The waiting period for the woman of a deceased husband was four months and ten days. Otherwise, she may stay for a whole year in the husband’s house according to his bequest.

(… مَّتَاعًا إِلَى الْحَوْلِ..  ) (..maintenance for one year..): Whenever we have ‘enjoyment’ or ‘maintenance’ we know that they are related to expenditure, i.e. spending on the wife.

(… غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ ..  ) (..without turning [them] out..): No one is allowed to turn the woman out of her husband’s house by force.

(… فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي مَا فَعَلْنَ فِي أَنفُسِهِنَّ مِن مَّعْرُوفٍ ۗ ..  ) (..But if they leave [of their own accord], then there is no blame upon you for what they do with themselves in an acceptable way..): There is no problem if she leaves on her own. Why? Because of the bequest; the bequest that she stays for one year.

(… مِن مَّعْرُوفٍ ۗ ..  ) (..in an acceptable way..): This is what Islam and the Holy Qur’an wants to spread in the society, the acceptable way and the good and not compulsion and enforcement upon the woman. The point behind that is preserve the rights of the woman.

(… وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ) (..And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.): Why is the verse concluded with: (Exalted in Might and Wise.) There is a heavenly wisdom in the conclusion of each verse. We have here a legislation by Allah (swt) that the woman mustn’t be turned out of her deceased husband’s house when the man bequests that she stays there for a year. The rule of divorce, the waiting period … etc. are a matter of religion. Thus, Allah (swt) concludes the verse with (And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise) which means that Allah (swt) is the Mighty who can do without the worship of His creatures. Allah (swt) is the Mighty who’s never defeated; He is the Mighty who is never in need of you whereas you need Him. Thus, Allah (swt) can do without the worship of His creatures; and He is Exalted in Might and Wise with the rules He set out to regulate divorce in the society.