Chapters on Tafsir

Narrated 'Adi bin Hatim: "I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about the fast, he said: 'Until the white (light) thread of dawn appears distinct to you from the black thread (of night)'" - he said: "So I took two ropes, one white and the other black to look at them. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me" - it was something that Sufyan (a sub narrator) did not remember - so he said: "It is only the night and the day."

Narrated Aslam bin 'Imran At-Tujibi: "We were in a Roman city, when a large column of Romans came out to us. So about the same number or more of the Muslims went towards them. The commander of the people of Egypt was 'Uqbah bin 'Amir, and the commenter of the (our) group was Fadalah bin 'Ubaid. One man among the Muslims reached the Roman line until he entered amidst them, so the people started screaming: 'Subhan Allah! He has thrown himself into destruction!' Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari said: 'O you people! You give this interpretation for this Ayah, while this Ayah was only revealed about us, the people among the Ansar, when Allah made Islam might, and increased its supporters. Some of us secretly said to each other, outside of the presence of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "Our wealth has been ruined, and Allah has strengthened Islam, and increased its supporters, so if we tend to our wealth then what we lost of it shall be revitalized for us." So Allah, Blessed and Most High, revealed to His Prophet (ﷺ), rebuking what we said: 'And spend in the cause of Allah, and do not throw yourselves into destruction. (2:195)' So the destruction was tending to the wealth and maintaining it.' Abu Ayyub did not cease traveling in Allah's cause, until he was buried in the land of the Romans."

Narrated Mujahid: that Ka'b bin 'Ujrah said: "By the one in Whose Hand is my soul! This Ayah was revealed referring to my case: 'And whosoever of you is ill or has an ailment on his scalp (necessitating shaving) he must pay Fidyah of either fasting or giving charity, or a sacrifice. (2:196)'" He said: "We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at Al-Hudaibiyyah and we were in a state of Ihram. The idolaters had held us back, and I had a good deal of hair, and the lice were falling on my face. The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by me and said: 'The lice on your head are bothering you?'" He said: "I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Then shave.' And this Ayah was revealed." Mujahid said: "The fasting is for three days, the feeding is six needy people, and the sacrifice is a sheep or more."

Narrated 'Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Laila: from Ka'b bin 'Ujrah who said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to me while I was lighting a fire under a pot, and lice were falling on my face, or on my eye-brows. He said: 'Are your lice bothering you?'" [He said:] "I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Then shave your head and offer a sacrifice, or fast three days, or feed six needy people.'" Ayyub said: "I do not know which of them he started with."

Narrated 'Abdur-Rahman bin Ya'mar: that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The Hajj is 'Arafat, the Hajj is 'Arafat, the Hajj is 'Arafat. The days of Mina are three: But whoever hastens to leave in two days, there is no sin on him, and whoever stays on, there is no sin on him (2:203). And whoever sees (attends) the 'Arafah before the rising of Fajr, then he has performed the Hajj." Ibn Abi 'Umar said: "Sufyan bin 'Uyainah said: 'This is the best Hadith that Ath-Thawri reported.'"

Narrated 'Aishah: that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The most hated man to Allah is the most quarrelsome."

Narrated Anas: "When the women among the Jews menstruated, they would not eat with them, nor drink with them, nor mingle with them in their homes. The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked about that, so Allah, Blessed and Most High, revealed: "They ask you about menstruation. Say It is a Adha (harmful matter) (2:222).' So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) told them to eat with them, drink with them and to remain in the house with them, and to do everything besides intercourse with them. The Jews said: 'He does not want to leave any matter of ours without opposing us in it.'" He said: "Then 'Abbad bin Bishr and Usaid bin Hudair came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to inform him about that. They said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Should we not (then) have intercourse with them during their menstruation?' The face of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) changed color, until they thought that he was angry with them. So they left, and afterwards the Prophet (ﷺ) was given some milk as a gift, so he sent some of it to them to drink. Then they knew that he was not angry with them."

Narrated Jabir: "The Jews would say: "Whoever goes into his wife's vagina from behind her, then his children will be cross-eyed.' So Allah revealed: Your wives are a tilth for your, so go to your tilth when or how you will (2:223)."

Narrated Umm Salamah: from the Prophet (SA), regarding: Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth when or how you will (2:223). [He (ﷺ) said]: "Meaning one valve."

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: "'Umar came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! I am ruined!' He said: 'Why are you ruined?' He said: 'I turned my mount during the night (meaning that he went into his wife from behind).'" He said: "So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not say anything in reply to him. Then Allah revealed this Ayah to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): 'Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth when or how you will (2:223).' From the front, the back, avoiding the anus, and menstruation."

Narrated Al-Hasan: from Ma'qil bin Yasar that he married his sister to a man among the Muslims during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She remained with him as long as she did, then he divorced her once without taking her back until her 'Iddah elapsed, but they desired each other again. He (Ma'qil) said to him: 'You ingrate! I honored you by marrying her to you, then you divorced her. By Allah! She will never be returned to you again.' Allah knew of his heed for her and her need for a husband, so Allah, Blessed and Most High, revealed: 'And when you have divorced women and they have fulfilled the term of their prescribed period...' up to His saying: '... and you do not know (2:232).' So when Ma'qil heard that he said: 'I heard my Lord and obey.' Then he called for him and said: 'I marry you, and honor you.'"

Narrated Abu Yunus, the freed slave of 'Aishah: "'Aishah ordered me to write a Mushaf for her, and she said: 'When you get to this Ayah then tell me: Guard strictly (the five obligatory) prayers, and the middle Salat (2:238). So when I reached it, I told her and she dictated to me: 'Guard strictly (the five obligatory) prayers, and the middle Salat, and Salat Al-'Asr. And stand before Allah with obedience.' She said: 'I heard that from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).'

Narrated Samurah bin Jundab: "The Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The middle Salat is Salat Al-'Asr.'"

Narrated: 'Ubaidah As-Salmani that 'Ali narrated to him that on the Day of Al-Ahzab the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "O Allah! Fill their graves and their homes with fire as they have kept us busy from Salat Al-Wusta (the middle prayer) until the sun set."

Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud: that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Salat Al-Wusta is Salat Al-'Asr."

Narrated Zaid bin Arqam: "During the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), we would talk during Salat, so 'And stand before Allah with obedience (2:238) was revealed, ordering us to be silent."

Narrated Abu Malik: from Al-Bara (regarding): And do not aim at that which is bad to spend from it (2:267) - he said: "It was revealed about us, the people of the Ansar who were date-palm owners. A man would bring the amount of dates that he would from his date-palms, either a lot or a little. A man would bring a cluster or two and hang it in the Masjid. The people of As-Suffah did not have food, so one of them would go up to the cluster and hit it with his stick, and unripe and ripe dates would fall, and he would eat. Some people did not hope for good, so a man would bring a cluster with pitless and hard dates, and a cluster with damaged dates, and hang it. So Allah, Blessed and Most High, revealed: O you who believe! Spend of the good things which you have earned, and of that which We have produced from the earth for you, and do not aim at that which is bad to spend from it (2:267). They said: 'If one of you were given similar to what he gave, he would take it except bashfully with your eyes closed.' So after that, one of us would bring the best that we had."

Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud: that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Indeed the Shaitan has an effect on the son of Adam, and the angel also has en effect. As for the Shaitan, it is by threatening evil repercussions and rejecting the truth. As for the effect of the angel, it is by his promise of a good end and believing in the truth. Whoever finds that, let him know that it is from Allah, and let him praise Allah for it. Whoever finds the other then let him seek refuge with Allah from the Shaitan (the outcast) then recite: Shaitan threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahisha (2:268)."

Narrated Abu Hurairah: that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "O you people! Indeed Allah is Tayyib (good) and he does not accept but what is good. And indeed Allah ordered the believers with what He ordered the Messengers. He (ﷺ) said: 'O you Messengers! Eat of the good things and do righteous deeds. Verily I am well acquainted with what you do (23:51).' And He said: 'O you who believe! Eat from the good things We have provided you (2:172).' He said: "And he mentioned a man: 'Who is undertaking a long journey, whose hair is dishevelled and he is covered with dust. He raises his hands to the heavens and says: "O Lord! O Lord!" Yet his food is from the unlawful, his drink is from the unlawful, his clothing is from the unlawful, and he was nourished by the unlawful. So how can that be accepted?'"

Narrated Isra'il: from As-Suddi who said: "Someone who heard from 'Ali, narrated about him saying: 'When this Ayah was revealed: "And whether you disclose what is in yourselves or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it. Then He forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom He wills (2:284).' - we were very distressed about it.' He said: 'We said: "Something occurs in ourselves to one of us, and he will be taken to account for it, and we do not know what of it he will be pardoned for, and what of it he will not be pardoned for." So this Ayah was revealed: Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear, for it, is what it has earned, and against it, is what it has wrought. (Its meaning is recorded by Muslim, while the chain for this version is weak)

Narrated Umayyah: that she asked 'Aishah about the saying of Allah, blessed and Most High: And whether you disclose what is in yourselves or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it (2:284). And about His saying: And whoever does evil, he will be recompensed for it (4:123). She said: "No one has asked me about it since I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), he said: 'This is Allah's admonition for His slave regarding whatever he is stricken with, of fever and problems, even the item that he has in the pocket of his shirt which he loses and worries about, until the slave's sins are removed, just as the red ore is removed from the bellows.'"

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: "When this Ayah was revealed: And whether you disclose what is in yourselves or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it (2:284). Somethings entered their hearts that had not entered before. So they mentioned that to the Prophet (ﷺ) and he said: 'Say: "We hear and we obey." So Allah put faith into their hearts and Allah Blessed and Most High revealed the Ayah: The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers (and) Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear, for it is what it has earned and against it is what it has wrought. "Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error (2:286)." He said: 'I have done so (as requested).' Our Lord! Lay not upon us a burden like that which You did upon those before us. He said: ['I have done so (as requested).'] Our Lord! Put not a burden upon us greater than we have strength for. Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us (2:286). He said: 'I have done so (as requested).'"

Narrated 'Aishah: "I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about Allah's saying: So, as for those in whose hearts there is a deviation, they follow that which is not entirely clear thereof, seeking Al-Fitnah and seeking its Ta'wil (3:7). He said: 'When you see them, be aware of them.'" Yazid (one of the narrators in the chain) said: "When you see them, be aware of them' - she said it two or three times."

Narrated 'Aishah: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about this Ayah: 'It is He who sent down to you the Book. In it are Ayat that are entirely clear... (3:7)' until the end of the Ayah. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'When you see those who seek what is not entirely clear thereof, then it is they whom Allah has described, so beware of them.'"

Narrated 'Abdullah: that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Every Prophet had a Wali among the Prophets. My Wali is my father Ibrahim the Khalil of my Lord." Then he recited: Verily among mankind who have the best claim to Ibrahim, are those who followed him, and this Prophet and those who have believed. And Allah is the Wali (protector) of the believers (3:68).