His saying, the Most High: "And when you have divorced the women"

2238 - And by the same chain from Muqatil regarding His saying: "And when you have divorced the women," [this means] after a single pronouncement. This is because when a Muslim man wishes to divorce his wife, he divorces her upon her performing ghusl (purificatory bath) from menstruation, and he does not have sexual intercourse with her until he divorces her. His divorcing her is for him to say to her at the time of her ghusl, without having had sexual intercourse with her, 'Iddah' (commence your waiting period).

His saying: "[When they have] reached their term"

2239 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashaj narrated to us, al-Muharibi narrated to us, from Juwaybir, from al-Dahhak, regarding "[When they have] reached their term," he says: When her waiting period has expired before she performs ghusl from the third menstrual cycle, or three months if she does not menstruate. He says: So take her back if you wish to reconcile before the waiting period expires.

2240 - I read to Muhammad b. al-Fadl, Muhammad b. 'Ali narrated to us, Muhammad b. Muzahim narrated to us, from Bukayr b. Ma'ruf, from Muqatil b. Hayyan, regarding His saying: "[When they have] reached their term," meaning: three quru' (menstrual cycles), meaning: three menstruations.

His saying: "Then retain them with kindness"

2241 - And by the same chain from Muqatil regarding "Then retain them with kindness," he says: Retain them before she performs ghusl from her third menstrual cycle, by way of obeying Allah.

His saying: "Or release them with kindness"

2242 - And by the same chain from Muqatil regarding "Or release them with kindness," [this means] by way of obeying Allah, once she has performed ghusl from her third menstrual cycle.

2243 - 'Ali b. al-Husayn narrated to us [saying]: "Or release them with kindness," [this means] by way of obeying Allah, once she has performed ghusl from her third menstrual cycle.

2244 - 'Ali b. al-Husayn narrated to us, from 'Abd al-Rahman b. Ibrahim Duhaym, al-Walid narrated to us, from Ibn Lahi'ah, from Yazid b. Abi Habib, who said: Release (tasrih) in the Book of Allah is divorce.