Transliteration:( Shahru Ramadaanallazeee unzila feehil Qur'aanu hudal linnaasi wa baiyinaatim minal hudaa wal furqaan; faman shahida minkumush shahra falyasumhu wa man kaana mareedan aw 'alaa safarin fa'iddatum min ayyaamin ukhar; yureedul laahu bikumul yusra wa laa yureedu bikumul 'usra wa litukmilul 'iddata wa litukabbirul laaha 'alaa maa hadaakum wa la'allakum tashkuroon )
"Ramadan is the month [409] in which was sent [410] the Quran as guidance to mankind, with clear proofs [411] of guidance and criterion. Then, whoever among you sights the moon, let him fast [412] in it. And whoever is ill or on a journey, then an equal number of fasts on other days [413]. Allah desires ease for you and does not desire hardship for you. (He wants) you to complete [414] the period and to glorify Allah as He has guided you, so that perhaps you may be grateful [415]." (Kanzul Imaan Translation)
The Month of Revelation: Ramadan was chosen for fasting because it is the month in which the Qur'an was revealed. The Qur'an descended from the Loh-e-Mahfooz (Divine Tablet) to the first heaven, and from there it was gradually revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ over the course of 23 years. Because of the noble status of Ramadan due to this event, fasting during this month is especially significant.
The Only Month Named in the Qur'an: Ramadan is the only month explicitly mentioned by name in the Qur'an, emphasizing its importance in the Islamic tradition.
Blessed Time: The verse highlights that time periods associated with noble events or blessings remain blessed until the Day of Judgment. Even though the Qur'an was revealed in Ramadan just once, the blessing of this month persists throughout time.
Commemorating the Blessing: It is important to commemorate the blessing of Ramadan and the revelation of the Qur'an during this month through acts of worship, prayers, and joy.
The Qur'an's Names: The Qur'an has several names, one of which is Furqan (the Criterion), meaning it distinguishes between what is right and wrong, believers and disbelievers, and halal (permissible) and haram (forbidden). This name signifies the Qur'an's role as the ultimate guide for humankind.
Fasting in Ramadan: Fasting in Ramadan is obligatory for those who are able to fast. If a person is unconscious throughout the entire month of Ramadan, fasting is not obligatory for them, as they did not experience the month. If they were able to fast even for a moment, then the entire fasting period becomes obligatory upon them.
Making Up Missed Fasts: If someone is ill or traveling and unable to fast during Ramadan, they are allowed to make up for those missed fasts on other days. This allows flexibility for those who face genuine difficulties during the fasting period.
Completing the Period: The verse emphasizes the importance of completing the 29 or 30 days of fasting during Ramadan. The sighting of the moon marks the beginning of Ramadan and its completion. The moon sighting should be confirmed by eye witnesses, not by astronomical calculations or media reports, ensuring accuracy in the observance of the fast.
Eid and Gratitude: Ramadan is a time of spiritual growth and guidance. The verse encourages glorifying Allah and expressing gratitude for the guidance received during Ramadan. The Eid prayer, Takbeer, and other acts of worship are part of celebrating the bounties of Ramadan. The joy on Eid is not just for the end of fasting but for having received Allah’s guidance and mercy throughout this blessed month.
The tafsir of Surah Baqarah verse 184 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Baqarah ayat 183 which provides the complete commentary from verse 183 through 184.
(2:185) During the month of Ramadan the Qur’an was sent down as a guidance to the people with Clear Signs of the true guidance and as the Criterion (between right and wrong). So those of you who live to see that month should fast it, and whoever is sick or on a journey should fast the same number of other days instead. Allah wants ease and not hardship for you so that you may complete the number of days required,[186] magnify Allah for what He has guided you to, and give thanks to Him.[187]
186. Whether a person should or should not fast while on a journey is left to individual discretion. We find that among the Companions who accompanied the Prophet on journeys some fasted whereas others did not; none objected to the conduct of another. The Prophet himself did not always fast when travelling. On one journey a person was so overwhelmed by hunger that he collapsed; the Prophet disapproved when he learned that the man had been fasting. During wars the Prophet used to prevent people from fasting so that they would not lack energy for the fight. It has been reported by ‘Umar that two military expeditions took place in the month of Ramadan. The first was the Battle of Badr and the second the conquest of Makka. On both occasions the Companions abstained from fasting, and, according to Ibn ‘Umar, on the occasion of the conquest of Makka the Prophet proclaimed that people should not fast since it was a day of fighting. In other Traditions the Prophet is reported to have said that people should not fast when they had drawn close to the enemy, since abstention from fasting would lead to greater strength. (See Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 3, p. 329, and vol. 5, pp. 205 and 209: Darimi, ‘ Sawm’, 41; Muslim, ‘Siyarn’, 92; Nasai, Siyam’, 47; Bukhari, ‘Maghazi’, 71; Muslim, ‘Siyam’, 102; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 3, pp. 21, 35, 46; Tirmidhi, ‘Sawm’, 18, Nasa’i. ‘Siyam’, 52; Bukhari , ‘Jihad’, 29; Muslim, ‘Siyam’, 98; Abu Da’ud, ‘Sawm’ 42; Muslim, ‘Siyam’, 102, 103, 105; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad vol. 2, 99; Tirmidhi, : ‘Sawm’, 19 – Ed.)
The duration of a journey for which it becomes permissible for a person to abstain from fasting is not absolutely clear from any statement of the Prophet, (cf. relevant Traditions Abu Da’ud, ‘Sawm’, 46, 47; Nasai , ‘Siyam’, 54, 55; Malik, Muaatta’, ‘Siyam’, 21, 27 – Ed.) In addition the practice of the Companions was not uniform. It would seem that any journey which is commonly regarded as such, and which is attended by the circumstances generally associated with travelling, should be deemed sufficient justification for not fasting.
Jurists agree that one does not have to fast on the day of commencing a journey; one may eat either at the point of departure or after the actual journey has commenced. Either course is sanctioned by the practice of the Companions. Jurists, however, are not agreed as to whether or not the residents of a city under attack may abstain from fasting even though they are not actually travelling. Ibn taymiyah favours the permissibility of abstention from fasting and supports his view with vcry forceful arguments.
187. This indicates that fasting need not be confined, exclusively, to Ramadan. For those who fail to fast during that month owing to some legitimate reason God has kept the door of compensation open during other months of the year so that they need not be deprived of the opportunity to express their gratitude to Him for His great bounty, in revealing the Qur’an.
It should he noted here that fasting in Ramadan has not only been declared an act of worship and devotion and a means to nourish piety but has also been characterized as an act of gratefulness to God for His great bounty of true guidance in the form of the Qur’an. In fact, the best way of expressing gratitude for someone’s bounty or benevolence is to prepare oneself, to the best of one’s ability, to achieve the purpose for which that bounty has been bestowed. The Qur’an has been revealed so that we may know the way that leads to God’s good pleasure, follow that way ourselves and direct the world along it. Fasting is an excellent means by which to prepare ourselves for shouldering this task. Hence fasting during the month of the revelation of the Qur’an is more than an act of worship and more than an excellent course of moral training; it is also an appropriate form for the expression of our thankfulness to God for the bounty of the Qur’an.
[66]- Also, "whoever is present during the month."
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