His saying, the Exalted: "Except if they commit a manifest indecency"

[The first interpretation]

5038 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashaj narrated to us, 'Ubayd Allah ibn Musa and Abu Nu'aym narrated to us, from Isra'il, from Abu Yahya, from Mujahid, from Ibn 'Abbas regarding "Except if they commit a manifest indecency," he said: Adultery. (It was also narrated from Ibn Mas'ud, Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, al-Hasan, al-Sha'bi, 'Ikrimah in one of the reports, al-Dahhak in one of the reports, Sa'id ibn Jubayr, Mujahid, Muhammad ibn Sirin, Abu Qilabah, 'Ata' al-Khurasani, Abu Salih, al-Suddi, Zayd ibn Aslam, and Sa'id ibn Abi Hilal something similar).

And the second interpretation: It is one of the opinions of Ibn 'Abbas:

5039 - My father narrated to us, Yahya ibn Salih al-Wahazi narrated to us, Sulayman—meaning, Ibn Bilal—narrated to us, from 'Amr ibn Abi 'Amr, from 'Ikrimah, from Ibn 'Abbas regarding His saying: "Except if they commit a manifest indecency," he said: The manifest indecency is for the woman to act lewdly toward the man's family and harm them. (It was also narrated from Ubayy ibn Ka'b and one of the two opinions of 'Ikrimah something similar).

And the third interpretation: It is one of the opinions of Ibn 'Abbas:

5040 - My father narrated to us, Nu'aym ibn Hammad and Abu Ziyad al-Qattan narrated to us, they said: Ziyad ibn al-Rabi' narrated to us, Salih al-Dahhan narrated to us, from Jabir ibn Zayd, that Ibn 'Abbas used to say regarding this verse: "Except if they commit a manifest indecency," he said: The manifest indecency is defiance (nushuz) and bad character; he used to say: When she is defiant and her character is bad, he may put her out. (It was also narrated from Ibn 'Umar, one of the two opinions of al-Dahhak, Qatadah, and Muqatil ibn Hayyan something similar).

His saying, the Exalted: "And live with them in kindness"

5041 - Ahmad ibn 'Uthman ibn Hakim al-Awdi narrated to us, Ahmad ibn Mufaddal narrated to us, Asbat narrated to us, from al-Suddi regarding His saying: "And live with them in kindness," as for "live with them" (ashiruhunna), he says: Associate with them.

5042 - I read to Muhammad ibn al-Fadl, Muhammad ibn 'Ali narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Muzahim informed us, from Bukayr ibn Ma'ruf, from Muqatil ibn Hayyan regarding His saying: "And live with them in kindness," meaning: Accompany them with kindness.