Islam Guidance

Verse128

(128) وَإِنِ امْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِن بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوْ إِعْرَاضًا فَلاَ جُنَاْحَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَن يُصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا

صُلْحًا وَالصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ وَأُحْضِرَتِ الأَنفُسُ الشُّحَّ وَإِن تُحْسِنُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا

128. " And if a woman fears ill treatment from her husband, or desertion, there is no sin on the couple if they effect a reconciliation between them, and reconciliation is better but avarice has been made to be present in the (people's) minds, and if you do good and keep from evil, then verily Allah is aware of what you do."
Commentary:
It happened that at the beginning of Islam, a Muslim believer by the name of Rafi'-ibn-Khadij had got two wives. One of them was old and the other was young. He had to divorce the old wife because of some discords that they had. But before ending the waiting period, he told her that if she desired he could revoke upon condition that she would be patient when he might prefer his young wife, else they should separate after finishing the waiting period. The woman accepted the reconcilintion: and then this verse was revealed.

The Arabic term /nushuz/ is derived from the root /nashz/ in the sense of: 'an elevated place', which, here, means: 'disobedience'. In verse No. 34 from the current Sura, the speech was about the disobdience of the wife, and here the statement is also upon ill treatment.
The Arabic word /shuhh/, when concerning a wife, means: 'avoiding of wearing appropriate clothing and abundoning ornamentation'; and when concerning a man, it refers to: his avoidance of paying dower sum, necessaries, and the absence of showing affeciton.
In any case, for the family affairs, the first stage is reconciliation between the couple without the interference of others. If it does not end to peace, others may interfere:
"... if they effect a reconciliation between them,..."
And it does not matter for a person to remit a right inorder to obtain a higher general interest and to make safe the atmosphere in the family.
"... there is no sin ..."
The origine of instability in many families is the insularities, envy and avarice that has surrounded human-kind.
"... but avarice has been made to be present in the (people's) minds,..."
Renunciation of man from his veneral desires and being careful of justice between his two wives, are among the examples of piety and kindness. If a man remits his own right, and does good and kindness unto his wife, all are at the presence of Allah.
"...then verily Allah is aware of what you do."

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