الآية رقم (237) - وَإِن طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَمَسُّوهُنَّ وَقَدْ فَرَضْتُمْ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً فَنِصْفُ مَا فَرَضْتُمْ إَلاَّ أَن يَعْفُونَ أَوْ يَعْفُوَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ عُقْدَةُ النِّكَاحِ وَأَن تَعْفُواْ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى وَلاَ تَنسَوُاْ الْفَضْلَ بَيْنَكُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

(237) - (And if you divorce them before you have touched them and you have already specified for them an obligation, then [give] half of what you specified - unless they forego the right or the one in whose hand is the marriage contract foregoes it. And to forego it is nearer to righteousness. And do not forget graciousness between you. Indeed Allah, of whatever you do, is Seeing.)

The rule of Sharia is that the man has to pay half of the dowry in case divorce happens after the marriage contract is concluded and before the sexual intercourse between the man and the woman.

( إِلَّا أَن يَعْفُونَ أَوْ يَعْفُوَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ عُقْدَةُ النِّكَاحِ ۚ..  ) (..unless they forego the right or the one in whose hand is the marriage contract foregoes it..): That’s unless it’s forgiven and foregone by mutual consent of the man and the woman or the one in whose hand is the marriage contract.

( وَأَن تَعْفُوا أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۚ..  ) (..And to forego it is nearer to righteousness..): So, to forego is nearer to righteousness:

 {وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ }

(and who pardon the people – and Allah loves the doers of good.)  (Ali-Imran: 134)

Righteousness encompasses all the good. that’s why we say that Muslim families are established on the basis of righteousness (the fear of Allah (swt)).

( وَلَا تَنسَوُا الْفَضْلَ بَيْنَكُمْ ۚ ..  ) (..And do not forget graciousness between you..): Graciousness is above justice. It is a surplus. We enter paradise by the graciousness of Allah (swt) rather than our good deeds. Whatever good deeds we have does not equal one grace of Allah to us. Thus, Allah (swt) says:

 {قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ }

(Say, “In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy – in that let them rejoice; it is better than what they accumulate.”)  (Yunus: 58)

So, it’s graciousness that’s above justice. Allah (swt) reminds the man and the woman along with the family not to forget graciousness in case of rift and divorce, as the matter is not merely about being just with respect to the rights of the man and the woman. It is rather greater and more sublime in terms of establishing humane relationships and marriage relationships between men and women as well as preserving the rights of infants, children and women. Therefore, Allah (swt) reminds people to spread graciousness among them, and this is what is required to be accomplished