002:223

The Holy Qor-aan                                                                                                                    002:223

وَ يَسۡـــَٔلُوۡنَكَ عَنِ الۡمَحِيۡضِ‌ۙ قُلۡ هُوَ اَذًى فَاعۡتَزِلُوۡا النِّسَآءَ فِى الۡمَحِيۡضِ‌ۙ وَلَا تَقۡرَبُوۡهُنَّ حَتّٰى يَطۡهُرۡنَ‌‌ۚ فَاِذَا تَطَهَّرۡنَ فَاۡتُوۡهُنَّ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ اَمَرَكُمُ اللّٰهُ‌ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِيۡنَ وَيُحِبُّ الۡمُتَطَهِّرِيۡنَ

Wa  yus-aa-loo-na  ka  aa-nay  il-ma-he-dzay                                                                                Qool  ho-wa  aa-zun                                                                                                                            Fa  au-ta-zay-lo  on-nay-saa-aa  fee  il-ma-he-dzay                                                                      Wa  laa-tuq-ra-boo  hoon-na  hut-taa  yaut-hoor-na                                                                    Fa  ezaa  ta-tauh-run  fa  aa-too  hoon-na                                                                                        Min  hai-tho  aa-ma-ra  ko-moo  l-laa-ho                                                                                          In-na  ul-laa-ha  yo-hib-bo  ot-tow-waa-bee-na                                                                              Wa  yo-hib-bo  ol-mo-ta-tauh-ree-n

And they ask you about menstruation.                                                                          You say, “That is the monthly period of distress.”                                                          So, leave alone the women in menstruation.                                                              And do not come near them until they have cleansed.                                                  And when they have cleansed, then you come to them                                                 Just Allah has allowed you.                                                                                                  Surely Allah loves those who turn repentant.                                                                    And He loves those who keep themselves cleansed.

• وَ — Wa…(ul) — And (= Additionally; also; but; though; while; whereupon; yet)
• يَسۡـَٔلُونَ — Yus-aloo-na — They ask (= v., pres. pl., 3^rd person. Ask; beg; demand; inquire; interrogate; question; request; seek info)
• كَ — Ka — You (= pro., s., m., 2^nd person.  You single male.  The addressee of this divine message is initially the Holy Prophet s.a.w and secondarily every Moslem, in fact every human being. See the Note under 002:005)
• عَنِ — Aa-nay … (il) — About (= Concerning, regarding; or relative to ‘consorting with wives’ during the period’ or more explicit words used in some translations)
• الۡمَحِيۡضِ‌ — Ma-he-dzay — Distress  (= n., The women’s monthly course; menstruation; menstrual discharge; periods; the time of monthly pain and distress for women. See below Note 002:223)
• قُلۡ — Qool — You  say (= Announce; broadcast; convey; declare; explain; inform  expound; inform; reply; specify; state; tell.   See our Commentary ‘You Say’…. means)
• هُو — Ho-wa — That (= pro., s., m., 3^rd person. Refers to aforesaid shown, specified or stated article, thing or person)
• اَذًى — Aa-zun — Distress (= Ailment; disability; disease; disorder; harmful thing;  hurtful; illness; indisposition; pain; pollution; sickness.  This word means differently in the matters relative to pilgrimage as shown in the verse 002:197)
• فَ — Fa … (u) — So (= Consequently; as a result; so; thus; therefore; yet)
• اعۡتَزِلُوۡا — Au-ta-zay-loo — Leave alone (= Avoid; do not have, keep aloof, let alone or keep away from having conjugal relationship.  See Note 002:224 for an important aspect of what is stated in this section)
• النِّسَآءَ — Nay-saa-aa — Women (= Wives. Literal meanings include girls or females of the mankind; women folk
• فِىۡ — Fee … (il) — In (= In; inside; concerning; during; for; regarding; in reference; relative to)
• الۡمَحِيۡضِ‌ — Ma-he-dzay — Menstruation (= In periods. At such times. See الۡمَحِيۡضِ‌ above)
• وَ — Wa — And (= Additionally; also; but; though; while; whereupon; yet)
• لَا — Laa — Not (= Absolute denial; never; not at all; total negation)
• تَقۡرَبُو — Tuq-ra-boo — Come near (= v., pres., pl., 2^nd person. Begin, commence or initiate; taking early, first and initial steps; come close to; draw, get or go near. Come close to. Get or go near. The focus of this Command is not to take any steps towards  having conjugal relations. Inaccurately A/t/a, ‘keep  away’ and ‘keep distance’)
• هُنَّ — Hoon-na — Them (= pl, f, in 3rd person. Refers to an aforesaid single  shown, specified or stated article, thing or person)
• حَتّٰى — Hut-taa — Until (= By the end of the period or term; till the time)
• يَطۡهُرۡنَ‌‌ — Yut-hoor-na — Cleansed (= Bathed or showered after the menses have ended; purified) **
• فَ — Fa — Then (= Consequently; as a result; so; thus; therefore; yet)
• اِذَاۤ — Ezaa — When (= Any time or event; whenever)
• تَطَهَّرۡنَ — Ta-tauh-run — Cleansed (= Bathed, showered or washed after the end of menses; fully and thoroughly cleansed; purified) **
• فَ — Fa — Then (= Consequently; as a result; so; thus; therefore; yet)
• اۡتُوا — Aa-too — You come (= v., Approach; enter; touch. Some people translated this word in very explicit terms from the simple ones like ‘come in, seek entrance, seek sex, have relations’ to a lot more crude, nude and rude words that please their own minds)
• هُنَّ — Hoon-na — Them (= pl, f, in 3rd person. Refers to an aforesaid single shown, specified or stated article, thing or person)
• مِنۡ حَيۡثُ — Min-hai-tho — Just as (= This phrase consists of two words.  The first word مِنۡ (min) means ‘among, from or out of a class, category, count, kind of several articles, things or persons.   The  second word حَيۡثُ (hai-tho) means ‘anywhere, wherever’ or as stated by A Yusuf Ali in his in Note 248 “In any manner, time or place” as it is “A comprehensive word referring to manner, time or place.” Joined together the phrase means ‘as you please’ or ‘just as’)
• اَمَرَ — Aa-ma-ra — Allowed  (= v., s., m., 3^rd person. Assigned; bid; commanded;  decreed; dictated; directed; enjoined; instructed; laid down; legalized; mandated; ordained; ordered; permitted; prescribed; told; warranted)
• كُمُ —  Ko-mo … (ol) — You (= pro., pl., m., 2^nd person. You. The Holy Qor-aan states  this way when addressing both men and women jointly
• ٱللَّهَ — Laa-ha — Allah (= The Almighty God; The only One worthy of worship)
• إِنَّ — In-na … (ul) — Certainly (= Absolutely; assuredly; categorically; clearly; definitely; doubtlessly; earnestly; indeed; positively, really; verily; seriously; sincerely; specifically; surely; truly)
• ٱللَّهَ — Laa-ha — Allah (= The Almighty God; The only One worthy of worship)
• يُحِبُّ — Yo-hib-bo … (ot) — Loves (= v., Adores; appreciates; is attached; cherishes; likes. Not applicable relative to Allah are the meanings ‘he craves for the attention of’)
• التَّوَّابِيۡنَ — Tuw-waa-bee-na — Turn repentant (= Those who turn to Him constantly in regret, remorse and repentance; who turn much to Him)
• وَ — Wa — And (= Additionally; also; but; though; while; whereupon; yet)
• يُحِبُّ  — Yo-hib-bo … (ol) — Loves (= v., Adores; appreciates. See يُحِبُّ  above)
• الۡمُتَطَهِّرِيۡنَ — Mo-ta-tuh-ree-n — The clean (= n., pl., Those who care for cleanliness; who cleanse themselves physically and spiritually; who get rid of the impurities of mind and body; who anoint, make holy, purify or sanctify themselves. Those who strive for the purification)

* Note 002:223.  The word الۡمَحِيۡضِ‌ is for the monthly process of discharging blood and other matter from the womb that occurs between puberty and menopause in women and female primates who are not pregnant. Allamah Nooruddin stated that this section is ‘about (having conjugal relations during) the menstruations.’  Wickipedia gives some medical, social and cultural information and taboos about this term in different religions and customs and states a ‘chance of infections’ but mentions no particular injurious medical after-effects. But this verse is based upon the knowledge of the Creator who created men and women and provides the best and safest guidelines. Those who follow the Commandment naturally avoid the bad results. Some violators may — due to God’s forgiving grace — still escape whatever unfortunate consequences could follow, but the best policy is to do what the Almighty God has clearly directed.

Also used in this verse are three words from the root  ط  ,  ه  ,  and ر .  Several dozen derivative words flow out of that root. The meanings of the verbs from the root include ‘to anoint, to clean, to cleanse, to purify.’ The meanings of the nouns include ‘holy, purity, saint.’  While each change to form a derivate develops some special nuance, the principal meanings of the root stay intact in all its derivates