that they make a bequest. The rest recited it in the nominative: that is, Allah prescribed for you the bequest. “Maintenance for one year”: the word “maintenance” is in the accusative as a verbal noun—that is, provide for them with maintenance. It was also said: Allah made this a provision for them. This provision consisted of one year’s maintenance: her food, clothing, lodging, and whatever else she needed. “Without their being turned out”: it is in the accusative as a circumstantial qualifier. It was also said that it is adjectival, with an omitted particle: that is, without turning them out.
This verse was revealed concerning a man from the people of al-Ṭāʾif named Ḥakīm ibn al-Ḥārith. He emigrated to Madinah with his children, his parents, and his wife, then died. So Allah revealed this verse, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, gave his parents and children shares of his inheritance, but gave his wife nothing. He instructed them to support her from her husband’s estate for a full year. At the beginning of Islam, the waiting period for a widow was a full year, and it was forbidden for an heir to turn her out of the house before the year was complete. Her maintenance and lodging were due from her husband’s property for that year, so long as she did not leave; yet she had no inheritance share. If she left her husband’s house, her maintenance lapsed. A man was required to make this bequest for her, and this remained the case until the verse of inheritance was revealed. Thereupon Allah Most High abrogated the year’s maintenance through the one-quarter and one-eighth shares, and abrogated the year-long waiting period through four months and ten days.
His saying, Most High: “But if they leave”—that is, if they themselves leave before the year is over, without being turned out by the heirs—“then there is no blame upon you,” O guardians of the deceased, “for what they do with themselves in a fitting manner”: that is, adorning themselves in preparation for marriage.
There are two interpretations of why the men are absolved of blame. One is that there is no blame upon you for discontinuing their maintenance if they leave before the year has ended. The other is that there is no blame upon you for not preventing them from leaving, since her remaining in her husband’s house for a year was not obligatory upon her. Allah Most High gave her the choice between remaining for a year, in which case she was entitled to maintenance and lodging, or leaving, in which case she was entitled to neither maintenance nor lodging—until this was abrogated by four months and ten days.
“And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.”
“Divorced women are entitled to a provision according to what is fair—a duty upon the God-fearing. Thus Allah makes clear to you His verses, so that you may understand.” (2:241–242)
“Divorced women are entitled to a provision according to what is fair—a duty upon the God-fearing.” The provision is mentioned again here to add a further meaning. In the other passage, the ruling concerning women whose marriage was not consummated is explained, whereas this verse explains the ruling regarding provision for all divorced women.
It was also said that, when Allah Most High revealed His saying, “Provide for them: the affluent according to his means and the one of limited means according to his means,” up to His saying, “a duty upon those who do good” (al-Baqarah 2:236), a Muslim man said, “If I choose to do good, I will do so; but if I do not wish to, I will not do so.” Allah Most High then said, “Divorced women are entitled to a provision,” making the provision theirs by means of the lām denoting entitlement, and said, “a duty upon the God-fearing”—that is, the believers who fear associationism.