identity. Īlāʾ is not the legislation of a marital punishment, but the name of a destructive pre-Islamic oath upon which a four-month ceiling has been imposed; "Waiting" (tarabbuṣ) is a bounded time that prevents suspension; Fayʾ is the return of a shadow to its origin, not the humiliation of the man; and "Forgiving and Merciful" is a conclusion that covers regret and encourages restoration.

Two Readings