(6–7) “House them wherever you dwell, according to your means, and do not harm them in order to make things difficult for them. If they are pregnant, then spend on them until they deliver their burdens. If they nurse your children for you, give them their wages, and enjoin what is right upon one another. But if you cannot agree, another woman will nurse the child for him. * Let the man of ample means spend according to his means, and let the one whose provision is restricted spend from what Allah has given him. Allah does not burden any soul beyond what He has given it. Allah will bring about ease after hardship.”
It was stated above that Allah prohibited evicting divorced women from their homes. Here, He commands that they be housed, and He sets the standard of lodging (1) according to what is customary: a dwelling befitting people of his and her standing, in accordance with whether the husband has ample means or is in straitened circumstances.
“And do not harm them in order to make things difficult for them.” That is, do not harm them by word or deed while they are residing there, intending to make them weary so that they leave their homes before the completion of the waiting period, thereby making you the ones who drove them out. In sum, He prohibited evicting them, prohibited them from leaving, and commanded that they be housed in a manner that causes them neither harm nor hardship. This is determined according to customary standards.
“If they are”—that is, the divorced women—“pregnant, then spend on them until they deliver their burdens.” If a woman has been irrevocably divorced, this support is due on account of the child in her womb; if she has been revocably divorced, it is due for both her and her unborn child. The support continues until they deliver their burdens. (2) Once they have given birth, they may either nurse their children or not.
“If they nurse your children for you, give them their wages”—the amount agreed upon, if an amount has been specified; otherwise, they are entitled to the customary wage.
“And enjoin what is right upon one another.” That is, each of the spouses—and others as well—should counsel the other to do what is right, which includes everything that brings benefit and well-being in this world and the Hereafter. Neglecting to counsel one another to do what is right entails (3) such evil and harm as only Allah knows, whereas doing so entails cooperation in righteousness and piety.
Especially relevant here is that, when spouses separate during the waiting period—particularly if a child has been born to them (4)—disputes and quarrels generally arise over support for the woman and the child. Moreover, separation usually stems from resentment, and that resentment is greatly intensified by these disputes. (5)
Each of them is therefore instructed to act properly, maintain good relations, and avoid antagonism and quarreling (6), and each is counseled accordingly.
“But if you cannot agree”—that is, if the spouses cannot agree (7) upon her nursing her child—then let another woman nurse the child for him. (8) “There is no blame upon you, provided you pay whatever is due in a fair manner.” This applies when the child is willing to nurse from a woman other than his mother. If the child will nurse only from his mother, then she alone must nurse him. It becomes obligatory upon her, and she may be compelled to do so if she refuses. ⦗872⦘ She is entitled to the customary wage if they have not agreed upon a specified amount.
This ruling is derived from the meaning of the noble verse. While the child was in his mother’s womb throughout the pregnancy, he had no way of leaving it (9), so Allah Most High required his guardian to provide support. Once he was born and was able (10) to obtain nourishment from either his mother or another woman, Allah Most High permitted both options. If, however, he can obtain nourishment only from his mother, then he is in the same position as an unborn child, and his mother becomes the necessary means by which he is nourished.
Allah Most High then determined the amount of support according to the husband’s circumstances, saying:
“Let the man of ample means spend according to his means.”
That is, the wealthy man should spend according to his wealth and must not spend at the level of the poor.
“And let the one whose provision is restricted”—that is, whose provision has been made limited—“spend from what Allah has given him” of provision.
“Allah does not burden any soul beyond what He has given it.” This accords with divine wisdom and mercy: He assigns to each person according to his circumstances and grants relief to the one in straitened circumstances, burdening him only according to what He has given him. Thus, Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity, whether in matters of maintenance or anything else.
“Allah will bring about ease after hardship.” This is good news for those in straitened circumstances: Allah Most High will remove their distress and relieve them of hardship. “Indeed, with hardship comes ease. * Indeed, with hardship comes ease.”