Tafseer of Divorce · At-Talaaq · 65:3
And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
And His statement: (And He will provide for him from where he does not expect) — He says: And He will bring about for him the means of sustenance from where he does not suppose and does not know.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the scholars of interpretation have spoken, and some of them mentioned that this verse was revealed on account of ʿAwf ibn Mālik al-Ashjaʿī.
* Mention of who said that:
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Ibn Ṣalt related to us, on the authority of Qays, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā, on the authority of Masrūq, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh, concerning His statement: (And whoever fears Allah, for him He will make a way out); he said: he knows that it comes from Allah, and that it is Allah who gives and withholds.
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā, on the authority of Masrūq: (And whoever fears Allah, for him He will make a way out); he said: The way out is that he knows that Allah, blessed and exalted is He, would give him if He willed, and would withhold from him if He willed. (And He will provide for him from where he does not expect); he said: from where he does not perceive.
Abū al-Sāʾib related to me, saying: Abū Muʿāwiya related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā, on the authority of Masrūq, the like of that.
ʿAlī related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His statement: (And whoever fears Allah, for him He will make a way out); he says: his deliverance from every distress in this world and the Hereafter, (and He will provide for him from where he does not expect).
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ ibn al-Mundhir, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ ibn Khuthaym: (And whoever fears Allah, for him He will make a way out); he said: out of every matter that distresses people.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn Wāḍiḥ related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, on the authority of Yazīd, on the authority of ʿIkrima: (And whoever fears Allah, for him He will make a way out); he said: whoever separates as Allah commanded him, for him He makes a way out.
ʿAlī ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā al-Muḥāribī related to me, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Muḥammad al-Muḥāribī related to us, on the authority of Juwaybir, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, concerning His statement: (And whoever fears Allah, for him He will make a way out) — and whoever fears Allah, for him He makes his affair easy; he said: by the way out and the ease is meant: when he pronounces the divorce (ṭalāq) once and then remains silent about her, then he may, if he wishes, take her back with the testimony of two upright men — that is the ease of which Allah has spoken. And if her waiting period (ʿiddah) elapses without his having taken her back, then he is a free man among the free. This is what Allah has commanded, and thus is divorce according to the sunna. But whoever divorces at every menstruation has missed the sunna, disobeyed the Lord, and chosen the difficult path.
Muḥammad related to us, saying: Aḥmad related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, concerning His statement: (And whoever fears Allah, for him He will make a way out); he said: he pronounces the divorce according to the sunna, and takes back according to the sunna. He claimed that a man from among the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ, named ʿAwf al-Ashjaʿī, had a son, and that the polytheists had taken him captive, and he remained with them. His father used to come to the Prophet ﷺ and complain to him about the condition of his son, and the situation in which he was, and his need. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to command him to be patient and say to him: Allah will make a way out for him. Then it was only a short while before his son escaped from the hands of the enemy, passed by a flock of the enemy's sheep, drove it before him and brought it to his father, and brought with him wealth that he had obtained from the sheep. Then this verse was revealed: (And whoever fears Allah, for him He will make a way out * And He will provide for him from where he does not expect).
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of ʿAmmār ibn Abī Muʿāwiya al-Duhnī, on the authority of Sālim ibn Abī al-Jaʿd: (And whoever fears Allah, for him He will make a way out); he said: it was revealed about a man from Ashjaʿ who came to the Prophet ﷺ while he was in distress, and asked him for help. The Prophet ﷺ said to him: "Fear Allah and be patient." He said: That I have done. Then he went to his people, and they said: What did he say to you? He said: He said: "Fear Allah and be patient," and I said: That I have done — until he had said that three times. Then he returned, and behold, there was his son, who had been a captive among such-and-such tribe of the Arabs, and he came bringing goats with him. He returned to the Prophet ﷺ and said: My son was a captive among such-and-such, and he has come bringing goats — are these permissible for us? He said: "Yes."
He said: Ḥakkām related to us, saying: ʿAmr related to us, on the authority of ʿAmmār al-Duhnī, on the authority of Sālim ibn Abī al-Jaʿd, concerning His statement: (And whoever fears Allah, for him He will make a way out); he said: it was revealed about a man from Ashjaʿ who was struck by need. He came to the Prophet ﷺ, and he said to him: "Fear Allah and be patient." Then he returned and found a son of his who had been a captive, whom Allah had delivered from their hands, and he had acquired goats. He came and mentioned that to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and said: Is that permissible for me, O Messenger of Allah? He said: "Yes."
He said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ibn al-Mundhir al-Thawrī, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ ibn Khuthaym: (for him He will make a way out); he said: out of every matter that distresses people.
He said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā, on the authority of Masrūq: (for him He will make a way out); he said: he knows that Allah would withhold from him if He willed, and would give him if He willed. (And He will provide for him from where he does not expect) — he says: from where he does not perceive.
He said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Abī ʿArūba, on the authority of Qatāda: (for him He will make a way out); he said: out of doubtful matters, and the distress at death. (And He will provide for him from where he does not expect): from where he does not hope and does not expect.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: (And He will provide for him from where he does not expect): he does not expect it and does not hope for it.
And His statement: (And whoever relies upon Allah, for him He is sufficient)
He, exalted is His mention, says: And whoever fears Allah in his affairs, and entrusts them to Him, for him He is sufficient.
And His statement: (Indeed, Allah accomplishes His purpose) — this stands apart from His statement: (And whoever relies upon Allah, for him He is sufficient). And the meaning of it is: Indeed, Allah accomplishes His purpose in every case, whether the servant relies upon Him or does not rely upon Him.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the scholars of interpretation have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā, on the authority of Masrūq: (And whoever relies upon Allah, for him He is sufficient. Indeed, Allah accomplishes His purpose) — whether he relies upon Him or does not rely upon Him, except that for the one who relies He effaces his evil deeds and makes great for him the reward.
Abū al-Sāʾib related to us, saying: Abū Muʿāwiya related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā, on the authority of Masrūq, in a similar manner.
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Ibn Ṣalt related to us, on the authority of Qays, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā, on the authority of Masrūq, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh: (And whoever relies upon Allah, for him He is sufficient); he said: it is not the case that only the one whose need has already been fulfilled is one who relies. And He made the excellence of the one who relies upon Him over the one who does not rely consist in this: that for him He effaces his evil deeds and makes great for him the reward.
He said: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī, who said: Shutayr ibn Shakal and Masrūq were sitting together, and Shutayr said: Either you relate what you heard from Ibn Masʿūd and I will confirm you, or I will relate and you confirm me? Masrūq said: No, you relate, and I will confirm you. Then he said: I heard Ibn Masʿūd say: Indeed, the greatest verse in the Qurʾān regarding the entrusting [of affairs to Allah] is: (And whoever relies upon Allah, for him He is sufficient). Masrūq said: You have spoken truly.
And His statement: (Allah has set a measure for everything) — He, exalted is His mention, says: Allah has set for everything of divorce, the waiting period and other than that, a limit, a term and a measure that is reached.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the scholars of interpretation have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Abū al-Sāʾib related to me, saying: Abū Muʿāwiya related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā, on the authority of Masrūq: (Allah has set a measure for everything); he said: a term.
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā, on the authority of Masrūq: (Allah has set a measure for everything); he said: an end point.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā, on the authority of Masrūq, the like of that.
Muḥammad related to us, saying: Aḥmad related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, concerning His statement: (Allah has set a measure for everything); he said: the menstruation within the term and the waiting period (ʿiddah).
