Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 236
Quran 2:236 · The Cow · Madani · Para 2 · Page 39
لَا جُنَاحَ عَلَیْكُمْ اِنْ طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَآءَ مَا لَمْ تَمَسُّوْهُنَّ اَوْ تَفْرِضُوْا لَهُنَّ فَرِیْضَةً ۖۚ وَّمَتِّعُوْهُنَّ ۚ عَلَی الْمُوْسِعِ قَدَرُهٗ وَعَلَی الْمُقْتِرِ قَدَرُهٗ ۚ مَتَاعًا بِالْمَعْرُوْفِ ۚ حَقًّا عَلَی الْمُحْسِنِیْنَ ۟
Transliteration
La junaha AAalaykum in tallaqtumuannisaa ma lam tamassoohunna aw tafridoolahunna fareedatan wamattiAAoohunna AAalaalmoosiAAi qadaruhu waAAala almuqtiri qadaruhu mataAAanbilmaAAroofi haqqan AAala almuhsineen
Saheeh International
There is no blame upon you if you divorce women you have not touched nor specified for them an obligation. But give them [a gift of] compensation - the wealthy according to his capability and the poor according to his capability - a provision according to what is acceptable, a duty upon the doers of good.
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
There is no sin on you if you divorce your wives with whom you have entered into marriage before you have sexual intercourse with them and before you fix a dowry for them. If you must divorce them in such a situation, they will not be entitled to any dowry from you; but they must be given something that they will enjoy, to make it easy on their feelings. This must be done by both a rich and a poor man according to their means. This gift is binding on those who wish to do good in their actions and dealings.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
There is no sin on you, if you divorce women while yet you have not touched them, nor appointed for them their due (dowry). But give them a Mut'ah (a suitable gift, the rich according to his means, and the poor according to his means, a gift of reasonable amount is a duty on the doers of good (236)
Divorce before consummating the Marriage
Allah allowed divorce after the marriage contract and before consummating the marriage. Ibn 'Abbas, Tawus, Ibrahim and Al-Hasan Al-Basri said that 'touched' (mentioned in the Ayah) means sexual intercourse. The husband is allowed to divorce his wife before consummating the marriage or giving the dowry if it was deferred.
The Mut'ah (Gift) at the time of Divorce
Allah commands the husband to give the wife (whom he divorces before consummating the marriage) a gift of a reasonable amount, the rich according to his means and the poor according to his means, to compensate her for her loss. Al-Bukhari reported in his Sahih that Sahl bin Sa'd and Abu Usayd said that Allah's Messenger ﷺ married Umaymah bint Sharahil. When she was brought to the Prophet he extended his hand to her, but she did not like that. The Prophet ﷺ then ordered Abu Usayd to provide provisions for her along with a gift of two garments.