When you divorce women and they have reached their term do not debar them from marrying their [former] husbands when they have agreed together honorably. That is an admonition for whoever of you believe in God and the Last Day; that is purer for you and cleaner. God knows and you know not. The verse contains a prohibition for guardians against hurting [the women under their protection] abandoning the fierceness of the time of ignorance jāhiliyya and yielding to the decree of God to allow [divorced] women to marry if they wish it without indignation or rage. Rather [the mes- sage is] “since you were sufficiently pleased to betroth her to a mate it is prohibited to [then] oppress her.” Letting go of the [baser] human instincts by subjugating the lower self is a more difficult struggle [than the fierce ways of the time of ignorance] and a more sincere way of behaving for the sake of God.
