سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 189
۞ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْأَهِلَّةِ ۖ قُلْ هِىَ مَوَٰقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَٱلْحَجِّ ۗ وَلَيْسَ ٱلْبِرُّ بِأَن تَأْتُوا۟ ٱلْبُيُوتَ مِن ظُهُورِهَا وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ ۗ وَأْتُوا۟ ٱلْبُيُوتَ مِنْ أَبْوَٰبِهَا ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿189﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) about the new moons. Say: These are signs to mark fixed periods of time for mankind and for the pilgrimage. It is not Al-Birr (piety, righteousness) that you enter the houses from the back but Al-Birr (is the quality of the one) who fears Allâh. So enter houses through their proper doors, and fear Allâh that you may be successful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ
yasalūnaka
They ask you
عَنِ
ʿani
about
ٱلْأَهِلَّةِ ۖ
l-ahilati
the new moons
قُلْ
qul
Say
هِىَ
hiya
They
مَوَٰقِيتُ
mawāqītu
(are) indicators of periods
لِلنَّاسِ
lilnnāsi
for the people
وَٱلْحَجِّ ۗ
wal-ḥaji
and (for) the Hajj
وَلَيْسَ
walaysa
And it is not
ٱلْبِرُّ
l-biru
[the] righteousness
بِأَن
bi-an
that
تَأْتُوا۟
tatū
you come
ٱلْبُيُوتَ
l-buyūta
(to) the houses
مِن
min
from
ظُهُورِهَا
ẓuhūrihā
their backs
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
[and] but
ٱلْبِرَّ
l-bira
[the] righteous
مَنِ
mani
(is one) who
ٱتَّقَىٰ ۗ
ittaqā
fears (Allah)
وَأْتُوا۟
watū
And come
ٱلْبُيُوتَ
l-buyūta
(to) the houses
مِنْ
min
from
أَبْوَٰبِهَا ۚ
abwābihā
their doors
وَٱتَّقُوا۟
wa-ittaqū
And fear
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
لَعَلَّكُمْ
laʿallakum
so that you may
تُفْلِحُونَ
tuf'liḥūna
(be) successful
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 189) ➊ {الْاَهِلَّةِ :} is the plural of { ”هِلاَلٌ“ }. The crescent moon is called "hilal" on the first and second nights, then it is called "qamar." (Raghib) When people inquired about the wisdom behind the waxing and waning of the moon, Allah Almighty replied that the moon appears every month in the form of a crescent, then on the fourteenth night it becomes full (badr). In the last night, it completely disappears, then reappears as a new crescent, by which not only the people of cities and towns but also those living in deserts and seas can know that a new month has begun, and from its various phases, they can also determine the date. Whereas the sun always remains complete, it was not possible for people living in every part of the world to determine time and date by it, so Allah Almighty appointed the changing moons as a calendar. Hajj, expiations, and matters such as divorce and the waiting period after death have been prescribed according to the moon. In view of the moons that rise every month, the plural form { ”الْاَهِلَّةِ“ } has been mentioned.
➋ {وَ لَيْسَ الْبِرُّ بِاَنْ تَاْتُوا الْبُيُوْتَ مِنْ ظُهُوْرِهَا …:} When Hajj was mentioned, a custom of ignorance during the days of Hajj was refuted. Bara’ (may Allah be pleased with him) says that this verse was revealed about us. When the Ansar performed Hajj and then returned, they would not enter their houses from the doors. Now, when a man from the Ansar (returned from Hajj) and entered from his door, it was as if he was reproached for it, so this verse was revealed: « وَ لَيْسَ الْبِرُّ بِاَنْ تَاْتُوا الْبُيُوْتَ مِنْ ظُهُوْرِهَا وَ لٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنِ اتَّقٰى وَ اْتُوا الْبُيُوْتَ مِنْ اَبْوَابِهَا» [ بخاری، العمرۃ، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : « و أتوا البیوت من أبوابہا » : ۱۸۰۳ ]
In another narration, Bara’ bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with them both) says that in the time of ignorance, when people put on ihram, they would enter their houses from the back, so this verse was revealed. [ بخاری، التفسیر، بابٌ : «ولیس البر بأن تأتوا البیوت … » : ۴۵۱۲ ] The verse refutes both.
➌ {”وَ لَيْسَ الْبِرُّ بِاَنْ“} In this, due to the emphasis of { ”لَيْسَ“ } with "ba," it has been translated as "Righteousness is by no means this."
➋ {وَ لَيْسَ الْبِرُّ بِاَنْ تَاْتُوا الْبُيُوْتَ مِنْ ظُهُوْرِهَا …:} When Hajj was mentioned, a custom of ignorance during the days of Hajj was refuted. Bara’ (may Allah be pleased with him) says that this verse was revealed about us. When the Ansar performed Hajj and then returned, they would not enter their houses from the doors. Now, when a man from the Ansar (returned from Hajj) and entered from his door, it was as if he was reproached for it, so this verse was revealed: « وَ لَيْسَ الْبِرُّ بِاَنْ تَاْتُوا الْبُيُوْتَ مِنْ ظُهُوْرِهَا وَ لٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنِ اتَّقٰى وَ اْتُوا الْبُيُوْتَ مِنْ اَبْوَابِهَا» [ بخاری، العمرۃ، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : « و أتوا البیوت من أبوابہا » : ۱۸۰۳ ]
In another narration, Bara’ bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with them both) says that in the time of ignorance, when people put on ihram, they would enter their houses from the back, so this verse was revealed. [ بخاری، التفسیر، بابٌ : «ولیس البر بأن تأتوا البیوت … » : ۴۵۱۲ ] The verse refutes both.
➌ {”وَ لَيْسَ الْبِرُّ بِاَنْ“} In this, due to the emphasis of { ”لَيْسَ“ } with "ba," it has been translated as "Righteousness is by no means this."
