Al-Baqarah: 187

Ayah

Word by Word

أُحِلَّ

Permitted

لَكُمۡ

for you

لَيۡلَةَ

(in the) nights

ٱلصِّيَامِ

(of) fasting

ٱلرَّفَثُ

(is) the approach

إِلَىٰ

نِسَآئِكُمۡۚ

your wives

هُنَّ

They

لِبَاسٞ

(are) garments

لَّكُمۡ

for you

وَأَنتُمۡ

and you

لِبَاسٞ

(are) garments

لَّهُنَّۗ

for them

عَلِمَ

Knows

ٱللَّهُ

Allah

أَنَّكُمۡ

that you

كُنتُمۡ

used to

تَخۡتَانُونَ

deceive

أَنفُسَكُمۡ

yourselves

فَتَابَ

so He turned

عَلَيۡكُمۡ

towards you

وَعَفَا

and He forgave

عَنكُمۡۖ

[on] you

فَٱلۡـَٰٔنَ

So now

بَٰشِرُوهُنَّ

have relations with them

وَٱبۡتَغُواْ

and seek

مَا

what

كَتَبَ

has ordained

ٱللَّهُ

Allah

لَكُمۡۚ

for you

وَكُلُواْ

And eat

وَٱشۡرَبُواْ

and drink

حَتَّىٰ

until

يَتَبَيَّنَ

becomes distinct

لَكُمُ

to you

ٱلۡخَيۡطُ

the thread

ٱلۡأَبۡيَضُ

[the] white

مِنَ

from

ٱلۡخَيۡطِ

the thread

ٱلۡأَسۡوَدِ

[the] black

مِنَ

ٱلۡفَجۡرِۖ

[the] dawn

ثُمَّ

Then

أَتِمُّواْ

complete

ٱلصِّيَامَ

the fast

إِلَى

till

ٱلَّيۡلِۚ

the night

وَلَا

And (do) not

تُبَٰشِرُوهُنَّ

have relations with them

وَأَنتُمۡ

while you

عَٰكِفُونَ

(are) secluded

فِي

ٱلۡمَسَٰجِدِۗ

the masajid

تِلۡكَ

These

حُدُودُ

(are the) limits

ٱللَّهِ

(set by) Allah

فَلَا

so (do) not

تَقۡرَبُوهَاۗ

approach them

كَذَٰلِكَ

Thus

يُبَيِّنُ

makes clear

ٱللَّهُ

Allah

ءَايَٰتِهِۦ

His verses

لِلنَّاسِ

for [the] people

لَعَلَّهُمۡ

so that they may

يَتَّقُونَ

(become) righteous

Translation

Permitted to you, on the night of the fasts, is the approach to your wives. They are your garments and ye are their garments. Allah knoweth what ye used to do secretly among yourselves; but He turned to you and forgave you; so now associate with them, and seek what Allah Hath ordained for you, and eat and drink, until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread; then complete your fast Till the night appears; but do not associate with your wives while ye are in retreat in the mosques. Those are Limits (set by) Allah: Approach not nigh thereto. Thus doth Allah make clear His Signs to men: that they may learn self-restraint.

Tafsir

"Eating, Drinking and Sexual Intercourse are allowed during the Nights of Ramadan

Allah says;

أُحِلَّ لَكُمۡ لَيۡلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ إِلَى نِسَأيِكُمۡ

It is made lawful for you to have sexual relations with your wives on the night of As-Siyam (fasting).

These Ayat contain a relief from Allah for the Muslims by ending the practice that was observed in the early years of Islam. At that time, Muslims were allowed to eat, drink and have sexual intercourse only until the `Isha' (Night) prayer, unless one sleeps before the `Isha' prayer. Those who slept before `Isha' or offered the `Isha' prayer, were not allowed to drink, eat or sexual intercourse sex until the next night. The Muslims found that to be difficult for them.

According to Ibn Abbas, Ata and Mujahid,

the Ayat used the word `Rafath' to indicate sexual intercourse,

Similar Tafsir was offered by Sa`id bin Jubayr, Tawus, Salim bin Abdullah, Amr bin Dinar, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Az-Zuhri, Ad-Dahhak, Ibrahim An-Nakhai, As-Suddi, Ata Al-Khurasani and Muqatil bin Hayyan.

Allah said:

هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ

They are Libas (i.e., body-cover, or screen) for you and you are Libas for them.

Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Muqatil bin Hayyan said that this Ayah means,

""Your wives are a resort for you and you for them.""

Ar-Rabi bin Anas said,

""They are your cover and you are their cover.""

In short, the wife and the husband are intimate and have sexual intercourse with each other, and this is why they were permitted to have sexual activity during the nights of Ramadan, so that matters are made easier for them.

Abu Ishaq reported that Al-Bara bin Azib said,

""When the Companions of Allah's Messenger observed fast but would sleep before breaking their fast, they would continue fasting until the following night.

Qays bin Sirmah Al-Ansari was fasting one day and was working in his land. When the time to break the fast came, he went to his wife and said, `Do you have food?'

She said, `No. But I could try to get you some.'

His eyes then were overcome by sleep and when his wife came back, she found him asleep. She said, `Woe unto you! Did you sleep?'

In the middle of the next day, he lost consciousness and mentioned what had happened to the Prophet.

Then, this Ayah was revealed:

أُحِلَّ لَكُمۡ لَيۡلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ إِلَى نِسَأيِكُمۡ

(It is made lawful for you to have sexual relations with your wives on the night of As-Siyam (fasting)) until...

وَكُلُواۡ وَاشۡرَبُواۡ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الۡخَيۡطُ الَابۡيَضُ مِنَ الۡخَيۡطِ الَاسۡوَدِ مِنَ الۡفَجۡرِ

(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 fast till the nightfall).

Consequently, they were very delighted.""

Al-Bukhari reported this Hadith by Abu Ishaq who related that he heard Al-Bara say,

""When fasting Ramadan was ordained, Muslims used to refrain from sleeping with their wives the entire month, but some men used to deceive themselves.

Allah revealed:

عَلِمَ اللّهُ أَنَّكُمۡ كُنتُمۡ تَخۡتانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمۡ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَعَفَا عَنكُمۡ

(Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He turned to you (accepted your repentance) and forgave you).""

Ali bin Abu Talhah narrated that Ibn Abbas said,

""During the month of Ramadan, after Muslims would pray `Isha', they would not touch their women and food until the next night. Then some Muslims, including Umar bin Al-Khattab, touched (had sex with) their wives and had some food during Ramadan after `Isha'. They complained to Allah's Messenger. Then Allah sent down:

عَلِمَ اللّهُ أَنَّكُمۡ كُنتُمۡ تَخۡتانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمۡ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَعَفَا عَنكُمۡ فَالانَ بَاشِرُوهُنَّ

(Allah 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).""

This is the same narration that Al-Awfi related from Ibn Abbas.

Allah said:

وَابۡتَغُواۡ مَا كَتَبَ اللّهُ لَكُمۡ

and seek that which Allah has ordained for you (offspring),

Abu Hurayrah, Ibn Abbas, Anas, Shurayh Al-Qadi, Mujahid, Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ata, Ar-Rabi bin Anas, As-Suddi, Zayd bin Aslam, Hakam bin Utbah, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, and others said that;

this Ayah refers to having offspring.

Qatadah said that the Ayah means,

""Seek the permission that Allah has allowed for you.""

Sa`id narrated that Qatadah said,

وَابۡتَغُواۡ مَا كَتَبَ اللّهُ لَكُمۡ

(and seek that which Allah has ordained for you).

Time for Suhur

Allah said:

وَكُلُواۡ وَاشۡرَبُواۡ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الۡخَيۡطُ الَابۡيَضُ مِنَ الۡخَيۡطِ الَاسۡوَدِ مِنَ الۡفَجۡرِ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّواۡ الصِّيَامَ إِلَى الَّليۡلِ

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 fast till the nightfall.

Allah has allowed eating and drinking, along with having sexual intercourse, as we have stated, during any part of the night until the light of dawn is distinguished from the darkness of the night.

Allah has described that time as `distinguishing the white thread from the black thread.' He then made it clearer when He said:

مِنَ الۡفَجۡرِ

(of dawn).

As stated in a Hadith that Imam Abu Abdullah Al-Bukhari recorded, Sahl bin Sa`d said,

""When the following verse was revealed:

وَكُلُواۡ وَاشۡرَبُواۡ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الۡخَيۡطُ الَابۡيَضُ مِنَ الۡخَيۡطِ الَاسۡوَدِ

(Eat and drink until the white thread appears to you, distinct from the black thread), and (of dawn) was not revealed, some people who intended to fast, tied black and white threads to their legs and went on eating till they differentiated between the two.

Allah then revealed the words, (of dawn), and it became clear to them that it meant (the darkness of) night and (the light of) day.""

Al-Bukhari recorded that Ash-Sha`bi said that Adi said,

""I took two strings, one black and the other white and kept them under my pillow and went on looking at them throughout the night, but could not make any distinction between the two.

So, the next morning I went to Allah's Messenger and told him the whole story. He said:

إِنَّ وِسَادَكَ إِذًا لَعَرِيضٌ أَنۡ كَانَ الۡخَيۡطُ الاَۡبۡيَضُ وَالاَۡسۡوَدُ تَحۡتَ وِسَادَتِك

Your pillow is very wide if the white and black threads are under it!

Some wordings for this Hadith read,

إِنَّكَ لَعَرِيضُ الۡقَفَا

Your Qafa (back side of your neck) is wide!

Some people said that these words meant that Adi was not smart. This is a weak opinion.

The narration that Al-Bukhari collected explains this part of the Hadith.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Adi bin Hatim narrated:

I said, ""O Messenger of Allah! What is the white thread from the black thread? Are they actual threads?""

He said:

إنَّكَ لَعَرِيضُ الۡقَفَا أَنۡ أَبۡصَرۡتَ الۡخَيۡطَيۡنِ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَا بَلۡ هُوَ سَوَادُ اللَّيۡلِ وَبَيَاضُ النَّهَار

Your Qafa is wide if you see the two threads. Rather, they are the blackness of the night and the whiteness of the daylight.

Suhur is Recommended

Allah allowed eating and drinking until dawn, it represents proof that Suhur is encouraged, since it is a Rukhsah (concession or allowance) and Allah likes that the Rukhsah is accepted and implemented.

The authentic Sunnah indicates that eating the Suhur is encouraged.

It is reported in the Two Sahihs that Anas narrated that Allah's Messenger said:

تَسَحَّرُوا فَإِنَّ فِي السَّحُورِ بَرَكَة

Eat the Suhur, for there is a blessing in Suhur.

Muslim reported that Amr bin Al-As narrated that Allah's Messenger said:

إِنَّ فَصۡلَ مَا بَيۡنَ صِيَامِنَا وصِيَامِ أَهۡلِ الۡكِتَابِ أَكۡلَةُ السَّحَر

The distinction between our fast and the fast of the People of the Book is the meal of Suhur.

Imam Ahmad reported that Abu Sa`id narrated that Allah's Messenger said:

السَّحُورُ أَكۡلُهُ بَرَكَةٌ فَلَ تَدَعُوهُ وَلَوۡ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمۡ تَجۡرَعُ جُرۡعَةَ مَاءٍ فَإِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلَيِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّون عَلَى الۡمُتَسَحِّرِين

Suhur is a blessed meal. Hence, do not abandon it, even if one just takes a sip of water. Indeed, Allah and His angels send Salah (blessings) upon those who eat Suhur.

There are several other Hadiths that encourage taking the Suhur, even if it only consists of a sip of water.

It is preferred that Suhur be delayed until the time of dawn.

It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Anas bin Malik narrated that Zayd bin Thabit said,

""We had Suhur with Allah's Messenger and then went on to pray.""

Anas asked, ""How much time was there between the Adhan (call to prayer) and the Suhur?""

He said, ""The time that fifty Ayat take (to recite).""

Imam Ahmad recorded Abu Dharr saying that Allah's Messenger said:

لَاا تَزَالُ أُمَّتِي بِخَيۡرٍ مَا عَجَّلُوا الاۡاِفۡطَارَ وَأَخَّرُوا السُّحُور

My Ummah will always retain goodness as long as they hasten in breaking the fast and delay the Suhur.

There are several Hadiths that narrate that,

the Prophet called Suhur ""the blessed meal.""

There are narrations from several of the Salaf that;

they allowed the Suhur to be eaten later until close to Fajr.

This is reported from Abu Bakr, Umar, Ali, Ibn Mas`ud, Hudhayfah, Abu Hurayrah, Ibn Umar, Ibn Abbas and Zayd bin Thabit.

It is also reported from many of the Tabi`in, such as Muhammad bin Ali bin Husayn, Abu Mijlaz, Ibrahim An-Nakhai, Abu Ad-Duha, Abu Wa'il and other companions of Ibn Mas`ud.

This is also the opinion of Ata, Al-Hasan, Hakam bin Uyainah, Mujahid, Urwah bin Az-Zubayr, Abu Shatha Jabir bin Zayd, Al- Amash and Ma`mar bin Rashid.

We have mentioned the chains of narrations for their statements in our (Ibn Kathir's) book about Siyam (Fasting), and all praise is due to Allah.

It is also recorded in the Two Sahihs that Al-Qasim said that Aishah narrated that Allah's Messenger said:

لَاا يَمۡنَعُكُمۡ أَذَانُ بِلَالٍ عَنۡ سَحُورِكُمۡ فَإِنَّهُ يُنَادِي بِلَيۡلٍ فَكُلُوا وَاشۡرَبُوا حَتَّى تَسۡمَعُوا أَذَانَ ابۡنِ أُمِّ مَكۡتُومٍ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُوَذِّنُ حَتَّى يَطۡلُعَ الۡفَجۡر

The Adhan pronounced by Bilal should not stop you from taking Suhur, for he pronounces the Adhan at night. Hence, eat and drink until you hear the Adhan by Ibn Umm Maktum, for he does not call the Adhan until dawn.

This is the wording collected by Al-Bukhari.

Imam Ahmad reported that Qays bin Talq quoted from his father that Allah's Messenger said:

لَيۡسَ الۡفَجۡرُ الۡمُسۡتَطِيلَ فِي الاُۡفُقِ وَلَكِنِ الۡمُعۡتَرِضُ الاَۡحۡمَر

Dawn is not the (ascending) glow of white light of the horizon. Rather, it is the red (radiating) light.

Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi also recorded this Hadith, but their wording is:

كُلُوا واشۡرَبُوا وَلَا يَهِيدَنَّكُمُ السَّاطِعُ الۡمُصۡعِدُ فَكُلُوا واشۡرَبُوا حَتَّى يَعۡتَرِضَ لَكُمُ الاَۡحۡمَر

Eat and drink and do not be rushed by the ascending (white) light. Eat and drink until the redness (of the dawn) appears.

Ibn Jarir (At-Tabari) recorded that Samurah bin Jundub narrated that Allah's Messenger said:

لَاا يَغُرَّنَّكُمۡ أَذَانُ بِلَالٍ وَلَاا هَذَا الۡبَيَاضُ لِعَمُودِ الصُّبۡحِ حَتَّى يَسۡتَطِير

Do not be stopped by Bilal's Adhan or the (ascending) whiteness, until it spreads.

Muslim also recorded this Hadith.

There is no Harm in beginning the Fast while Junub (a state of major ritual impurity)

Issue:

Among the benefits of allowing sexual activity, eating and drinking until dawn for those who are fasting, is that it is allowed to start the fast while Junub (in the state of impurity after sexual discharge), and there is no harm in this case if one takes a bath any time in the morning after waking up, and completes the fast.

This is the opinion of the Four Imams and the majority of the scholars.

Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded that Aishah and Umm Salamah said that;

Allah's Messenger used to wake up while Junub from sexual intercourse, not wet dreams, and he would take a bath and fast.

Umm Salamah added that he would not break his fast or make up for that day.

Muslim recorded that Aishah said that a man asked:

""O Messenger of Allah! The (Dawn) prayer time starts while I am Junub, should I fast?""

Allah's Messenger replied,

وَأَنَا تُدۡرِكُنِي الصَّلةُ وَأَنَا جُنُبٌ فَأَصُوم

And I, the prayer time starts while I am Junub and I fast.

He said, ""You are not like us, O Messenger of Allah! Allah has forgiven your previous and latter sins.""

Allah's Messenger said:

وَاللهِ إِنَّي لَااَرۡجُو أَنۡ أَكُونَ أَخۡشَاكُمۡ للهِ وَأَعۡلَمَكُمۡ بِمَا أَتَّقِي

By Allah! I hope that I have the most fear from Allah among you and the best knowledge of what Taqwa is.

Fasting ends at Sunset

Allah said:

ثُمَّ أَتِمُّواۡ الصِّيَامَ إِلَى الَّليۡلِ

then complete your fast till the nightfall.

This Ayah orders breaking the fast at sunset.

It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Umar bin Al-Khattab said that Allah's Messenger said:

إِذَا أَقۡبَلَ اللَّيۡلُ مِنۡ ههُنَا وَأَدۡبَرَ النَّهَارُ مِنۡ ههُنَا فَقَدۡ أَفۡطَرَ الصَّايِم

If the night comes from this direction (the east), and the day departs from that direction (the west), then the fasting person breaks his fast.

It is reported that Sahl bin Sa`d As-Sa`idi narrated that Allah's Messenger said:

لَاا يَزَالُ النَّاسُ بِخَيۡرٍ مَا عَجَّلُوا الۡفِطۡر

The people will retain goodness as long as they hasten in breaking the fast.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said:

يَقُولُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِنَّ أَحَبَّ عِبَادِي إِلَيَّ أَعۡجَلُهُمۡ فِطۡرًا

Allah the Exalted said, `the dearest among My servants to Me are those who hasten in breaking the fast the most.'

At-Tirmidhi recorded this Hadith and said that this Hadith is Hasan Gharib.

Prohibition of Uninterrupted Fasting (Wisal)

There are several authentic Hadiths that prohibit Al-Wisal, which means continuing the fast through the night to the next night, without eating.

Imam Ahmad recorded Abu Hurayrah saying that Allah's Messenger said:

لَاا تُوَاصِلُوا

Do not practice Al-Wisal in fasting.

So, they said to him, ""But you practice Al-Wisal, O Allah's Messenger!""

The Prophet replied,

فَإِنِّي لَسۡتُ مِثۡلَكُمۡ إِنِّي أَبِيتُ يُطۡعِمُنِي رَبِّي وَيَسۡقِينِي

""I am not like you, I am given food and drink during my sleep by my Lord.""

So, when the people refused to stop Al-Wisal, the Prophet fasted two days and two nights (along with those who practiced Wisal) and then they ﷺ the crescent moon (of the month of Shawwal). The Prophet said to them (angrily):

لَوۡ تَأَخَّرَ الۡهِلَلُ لَزِدۡتُكُم

If the crescent had not appeared, I would have made you fast for a longer period.

That was as a punishment for them (when they refused to stop practicing Al-Wisal).

This Hadith is also recorded in the Sahihayn.

The prohibition of Al-Wisal was also mentioned in a number of other narrations. It is a fact that practicing Al-Wisal was one of the special qualities of the Prophet, for he was capable and assisted in his practice of it. It is obvious that the food and drink that the Prophet used to get while practicing Al-Wisal was spiritual and not material, otherwise he would not be practicing Al-Wisal.

We should mention that it is allowed to refrain from breaking the fast from sunset until before dawn (Suhur).

A Hadith narrated by Abu Sa`id Khudri states that Allah's Messenger said:

لَاا تُوَاصِلُوا فَأَيُّكُمۡ أَرَادَ أَنۡ يُوَاصِلَ فَلۡيُوَاصِلۡ إِلَى السَّحَر

Do not practice Al-Wisal, but whoever wishes is allowed to practice it until the Suhur.

They said, ""You practice Al-Wisal, O Messenger of Allah!""

He said:

إِنِّي لَسۡتُ كَهَيۡيَتِكُمۡ إِنِّي أَبِيتُ لِي مُطۡعِمٌ يُطۡعِمُنِي وَسَاقٍ يَسۡقِينِي

I am not similar to you, for I have One Who makes me eat and drink during the night.

This Hadith is also collected in the Two Sahihs.

The Rulings of Itikaf

Allah said:

وَلَا تُبَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمۡ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الۡمَسَاجِدِ

And do not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are in Itikaf in the Masjids.

Ali bin Abu Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said,

""This Ayah is about the man who stays in Itikaf at the mosque during Ramadan or other months, Allah prohibited him from touching (having sexual intercourse with) women, during the night or day, until he finishes his Itikaf.""

Ad-Dahhak said,

""Formerly, the man who practiced Itikaf would go out of the mosque and, if he wished, would have sexual intercourse (with his wife). Allah then said:

وَلَا تُبَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمۡ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الۡمَسَاجِدِ

(And do not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are in Itikaf in the Masjids.

meaning, `Do not touch your wives as long as you are in Itikaf, whether you were in the mosque or outside of it'.""

It is also the opinion of Mujahid, Qatadah and several other scholars, that;

the Muslims used to have sexual intercourse with the wife while in Itikaf if they departed the mosque until the Ayah was revealed.

Ibn Abu Hatim commented, ""It was reported that Ibn Mas`ud, Muhammad bin Ka`b, Mujahid, Ata Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi bin Anas and Muqatil said that the Ayah means,

`Do not touch the wife while in Itikaf.""'

What Ibn Abu Hatim reported from these people is the agreed upon practice among the scholars.

Those who are in Itikaf are not allowed to have sexual intercourse as long as they are still in Itikaf in the mosque. If one has to leave the mosque to attend to a need, such as to relieve the call of nature or to eat, he is not allowed to kiss or embrace his wife or to busy himself with other than his Itikaf. He is not even allowed to visit ailing persons, but he can merely ask about their condition while passing by.

Itikaf has several other rulings that are explained in the books (of Fiqh), and we have mentioned several of these rulings at the end of our book on Siyam (Fasting), all praise is due to Allah.

Furthermore, the scholars of Fiqh used to follow their explanation of the rules for fasting with the explanation of the rules for Itikaf, as this is the way these acts of worship were mentioned in the Qur'an.

By mentioning Itikaf after fasting, Allah draws attention to practicing Itikaf during the month of the fast, especially the last part of the month. The Sunnah of Allah's Messenger is that he used to perform Itikaf during the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan until he died.

Afterwards, the Prophet's wives used to perform Itikaf as the Two Sahihs recorded from Aishah the Mother of the believers.

It is reported in the Two Sahihs that;

Safiyyah, the daughter of Huyai, went to Allah's Messenger to visit him in the mosque while he was in Itikaf.

She had a talk with him for a while, then she got up in order to return home. The Prophet accompanied her back home, as it was night. Her house was at Usamah bin Zayd's house on the edge of Al-Madinah.

While they were walking, two Ansari men met them and passed by them in a hurry, for they were shy to bother the Prophet while he was walking with his wife. He told them:

عَلى رِسۡلِكُمَا إِنَّهَا صَفِيَّةُ بِنۡتُ حُيَي

Do not run away! She is (my wife) Safiyyah bint Huyai.

Both of them said, ""All praise is due to Allah, How dare we think of any evil? O Allah's Messenger!""

The Prophet said (to them):

إِنَّ الشَّيۡطَانَ يَجۡرِي مِنِ ابۡنِ ادَمَ مَجۡرَى الدَّمِ وَإِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنۡ يَقۡذِفَ فِي قُلُوبِكُمَا شَيۡيًا أَوۡ قَالَ شَرًّا

Shaytan reaches everywhere in the human body, that the blood reaches. I was afraid lest Shaytan might suggest an evil thought in your minds.

Imam Ash-Shafii commented,

""Allah's Messenger sought to teach his Ummah to instantly eliminate any evil thought, so that they do not fall into the prohibited. They (the two Ansari men) had more fear of Allah than to think evil of the Prophet. Allah knows best.""

The Ayah (2:187) prohibits sexual intercourse and anything like kissing or embracing that might lead to it during Itikaf. As for having the wife helping the husband, it is allowed.

It is reported in the Two Sahihs that Aishah said,

""Allah's Messenger would bring his head near me (in her room) and I would comb his hair, while I was on my menses. He would enter the room only to attend to what a man needs.""

Allah's statement:

تِلۡكَ حُدُودُ اللّهِ

These are the limits (set) by Allah,

means, `This is what We have explained, ordained, specified, allowed and prohibited for fasting. We also mentioned the fast's objectives, what is permitted during it, and what is required of it. These are the set limits that Allah has legislated and explained, so do not come near them or transgress them.'

لَا تَقۡرَبُوهَا

so approach them not.

Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said,

""Allah's set limits mentioned in the Ayah mean these four limits (and he then recited):

أُحِلَّ لَكُمۡ لَيۡلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ إِلَى نِسَأيِكُمۡ

(It is made lawful for you to have sexual relations with your wives on the night of As-Siyam (fasting).) and he recited up to:

ثُمَّ أَتِمُّواۡ الصِّيَامَ إِلَى الَّليۡلِ

(then complete your Sawm (fast) till the nightfall).

My father and other's used to say similarly and recite the same Ayah to us.""

Allah said:

كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللّهُ ايَاتِهِ لِلنَّاسِ

Thus does Allah make clear His Ayat to mankind,

meaning, `Just as He explains the fast and its rulings, He also explains the other rulings by the words of His servant and Messenger, Muhammad.'

Allah continues:

لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُونَ

to mankind that they may attain Taqwa.

meaning, `So that they know how to acquire the true guidance and how to worship (Allah).'

Similarly, Allah said:

هُوَ الَّذِى يُنَزِّلُ عَلَى عَبۡدِهِ ءَايَـتٍ بَيِّنَـتٍ لِّيُخۡرِجَكُمۡ مِّنَ الظُّلُمَـتِ إِلَى النُّورِ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُمۡ لَرَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ

It is He Who sends down manifest Ayat to His servant (Muhammad) that He may bring you out from (types of) darkness into the light. And verily, Allah is to you full of kindness, Most Merciful. (57:9)"

Permitted to you, upon the night of the Fast, is to go in to your wives, in sexual intercourse: this was revealed as an abrogation of its unlawfulness during the earliest phase of Islam, as well as [an abrogation of] the unlawfulness of eating and drinking after the night prayer; they are a vestment for you, and you are a vestment for them (a metaphor for their embraces or their need for one another); God knows that you have been betraying yourselves, by having sexual intercourse on the eve of the fast: this happened with 'Umar [ibn al-Khattaab] and others, and they apologised to the Prophet may peace and salutation be upon him, and so He has turned to you [relenting], before you even turned in repentance, and He has pardoned you. So now, when it is permitted to you, lie with them, in sexual intercourse, and seek what God has prescribed for you, of sexual intercourse or what it produces of offspring; and eat and drink, [at any time] during the night, until the white thread is distinct, to you, from the black thread at daybreak, that is, the true [moment of daybreak], which explains the white thread, while the explanation of the black thread, namely, the night, has been left out. The whiteness and the darkness of the dawn [twilight] are likened to two black and white threads in the way they stretch out; then complete the fast, from daybreak, to the night, that is, until it arrives, after the setting of the sun; and do not lie with them, your women, while you cleave to the mosques in devotion [to God], while you are residing [therein] with the intention of [performing] i'tikaaf ('spiritual retreat'). This was a prohibition pertaining to one who used to leave [the mosque], whilst in a state of i'tikaaf, have sexual intercourse with his wife, and then return. Those, rulings mentioned, are God's bounds, delimited by God for His servants so that they do not overstep them; do not approach them (laa taqraboohaa, is more intense than laa ta'taddoohaa, 'Do not overstep', used in verses elsewhere). So, just as He makes clear to you what has been mentioned, God makes clear His signs to people so that they might fear [disobeying] His prohibitions.