Memorizing Surah at-Talāq (65) can be tough for many students memorizing the Qur'ān. I've seen it with some of my own students and in this article, I'll share some tips on how you can memorize the Sūrah with a bit more ease.
Memorise the verses by group
This short Madinan surah deals with the topic of divorce and its regulations. it was revealed after Surah al-Baqarah's passage on family law (222-242). The surah also warns against disobedience reminding us of the fate of previous communities who disobeyed Allāh.
To make your groups, you need to look at the meanings or translations. You can different groups. For example, you can memorise the surah in three parts:
| Grouping 1 | Verses |
|---|---|
| Safety measures when divorcing | Verses 1-3 |
| Rules about divorce during pregnancy | Verses 4-7 |
| Punishment for those who disobey | Verses 8-12 |
Or you can memorise it in four parts:
| Grouping 2 | Verses |
|---|---|
| Rules when divorcing | Verses 1-7 |
| Punishment for those who disobey | Verses 8-10 |
| Reward for believers | Verse 11 |
| Allāh is the One in Control | Verse 12 |
Remembering the repeated words in the right order
The repeated words are:
وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ
waman yattaqi l-laha (And whoever is mindful of Allāh).
In verse 2, Allāh says: (And whoever is mindful of Allāh – He will make for him a way out)
فَإِذَا بَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ فَارِقُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍۢ وَأَشْهِدُوا۟ ذَوَىْ عَدْلٍۢ مِّنكُمْ وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلشَّهَـٰدَةَ لِلَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ يُوعَظُ بِهِۦ مَن كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مَخْرَجًۭا
Then when they have ˹almost˺ reached the end of their waiting period, either retain them honourably or separate from them honourably. And call two of your reliable men to witness ˹either way˺—and ˹let the witnesses˺ bear true testimony for ˹the sake of˺ Allah. This is enjoined on whoever has faith in Allah and the Last Day. And whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make a way out (makhraja) for them,
[65:2]
So remember here that those who are getting a divorce want a way out of all their problems.
Then in verse 4 Allāh says: (And is mindful of Allāh – He will make their matters easy for them).
وَٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى يَئِسْنَ مِنَ ٱلْمَحِيضِ مِن نِّسَآئِكُمْ إِنِ ٱرْتَبْتُمْ فَعِدَّتُهُنَّ ثَلَـٰثَةُ أَشْهُرٍۢ وَٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى لَمْ يَحِضْنَ ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰتُ ٱلْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَن يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مِنْ أَمْرِهِۦ يُسْرًۭا
As for your women past the age of menstruation, in case you do not know, their waiting period is three months, and those who have not menstruated as well. As for those who are pregnant, their waiting period ends with delivery. And whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make their matters easy (yusra) for them.
[65:4]
What does every pregnant woman desire, particularly during labour? Ease (yusra).
Then, in verse 5, Allāh says: (and whoever is mindful of Allāh – He will remove for him his misdeeds and make great for him his reward).
ذَٰلِكَ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ أَنزَلَهُۥٓ إِلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يُكَفِّرْ عَنْهُ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِۦ وَيُعْظِمْ لَهُۥٓ أَجْرًا
This is the commandment of Allah, which He has revealed to you. And whoever is mindful of Allah, He will remove (yukaffir) them of their sins and reward them immensely.
[65:5]
What do all believers desire? To have their sins forgiven and to receive a great reward.
You can easily remember these by remembering these points.
Dealing with the Mutashābihāt (similar verses) of at-Talāq
The similar verses can depend on your own struggles and confusions but there are a few worthy of mention:
| Similar verses |
|---|
| 2:231 وَإِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَبَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ سَرِّحُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍۢ from al-Baqarah |
| 65:2 فَإِذَا بَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ فَارِقُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍۢ وَأَشْهِدُوا۟ ذَوَىْ عَدْلٍۢ مِّنكُمْ from at-Talāq |
You can remember these using two simple methods:
- You can use the alphabet rule, where the letter seen (in al-Baqarah) comes first, and then the letter fa (in at-Talāq) comes next.
- You can also say in like fashion that al-Baqarah comes first and then at-Talāq in terms of surah order.
| Similar verses |
|---|
| 2:232 ذَٰلِكَ يُوعَظُ بِهِۦ مَن كَانَ مِنكُمْ يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۗ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَزْكَىٰ لَكُمْ وَأَطْهَرُ from al-Baqarah |
| 65:2 وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلشَّهَـٰدَةَ لِلَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ يُوعَظُ بِهِۦ مَن كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ from at-Talāq |
You can remember these by seeing a very interesting pattern:
- In al-Baqarah, the word (ذَٰلِكَ) or dhālika (meaning that) is used first which is a singular word and then a plural word (مِنكُمْ) or min-kum (meaning from among you) is used.
- In at-Talāq, it is the opposite! First, the plural is used with the word (ذَٰلِكُمْ) and then it's just the word (كَانَ).
- Meaning there's an extra at the end of al-Baqarah and there's an extra at the start of at-Talāq.
I hope that makes sense!
Break down a verse and make a mindmap
It is useful to break down a verse and create mindmaps to help you memorise by linking meanings, words, and visuals. For example, let's take verse 6:
أَسْكِنُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ سَكَنتُم مِّن وُجْدِكُمْ وَلَا تُضَآرُّوهُنَّ لِتُضَيِّقُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ ۚ وَإِن كُنَّ أُو۟لَـٰتِ حَمْلٍۢ فَأَنفِقُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ ۚ فَإِنْ أَرْضَعْنَ لَكُمْ فَـَٔاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ ۖ وَأْتَمِرُوا۟ بَيْنَكُم بِمَعْرُوفٍۢ ۖ وَإِن تَعَاسَرْتُمْ فَسَتُرْضِعُ لَهُۥٓ أُخْرَىٰ
Let them live where you live ˹during their waiting period˺, according to your means. And do not harass them to make their stay unbearable. If they are pregnant, then maintain them until they deliver. And if they nurse your child [after the divorce is finalised], compensate them, and consult together courteously. But if you fail to reach an agreement, then another woman will nurse ˹the child˺ for the father.
[65:6]
- سْكِنُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ سَكَنتُم مِّن وُجْدِكُمْ (Let them live where you live ˹during their waiting period˺, according to your means) = picture man and a woman living in the same place.
- وَلَا تُضَآرُّوهُنَّ لِتُضَيِّقُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ (And do not harass them to make their stay unbearable) = picture the woman
- وَإِن كُنَّ أُو۟لَـٰتِ حَمْلٍۢ (If they are pregnant) = picture a pregnant woman
- فَأَنفِقُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ (then maintain them) = picture money
- حَتَّىٰ يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ (until they deliver) = picture a new born baby
- فَإِنْ أَرْضَعْنَ لَكُمْ (And if they nurse your child [after the divorce is finalised]) = picture a milk bottle
- فَـَٔاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ (compensate them) = picture someone giving you money
- وَأْتَمِرُوا۟ بَيْنَكُم بِمَعْرُوفٍۢ (and consult together courteously) = picture the man and woman speaking
- وَإِن تَعَاسَرْتُمْ فَسَتُرْضِعُ لَهُۥٓ أُخْرَىٰ (But if you fail to reach an agreement, then another woman will nurse ˹the child˺ for the father.) = picture a man and woman in disagreement.
If you do this with any verse of difficulty, you can memorise it well.
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