The Holy Qor-aan 002:190
يَسۡـــَٔلُوۡنَكَ عَنِ الۡاَهِلَّةِ ؕ قُلۡ هِىَ مَوَاقِيۡتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَالۡحَجِّ ؕ وَلَيۡسَ الۡبِرُّ بِاَنۡ تَاۡتُوا الۡبُيُوۡتَ مِنۡ ظُهُوۡرِهَا وَلٰـكِنَّ الۡبِرَّ مَنِ اتَّقٰىۚ وَاۡتُوا الۡبُيُوۡتَ مِنۡ اَبۡوَابِهَا وَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ لَعَلَّکُمۡ تُفۡلِحُوۡنَ
Yus-aloo-na-ka-aa-nil-aa-hil-la-tay Qool-hay-ya-ma-waa-qee-to-lin-naa-say-wul-hujj Wa-lai-sul-bir-ra-bay-un-tau-tool-bo-yoo-ta-min-za-hoo-ray-haa Wa-laa-kin-nul-bir-ra-ma-nit-ta-qaa Wa-aa-tool-bo-yoo-ta-min-ub-waa-bay-haa Wut-ta-qool-laa-ha-la-ul-la-koom-toof-lay-hoo-n.
They ask you about the New moons. Say, ‘They are the markers of time for the people and the Hujj.” And it is no virtue that you enter homes from their backs But the virtue is of the person who feared God. And you enter the homes from the front doors.
And love Allah so that you can prosper.
- يَسۡـَٔلُونَ — Yus-aloo-na — They ask (= v., pres. pl., 3rd person. Ask; beg; demand; inquire; interrogate; question; request; seek info)
- كَ — Ka — You (= pro., s., m., 2nd 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-n..(il) — From (= About; concerning; regarding; relative to)
- لۡاَهِلَّةِ — Aa-hil-la-tay — New moons (= 1. Phases of the new moon. 2. Some people include sun or other celestial objects that appear in the sky. 3. “Islam has made use of both the lunar and solar system for measuring time” – [Malik Ghulam Farid Note 217]. 4. Pagan Arabs attached to the appearance of new moon some superstitions that this verse alluded to and ended)
- قُلۡ — Qool — Say (= v., s., 2nd person. Announce, broadcast, call, convey, elaborate, explain expound, inform, insist, maintain, persist, specify, state or tell. See our Commentary ‘You say’ means...’)
- هِىَ — Hay-ya — They (= s., f., 3rd person., Refers to aforesaid ‘new moons’)
- مَوَاقِيۡتُ — Ma-waa-qee-to — Markers (= Alterations meant to determine time; appointed times; markers fixing times and seasons; measures of time, duration, events or periods as is done by the clocks and watches; times appointed and fixed)
- ل — L..(in) — For (= For the attention, benefit, convenience, determination, object, general convenience or purpose of regulating the affairs of)
- لنَّاسِ — Naa-say — The people (= Factions; folks, mankind, groups, men, nations or tribes)
- وَ — Wa…(ul) — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses; additionally; but; also; more over; though; when; while; yet; whereupon)
- الۡحَجِّ — Huj-jay — Hujj (= Pilgrimage to Kau-ba. See our Commentary 5 Acts of worships)
- وَ — Wa — And — (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ above)
- لَـيۡسَ — Lai-sa…(ul) — No (= Never; no; not all; absolute negation)
- الۡبِرُّ — Bir-ro — The virtue (= Doing good deeds; good character; noble actions; piety righteousness; virtuous conduct in all acts of obedience)
- بِ — Bay — With — (= The Arabic word بِ literally means ‘with’ in English
- اَنۡ — Un — That — (= Since; so that; in case; since; under the circumstances)
- تَاۡتُوا — Tau-to..(ol) — You enter (= Approach; come; seek entrance)
- الۡبُيُوۡتَ — Bo-yoo-ta — Homes (= Houses; dwellings; residences)
- مِنۡ — Min — From (= Among, from or out of the class, category, count, kind)
- ظُهُوۡرِ — Za-hoo-ray — Backs * (= 1. Back doors; back-entrances idolaters practiced that as a ritual in some seasons. 2. Behind)
- هَا — Haa — Their (= pro., s., f., 3rd person., Refers to category of ‘homes’)
- وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ above)
- لٰـكِنَّ — La-kin-na..(ul) — But (= However; instead; nevertheless; yet)
- الۡبِرَّ — Bir-ra — The virtuous (= Doing good deeds; good character; noble actions; piety righteousness; virtuous conduct in all acts of obedience)
- مَنِ — Ma-n…(it) — Who (= Anyone; whoever; whatever; whom; whomever)
- اتَّقٰى — Ut-ta-qaa Feared God (= v., Act piously and righteously. Avoid angering Allah. Be dutiful to God. Be pious. Guard against evil. Learn the self-restraint. Practice righteousness. Take Allah as the shield. Kept duty to God. Ward off evil. See 002:003 and Commentary The Righteous)
- وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ above)
- اۡتُوا — Aa-to..(ol) — You enter (= Approach; come in seek entrance)
- الۡبُيُوۡتَ — Bo-yoo-ta — Homes (= Houses; dwellings; residences)
- مِنۡ — Min — From (= Among, from or out of the class, category, count, kind or several articles, things, persons or phenomenon)
- اَبۡوَابِ — Ub-waa-bay — Front doors (= Proper doors; regular entrances)
- هَا — Haa — Their (= pro., s., f., 3rd person., Refers to aforesaid ‘homes’)
The rule in the next seven (7) words is repeated in verses 002:190, 003:131 and 003:201, etc.
- وَ — Wa … (ut) — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ above)
- اتَّقُوا — Ut-ta-qoo — You love (= v., pres., m., 2nd person, Act piously and avoid angering Allah by being deeply in love with Him; be afraid, pious or righteous. See Commentary The Righteous. See اتَّقٰى above)
- ٱللَّهَ — Laa-ha — Allah (= The Almighty God; The only One worthy of worship)
- لَعَلَّ — La-ulla — So that (= Haply; hopefully; perchance; perhaps; possibly; maybe; wanting and wishing the result to be)
- کُمۡ — Koom — You (= pro., pl., m., 2nd person., You. The Holy Qor-aan has addressed men and women jointly this way)
- تُفۡلِحُوۡنَ — Toof-lay-hoo-n — Prosper (= v., pres., pl., 2nd person. Be victorious; grow; succeed; triumph; win)
* Note 002:190. The Pagan Arabs had some superstitions attached to the appearance of new moon. At the appearance of a new moon they entered homes from the back doors. This verse decried that. This verse directed Moslems to enter homes from front door and be upfront and honest in dealings. That is why this Command has been also translated as follows.
- To succeed in all pursuits legally, honestly and openly.
- To seek acquisitions legally and fairly and not underhandedly.
- To supply full information in all negotiations, contracts and other transactions.
- To submit to the laws of a society one enters by respecting its manners and customs.
- To speak directly without beating about the bush.
Some translations have narrowed down and applied this verse to only specific situations. “Once you set forth for the Pilgrimage and then have occasion to revisit your homes, it is no part of righteousness that you should enter them from the backs thereof; indeed truly righteous is he who guards himself against evil out of fear of Allah. Enter your homes by the doors thereof” – [mzk]
Our opinion about the words وَاۡتُوا الۡبُيُوۡتَ مِنۡ اَبۡوَابِهَا (= And enter homes from their doors) is simple. They state a Rule of Universal Application to enter homes openly from their regular front doors. They prohibit entering own or others’ homes without appropriate loud greetings or announcement. They imply asking permission before entering a home and which when denied must be complied. The Command covers all affairs, all dealings of all persons in every society, country or jurisdiction. An example is secretly, stealthily sneaking in another country violating its immigration laws of it. I recall hearing a Hadeeth to the effect to ask permission before you enter another person’s house. And it continued, “If the permission is denied, go away because in doing that is good for you.”
002:190
The Holy Qor-aan 002:190
يَسۡـــَٔلُوۡنَكَ عَنِ الۡاَهِلَّةِ ؕ قُلۡ هِىَ مَوَاقِيۡتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَالۡحَجِّ ؕ وَلَيۡسَ الۡبِرُّ بِاَنۡ تَاۡتُوا الۡبُيُوۡتَ مِنۡ ظُهُوۡرِهَا وَلٰـكِنَّ الۡبِرَّ مَنِ اتَّقٰىۚ وَاۡتُوا الۡبُيُوۡتَ مِنۡ اَبۡوَابِهَا وَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ لَعَلَّکُمۡ تُفۡلِحُوۡنَ
Yus-aloo-na-ka-aa-nil-aa-hil-la-tay Qool-hay-ya-ma-waa-qee-to-lin-naa-say-wul-hujj Wa-lai-sul-bir-ra-bay-un-tau-tool-bo-yoo-ta-min-za-hoo-ray-haa Wa-laa-kin-nul-bir-ra-ma-nit-ta-qaa Wa-aa-tool-bo-yoo-ta-min-ub-waa-bay-haa Wut-ta-qool-laa-ha-la-ul-la-koom-toof-lay-hoo-n.
They ask you about the New moons. Say, ‘They are the markers of time for the people and the Hujj.” And it is no virtue that you enter homes from their backs But the virtue is of the person who feared God. And you enter the homes from the front doors.
And love Allah so that you can prosper.
The rule in the next seven (7) words is repeated in verses 002:190, 003:131 and 003:201, etc.
* Note 002:190. The Pagan Arabs had some superstitions attached to the appearance of new moon. At the appearance of a new moon they entered homes from the back doors. This verse decried that. This verse directed Moslems to enter homes from front door and be upfront and honest in dealings. That is why this Command has been also translated as follows.
Some translations have narrowed down and applied this verse to only specific situations. “Once you set forth for the Pilgrimage and then have occasion to revisit your homes, it is no part of righteousness that you should enter them from the backs thereof; indeed truly righteous is he who guards himself against evil out of fear of Allah. Enter your homes by the doors thereof” – [mzk]
Our opinion about the words وَاۡتُوا الۡبُيُوۡتَ مِنۡ اَبۡوَابِهَا (= And enter homes from their doors) is simple. They state a Rule of Universal Application to enter homes openly from their regular front doors. They prohibit entering own or others’ homes without appropriate loud greetings or announcement. They imply asking permission before entering a home and which when denied must be complied. The Command covers all affairs, all dealings of all persons in every society, country or jurisdiction. An example is secretly, stealthily sneaking in another country violating its immigration laws of it. I recall hearing a Hadeeth to the effect to ask permission before you enter another person’s house. And it continued, “If the permission is denied, go away because in doing that is good for you.”
Related Posts
None