Translation:
Those of you (males) who die and leave your wives behind, your wives should wait for four months and ten days (to remarry). Once they reach (the end of ) their term, you have no hand (they are free) in what they do in a lawful manner (e.g., remarry). God knows what you do.
It is also not improper for someone to ask indirectly (hint for marriage) of such widows or to keep the proposal concealed, but God knows that you have such thoughts about them in your mind. Do not give them a promise in secret, but propose to them in a proper manner. Also, do not execute the marriage until the expiration of the waiting period. And God knows what you have in your mind (your true intent), and, therefore, be conscious of him and also know that God is ever Forgiving, Forbearing.121
Interpretation:
121 In these verses, God provides guidelines, with respect to widowed wives, that state they are free to remarry after a prescribed period of waiting for 130 days. They should not be forced to stay in their husband’s household or be constrained in any manner other than what is mutually agreed to. Similarly, men should be free to propose to them in a proper manner without any hindrance from other people.
Islam abolished a lot of ancient customs which were unfair to women, such as constraints in and out of marriage and issues with owning property, with claiming inheritance, with the killing of infant girls, and with having a say in all affairs. Unfor- tunately, many Muslim societies have regressed and fallen back to old customs and now claim them to be Islamic. This is due to illiteracy, lack of proper knowledge of Islam, special interest groups who want to maintain the status quo for their own benefit, and an overall negligence by Muslims in all walks of life to take these matters seriously. We all know that each one of us is answerable to God for these matters of injustice to and unfair treatment of any person, including women, who are our mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives. This is a matter of serious concern, and God is watching to see if we are going to wake up and correct our social norms. Our failure to act only perpetuates our poverty, our inability to progress in all types of society, and our inability to lead humanity, which is demanded by God.
Reflection:
Islam came to restore social justice in all matters, one of the most important ones being the treatment of women. These verses and others express the fair and reason-driven guidance given from God and the importance that Islam places on this critical aspect of our familial and social lives. Unlike other religious books, the Qur’an discusses many of the social and communal issues of the time and goes into extended discourse to refute rules and regulations that are based on superstition, tribal rules, and uncontested customs that degrade human dignity, especially those of women, and I challenge anyone to look into other religious doctrines and scriptures and find such boldness and novelty. Having said that, I also recognize that there are verses in the Qur’an, like other religious books, that appear to be unfair to women, such as in matters of inheritance and family leadership, and that should call for open discussions among Muslim men and women. In turn, we should develop a consensus on how to move ahead with the central tenets of those verses rather than remain unsatisfied with their literal constructs and meanings.
Action:
Unlike other religions, Islam is very vocal about women’s rights. Yet, after 1400 years, all over the Muslim world women more than men lack education and the freedom to make decisions, are subjected to insults and brutality from so-called religious police, and are discriminated against even by those who are educated. Every generation of Muslims should continue the march toward gender equality and fair treatment of women. I urge the Muslims of today to rise to the occasion and seri- ously begin to address how we can make our mothers, our sisters, our wives, and our daughters equal members of our families and our communities and how we can give them equal opportunities in our social, political, and professional environments.