سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 187
أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ ٱلصِّيَامِ ٱلرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَآئِكُمْ ۚ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ ۗ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنكُمْ ۖ فَٱلْـَٔـٰنَ بَـٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَٱبْتَغُوا۟ مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۚ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ ٱلْخَيْطُ ٱلْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ ٱلْخَيْطِ ٱلْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ ٱلْفَجْرِ ۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا۟ ٱلصِّيَامَ إِلَى ٱلَّيْلِ ۚ وَلَا تُبَـٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَـٰكِفُونَ فِى ٱلْمَسَـٰجِدِ ۗ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ ﴿187﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
It is made lawful for you to have sexual relations with your wives on the night of As-Saum (the fasts). They are Libâs [i.e. body cover, or screen, or Sakan, (i.e. you enjoy the pleasure of living with them - as in Verse 7:189) Tafsir At-Tabarî ], for you and you are the same for them. Allâh knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He turned to you (accepted your repentance) and forgave you. So now have sexual relations with them and seek that which Allâh has ordained for you (offspring), and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your Saum (fast) till the nightfall. And do not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are in I‘tikâf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques. These are the limits (set) by Allâh, so approach them not. Thus does Allâh make clear His Ayât (proofs, evidence, lessons, signs, revelations, verses, laws, legal and illegal things, Allâh’s set limits, orders) to mankind that they may become Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - See V.2:2).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أُحِلَّ
uḥilla
Permitted
لَكُمْ
lakum
for you
لَيْلَةَ
laylata
(in the) nights
ٱلصِّيَامِ
l-ṣiyāmi
(of) fasting
ٱلرَّفَثُ
l-rafathu
(is) the approach
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
نِسَآئِكُمْ ۚ
nisāikum
your wives
هُنَّ
hunna
They
لِبَاسٌۭ
libāsun
(are) garments
لَّكُمْ
lakum
for you
وَأَنتُمْ
wa-antum
and you
لِبَاسٌۭ
libāsun
(are) garments
لَّهُنَّ ۗ
lahunna
for them
عَلِمَ
ʿalima
Knows
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
أَنَّكُمْ
annakum
that you
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
used to
تَخْتَانُونَ
takhtānūna
deceive
أَنفُسَكُمْ
anfusakum
yourselves
فَتَابَ
fatāba
so He turned
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
towards you
وَعَفَا
waʿafā
and He forgave
عَنكُمْ ۖ
ʿankum
[on] you
فَٱلْـَٔـٰنَ
fal-āna
So now
بَـٰشِرُوهُنَّ
bāshirūhunna
have relations with them
وَٱبْتَغُوا۟
wa-ib'taghū
and seek
مَا
mā
what
كَتَبَ
kataba
has ordained
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
لَكُمْ ۚ
lakum
for you
وَكُلُوا۟
wakulū
And eat
وَٱشْرَبُوا۟
wa-ish'rabū
and drink
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
يَتَبَيَّنَ
yatabayyana
becomes distinct
لَكُمُ
lakumu
to you
ٱلْخَيْطُ
l-khayṭu
the thread
ٱلْأَبْيَضُ
l-abyaḍu
[the] white
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلْخَيْطِ
l-khayṭi
the thread
ٱلْأَسْوَدِ
l-aswadi
[the] black
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْفَجْرِ ۖ
l-fajri
[the] dawn
ثُمَّ
thumma
Then
أَتِمُّوا۟
atimmū
complete
ٱلصِّيَامَ
l-ṣiyāma
the fast
إِلَى
ilā
till
ٱلَّيْلِ ۚ
al-layli
the night
وَلَا
walā
And (do) not
تُبَـٰشِرُوهُنَّ
tubāshirūhunna
have relations with them
وَأَنتُمْ
wa-antum
while you
عَـٰكِفُونَ
ʿākifūna
(are) secluded
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْمَسَـٰجِدِ ۗ
l-masājidi
the masajid
تِلْكَ
til'ka
These
حُدُودُ
ḥudūdu
(are the) limits
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(set by) Allah
فَلَا
falā
so (do) not
تَقْرَبُوهَا ۗ
taqrabūhā
approach them
كَذَٰلِكَ
kadhālika
Thus
يُبَيِّنُ
yubayyinu
makes clear
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ
āyātihi
His verses
لِلنَّاسِ
lilnnāsi
for [the] people
لَعَلَّهُمْ
laʿallahum
so that they may
يَتَّقُونَ
yattaqūna
(become) righteous
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 187) ➊ In Ibn Kathir it is mentioned that initially, when the fasting of Ramadan was made obligatory, eating, drinking, and intercourse with one's wife were permissible only from the time of breaking the fast until the ‘Isha prayer. If a person had performed the ‘Isha prayer, or slept before that, his fast would begin, and then until the next day’s iftar, i.e., sunset, eating, drinking, and intercourse were forbidden for him. Some people could not control themselves and had intercourse with their wives at night. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) says that in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when people performed the ‘Isha prayer, eating, drinking, and wives became forbidden for them, and they would remain fasting until the next evening... So Allah revealed this verse. [ أبو داوٗد، الصیام، باب مبدأ فرض الصیام : ۲۳۱۳ ] There is a narration regarding an Ansari companion, Qais bin Sirmah (may Allah be pleased with him), that he worked in the field all day while fasting, came home at iftar time, and asked his wife if there was anything to eat. The wife replied, “No, wait, I will go and get something from the neighbors.” While the wife was gone, he fell asleep. When the wife saw this, she was very sorry. Then the next day, he had to fast (without eating or drinking). Not even half the day had passed when he fainted due to weakness. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) learned of this, this verse was revealed. [ بخاری، الصوم، باب قول اللہ جل ذکرہ : « أحل لکم … » : ۱۹۱۵]
➋ {هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ …: } That is, husband and wife become united like garments for each other; keeping them apart would certainly be hard for them, so they were permitted to have intercourse during the nights of Ramadan. From this verse, it is understood that there is no veil between husband and wife; the claim of some people that “they cannot look at each other’s private parts” contradicts their being garments for each other. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: “I and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to bathe from the same vessel, which was between me and him, while both of us were in a state of janabah.” [ بخاری، الحیض، باب مباشرۃ الحائض : ۲۹۹ ] The narration from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that I never saw the private part of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is not Sahih. [دیکھیے ضعیف ابن ماجہ للألبانی : ۶۶۸]
➌ {وَ ابْتَغُوْا مَا كَتَبَ اللّٰهُ لَكُمْ :} This refers to both the pleasure of intercourse as well as the attainment of chastity and the desire for children. It is not permissible for Muslims to avoid having many children as the disbelievers wish.
➍ The white thread of dawn refers to true dawn (subh sadiq). Some companions misunderstood this “white thread” and “black thread.” They placed a white thread and a black thread under their pillow and waited for them to become distinct, so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “It means the whiteness of the morning becoming distinct from the darkness of the night.” [ بخاری، الصوم، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : «و کلوا واشربوا …» : ۱۹۱۶، عن عدی بن حاتم رضی اللہ عنہ ] It is understood from this that merely learning the Arabic language is not enough to understand the Qur’an; hadith is also necessary.
➎ The permission to eat, drink, and have intercourse until dawn proves that one can begin fasting in a state of janabah, and perform ghusl after the adhan. This is also established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). [ بخاری، الصوم، باب الصائم یصبح جنبا : ۱۹۲۵، ۱۹۲۶، ۱۹۳۰ ]
➏ {اِلَى الَّيْلِ:} That is, until sunset. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The religion will remain dominant as long as people hasten to break the fast, for the Jews and Christians delay breaking the fast.” [ أبو داوٗد، الصیام، باب ما یستحب من تعجیل الفطر : ۲۳۵۳ ]
➐ {وَ اَنْتُمْ عٰكِفُوْنَ فِي الْمَسٰجِدِ:} Since i‘tikaf is especially related to Ramadan, the rules of i‘tikaf are indicated here. That is why the jurists and hadith scholars mention the chapter of i‘tikaf after the chapter of fasting. I‘tikaf means to confine oneself with someone or in a place. (Raghib) During i‘tikaf, intercourse with one’s wife is not permissible, nor is it permissible to leave the mosque except for a necessity for which there is no alternative. If one has intercourse or leaves without a necessity, the i‘tikaf becomes invalid. However, a woman can come to the mosque to meet her husband, as some of the Mothers of the Believers met the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the mosque, and a wife can serve her husband. [ بخاری، الاعتکاف، باب ہل یخرج المعتکف … : ۲۰۳۵، ۲۰۳۰، ۲۰۳۱ ]
➑ {فِي الْمَسٰجِدِ :} From this word, it is understood that i‘tikaf does not take place at home, but in the mosque, whether for a man or a woman. The wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform i‘tikaf in the mosque. [ بخاری، الصوم، باب اعتکاف النساء : ۲۰۳۳، ۲۰۳۴ ] It is also understood that i‘tikaf can be performed in any mosque. The narration that “i‘tikaf is not valid except in three mosques” is munkar. In Sahih Bukhari, Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) established a chapter to indicate its non-authenticity: {”اَلْاِعْتِكَافُ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ كُلِّهَا“} “The statement regarding the permissibility of i‘tikaf in all mosques.” Issue: In the hadiths, eating at the time of suhur before fasting is encouraged. Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Eat suhur, for there is blessing in suhur.” [ بخاری، الصوم، باب برکۃ السحور من غیر إیجاب : ۱۹۲۳۔ مسلم : ۱۰۹۵ ] And ‘Amr bin al-‘As (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The difference between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is eating suhur.” [ مسلم، الصیام، باب فضل السحور … : ۱۰۹۶ ] Therefore, one should eat and drink something at the time of suhur before fasting.
➒ {تِلْكَ حُدُوْدُ اللّٰهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوْهَا :} These rulings—that intercourse and eating and drinking are permissible until true dawn, that these things are forbidden from dawn until sunset, and that intercourse with women is forbidden during i‘tikaf—these are the limits set by Allah, so strictly observe them. (Ibn Kathir)
➋ {هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ …: } That is, husband and wife become united like garments for each other; keeping them apart would certainly be hard for them, so they were permitted to have intercourse during the nights of Ramadan. From this verse, it is understood that there is no veil between husband and wife; the claim of some people that “they cannot look at each other’s private parts” contradicts their being garments for each other. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: “I and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to bathe from the same vessel, which was between me and him, while both of us were in a state of janabah.” [ بخاری، الحیض، باب مباشرۃ الحائض : ۲۹۹ ] The narration from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that I never saw the private part of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is not Sahih. [دیکھیے ضعیف ابن ماجہ للألبانی : ۶۶۸]
➌ {وَ ابْتَغُوْا مَا كَتَبَ اللّٰهُ لَكُمْ :} This refers to both the pleasure of intercourse as well as the attainment of chastity and the desire for children. It is not permissible for Muslims to avoid having many children as the disbelievers wish.
➍ The white thread of dawn refers to true dawn (subh sadiq). Some companions misunderstood this “white thread” and “black thread.” They placed a white thread and a black thread under their pillow and waited for them to become distinct, so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “It means the whiteness of the morning becoming distinct from the darkness of the night.” [ بخاری، الصوم، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : «و کلوا واشربوا …» : ۱۹۱۶، عن عدی بن حاتم رضی اللہ عنہ ] It is understood from this that merely learning the Arabic language is not enough to understand the Qur’an; hadith is also necessary.
➎ The permission to eat, drink, and have intercourse until dawn proves that one can begin fasting in a state of janabah, and perform ghusl after the adhan. This is also established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). [ بخاری، الصوم، باب الصائم یصبح جنبا : ۱۹۲۵، ۱۹۲۶، ۱۹۳۰ ]
➏ {اِلَى الَّيْلِ:} That is, until sunset. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The religion will remain dominant as long as people hasten to break the fast, for the Jews and Christians delay breaking the fast.” [ أبو داوٗد، الصیام، باب ما یستحب من تعجیل الفطر : ۲۳۵۳ ]
➐ {وَ اَنْتُمْ عٰكِفُوْنَ فِي الْمَسٰجِدِ:} Since i‘tikaf is especially related to Ramadan, the rules of i‘tikaf are indicated here. That is why the jurists and hadith scholars mention the chapter of i‘tikaf after the chapter of fasting. I‘tikaf means to confine oneself with someone or in a place. (Raghib) During i‘tikaf, intercourse with one’s wife is not permissible, nor is it permissible to leave the mosque except for a necessity for which there is no alternative. If one has intercourse or leaves without a necessity, the i‘tikaf becomes invalid. However, a woman can come to the mosque to meet her husband, as some of the Mothers of the Believers met the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the mosque, and a wife can serve her husband. [ بخاری، الاعتکاف، باب ہل یخرج المعتکف … : ۲۰۳۵، ۲۰۳۰، ۲۰۳۱ ]
➑ {فِي الْمَسٰجِدِ :} From this word, it is understood that i‘tikaf does not take place at home, but in the mosque, whether for a man or a woman. The wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform i‘tikaf in the mosque. [ بخاری، الصوم، باب اعتکاف النساء : ۲۰۳۳، ۲۰۳۴ ] It is also understood that i‘tikaf can be performed in any mosque. The narration that “i‘tikaf is not valid except in three mosques” is munkar. In Sahih Bukhari, Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) established a chapter to indicate its non-authenticity: {”اَلْاِعْتِكَافُ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ كُلِّهَا“} “The statement regarding the permissibility of i‘tikaf in all mosques.” Issue: In the hadiths, eating at the time of suhur before fasting is encouraged. Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Eat suhur, for there is blessing in suhur.” [ بخاری، الصوم، باب برکۃ السحور من غیر إیجاب : ۱۹۲۳۔ مسلم : ۱۰۹۵ ] And ‘Amr bin al-‘As (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The difference between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is eating suhur.” [ مسلم، الصیام، باب فضل السحور … : ۱۰۹۶ ] Therefore, one should eat and drink something at the time of suhur before fasting.
➒ {تِلْكَ حُدُوْدُ اللّٰهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوْهَا :} These rulings—that intercourse and eating and drinking are permissible until true dawn, that these things are forbidden from dawn until sunset, and that intercourse with women is forbidden during i‘tikaf—these are the limits set by Allah, so strictly observe them. (Ibn Kathir)
