Sura-33 [Al Ahzab madina 90]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نَكَحْتُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ثُمَّ طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَمَسُّوهُنَّ...

33:49 [Ali]. O ye who believe! when ye marry believing women, and then divorce them before ye have touched them,

...فَمَا لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ عِدَّةٍ تَعْتَدُّونَهَا...

no period of 'Iddah have ye to count in respect of them:

C3738. See n. 254 to 2:228.

The Iddat counts for three monthly courses, or

if there are no courses, for three months:

see 65:4.

...فَمَتِّعُوهُنَّ ...

so give them a present,

C3739. This present is held, by some, to be in addition to the half dower due to them under 2:237.

If the dower had not yet been fixed, the gift would presumably be larger, and it would absorb the gift prescribed in 2:236.

... وَسَرِّحُوهُنَّ سَرَاحًا جَمِيلًا ﴿٤٩﴾

and set them free in a handsome manner.

C3740. The gifts should be given with good grace, and the freedom of the woman should not be interfered with in any way. If she chooses to marry again immediately, no obstacle should be placed in her path.

On no pretext should she be allowed to remain doubtful about her freedom.

Asad’s Version:

33:49 O YOU who have attained to faith! If you marry believing women and then divorce them ere you have touched them, you have no reason to expect, and to calculate, any waiting-period on their part: 55 hence, make [at once] provision for them, and release them in a becoming manner. 56

[[ Asad’s notes - 55 Lit., "you have no waiting-period whatever upon them which you should count" - i.e., "which either of you should take into accoupt as an obligation": cf. the first part of 2:228, and the corresponding note 215. Since the question of pregnancy does not arise if the marriage has not been consummated, a waiting-penod on the part of the diyorced wife would be meaningless and of no benefit either to her or to her former husband. ]]