Al-Baqara • EN-AL-QUSHAIRI-TAFSIR
﴿ وَٱلَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَٰجًۭا وَصِيَّةًۭ لِّأَزْوَٰجِهِم مَّتَٰعًا إِلَى ٱلْحَوْلِ غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍۢ ۚ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى مَا فَعَلْنَ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِنَّ مِن مَّعْرُوفٍۢ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ ﴾
“AND IF any of you die and leave wives behind, they bequeath thereby to their widows [the right to] one year's maintenance without their being obliged to leave [the dead husband's home]. If, however, they leave [of their own accord], there shall be no sin in whatever they may do with themselves in a lawful manner. And God is almighty, wise.”
And those of you who die leaving wives make testament for their wives provision for a year; but if they go forth you would not be at fault regarding what they may do with themselves honorably; God is Mighty Wise. The waiting period after the death of the husband in the beginning of Islam was an uninterrupted year according to the words and actions of the Arabs. With respect to that the one who spoke for them said: Until the end of the year then �peace be upon both of you.� Whoever weeps for an entire year has absolved themselves of any guilt. Then this was abrogated [and made] four months and ten days since the mourning period inevitably ends. The one who spoke for them said: He said �If you die I cannot live.� I said �You are being hypocritical so be silent. What living thing do you see that dies from love for something which is deadḍ�