The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 384
CH. 2 AL-BAQARAH PT. 2 وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ And those of you who die. 241 and leave behind wives shall bequeath to their أَزْوَاجًا وَصِيَّةً لِاَزْوَاجِهِمْ مَّتَاعًا إِلَى wives provision for a year without الْحَوْلِ غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ ۚ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلَا their being turned out. But if جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي مَا فَعَلْنَ فِي أَنْفُسِهِنَّ مِنْ مَّعْرُوفٍ وَاللهُ عَزِيزٌ they themselves go out, there shall be no blame upon you in regard to any proper thing which they do themselves. And Mighty and Wise. 247 concerning Allah is "2:235. should pray in the ordinary way as taught in the closing portion of the preceding verse, i. e. one should stand motionless in Prayer and refrain from speech, etc. 247. Commentary: The middle verses, which came in like the middle Prayer, having ended, the Quran reverts to the original subject of conjugal relations. The verse under comment is erroneously believed by some to have been abrogated by 2:235 and 4:13. Apart from the fact that the abrogation theory is based on lack of the knowledge of true teaching of the Quran, there is nothing in the verses referred to above which contradicts the provision contained in the present verse. The period of waiting laid down for a widow in 2:235 is four months and ten days in which time she can, as of right, claim residence and maintenance from the heirs of her deceased husband. The period of one year mentioned in the present verse 384 has nothing to do with the above- mentioned period of waiting, as the words, but if they themselves go out, there shall be no blame upon you, clearly show. The present verse only contains a concession or a favour for a widow in addition to her right of residence and maintenance mentioned in 2:235. One year is about the time conveniently required by a widow for making suitable arrangements about her future. It is also the requisite time for a pregnant widow to be delivered of the child and relieved of the encumbrances attending thereto. Nor has this verse anything to do with the share of a widow in the property left by her husband as stated in 4:13. The concession about residence and maintenance for one year mentioned in the present verse forms no part of her share in the inheritance. The verse contains no obligatory injunction, but only an additional exhortation to the heirs of the deceased person to show special kindness to the widow for a period of one year, just as the