When you have divorced women, and they have approached (the end of) their waiting periods, then, either retain them with fairness or release them with fairness. Do not retain them with wrongful intent, resulting in cruelty on your part, and whoever does this, actually wrongs himself. Do not take the verses of Allah in jest, and remember the grace of Allah on you and what He has revealed to you of the Book and the wisdom, giving you good counsel thereby, and fear Allah, and be sure that Allah is the One who knows everything.