the limits set by Allah has wronged himself. You never know: perhaps Allah will bring about something new thereafter.”

“When they approach the end of their waiting period, either retain them honorably or part with them honorably. Call two just men from among you as witnesses, and bear witness faithfully for Allah. This is an admonition for whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day. Whoever fears Allah, He will make a way out for him.”

“And He will provide for him from where he does not expect. Whoever puts his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him. Allah will surely accomplish His purpose. Allah has set a measure for all things.”

Forms of forbidden divorce include divorcing a wife during menstruation or during a period of purity in which he has had intercourse with her—both prohibited by explicit scriptural evidence and scholarly consensus—and triple divorce, according to the majority of scholars. Such divorce transgresses the limits set by Allah, and whoever does this wrongs himself, as Allah Most High has stated:

“Whoever oversteps the limits set by Allah has wronged himself.”

When someone who has wronged himself repents, Allah accepts his repentance, for He says:

“Whoever does evil or wrongs himself, then seeks Allah’s forgiveness, will find Allah All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Thus, if he seeks Allah’s forgiveness, Allah forgives him and has mercy on him. He then becomes one of those who fear Allah and is included in His words:

“Whoever fears Allah, He will make a way out for him and provide for him from where he does not expect.”

Those whom Umar and those who agreed with him held to their forbidden divorces knew that this was prohibited. They had been forbidden to do it, yet did not desist. They were therefore not among those who feared Allah; rather, they were wrongdoers who had transgressed His limits and deserved punishment.

For this reason, Ibn Abbās said to one of those seeking a ruling:

“Your uncle did not fear Allah, so He did not grant him relief or a way out. Had he feared Allah