Surah Al Baqarah Tafseer

And if they decide upon divorce, then Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.

وَإِنْ عَزَمُواْ الطَّلَقَ

(And if they decide upon divorce),

indicating that divorce does not occur by merely passing the four month mark (during the Ila').

Malik reported from Nafi` that Abdullah bin Umar said,

"If the man swears to Ila' from his wife, then divorce does not occur automatically even after the four months have passed. When he stops at the four months mark, he should either divorce or return."

Al-Bukhari also reported this Hadith.

Ibn Jarir reported that Suhayl bin Abu Salih said that his father said,

"I asked twelve Companions about the man who does Ila' with his wife. They all stated that he does not have to do anything until the four months have passed and then has to either retain or divorce her."

Ad-Daraqutni also reported this from Suhayl.

It is also reported from Umar, Uthman, Ali, Abu Ad-Darda, Aishah, Ibn Umar and Ibn Abbas.

This is also the opinion of Sa`id bin Musayyib, Umar bin Abdul-Aziz, Mujahid, Tawus, Muhammad bin Ka`b and Al-Qasim