Page 29 Notes

02 Surah Al-Baqarah (continued)

Page 29 Grammar 

Page 29 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

2:187

2:188

2:189

2:190

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 29 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 29 of the Qur'an contains Surah Al-Baqarah, Verses 187 through 190. This vital passage provides the explicit legal parameters for the nights of Ramadan, establishes the rules of spiritual seclusion (I'tikaf), strictly forbids white-collar corruption, and introduces the foundational ethics of self-defense and warfare in Islam.

The Hadith and Sunnah provide the historical context, exact timing mechanisms, and legal applications for these verses.

1. Intimacy and Timing Rules for Ramadan Nights (Verse 187)

“It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives... And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset...” (Qur'an 2:187)

This lengthy verse acts as a profound relief bill for the early Muslim community, shifting the rules of fasting from an intensely rigid initial phase to the manageable framework practiced today.

• The Ease of the New Regulation (Asbab al-Nuzul):
  In the earliest days of Islam, if a fasting person fell asleep at night before eating dinner, they were legally forbidden from eating, drinking, or engaging in marital relations for the entire following day and night. In Sahih al-Bukhari, Al-Bara' bin 'Azib narrated that a companion named Qays bin Sirmah came home exhausted from working his fields, fell asleep while his wife was preparing food, and consequently had to fast the next day without dinner. By midday, he fainted from exhaustion. Simultaneously, some companions accidentally violated the marital restriction after sleeping. When they complained to the Prophet $\text{PBUH}$, Allah revealed Verse 187, bringing immense joy and relief to the community (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4508).

• The Literal "Threads" of Dawn:
  The phrasing "until the white thread becomes distinct from the black thread" initially caused literal confusion. Adi bin Hatim narrated: "I took a white string and a black string and put them under my pillow. I kept looking at them during the night, but they did not become distinct to me. The next morning, I went to the Messenger of Allah $\text{PBUH}$ and told him about it. He laughed and said: 'Your pillow must be incredibly wide! That refers simply to the whiteness of the day [true dawn] and the darkness of the night'" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1916; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1090).

• The Two Adhans (Calls to Prayer):
  To implement this verse logistically, the Prophet $\text{PBUH}$ used two separate call-to-prayer announcers in Medina. Ibn Umar reported that the Prophet $\text{PBUH}$ said: "Bilal gives the Adhan during the night, so eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktum gives his Adhan [which marked the exact entry of true dawn]" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1918).

2. Rules of Spiritual Seclusion / I'tikaf (Verse 187)

“...And do not have relations with them while you are staying for worship in the mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allah, so do not approach them...” (Qur'an 2:187)

The final clause of Verse 187 establishes the legal boundaries of I'tikaf—the practice of isolating oneself inside a mosque during the final ten days of Ramadan to focus entirely on prayer.

• The Prophetic Practice:
  The Sunnah cements I'tikaf as a highly emphasized annual tradition. Aisha narrated: "The Prophet $\text{PBUH}$ used to practice I'tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan until he passed away, and then his wives continued to practice I'tikaf after him" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2026; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1172).

• The Strict Boundaries of Isolation:
  The Sunnah strictly enforces the verse's ban on breaking isolation for domestic intimacy. Aisha reported that when the Prophet $\text{PBUH}$ was in I'tikaf, he would not even enter his own house (which was attached to the mosque) except to fulfill absolute human biological necessities, ensuring the spiritual bubble of the mosque was maintained (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 297).

3. Financial Injustice and Bribery (Verse 188)

“And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you [to] consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know [it is wrong].” (Qur'an 2:188)

This verse shifts from physical fasting to ethical boundaries, making it clear that a person who restrains themselves from Halal food during the day must not turn around and consume Haram (unlawful) money through systemic corruption or legal loopholes.

• Losing a Case Doesn't Make It Halal:
  The Sunnah provides a stark warning to anyone who uses a silver tongue or clever lawyers to extract wealth that doesn't rightfully belong to them. Ummu Salamah narrated that the Prophet $\text{PBUH}$ said: "I am only a human being, and you bring your disputes to me. Perhaps one of you is more eloquent in presenting his case than the other, and I may judge in his favor based on what I hear. So, if I mistakenly judge in his favor regarding something that belongs to his brother, he should not take it, for I am only cutting out for him a piece of the Fire" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6967; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1713).

4. The Defensive Ethics of Warfare (Verses 189–190)

“They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the new moons. Say, 'They are measurements of time for the people and for Hajj'...” (Verse 189)

“Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress boundaries. Indeed. Allah does not like transgressors.” (Verse 190)

Verse 189 introduces the lunar calendar to govern human logistics (like the sacred months of peace), leading directly into Verse 190, which marks the historic shift allowing Muslims to defend themselves militarily after thirteen years of systemic persecution in Mecca.

• The Standard of Proportional Self-Defense:
  Verse 190 explicitly introduces the concept of just war, stating "Fight... those who fight you." The Sunnah heavily codifies the clause "do not transgress boundaries."

• The Prophetic Rules of Engagement:
  Whenever the Prophet $\text{PBUH}$ dispatched an army, he would lay down a strict, legally binding moral code that banned total war. In Sahih Muslim, Buraydah reported that the Prophet $\text{PBUH}$ would instruct his commanders: "Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah... Do not embezzle the spoils, do not break your pledges, do not mutilate dead bodies, and do not kill children" (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1731).

• Protection of Non-Combatants:
  In another narration in Sahih al-Bukhari, Ibn Umar reported that a woman was found killed in one of the battles. Upon seeing this, the Messenger of Allah $\text{PBUH}$ immediately spoke out and strictly forbade the killing of women and civilian laborers during military campaigns (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3014).

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. I. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Fasting, Hadiths 1916, 1918, 2026; Book of Jihad, Hadith 3014; Book of Prophetic Commentary (Tafsir), Hadith 4508; Book of Judgments, Hadith 6967.

• Muslim, I. H. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim, Book of Menstruation (Deals with mosque rules), Hadith 297; Book of Fasting, Hadiths 1090, 1172; Book of Judgments, Hadith 1713; Book of Jihad and Expedition, Hadith 1731.