Allah said,
﴿وَلاَ تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ لِتَذْهَبُواْ
بِبَعْضِ مَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ﴾
(nor to prevent them from marriage, in order to take part of what you have given
them,) Allah commands: Do not treat the woman harshly so that she gives back all
or part of the dowry that she was given, or forfeits one of her rights by means
of coercion and oppression. Allah's statement,
﴿إِلاَّ أَن يَأْتِينَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ
مُّبَيِّنَةٍ﴾
(unless they commit open Fahishah.) Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib,
Ash-Sha`bi, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Muhammad bin Sirin, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Mujahid, `Ikrimah,
`Ata' Al-Khurasani, Ad-Dahhak, Abu Qilabah, Abu Salih, As-Suddi, Zayd bin Aslam
and Sa`id bin Abi Hilal said that this refers to illicit sex. Meaning that if the
wife commits adultery, you are allowed to take back the dowry you gave her. You
are also allowed to annoy her, until she gives back the dowry in return for a Khula`.''
In Surat Al-Baqarah, Allah said,
﴿وَلاَ يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَأْخُذُواْ
مِمَّآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ شَيْئًا إِلاَّ أَن يَخَافَآ أَلاَّ يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ اللَّهِ﴾
(And it is not lawful for you (men) to take back (from your wives) any of what you
have given them, except when both parties fear that they would be unable to keep
the limits ordained by Allah) ﴿2:229﴾. Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah and Ad-Dahhak said that
Fahishah refers to disobedience and defiance. Ibn Jarir chose the view that it is
general, encompasses all these meanings, adultery, disobedience, defiance, rudeness,
and so forth. Meaning that he is allowed to annoy his wife when she does any of
these acts until she forfeits all or part of her rights and he then separates from
her, and this ﴿view﴾ is good, and Allah knows best.
ICTruth.info