By the one who is denoted by the name Allah (who created my being with His Names in accord with the meaning of the letter ‘B’), the Rahman, the Rahim.

 

1. O Nabi! When you want to divorce women, take heed of their waiting period (wait for the end of their menstruation cycle) then divorce them and keep count of the waiting period... Protect yourselves from Allah, your Rabb. Do not drive them out of their homes, and let not them leave their homes, unless they openly commit fornication... This is the limit set by Allah. And whoever transgresses the limit of Allah has indeed wronged himself. You never know, perhaps Allah will bring about a different situation after this.

2. And when their waiting period has come to an end, either keep them in marriage according to custom, or release them according to custom... And hold two just people as witnesses and establish testimony for Allah... This is what is advised to those who believe in Allah, their essential reality with His Names, and the eternal life to come... Whoever protects himself from Allah, He will open a way out for him.

3. And He will provide sustenance for him from where he does not expect. He who places his trust in Allah, Allah will be sufficient for him (he who believes in the forces pertaining to the qualities of the Names comprising his essence and complies with their requirements, those forces will be ever sufficient for him). Indeed, Allah will fulfill His word! And indeed, Allah has determined a measure (fate) for all things.

4. Those whose wives no longer menstruate (have gone into menopause), if you doubt (regarding their waiting period), their waiting period is three months. And it is the same for those who have not yet menstruated. As for pregnant women, their waiting period is until they deliver. Whoever protects themselves from Allah, He will ease their tasks for them.

5. These (applications) are the commands of Allah that He had disclosed to you... Whoever protects himself from Allah, He will erase his bad deeds from him and increase his reward.

6. Accommodate them (your ex-wives), according to your means, as you live yourselves, and do not harass them to make their lives difficult. If they are pregnant, give them alimony until they deliver. If they are breastfeeding (your children), give them payment. And discuss among yourselves (regarding these matters) in a pleasant way. But if you cannot come to an agreement, then let another woman breastfeed (the child).

7. Let the man of means give alimony according to his wealth, and let the man whose means are restricted give according to what Allah has provided him... Allah will not hold anyone accountable for more than what He has given him! Allah will bring about ease after hardship.

8. How many a nation rebelled against the commands of your Rabb and His Rasuls and We called them to severe account and subjected them to severe suffering.

9. Thus they tasted the consequence of their deeds and the result of their deeds was loss.

10. Allah has prepared severe suffering for them! Protect yourselves from Allah, o you who have believed, and who are the intimates of the reality through whom Allah hears, sees and speaks (Ulul albab)! Allah has indeed disclosed a reminder (dhikr) to you!

11. And a Rasul who informs you of the signs of Allah to bring those who believe and fulfill the requisites of faith out of the darkness into Nur (light of knowledge). Whoever believes in Allah and his essential reality with His Names, He will admit them to Paradises underneath which rivers flow to abide therein eternally. Allah has indeed provided sustenance for him.

12. It is Allah who created the seven heavens, and of the earth, the like of them. His command continually (without interruption) manifests between them (astrological [angelic] influences that are also manifestations of Allah’s Names and their effect on creation). So that you may know that Allah is Qadir over all things and that He (as the creator) encompasses all things with His knowledge.

Note: In Ghazali’s ‘Ihya’u Ulumud’deen’ it is narrated from Ibn Abbas (r.a.): “If I were to interpret the verse ‘It is Allah who created the seven heavens, and of the earth, the like of them. His command continually manifests among them...’ indeed, you would stone me”, and in another narration, he says, “You would announce me a disbeliever!”