Surah Al-Baqarah 2:183-188 - Quran Translation Commentary

(2:183: Believers! Fasts have been prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those that were before you haply so you will learn self restraint.

(2:184: Days numbered; yet, if one of you were to be sick or traveling, then, (let him) count (and fast equal number) on other days. As for those who can fast (but with great exertion), for them is feeding of a needy person as redemption. And whosoever does good of his own accord, that is better for him.³⁷³ Therefore, that you should fast is better for you, if you but knew.³⁷⁴

(2:185) Ramadan is the month wherein the Qur'an was sent down,³⁷⁵ a guidance for the people and as clear proofs of the Guidance, and a Criterion. Therefore, let him who is present in this month,³⁷⁶ fast the month. But if anyone of you be sick or traveling, (let him) count (and fast equal number) on other days. Allah desires ease for you and does not desire hardship for you.³⁷⁷ (This) so that you may complete the prescribed period and proclaim Allah's greatness³⁷⁸ for having guided you and so that you may be thankful.

(2:186) And when My slaves inquire you concerning Me, (let them know): surely I am close.³⁷⁹ I answer the call of the caller when he calls to Me.³⁸⁰ Therefore, let them respond to Me, and have trust in Me, haply so they may be led aright.

(2:187) It has been made lawful unto you to go into your women in the nights of Ramadan: they are your mantle and you their mantle.³⁸¹ Allah was aware that you were betraying yourselves but He relented towards you and pardoned you.³⁸² So you may go into them now, and seek what Allah has ordained for you.³⁸³ And eat and drink until the white streak of dawn becomes distinguishable from the black streak (of night);³⁸⁴ then observe the fasts until nightfall; but do not approach them while you are in devotional retreat in the mosques.³⁸⁵ These are the bounds set by Allah, so keep well within them. Thus does Allah make clear His commandments for the people in order that they may refrain.

(2:188) And do not usurp one another's property by unjust means (nor) present (your cases about) them to the authorities, in order that you may sinfully devour a part of people's property, while you are aware.³⁸⁶

Commentary

373. "And whosoever does good of his own accord, that is better for him:" That is, if anyone of you gave twice the amount prescribed, or both fasted as well as fed the needy, then surely that is good for him Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ta'us etc. (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

374. Mu`adh ibn Jabal reports: When the Prophet arrived in Madinah, he used to fast on the days of `Ashura in addition to three days each month. Then Allah revealed: 'Believers! Fasting has been prescribed for you ..' until 'As for those who can fast (but with great exertion), for them is feeding of a needy person as (a means of) redemption...' Therefore, whoever wished to fast, fasted, while he who did not, fed the poor instead. (And there was no blame on him). This remained the practice until Allah revealed: 'Therefore, let him who is present in this month, fast the month.' This made it obligatory on every healthy person in the town to fast, leaving out only the very old who could yet feed the poor instead" (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

375. Ibn `Abbas is reported to have said that the Qur'an was sent down as one whole from the Zubur (Al Lawh al Mahfuz) to the Al Bayt al Ma`mur (also known as Bayt al `Izzah) at the firmament nearest to the earth, in Ramadan, on the night of Qadr. Then from there it was revealed in twenty three years to our Prophet in quantities that the varying situations in his call required (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

376. Following these words some of the Companions of the Prophet (saws) used to discourage a person from leaving the town once Ramadan moon had been sighted. `A'isha (ra) for instance inquired a visiting woman about her brother. She said he was preparing to travel. She told her to tell him not to go, and added: "If I were to be on the way (in a journey), and the month of Ramadan arrived, I would halt my journey there" (Ibn Jarir).

377. Accordingly, the Prophet instructed Mu`adh ibn Jabal and Abu Musa Al Ash `ari while sending them to Yemen as his deputies: يَسِّرَا وَلَا تُعَسِّرَا وَبَشِّرَا وَلَا تُنَفِّرَا وَتَطَاوَعَا وَلَا تَخْتَلِفَا "Make it easy and not difficult. Give them glad tidings, do not repulse them. And co operate, do not differ" (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

378. "And proclaim Allah's greatness:" According to Ibn `Abbas, Zayd b. Aslam and Sufyan, the allusion is to the takbirat that one is required to say upon sighting the moon of Shawwal until the Imam enters the mosque for the sermon on the day of `Eid (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

379. There are two opinions about the cause of revelation of this verse. One version says that it was revealed when some people asked the Prophet about Allah, whether He was close so they could whisper their supplications, or far, that they might cry out loud to Him. Another version is that some people asked the Prophet about the hour that was best for supplications. In either case, it was answered that Allah is close and does not fail to respond to the call of the suppliant (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Abu Musa Al Ash`ari says, كُنّا مَعَ النّبِيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي سَفَرٍ. فَجَعَلَ النّاسُ يَجْهَرُونَ بِالتّكْبِيرِ. فَقالَ النّبِيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: "أَيّهَا النّاسُ ارْبَعُوا عَلَىَ أَنْفُسِكُمْ. إِنّكُمْ لَيْسَ تَدْعُونَ أَصَمّ وَلاَ غَائِباً. إِنّكُمْ تَدْعُونَ سَمِيعاً قَرِيباً، وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ" وَقَالَ فِيهِ: "وَالّذِي تَدْعُونَهُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَىَ أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْ عُنُقِ رَاحِلتِهِ" "Once we were on a journey with the Prophet (saws). We did not descend a hill, ascend another, or march into a valley but raised our voices in unison chanting Allah's greatness. The Prophet came up from the rear and said: 'People. Show mercy to yourselves. The One you are calling is neither deaf nor away. You are calling the Hearer, the Seer.' He also added, 'The One you are calling is nearer to you than the neck of the beasts (you are riding)'" - Ibn Kathir.

(The above hadith is in Sahih of Muslim: Au.).

Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir state some rules that should be borne in mind while making supplications.

The verse under discussion promises that Allah will answer the call of the suppliant. This can happen in a variety of ways, as stated in a hadith which says, « مَا عَلَى الأَرْضِ مُسْلِمٌ يَدْعُو اللَّهَ بِدَعْوَةٍ إِلاَّ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ إِيَّاهَا أَوْ صَرَفَ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا مَا لَمْ يَدْعُ بِمَأْثَمٍ أَوْ قَطِيعَةِ رَحِمٍ ». فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ إِذًا نُكْثِرَ. قَالَ « اللَّهُ أَكْثَرُ » (قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ) "No Muslim makes a supplication in which he does not ask for a sinful thing, or severance of blood relationship (qati`at al rahm) but Allah grants him one of the three things: either He grants him what he has asked for in this world, or, reserves it for him for the Hereafter, or wards off an evil of equal magnitude." Someone said: "Then we shall increase (in our supplications)." The Prophet said: "Allah will increase (in His bestowals)."

However, there are conditions that must be observed.

Supplication Rules

1. The suppliant should ask with full confidence. He should realize that the One he is asking has power over everything, and so can have no difficulty in granting him any request.

2. The suppliant should not be hasty, to say, "I supplicated and supplicated, but nothing happened." When he says that, his supplication is rejected.

3. Another obstacle to the acceptance of supplications is partaking of the prohibited. A hadith says, ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ الرَّجُلَ يُطِيلُ السَّفَرَ أَشْعَثَ أَغْبَرَ يَمُدُّ يَدَيْهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ يَا رَبِّ يَا رَبِّ وَمَطْعَمُهُ حَرَامٌ وَمَشْرَبُهُ حَرَامٌ وَمَلْبَسُهُ حَرَامٌ وَغُذِىَ بِالْحَرَامِ فَأَنَّى يُسْتَجَابُ لِذَلِكَ ». (صحيح مسلم) "A man in a long journey, in tattered clothes, covered in dust, raises his hands to the heavens and cries out: 'O Lord! O Lord!' But his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful and his clothes are unlawful. So how can he be answered?!"

4. The suppliant should make supplication with full attention of heart and mind. Allah (swt) does not answer prayers coming from an inattentive heart.

5. He should make his pleading with utmost humility and self abasement.

6. There are moments when prayers stand greater chance of being answered. Such as: at dawn, at the time the fast is broken, the interval between the Call and start of the Prayers, (adhan wa iqamah), the time between afternoon and evening prayers on Wednesdays, at times of difficulties, during journeys, when one is ill, when it is raining and when the troops line up in the battle field against the enemy (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

7. Finally, there are some whose supplication is not rejected. The Prophet said in a hadith: « ثَلاَثَةٌ لاَ تُرَدُّ دَعْوَتُهُمُ الصَّائِمُ حَتَّى يُفْطِرَ وَالإِمَامُ الْعَادِلُ وَدَعْوَةُ الْمَظْلُومِ يَرْفَعُهَا اللَّهُ فَوْقَ الْغَمَامِ وَيَفْتَحُ لَهَا أَبْوَابَ السَّمَاءِ وَيَقُولُ الرَّبُّ وَعِزَّتِى لأَنْصُرَنَّكَ وَلَوْ بَعْدَ حِينٍ ». قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ "There are three whose supplication is not rejected: 1) A just ruler. 2) A fasting man until he breaks his fast, and 3) The call of the oppressed whose call is raised up to the heavens (and Allah says), 'By My Greatness. I shall help you, even if it be after a while.'"

(The above report is in Sahih Ibn Hibban: Au.).

Qurtubi adds that the supplication should not be chanted out (as, for instance, one does with the verses of the Qur'an).

Imam Razi points out that the purpose of supplications is not to inform Allah (of one's conditions). It is to demonstrate servitude, humility, and one's total attachment to and dependence on Allah.

Qurtubi also reports, قيل لإبراهيم بن أدْهم : ما بالنا ندعو فلا يُستجاب لنا؟ قال : لأنكم عرفتم الله فلم تطيعوه ، وعرفتم الرسول فلم تتّبعوا سُنّته ، وعرفتم القرآن فلم تعملوا به ، وأكلتم نِعم الله فلم تؤدّوا شكرها ، وعرفتم الجنة فلم تطلبوها ، وعرفتم النار فلم تهربوا منها ، وعرفتم الشيطان فلم تحاربوه ووافقتموه ، وعرفتم الموت فلم تستعدّوا له ، ودفنتم الأموات فلم تعتبروا ، وتركتم عيوبكم واشتغلتم بعيوب الناس Ibrahim b. Ad ham was asked as to 'why is it that we supplicate but are not answered?' He replied, "Because:

You have known Allah but did not obey Him.

You have known the Prophet but did not follow his Sunnah.

You understood the Qur'an but did not live by it.

You devoured the blessings of God but did not offer thanks.

You have known Paradise but did not seek it.

You have known the Fire, but did not try to avoid it.

You have known Satan but did not declare war against him, rather, you befriended him.

You have known death but did not prepare for it.

You buried the dead but did not draw lessons from it.

And, you forgot your own defects and busied yourselves with the defects of the others."

380. That is, when I respond to your calls, while the fact is that I do not need you, you should also respond to My call, noting that you need Me (Razi).

381. One interpretation is that because of the intimate relationship and closeness that the husband and wife enjoy with each other, they become like garments unto each other: two personalities wrapped in one mantle. (They also cover each other's defects and that which happens between them when in privacy: Au.). Another interpretation attributed to Rabi`, Mujahid, Qatadah, Suddi, and Ibn Zayd is that libas has been used in the sense of sakan (rest and comfort) i.e., each is a source of rest and comfort for the other as the usage in the verse 47 of al Furqan which says: وَجَعَلْنَا اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا [النبأ/10] "It is He who made the night for you a source of comfort (libasa)" (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi).

382. This verse was revealed to grant relaxation in the rule which initially required that the Muslims abstain from food, drink, and sex during the nights of Ramadan. They were free to eat, drink and have sex after the sunset but only until they went to bed. Once they had slept everything became prohibited until the next sunset. It so happened that Qays b. Sarmah came home one evening from a day's hard work in the fields. He enquired if there was anything to eat. His wife said no, but promised to get something from the neighbors. However, by the time she could return, he had fallen asleep. He continued his fast into the next day but collapsed by the mid day. This was reported to the Prophet. The second incident causing the revelation of this verse involves `Umar (ra). It is said that one evening he invited his wife to the bed. She told him she had already had a nap, (and so she was in the next day's fast). `Umar thought she was seeking an excuse and despite the protest had sex with her. Later, however, he realized the mistake and reported to the Prophet (saws). The Prophet told him that he did not expect this from a man like him. Nevertheless, Allah Most High in His mercy revealed this verse which brought great relief and joy to the Muslims (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

383. "And seek what Allah has ordained for you:" that is, children. This is the opinion of Abu Hurayrah, Ibn `Abbas, Anas b. Malik, Qadi Shurayh, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id b. Jubayr, `Ata', Zayd b. Aslam, Hakam b. `Utbah, Muqatil b. Hayyan, Hasan al Basri, Qatadah, Dahhak and others (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

384. `Adiy b. Abi Hatim (who embraced Islam after the fall of Makkah) said: "When this verse was revealed I took two strings, one black and another white, and placed them under my pillow. I pulled them out and looked at them if I could distinguish one from the other when I could I suspended eating and drinking. Next day I mentioned this to the Prophet. He said: إنّ وِسَادَكَ إذاً لَطَوِيلٌ عَرِيضٌ إنّمَا هُوَ اللّيْلُ وَالنّهَارُ 'You seem to have a pretty large pillow. It is the whiteness of the dawn and darkness of the night that has been meant.'" (Ibn Kathir)

As for the statement: 'You seem to have a pretty large pillow', perhaps what the Prophet meant is that you seem to have a pillow that is large enough to accommodate the horizon (Au.).

Mawdudi adds: "In fixing the time of obligatory rites, Islam has been mindful that these timings should be so clear and simple that people, at all stages of development, should be able to follow them. That is why Islam bases its timings on conspicuous natural phenomenon and not on the clock."

Suhur

Regarding the pre dawn meal (suhur), the Prophet has encouraged that we do not miss it. He said in a hadith of Bukhari: « تَسَحَّرُوا فَإِنَّ فِى السَّحُورِ بَرَكَةً » "Do not forget the suhur. There is barakah in it" (Ibn Kathir).

As for the time limits for suhur, there seems to be sufficient flexibility, so that one can gulp down a hurried meal or a quick drink close to the dawn. Hudhayfah (ra) has been recorded by Ahmad, Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah as saying: عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ قَالَ تَسَحَّرْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- هُوَ النَّهَارُ إِلاَّ أَنَّ الشَّمْسَ لَمْ تَطْلُعْ. "We took the pre dawn repast with the Prophet until it was almost the day break save that the sun had not risen."

(The authenticity note on the above report could not be located: Au.).

However, cautions Ibn Kathir, this should be understood as expressing the proximity to the day and not meaning the day break itself. This in view of the hadith of Bukhari and Muslim which records Zayd Ibn Thabit as saying: عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ قَالَ تَسَحَّرْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- ثُمَّ قُمْنَا إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ. قُلْتُ كَمْ بَيْنَهُمَا قَالَ قَدْرُ قِرَاءَةِ خَمْسِينَ آيَةً. "We ate our pre dawn meal with the Prophet (saws) and then stood up for Prayers." At that Anas asked Zayd: "What was the time gap between the Call to Prayer and the Prayers?" He said: "About (the time required to recite) 50 verses."

Nonetheless, Ibn Kathir also reports the opinion of many who were not very rigid about the exact limits of the suhur period. Among them were many Companions of the Prophet such as Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Ali, Ibn Mas`ud, Hudhayfah, Abu Hurayrah, Ibn `Abbas, and Zayd ibn Thabit. He also reports (as also does Ibn Jarir) Ibn `Abbas as saying: "There are two kinds of dawn: the one that appears in the horizon. This one does not make anything lawful or unlawful. It is the other one that appears on the mountain peaks that makes (eating) and drinking unlawful. Ibn Jarir also records several incidents from the earlier days to demonstrate that the suhur time was not followed very rigidly. Here are some: سحرت في شهر رمضان، ثم خرجت فأتيت ابن مسعود، فقال: اشربْ. فقلت: إنّي قد تسحَّرت! فقال: اشرب! فشربنا، ثم خرجنا والناس في الصلاة "Bara' said, "I finished my pre dawn repast and then went to see Ibn Mas`ud. He said: 'Here, drink some.' I said: 'I am finished with my suhur.' He said: 'Drink some.' So I drank. Then we went out together to the mosque and the people were in (fajr) Prayer."

(The authenticity of the above report could not be checked: Au.). عن حبان، قال: تسحرنا مع عليّ، ثم خرجنا وقد أقيمت الصلاة، فصلينا Hibban says, "We ate with `Ali and when we came out we found the people in (fajr) Prayers."

(The above report is trustworthy: Au.). عن عامر بن مطر، قال: أتيت عبد الله بن مسعود في داره، فأخرجَ فضلا من سَحُوره، فأكلنا معه، ثم أقيمت الصلاة فخرجنا فصلينا `Amir b. Matar says, "We went to see Ibn Mas`ud. He presented the left over of the suhur meal and we ate with him. Then the Prayers began, we went out and joined the congregation."

"This, however," cautions Mufti Shafi`, “should not allow one to grant himself undue leniency in view of the warning contained in the words: ‘These are bounds set by Allah'”

385. "It was the practice of the Prophet (saws) to spend several days and nights during Ramadan and occasionally at other times also in the mosque, devoting himself to prayer and meditation to the exclusion of all worldly activities, and since he advised his followers as well to do this from time to time, seclusion in a mosque for the sake of meditation, called i`tikaf, has become a recognized though optional mode of devotion among Muslims, especially during the last ten days of Ramadan" (Asad).

386. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Hasan, Qatadah, Suddi and others say that this was revealed concerning the man who knows in his heart that some money is due on him for another man, but the other man lacks evidence. (Instead of confessing), he argues before the judges in order that he may unjustly usurp it, making use of the weakness of the case. The Prophet (saws) made the unlawfulness of such acts more explicit through a hadith (of Muslim: Au.) reported by Umm Salamah (ra) which says: "إِنّكُمْ تَخْتَصِمُونَ إلَيّ، وَلَعَلّ بَعْضَكُمْ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَلْحَنَ بِحُجّتِهِ مِنْ بَعْضٍ، فَأَقْضِي لَهُ عَلَىَ نَحْوٍ مِمّا أَسْمَعُ مِنْهُ، فَمَنْ قَطَعْتُ لَهُ مِنْ حَقّ أَخِيهِ شَيْئاً، فَلاَ يَأْخُذْهُ، فَإِنّمَا أَقْطَعُ لَهُ بِهِ قِطْعَةً مِنَ النّار." "You bring your cases to me. Now, it may happen that one of you is smarter in presenting his arguments than the other, and depending on what I hear, I may judge in his favor. But if I allot him what is rightfully his brother's, let him not accept it, for I would have given him a piece of fire" (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir). According to other reports, the Prophet said this when two people came to him quarrelling over some money, and that when he admonished them thus, they were in tears (Au.).

Another possible meaning is, "do not gift properties to the authorities in order to bribe them" (Qurtubi).

Adds Yusuf Ali: "Besides the three primal physical needs of man, which are apt to make him greedy, there is a fourth greed in society, the greed of wealth and property. The purpose of fasts is not completed until this fourth greed is also restrained."