Allah said:

﴿وَلِلْمُطَلَّقَـتِ مَتَـعٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى الْمُتَّقِينَ ﴾

(And for divorced women, maintenance (should be provided) on reasonable (scale). This is a duty on Al-Muttaqin (the pious).)

`Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that when Allah's statement:

﴿مَتَـعاً بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى الْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾

(...a gift of reasonable amount is a duty on the doers of good) (2:236) was revealed, a man said, "If I want, I will be excellent and if I do not, I will not.'' Thereafter, Allah revealed this Ayah:

﴿وَلِلْمُطَلَّقَـتِ مَتَـعٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى الْمُتَّقِينَ ﴾

(And for divorced women, maintenance (should be provided) on reasonable (scale). This is a duty on Al-Muttaqin (the pious).)

The scholars who ruled that the Mut`ah (reasonable gift) at the time of divorce is required for every divorced woman, whether she had a bridal-money appointed for her or not, and whether the marriage was consummated or not, relied on this Ayah (2:241) when they issued their ruling. This is the view taken on this subject by Sa`id bin Jubayr and several others among the Salaf and also Ibn Jarir. Hence, Allah's statement:

﴿لاَّ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِن طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَآءَ مَا لَمْ تَمَسُّوهُنَّ أَوْ تَفْرِضُواْ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً وَمَتِّعُوهُنَّ عَلَى الْمُوسِعِ قَدَرُهُ وَعَلَى الْمُقْتِرِ قَدْرُهُ مَتَـعاً بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴾

(There is no sin on you, if you divorce women while yet you have not touched (had sexual relation with) them, nor appointed for them their due (dowry). But bestow on them (a suitable gift), the rich according to his means, and the poor according to his means, a gift of reasonable amount is a duty on the doers of good.) (2:236) only mentions some specifics of this general ruling.

Allah then said:

﴿كَذلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُآيَـتِهِ﴾

(Thus Allah makes clear His Ayat (Laws) to you,) meaning, what He allows, forbids, requires, His set limits, His commandments and His prohibitions are all explained and made plain and clear for you. He did not leave any matter in general terms if you needed the specifics,

﴿لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ﴾

(in order that you may understand.) meaning, understand and comprehend.

﴿أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ خَرَجُواْ مِن دِيَـرِهِمْ وَهُمْ أُلُوفٌ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ اللَّهُ مُوتُواْ ثُمَّ أَحْيَـهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَشْكُرُونَ - وَقَـتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ - مَّن ذَا الَّذِى يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً وَاللَّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْسُطُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴾

(243. Did you (O Muhammad ) not think of those who went forth from their homes in the thousands, fearing death Allah said to them, "Die''. And then He restored them to life. Truly, Allah is full of bounty to mankind, but most men thank not.) (244. And fight in the way of Allah and know that Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.) (245. Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that He may multiply it to him many times And it is Allah that decreases or increases (your provisions), and unto Him you shall return.)