Al-Baqarah 2:241

<h2>Ayah (2:240) was abrogated</h2><p>The majority of the scholars said that this Ayah (2:240) was abrogated by the Ayah (2:234), what Allah said:</p><p>يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا</p><p>(...they (the wives) shall wait (as regards their marriage) for four months and ten days.) (2:234)</p><p>For instance, Al-Bukhari reported that Ibn Az-Zubayr said: I said to `Uthman bin `Affan:</p><p>وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَجًا</p><p>(And those of you who die and leave wives behind them) was abrogated by the other Ayah (2:234). Therefore, why did you collect it (meaning, in the Qur'an)" He said, "O my nephew! I shall not change any part of the Qur'an from its place."</p><p>The question that Ibn Az-Zubayr asked `Uthman means: `If the ruling of the Ayah (2:240) was abrogated to four months (the `Iddah of the widow, and refer to 2:234), then what is the wisdom behind including it in the Qur'an, although its ruling has been abrogated If the Ayah (2:240) remains (in the Qur'an) after the Ayah that abrogated it (2:234), this might imply that its ruling is still valid.' `Uthman, the Leader of the faithful, answered him by stating that this is a matter of the revelation, which mentioned these Ayat in this order. `Therefore, I shall leave …

For divorced women a provision in kindness: a duty for those who ward off (evil).

For divorced women Maintenance (should be provided) on a reasonable (scale). This is a duty on the righteous.

And for divorced women, maintenance (should be provided) on reasonable (scale). This is a duty on Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2).

And divorced women shall be provided for, equitably—a duty upon the righteous.