"And live with them in honor," meaning: accompany them with kindness. "For if you dislike them, perhaps you may dislike a thing and Allah makes therein much good." A man may dislike his wife, yet he retains her while he is averse to her; it may be that Allah will provide him with a child from her, and then Allah will incline his heart towards her, or he may divorce her, and someone else marries her, and Allah places much good for the one who married her within it. [Verses 20-21]
﴿وعاشروهن بِالْمَعْرُوفِ﴾ أَي: اصحبوهن بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ﴿فَإِنْ كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ فَعَسَى أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَيَجْعَلَ الله فِيهِ خيرا كثيرا﴾ يكره الرجل الْمَرْأَة، فيمسكها وَهُوَ لَهَا كَارِه، فَعَسَى الله أَن يرزقه مِنْهَا ولدا، ثمَّ يعطفه الله عَلَيْهَا، أَو يطلقهَا، فيتزوجها غَيره، فَيجْعَل الله للَّذي تزَوجهَا فِيهِ خيرا كثيرا. [آيَة ٢٠ - ٢١]
