Divorced women remain in waiting [i.e., do not remarry] for three periods,1 and it is not lawful for them to conceal what Allāh has created in their wombs if they believe in Allāh and the Last Day. And their husbands have more right to take them back in this [period] if they want reconciliation.2 And due to them [i.e., the wives] is similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable.3 But the men [i.e., husbands] have a degree over them [in responsibility and authority]. And Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.
Translation: Saheeh International (English)
1 Either menstrual periods or periods of purity between menstruation. See also 65:1-7.
2 The husband may return her to himself during the ʿiddah period of a first and second divorce without a new marriage contract.
3 The wife has specific rights upon her husband, just as the husband has rights upon her.
وَٱلۡمُطَلَّقَٰتُAnd the women who are divorcedwal-muṭalaqātu
يَتَرَبَّصۡنَshall waityatarabbaṣna
بِأَنفُسِهِنَّconcerning themselvesbi-anfusihinna
ثَلَٰثَةَ(for) threethalāthata
قُرُوٓءٖۚmonthly periodsqurūin
وَلَاAnd (it is) notwalā
يَحِلُّlawfulyaḥillu
لَهُنَّfor themlahunna
أَنthatan
يَكۡتُمۡنَthey concealyaktum'na
مَاwhatmā
خَلَقَ(has been) createdkhalaqa
ٱللَّهُ(by) Allahl-lahu
فِيٓinfī
أَرۡحَامِهِنَّtheir wombsarḥāmihinna
إِنifin
كُنَّtheykunna
يُؤۡمِنَّbelieveyu'minna
بِٱللَّهِin Allahbil-lahi
وَٱلۡيَوۡمِand the Daywal-yawmi
ٱلۡأٓخِرِۚ[the] Lastl-ākhiri
وَبُعُولَتُهُنَّAnd their husbandswabuʿūlatuhunna
أَحَقُّ(have) better rightaḥaqqu
بِرَدِّهِنَّto take them backbiraddihinna
فِيinfī
ذَٰلِكَthat (period)dhālika
إِنۡifin
أَرَادُوٓاْthey wisharādū
إِصۡلَٰحٗاۚ(for) reconciliationiṣ'lāḥan
وَلَهُنَّAnd for themwalahunna
مِثۡلُ(is the) likemith'lu
ٱلَّذِي(of) that whichalladhī
عَلَيۡهِنَّ(is) on themʿalayhinna
بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِۚin a reasonable mannerbil-maʿrūfi
وَلِلرِّجَالِand for the menwalilrrijāli
عَلَيۡهِنَّover themʿalayhinna
دَرَجَةٞۗ(is) a degreedarajatun
وَٱللَّهُAnd Allahwal-lahu
عَزِيزٌ(is) All-Mightyʿazīzun
حَكِيمٌAll-Wiseḥakīmun
Tafsir
Divorced women must not remarry after a divorce for three menstrual periods. If they are true in their faith in Allah and the Last Day, they may not hide the foetus that Allah has created in their wombs. Their husbands, who issued the divorce, have the first right to recall them during the waiting period if their intention is to live well with them and to cancel what has occurred because of the divorce. Wives have rights and obligations like those of husbands in a manner that people consider fair. Men have a higher rank than them in terms of responsibility and with respect to divorce. Allah is Mighty and nothing can overcome His decree. He is Wise in His legislation and planning.