Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (105)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(237) “If you divorce them before consummating the marriage, after having fixed a bridal gift for them, then they are entitled to half of what you fixed, unless they waive it or the one in whose hand is the marriage tie waives it. To waive is nearer to righteousness. And do not forget graciousness between yourselves. Indeed, Allah sees all that you do.”

That is: If you divorce women before consummating the marriage but after fixing the bridal gift, the divorced women are entitled to half of the stipulated bridal gift, and you retain the other half.

This is what is obligatory unless it is waived out of graciousness: the woman may waive her half in favor of her husband, provided that her waiver is legally valid; “or the one in whose hand is the marriage tie waives it.” This is the husband, according to the correct view (1), because it is in his hands to dissolve that tie. Moreover, the guardian cannot validly waive what is due to the woman, since he is neither its owner nor her authorized agent.

Allah then encourages waiving one’s right, stating that whoever does so is nearer to piety, because it is an act of benevolence that brings contentment to the heart. A person should not deprive himself of opportunities to act benevolently and kindly, nor forget graciousness, which is the highest level of interpersonal conduct. Dealings between people occur at one of two levels: either obligatory justice and fairness, which consist of taking what is rightfully due and giving what is rightfully owed; or graciousness and benevolence, which consist of giving what is not obligatory, being lenient regarding one’s rights, and relinquishing some of what one desires for oneself. A person should therefore not forget this higher level, even if he practices it only at certain times—especially toward someone with whom he has dealings or regular contact. For Allah rewards those who do good with bounty ⦗106⦘ and generosity. Hence He says: “Indeed, Allah sees all that you do.” Then Allah Most High said:

(1) The following appears in the margin of manuscript A: “This was according to what seemed correct to me when I wrote this passage. Later, however, it became clear to me that the sounder view is that ‘the one in whose hand is the marriage tie’ refers to the closest guardian, namely the father, since both the wording and the meaning support this, as is evident to anyone who reflects.” The margin of manuscript B contains the following addition in the author’s handwriting: “It has also been said that this refers to the father, which is what the wording of the noble verse indicates.”

﴿٢٣٧﴾ ﴿وَإِنْ طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تَمَسُّوهُنَّ وَقَدْ فَرَضْتُمْ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً فَنِصْفُ مَا فَرَضْتُمْ إِلا أَنْ يَعْفُونَ أَوْ يَعْفُوَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ عُقْدَةُ النِّكَاحِ وَأَنْ تَعْفُوا أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى وَلا تَنْسَوُا الْفَضْلَ بَيْنَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ﴾ . أي: إذا طلقتم النساء قبل المسيس، وبعد فرض المهر، فللمطلقات من المهر المفروض نصفه، ولكم نصفه. هذا هو الواجب ما لم يدخله عفو ومسامحة، بأن تعفو عن نصفها لزوجها، إذا كان يصح عفوها، ﴿أَوْ يَعْفُوَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ عُقْدَةُ النِّكَاحِ﴾ وهو الزوج على الصحيح (١) لأنه الذي بيده حل عقدته؛ ولأن الولي لا يصح أن يعفو عن ما وجب للمرأة، لكونه غير مالك ولا وكيل. ثم رغب في العفو، وأن من عفا، كان أقرب لتقواه، لكونه إحسانا موجبا لشرح الصدر، ولكون الإنسان لا ينبغي أن يهمل نفسه من الإحسان والمعروف، وينسى الفضل الذي هو أعلى درجات المعاملة، لأن معاملة الناس فيما بينهم على درجتين: إما عدل وإنصاف واجب، وهو: أخذ الواجب، وإعطاء الواجب. وإما فضل وإحسان، وهو إعطاء ما ليس بواجب والتسامح في الحقوق، والغض مما في النفس، فلا ينبغي للإنسان أن ينسى هذه الدرجة، ولو في بعض الأوقات، وخصوصا لمن بينك وبينه معاملة، أو مخالطة، فإن الله مجاز المحسنين بالفضل ⦗١٠٦⦘ والكرم، ولهذا قال: ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ﴾ . ثم قال تعالى:

(١) جاء في هامش أما نصه: (هذا بحسب ما ظهر لي وقت كتابتي لهذا الموضع، ثم بعد ذلك تبين لي أن القول بأن الذي بيده عقدة النكاح هو الولي الأقرب، وهو الأب، وهو الأصح لمساعدة اللفظ له والمعنى كما هو ظاهر للمتدبر) . وفي هامش ب زيادة بخط المؤلف هي: (وقيل: إنه الأب، وهو الذي يدل عليه لفظ الآية الكريمة) .