Al-Mujaadila (The Pleading Woman)

4. And he who finds not a slave for manumission must fast two successive months before they both touch each other. And he who is unable to do so, should feed sixty poor people. That is in order that you may have faith in Allah and His Messenger. These are Divine Laws. And for disbelievers, there is an excruciating torment.

The word hudud denoting limits and connoting laws is attested more than ten times in the Holy Qur’an most of whose instances are pertained to family law. Failure to act upon Divine Laws and indifference to the same are on a par with disbelief. It is worthy of note that Divine chastisement lead to loss of property and physical strength, but one may thereby increase one's faith.

The blessed Verse is saying that one who cannot find a slave, as in our time, or may not afford to purchase one for manumission, he must fast for two consecutive months before touching his wife.

Jurisprudents maintain that the Arabic word mutatabi‘in in the blessed Verse designates two consecutive lunar months or sixty days; however, if one fasts for a month and a day, but breaks the fast thereafter and fast the remaining days later on, the fast is still valid, but he may not touch his wife before the completion of the two month fast.

Now, one who is unable to fast owing to decrepitude, weakness, or any other reason, it is incumbent upon such person to feed sixty poor people with the food, e.g. bread, wheat, and rice, consumed by the majority of the inhabitants of the city.

The Arabic word ta‘am (“food”) seemingly indicates that the person is supposed to fill them up in one meal. However, the measure has been specified in Islamic traditions as almost 750 grams, though some jurisprudents have specified the quantity as double the amount.

The blessed Verse proceeds to reiterate the main goal of such expiations, saying:

“That is in order that you may have faith in Allah and His Messenger.”

Compensation for the sins through expiating strengthens the pillars of faith and makes man knowingly and practically committed to acting upon Divine Laws.

To make all Muslims regard such expiation as a serious question, the blessed Verse says:

“These are Divine Laws. And for disbelievers, there is an excruciating torment.”