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 Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
189. They ask you about the new moons [248]. Say, "They are measurements of time for the people and for Hajj." And it is not righteousness that you enter houses from their backs [249], but righteousness is in one who fears Allah. So enter houses through their doors and fear Allah so that you may succeed.
[248]
The Lunar Calendar is the Natural Calendar:
The original question of the inquirer was how the moon waxes and wanes and why its phases keep changing. However, this question is a complex issue of astronomy, which is above the intellectual level of the common person, and above all, it has no relation to the practical life and guidance of man. Therefore, Allah Almighty turned the answer to this question towards that which is related to human guidance and practical life, and said that this is a natural calendar for you. Also, you can determine the times of Hajj from these lunar phases. Here, it should be kept in mind that the Shariah rulings related to the times of the day are connected to the sun, such as the times of prayers and the times of suhoor and iftar for fasting. Similarly, the counting of days is related to the sun. But when the period is a month or more than a month, the counting of the period will be according to the moon. For example, the days of Ramadan (whether they are twenty-nine or thirty), the waiting period (‘iddah) of a widow or a divorced woman, the period of pregnancy, breastfeeding, etc., and the calculation of zakat will also be according to the lunar year. From this, it is also understood that the real and natural calendar is the lunar one, and this is the meaning of "mawaqeet linnas" (appointed times for mankind). As for the times of Hajj, they are the months of Shawwal, Dhu al-Qa'dah, and the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah.
[249]
The Presumed Good Deeds in the Age of Ignorance:
One of the customs of the Age of Ignorance was that after donning the ihram for Hajj, if someone needed to return home, and similarly after returning from Hajj, these people would enter the house not from the front door but from the back or through a hole in the back wall, and they considered this a virtuous act. Thus, Hazrat Bara’ ؓ says that this verse was revealed concerning us, the Ansar. When they returned from Hajj, they would not enter through the doors but from the back. Once, an Ansari entered through the door, so everyone started cursing and blaming him. Then this verse was revealed. [بخاري، كتاب المناسك، باب قوله تعالىٰ واٰتوا البيوت من ابوابها] From this, it is incidentally understood that considering something a virtue and introducing it into the religion is blameworthy and forbidden, and innovations (bid‘ah) also fall under this category.
[248]
The Lunar Calendar is the Natural Calendar:
The original question of the inquirer was how the moon waxes and wanes and why its phases keep changing. However, this question is a complex issue of astronomy, which is above the intellectual level of the common person, and above all, it has no relation to the practical life and guidance of man. Therefore, Allah Almighty turned the answer to this question towards that which is related to human guidance and practical life, and said that this is a natural calendar for you. Also, you can determine the times of Hajj from these lunar phases. Here, it should be kept in mind that the Shariah rulings related to the times of the day are connected to the sun, such as the times of prayers and the times of suhoor and iftar for fasting. Similarly, the counting of days is related to the sun. But when the period is a month or more than a month, the counting of the period will be according to the moon. For example, the days of Ramadan (whether they are twenty-nine or thirty), the waiting period (‘iddah) of a widow or a divorced woman, the period of pregnancy, breastfeeding, etc., and the calculation of zakat will also be according to the lunar year. From this, it is also understood that the real and natural calendar is the lunar one, and this is the meaning of "mawaqeet linnas" (appointed times for mankind). As for the times of Hajj, they are the months of Shawwal, Dhu al-Qa'dah, and the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah.
[249]
The Presumed Good Deeds in the Age of Ignorance:
One of the customs of the Age of Ignorance was that after donning the ihram for Hajj, if someone needed to return home, and similarly after returning from Hajj, these people would enter the house not from the front door but from the back or through a hole in the back wall, and they considered this a virtuous act. Thus, Hazrat Bara’ ؓ says that this verse was revealed concerning us, the Ansar. When they returned from Hajj, they would not enter through the doors but from the back. Once, an Ansari entered through the door, so everyone started cursing and blaming him. Then this verse was revealed. [بخاري، كتاب المناسك، باب قوله تعالىٰ واٰتوا البيوت من ابوابها] From this, it is incidentally understood that considering something a virtue and introducing it into the religion is blameworthy and forbidden, and innovations (bid‘ah) also fall under this category.
