Muhammad said: The reading 'fa-imsakun' (then keep) is in the nominative case (marfu'), meaning: the obligation upon you is to keep them in an acceptable manner, or release them with good treatment. The meaning of 'bi-ma'ruf' (in an acceptable manner) is with what is recognized as fulfilling the right in keeping the woman. Regarding His saying, the Almighty: 'Divorce is twice,' it means: the divorce in which one possesses the right of return is two pronouncements. 'And it is not lawful for you to take anything from what you have given them, unless both fear that they will not be able to keep the limits of Allah,' meaning: the command of Allah concerning themselves; for it is feared regarding the woman, if she hates her husband, that she might disobey Allah concerning him, and it is feared regarding the husband, if he does not divorce her, that he might act transgressively towards her.
Muhammad said: What Yahya's interpretation indicates is that the reading according to him was [yukhafa] with a damma (u) on the ya', and thus Abu Ja'far and Hamza read it. Nafi' and more than one read it [yakhafa] with a fatha (a); Abu 'Ubayd mentioned this.
Abu 'Ubayd said: The reading according to us is with a damma on the ya', because of His saying, the Almighty: 'If you fear,' as He attributed the fear to others, and He did not say: 'If they (both) fear.'
قَالَ مُحَمَّد: الْقِرَاءَة (فإمساك) بِالرَّفْع عَلَى معنى: فَالْوَاجِب عَلَيْكُم إمْسَاك بِمَعْرُوف، أَو تَسْرِيح بِإِحْسَان. وَمعنى (بِمَعْرُوف) بِمَا يعرف من إِقَامَة الْحق؛ فِي إمْسَاك الْمَرْأَة وَقَوله تَعَالَى: ﴿الطَّلَاق مَرَّتَانِ﴾ مَعْنَاهُ: الطَّلَاق الَّذِي يملك فِيهِ الرّجْعَة تَطْلِيقَتَانِ. ﴿وَلا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَأْخُذُوا مِمَّا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ شَيْئًا إِلا أَنْ يَخَافَا أَلَّا يُقِيمَا حُدُود الله﴾ يَعْنِي: أَمر اللَّه فِي أَنفسهمَا؛ وَذَلِكَ أَنه يُخاف من الْمَرْأَة فِي نَفسهَا إِذا كَانَت مبغضة لزَوجهَا فتعصي اللَّه فِيهِ، ويُخاف من الزَّوْج إِن لم يطلقهَا أَن يتَعَدَّى عَلَيْهَا.
قَالَ مُحَمَّد: الَّذِي يدل عَلَيْهِ تَفْسِير يَحْيَى: أَن الْقِرَاءَة كَانَت عِنْده [يُخَافَا] بِضَم الْيَاء، وَكَذَلِكَ قَرَأَهَا أَبُو جَعْفَر وَحَمْزَة. وَقرأَهَا نَافِع وَغير وَاحِد [يخافا] بِالْفَتْح؛ ذكره أَبُو عبيد.
قَالَ أَبُو عبيد: وَالْقِرَاءَة عندنَا بِضَم الْيَاء؛ لقَوْله تَعَالَى: ﴿فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ﴾ فَجعل الْخَوْف لغَيْرِهِمَا، وَلم يقل: فَإِن خافا.
