The Qur'an's Difficult Verses Explained: with Commentaries, Hadith, Biographies and History

By Abdul Haqq

The Qur'an's Difficult Verses Explained unveils the true meaning of some of

the Qur'an's most controversial verses. Abdul Haqq brings to life material

from respected Islamic commentaries on the Qur'an, both traditional and

modern, the lessons of Muhammad's life (hadith), authentic biographies of

Muhammad, and aut

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evaluation Press
• Release date: Aug 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9781736827611

Abdul Haqq

Abdul Haqq is a scholar of Islam with a Master of Arts in Islamic Studies. He has taught in universities in the Middle East, Africa and the United States. He is an attorney, an author, and a world traveler. He has lived in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Those who reject the Qur’an when it comes to them – though it is an unassailable Scripture which falsehood cannot touch from any angle... — The Qur’an, surah 41, verse 41-42

For nearly two billion Muslims on the planet, the Qur’an (recitation) is the holy book of Islam. The religion of Islam tells us the Qur’an is a verbatim, word-for-word transcription of the original, eternal, uncreated Qur’an in heaven, the umm al-kitab, or mother of the book. Despite a century of scholarly analysis, critics have never been able to dissuade the Muslim world that the Qur’an is the divine, perfect, sublime, unassailable revelation of God, which falsehood cannot touch from any angle.

According to Islam, the Qur’an was revealed from heaven through the angel Gabriel. Gabriel recited it to the Prophet Muhammad gradually over approximately twenty-three years. As Muhammad repeated aloud what Gabriel revealed to him, some of the people memorized what he said, and scribes wrote down other revelations on whatever materials were available. These bits and pieces of the Qur’an were gathered into one volume and divided into 114 surahs, or chapters. The surahs were arranged by descending number of verses. The surah with the greatest number of verses (286) is first, and the surahs with the fewest number of verses (four to six) are last. The exception is the first chapter, al-Fatiha, with seven verses, which is recited in the daily Islamic prayers.

The Qur’an recommends itself, sometimes using glowing terms. Surah 5, verse 48 says:

وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ ۖ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ لِكُلٍّۢ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةًۭ وَمِنْهَاجًۭا ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۖ فَٱسْتَبِقُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ ۚ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًۭا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ

We sent to you [Muhammad] the scripture with the truth... (Haleem)

Surah 46, verse 30 says:

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰقَوْمَنَآ إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا كِتَـٰبًا أُنزِلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰ مُصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ يَهْدِىٓ إِلَى ٱلْحَقِّ وَإِلَىٰ طَرِيقٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ

. . .giving guidance to the truth and the straight path. (Haleem)

Surah 16, verse 89:

وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍۢ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ ۖ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَىٰ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ۚ وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ تِبْيَـٰنًۭا لِّكُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ وَهُدًۭى وَرَحْمَةًۭ وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ

. . .We have sent the Scripture down to you explaining everything, and as a guidance . . . (Haleem)

Surah 17, verse 105:

وَبِٱلْحَقِّ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ وَبِٱلْحَقِّ نَزَلَ ۗ وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرًۭا وَنَذِيرًۭا

We have sent down the Qur’an with the truth . . . (Haleem)

Surah 41, verse 41-42:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِٱلذِّكْرِ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ ۖ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَكِتَـٰبٌ عَزِيزٌۭ

لَّا يَأْتِيهِ ٱلْبَـٰطِلُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلَا مِنْ خَلْفِهِۦ ۖ تَنزِيلٌۭ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍۢ

Those who reject the Qur’an when it comes to them – though it is an unassailable Scripture which falsehood cannot touch from any angle... (Haleem)

Surah 85, verses 21-22:

بَلْ هُوَ قُرْءَانٌۭ مَّجِيدٌۭ ٢١ فِى لَوْحٍۢ مَّحْفُوظٍۭ

This is truly a glorious Qur’an, written on a preserved tablet. (Haleem)

Surah 56, verses 75-80:

فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِمَوَٰقِعِ ٱلنُّجُومِ ٧٥ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَقَسَمٌۭ لَّوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عَظِيمٌ ٧٦ إِنَّهُۥ لَقُرْءَانٌۭ كَرِيمٌۭ

فِى كِتَـٰبٍۢ مَّكْنُونٍۢ ٧٨ لَّا يَمَسُّهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱلْمُطَهَّرُونَ ٧٩ تَنزِيلٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

I swear by the positions of the stars – a mighty oath if you only knew – that this is truly a noble Qur’an in a protected Record that only the purified can touch, sent down from the Lord of all worlds. ¹ (Haleem)

The Qur’an was revealed in Arabic. Surah 43, verses 2-4 say:

وَٱلْكِتَـٰبِ ٱلْمُبِينِ ٢ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَـٰهُ قُرْءَٰنًا عَرَبِيًّۭا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

وَإِنَّهُۥ فِىٓ أُمِّ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِىٌّ حَكِيم

By the Scripture that makes things clear, We have made it a Qur’an in Arabic so that you [people] may understand. In the Source of Scripture kept with Us, it is truly exalted and authoritative. (Haleem)

Surah 39, verse 28:

قُرْءَانًا عَرَبِيًّا غَيْرَ ذِى عِوَجٍۢ لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ

. . .an Arabic Qur’an, free from any distortion . . . (Haleem)

The Arabic Qur’an is primarily a guide for recitation or imitation of the process by which God’s word was revealed to the world, rather than a book for reading. Since the revelation was in Arabic, the imitation of its revelation must also be in Arabic. This imitation of the revelatory process is lost if the recitation is in any other language. Thus, the Arabic Qur’an is the only true Qur’an. Translations of the Qur’an into other languages are not considered the Qur’an, but more akin to interpretations of its meaning.

The Qur’an has been called the greatest spiritual force which is ultimately destined to bring the whole of humanity to perfection. Anyone who will simply cast a glance at its opening and closing verses will not fail to see this. ² It goes further and lays claim to the fact that it is the only spiritual force which will ultimately conquer the whole world and that the whole of humanity cannot produce a force like it. ³ The Qur’an is unapproachable as regards convincing power, eloquence, and even composition. ⁴

. . .the wealth of ideas and the beauty of style – and these two combined with the effect it produced are the three things which raise the Qur’an to an eminence to which no other book has ever aspired and which make an imitation of it impossible. . . .as it appealed to reason and not to sentiment, its conquests were so far-reaching and permanent that is swept away all mysteries and dispelled all darkness. ⁵

Neither the Old nor the New Testament, nor any other sacred book, makes any approach to the grand and noble truths that find expression in the Holy Qur’an. ⁶

It is hard to overstate the importance of the Qur’an for the religious Muslim. The entire religious life of the Muslim world is built around the text of the Qur’an. ⁷ Nowadays the Qur’an is recited a number of times daily on the radio and television in the Muslim world, and some Muslim countries devote a broadcasting channel for long hours daily exclusively to the recitation and study of the Qur’an. Muslims swear on the Qur’an for solemn oaths in the law courts and in everyday life. ⁸

Because Muslims consider the Qur’an a verbatim, word-for-word transcription of the eternal, uncreated book in heaven, it must be without any authorship, influence, or even hint from human thought or human sources. As Iranian scholar Ali Dashti said, … there ought to be no trace of human intellectual imperfection in anything God says. ⁹ The Qur’an goes to great lengths to refute skeptics and reassure believers that it is indeed revelation from God without human influence. As the Qur’an says in surah 53, verses 1-11:

وَٱلنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ ١ ا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ ٢ وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ ٣ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْىٌۭ يُوحَىٰ

عَلَّمَهُۥ شَدِيدُ ٱلْقُوَىٰ

ذُو مِرَّةٍۢ فَٱسْتَوَىٰ ٦ وَهُوَ بِٱلْأُفُقِ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ ٧ ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ ٨ فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىٰ

فَأَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ عَبْدِهِۦ مَآ أَوْحَىٰ ١٠ مَا كَذَبَ ٱلْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَىٰٓ

By the star when it sets, your companion has not strayed; he is not deluded; he does not speak from his own desire. The Qur’an is nothing less than a revelation that is sent to him. It was taught to him by [an angel] with mighty powers and great strength, who stood on the highest horizon and then approached – coming down until he was two bow-lengths away or even closer – and revealed to God’s servant what He revealed. [The Prophet’s] own heart did not distort what he saw. (Haleem)

The Qur’an also insists it is purely supernatural because no one is capable of producing anything approaching its eloquence, wisdom and beauty.

Surah 17, verse 88 says:

قُل لَّئِنِ ٱجْتَمَعَتِ ٱلْإِنسُ وَٱلْجِنُّ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَأْتُوا۟ بِمِثْلِ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانِ لَا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِۦ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍۢ ظَهِيرًۭا

Say, ‘Even if all mankind and jinn came together to produce something like this Qur’an, they could not produce anything like it, however much they helped each other.’ (Haleem)

Surah 11, verses 13-14 say:

أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ ۖ قُلْ فَأْتُوا۟ بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍۢ مِّثْلِهِۦ مُفْتَرَيَـٰتٍۢ وَٱدْعُوا۟ مَنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ

فَإِلَّمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لَكُمْ فَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ بِعِلْمِ ٱللَّهِ وَأَن لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ

If they say, ‘He has invented it himself,’ say, ‘Then produce ten invented suras like it, and call in whoever you can beside God, if you are truthful.’ If they do not answer you, then you will all know that it is sent down containing knowledge from God, and that there is no god but Him. (Haleem)

And the Qur’an affirms it is purely the speech of God, in surah 4, verse 82:

أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ ۚ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا۟ فِيهِ ٱخْتِلَـٰفًۭا كَثِيرًۭا

Will they not think about this Qur’an? If it had been from anyone other than God, they would have found much inconsistency in it. (Haleem)

Nevertheless, some non-Muslims point to verses they claim prove the Qur’an did not come from heaven, but is a book produced by human thought. The purpose of this book is to address these verses and evaluate the claims of the critics. We will accomplish this by providing analysis from the great classic and modern commentaries of the Qur’an, from the sahih hadith literature, from the earliest biography of the Prophet Muhammad, and from early volumes of Islamic history. In doing so, the author hopes to shed light on the true interpretation of these verses according to these Islamic scholars and authorities so that the world, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, can gain an accurate understanding of them.

The author does not intend to provide an overarching treatment of the teachings of the Qur’an, nor an analysis of the Qur’an. As the title suggests, this book addresses only those verses critics claim are problematic for the Qur’an’s claim of purely supernatural origin. Even then, for the sake of brevity, it treats only a selection of those verses. Verses are addressed by topic as shown in the Table of Contents. The reader may choose to refer to the Index of Qur’an Verses as a companion for reading through the Qur’an, addressing the material on the verses treated in this book as they encounter them in their Qur’an reading.

The Tafsirs (Commentaries). This volume relies on both classic and modern commentaries on the Qur’an, specifically, those that have been translated into English and are available on the internet. Those commentaries are Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Jalalayn, Asbab al-Nuzul (Occasions of the Revelation) of al-Wahidi, Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn ‘Abbas, the tafsir of al-Qushairi, the tafsir of Kashani, Tafhim al-Qur’an (Meaning of the Qur’an) of Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, and Fi Zalal al-Qur’an (In the Shade of the Qur’an) by Sayyid Qutb.

The Tafsir of Abu al-Fidā ‘Imād Ad-Din Ismā‘īl ibn ‘Umar ibn Kathīr al-Qurashī al-Damishqī, known as Ibn Kathir, is one of the greatest commentaries on the Quran of all time. Ibn Kathir lived in Syria from 1300 – 1373 A.D. and earned the title Pillar of the Faith.

The Tafsir of al-Jalalayn (the two Jalals), was written by Jalaluddin al-Mahalli (in 1459), and was finished by his famous student and scholar, Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti. (d. 1505 A.D.), who completed it in 1505. It is considered authoritative, is one of the most popular commentaries on the Quran today, and has been translated into multiple languages.

Asbab al-Nuzul of Ali ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi (d. 1075), was the first work to gather the contexts and situations surrounding the revelations and is the standard for all subsequent works on the subject. It contains explanations of 570 verses. Asbab al-Nuzul is an indispensable tool for properly understanding the Qur’an, and al-Wahidi is considered one of the great commentators on the Qur’an.

The Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn ‘Abbas, was probably not written by Abd Allah b. Abbas b. Abd al-Muttalib (Ibn ‘Abbas) (d. 68/687), the cousin and companion of the Prophet Muhammad. Some have said it was collected by Abu Tahir Muhammad ibn Yaqub al-Fayruz Aabadi (1329–1414). There are questions about some individuals in the chain of transmitters of the reports in the tafsir, meaning some of the reports could conceivably be inauthentic. Nevertheless, the core of the tafsir contains the opinions of Ibn ‘Abbas and is thus considered a highly valuable commentary.

Lata’if al-Isharat bi-Tafsir al-Qur’an by ‘Abd al-Karim ibn Huzan Abu al-Qasim al-Qushairi al-Naysaburi (al-Qushairi) (986 – 1072 A.D.) is considered a classic commentary in the Sufi tradition.

Ta’wilat al-Qur’an of ‘Abd al-Razzaq Kamal al-Din al-Kashani (al-Kashani) (1252 – 1329 A.D.) is a highly regarded, clearly written commentary by this medieval Persian scholar in the Sufi tradition.

Abul A’la Maududi (d. 1979) was an Islamic scholar, philosopher, historian, and jurist who was called the most systematic thinker in modern Islam ¹⁰ His works have been translated into many languages. His Tafhim al-Qur’an has been highly influential in modern Islam since its publication in 1972.

Sayyid Ibrahim Husayn Shadhili Qutb (d. 1966) was an Egyptian author and educator and a leading member of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. He published a thirty-volume commentary on the Qur’an, Fi Zalal al-Qur’an (In the Shade of the Qur’an). His commentary is highly influential, especially in the Arab world.

The tafsirs of al-Wahidi, Ibn ‘Abbas, al-Jalalayn, al-Qushairi, and al-Kashani were accessed at www.altafsir.com. The tafsir of Ibn Kathir was accessed at www.quran4u.com. The tafsir of Maududi was accessed at www.englishtafsir.com. The tafsir of Qutb was accessed at www.quranwebsite.com/shades-of-quran-english. All of these were accessed in November 2020.

The Hadith literature. A Hadith is a record of what the Prophet Muhammad said, did, or tacitly approved. The words and actions of Muhammad as recorded in the hadith literature are helpful in understanding the meaning of the Qur’an. The Qur’an says at surah 33, verse 21:

لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِى رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌۭ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًۭا

The Messenger of God is an excellent model for those of you who put your hope in God and the Last Day and remember Him often. (Haleem)

Surah 4, verse 80 says:

مَّن يُطِعِ ٱلرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ ٱللَّهَ ۖ وَمَن تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًۭا

Whoever obeys the Messenger obeys God . . . (Haleem)

Surah 4, verse 59:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ فِى شَىْءٍۢ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌۭ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا

You who believe, obey God and the Messenger. . . (Haleem)

Surah 33, verse 36 says:

وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍۢ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ أَمْرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ ٱلْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ ۗ وَمَن يَعْصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَـٰلًۭا مُّبِينًۭا

When God and His Messenger have decided on a matter that concerns them, it is not fitting for any believing man or woman to claim freedom of choice in that matter: whoever disobeys God and His Messenger is far astray. (Haleem)

As the perfect model for humanity, whose instructions are authoritative, the Prophet Muhammad would have lived his life in strict accordance with God’s revealed will in the Qur’an. Thus, whatever Muhammad said, did, or approved of in others would have illustrated proper understanding of the Qur’an. Hadith literature is second in priority after the Qur’an among Islamic sources for the life of the believer.

Hadith traditions involve companions of the Prophet Muhammad relating that they heard him say certain words or saw him behave in certain ways. Those who heard the companions relate the accounts told others, who passed down the accounts to later generations, creating a chain of transmission. Islamic scholars who specialized in gathering and compiling hadith traditions graded the trustworthiness of those traditions. They asked questions such as Were there gaps in the chain of transmission? Were all the people in the chain of transmission honest and orthodox in their beliefs? How many people heard the companion relate the account? If, for example, the chain of transmission involved a grandfather relaying the tradition to his grandson, but the grandfather is known to have died before his grandson was born, then the chain of transmission becomes problematic and the tradition downgraded in trustworthiness.

Hadith traditions fall into one of four categories: sahih, hasan, da’if, and mawdu. Sahih means authentic. Hasan means good. Da’if means weak. Mawdu means fabricated. All but mawdu are used by Islamic courts in making legal rulings. However, believers can be most comfortable relying on sahih hadith traditions for instruction in life and faith.

There are six sahih hadith collections considered authoritative for believers, especially Sunni Muslims. These collections are: Sahih al-Bukhari, collected by Muhammad b. Isma’il al-Bukhari (d. 870 A.D.), Sahih Muslim, collected by Muslim b. Hajjaj al-Naishapuri (d. 875 A.D.), Sunan Abu Dawud, collected by Abu Dawud Sulaiman b. Ash-ath al-Sijistani (d. 888 A.D.), Sunan al-Sughra, collected by Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Nasa’i (d. 915 A.D.), Sunan Ibn Majah, collected by Ibn Majah al-Qazwini (d. 887 A.D.) and Jami al-Tirmidhi, collected by Muhammad b. ‘Isa al-Tirmidhi (d. 892 A.D.). Unless otherwise noted, all hadith referenced in this book are sahih.

The hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari was accessed at www.quranx.com, www.sunnah.com, www.muflihun.com, and www.sahih-bukhari.com. The hadith of Sahih Muslim, Sunan Ibn Majah and Jami’ al-Tirmidhi were accessed at www.quranx.com and www.muflihun.com. Multiple hadith were referenced at www.quran434.com and ahadith.co.uk. All of these were accessed during November 2020.

The reader can access the commentaries and hadith resources at the websites listed. Therefore, the author does not provide references for each citation.

The author will quote the Qur’an from a variety of English translations. These translations include those of Sahih International, Muhammad Pickthall, Yusuf Ali, Muhammad Habib Shakir, Muhammad Sarwar, Mohsin Khan, and Arthur Arberry, accessed at corpus.quran.com, as well as that of M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, The Qur’an, Oxford University Press, 2004.

CHAPTER 2

THE QUR’AN AND WOMEN

Child Marriage

Critics assert that the Qur’an endorses child marriage. In surah 2, verse 228, the Qur’an states that the iddah, or waiting period after a husband pronounces divorce of his wife, is three monthly cycles:

وَٱلْمُطَلَّقَـٰتُ يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ ثَلَـٰثَةَ قُرُوٓءٍۢ ۚ وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَهُنَّ أَن يَكْتُمْنَ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ فِىٓ أَرْحَامِهِنَّ إِن كُنَّ يُؤْمِنَّ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۚ وَبُعُولَتُهُنَّ أَحَقُّ بِرَدِّهِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ إِنْ أَرَادُوٓا۟ إِصْلَـٰحًۭا ۚ وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيْهِنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ وَلِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَجَةٌۭ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

The divorced women must wait up to three menstrual cycles before another marriage. If they believe in God and the Day of Judgment, it is not lawful for them to hide what God has created in their wombs. Within their waiting period their husbands have the right to resume marital relations if they want reconciliation. Women have benefits as well as responsibilities. Men have a status above women. God is Majestic and Wise. (Sarwar)

We should keep in mind that in surah 33, verse 49, the Qur’an makes clear there is no waiting period for a marriage in which there was never sexual intercourse:

وَرَسُولًا إِلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنِّى قَدْ جِئْتُكُم بِـَٔايَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ أَنِّىٓ أَخْلُقُ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطِّينِ كَهَيْـَٔةِ ٱلطَّيْرِ فَأَنفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيْرًۢا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُبْرِئُ ٱلْأَكْمَهَ وَٱلْأَبْرَصَ وَأُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا تَأْكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِى بُيُوتِكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةًۭ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

Believers, you have no right to expect a waiting period when you marry believing women and then divorce them before you have touched them... (Haleem)

Therefore, in discussing the waiting period for divorce, the Qur’an refers to marriages in which sexual relations have occurred.

After prescribing the waiting period for women who menstruate as three-monthly courses, al-Wahidi describes the following in his Asbab al-Nuzul (hereinafter al-Wahidi):

. . .’Amr ibn Salim who said: "When the waiting period for divorced and widowed women was mentioned in Surah al-Baqarah, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, some women of Medina are saying: there are other women who have not been mentioned!’ He asked him: ‘And who are they?’ He said: ‘Those who are too young [such that they have not started menstruating yet], those who are too old [whose menstruation has stopped] and those who are pregnant’. And so this verse (And for such of your women as despair of menstruation…) was revealed.

Thereafter, surah 65, verse 4, was revealed:

وَٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى يَئِسْنَ مِنَ ٱلْمَحِيضِ مِن نِّسَآئِكُمْ إِنِ ٱرْتَبْتُمْ فَعِدَّتُهُنَّ ثَلَـٰثَةُ أَشْهُرٍۢ وَٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى لَمْ يَحِضْنَ ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰتُ ٱلْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَن يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مِنْ أَمْرِهِۦ يُسْرًۭا

If you are in doubt, the period of waiting will be three months for those women who have ceased menstruating and for those who have not [yet] menstruated; the waiting period for those who are pregnant will be until they deliver their burden: God makes things easy for those who are mindful of him. (Haleem)

See also Mohsin Khan’s translation:

And those of your women as have passed the age of monthly courses, for them the ‘Iddah (prescribed period), if you have doubts (about their periods), is three months, and for those who have no courses (i.e., they are still immature) their ‘Iddah (prescribed period) is three months likewise, . . . (Khan)

The classic commentators, such as al-Wahidi, above, make clear that sura 65, verse 4 refers to divorcing girls too young to have begun menstruating.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn (hereinafter al-Jalalayn) explains: And as for those of your women who . . .no longer expect to menstruate, if you have any doubts about their waiting period their prescribed waiting period shall be three months and also for those who have not yet menstruated because of their young age their period shall also be three months. . .

According to Tanwir Al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn ‘Abbas (hereinafter Ibn ‘Abbas):

(And for such of your women as despair of menstruation) because of old age, (if ye doubt) about their waiting period, (their period (of waiting) shall be three months) upon which another man asked: O Messenger of Allah! What about the waiting period of those who do not have menstruation because they are too young? (along with those who have it not) because of young age, their waiting period is three months.

In discussing this verse, Ibn Kathir writes: There is a third type of divorce, which is neither a Sunnah nor an innovation where one divorces a young wife who has not begun to have menses.

In the modern era, Qutb writes: These verses specify the length of the waiting period for women who do not have a monthly cycle and for pregnant women. It includes women who are past menopause and those who do not as yet have a menstrual cycle because they have not attained puberty . . .

Likewise, Maududi tells us:

They may not have menstruated as yet either because of young age or delayed menstrual discharge as it happens in the case of some women, or because of no discharge at all throughout life which, though rare, may also be the case. In any case, the waiting-period of such a woman is the same as of the woman, who has stopped menstruation, that is three months from the time divorce was pronounced. Here, one should bear in mind the fact that according to the explanations given in the Qur’an the question of the waiting period arises in respect of the women with whom marriage may have been consummated, for there is no waiting-period in case divorce is pronounced before the consummation of marriage. (Al-Ahzab: 49). Therefore, making mention of the waiting-period for the girls who have not yet menstruated, clearly proves that it is not only permissible to give away the girl in marriage at this age but it is also permissible for the husband to consummate marriage with her. Now, obviously no Muslim has the right to forbid a thing which the Qur’an has held as permissible.

Sahih Bukhari confirms these statements in Volume 7, Book 62, Hadith 63: And for those who have no courses (i.e., they are still immature). (65.4) And the ‘Iddat for the girl before puberty is three months (in the above verse).

As reported in Sahih Muslim, Book 8, Hadith 3459, Muhammad encouraged marriage to girls:

Jabir b. ‘Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported: I married a woman, whereupon Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to me: Have you married? I said: Yes. He said: Is it a virgin or a previously married one (widow or divorced)? I said: With a previously married one, whereupon he said: Where had you been (away) from the amusements of virgins? Shu’ba said: I made a mention of it to ‘Amr b. Dinar and he said: I too heard from Jabir making mention of that (that Allah’s Apostle) said: Why didn’t you marry a girl, so that you might sport with her and she might sport with you?

Muhammad himself married Aisha when she was six years old and consummated the marriage with her when she was nine.

Sahih Bukhari says in Volume 5, Book 58, Hadith 236: Narrated Hisham’s father: ‘Khadija died three years before the Prophet departed to Medina. He stayed there for two years or so and then he married ‘Aisha when she was a girl of six years of age, and he consummated that marriage when she was nine years old.’ (Consummated is translated from the Arabic word dakhala.)

In Sahih Bukhari Volume 5, Book 58, Hadith 234, we read:

Narrated Aisha: "The Prophet engaged me when I was a girl of six (years). We went to Medina and stayed at the home of Bani-al-Harith bin Khazraj. Then I got ill and my hair fell down. Later on my hair grew (again) and my mother, Um Ruman, came to me while I was playing in a swing with some of my girlfriends. She called me, and I went to