Al-Baqarah: (189) They ask you about the new moons . . . . .

(They ask you about the new moons) Ibn 'Asakir recorded with a weak chain of narration that Mu'adh ibn Jabal and Tha'labah ibn Ghanm said: "O Messenger of Allah, what is the matter with the new moon? It appears and rises thin like a thread, then increases until it becomes large, level, and round; then it continues to decrease and thin out until it returns as it was. It does not remain in one state." Consequently, this verse was revealed. In another narration, Mu'adh said: "O Messenger of Allah, the Jews ask us many questions about the new moons," so Allah the Exalted revealed this verse.

Regarding the plural form (the new moons) in the first narration, it refers to more than one, or those present who are awaiting an answer are treated as the questioners. According to the second narration, its apparent meaning is that the questioning by the Jews of some of his companions is equivalent to asking the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) directly, as he is their path to knowledge and the source of their effusion.

Al-Ahillah (the new moons) is the plural of hilal. Its derivation comes from the phrase "the infant istahalla" when he cries and shouts upon birth. From this also comes the phrase "the people ahallu for Hajj" when they raise their voices in the talbiyah. The moon is named hilal during the first two nights of the month, or three, or until it becomes "inscribed" (yahjur), where "inscribing" is to be surrounded by a thin line; this is the view of Al-Asma'i. Alternatively, it is until its light overcomes the darkness of the night, which some defined as seven nights. It is so named because when it is seen, people yuhillu (shout/raise voices) by mentioning it or by declaring the greatness of Allah (takbir). For this reason, one says "the hilal of destruction" and "istahalla," but one does not say "halla."

The question may be about the ultimate purpose and wisdom, or about the cause and reason, and there is no explicit text in the verse or tradition regarding either. As for the wording of the verse, it is manifest; as for what is omitted, it is possible to interpret it as "What is the reason for their changing?" or "What is the wisdom behind it?" Although in appearance it is a question about multiplicity, in reality, it involves a question about the variation of luminous configurations, for multiplicity follows their variation; if the moon were of one shape, there would be no multiplicity, as is obvious. As for the tradition, since the interrogative particle ma (what) is used for genus and essence, the question pertains to the true nature of the moon and its condition during the variation of its luminous configurations, and its return to its former state. That reality certainly admits both interpretations.

According to the first, the response—His saying: (Say: They are measurements of time for mankind and for the Hajj)—is conformable, clarifying the manifest wisdom suited for general conveyance and reminding them of the blessing and increasing compassion of Allah the Exalted. That is, they are landmarks for people to use to time their worldly affairs, knowing the times for their crops and trade, and they are landmarks for timed acts of worship by which their times are known, such as fasting and breaking the fast, and especially Hajj, for which time is observed in both its performance (ada') and make-up (qada'). If the moon were round like the sun or remained in one state, timing by it would hardly be possible. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not mention the hidden wisdom for this, such as how the variation of its configurations is a natural or designated cause for the variation of the states of earthly births—as is explained in its proper place—because it is something not everyone is acquainted with.

According to the second, it is of the "wise style" (al-uslub al-hakim), also called qawl bi-al-mujib (the answering of a claim with an affirmative). This is receiving the questioner with something other than what he seeks, by treating his question as if it were another, as a warning that this is what is more appropriate for his situation. Al-Sakkaki and a group of scholars chose this. Thus, in this response, there is an indication that it would have been more appropriate, had the question been posed, to ask about the wisdom rather than the cause, because the latter does not pertain to the righteousness of their livelihood or their hereafter. The Prophet was only sent to clarify the former.

It is not that the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were incapable of understanding the subtleties of astronomy dependent on observation and philosophical proofs—as some might imagine. For even if that were granted regarding those who walked in the train of Prophethood, were trained in the corridor of chivalry, attained the radiance of lights, and realized through the observation of their hearts the subtleties of secrets—even if this were not a slight to their stature—it would indicate that the cause of the variation is what is explained in astronomy as the distance of the moon from the sun and its proximity to it. This is invalid in the view of the people of Sharia, as its foundation is built upon matters, none of which have been proven with certainty. At most, the early philosophers imagined them to be in accordance with what the Absolute Wise One created, as is indicated by the words of our Master, the Great Sheikh (may his secret be sanctified) in his Futuhat.

What proclaims that what they went to is mere imagination—which wisdom does not forbid and which does not correspond to what is in reality—is that the later scholars who were counted among the philosophers, such as the wise Herschel and his followers, the masters of observation and new astronomical tables, imagined the opposite of what the earlier ones held regarding astronomy. They said that the sun is the center and the earth and stars revolve around it; they built the laws of eclipses and similar things upon this, provided proofs for it, and refuted their opponents. None of their conclusions in this field failed, but rather occurred exactly as they predicted, while what the ancients said was built upon their own conjecture. Since the outcomes agreed despite the conflicting foundations and the opposition of the schools, and one conjecture refuted the other, trust in both doctrines was lifted. It became necessary to return to the knowledge derived from the lamp of the Message, ignited by the lights of the sun of sovereignty and courage, and to rely on what the Supreme Legislator (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, after deep reflection and interpreting it in its best meanings.

If it is possible to reconcile what the philosophers say, whatever it may be, with what is accepted by reason, and what the Master of the Wise and the Light of the inhabitants of the earth and heaven says, then there is no harm in it. In fact, it is more fitting and appropriate for dispelling the doubts that often beset the weak among the believers. If that is not possible, then adhere to what the spheres of Sharia have revolved around and what the angels of Truth have brought down.

If Khizam says it, then believe her, for the truth is what Khizam says. A completion of this discussion will come, if Allah the Exalted wills.

(Mawaqit) is the plural of miqat, a form indicating an instrument, meaning that by which time is known. The difference between it, duration (mudda), and time (zaman), according to what is understood from the words of Al-Raghib, is that mudda is absolute, the extension of the movement of the celestial sphere in appearance from its beginning to its end; zaman is a duration divided into years, months, days, and hours; and waqt (time) is measured and specified time. It was read with the assimilation of the nun of "an" into "al-ahillah" after transposition and elision.

The verse is used as evidence for the permissibility of entering the state of ihram for Hajj throughout the entire year, though this is far-fetched. In fact, it might be used as evidence for the opposite, because if that were valid, the moon would not be needed for Hajj. It is only needed because Hajj is specific to known months that require the moon to distinguish them from others; this is the view of Al-Shafi'i (may Allah be pleased with him).

The appropriateness of this verse to the preceding one is manifest, for it is in the explanation of the ruling on fasting and the mention of the month of Ramadan, and the discussion of "the new moons" suits that, because fasting is linked to the sighting of the new moon, as is breaking the fast. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Fast upon seeing it, and break the fast upon seeing it."

Furthermore, as a matter of allusion in the verses, He the Exalted mentioned noble laws of justice. Among them is qisas (retribution), which is for removing the aggression of the bestial power, and it is a shadow of His justice. So, if He acts upon His servant by extinguishing him and killing him with the sword of His love, He compensates him for the spirit of his life with a Spirit, for the servant of his heart with a Heart, and for the female of his soul with a Soul. For just as "retribution is prescribed" for those you kill, He has prescribed Mercy upon Himself for those He kills. In some narrations from the paths of the people (the Sufis), it is said that He, Exalted is He, says: "Whoever loves Me, I kill him; and whoever I kill, I am his blood-money." And you have in the qisas (retribution/recompense) of Allah the Exalted upon you, through what is mentioned, a great life after which there is no death, O you who possess minds purified from the husks of illusions and the coverings of determinations and physical bodies, so that you may fear leaving Him or associating partners with your existence.

Among them is the wasiyyah (will/testament), which is another law prescribed to remove the deficiency of the kingly power and its inability to perform the actions required by wisdom. The will of the people of Allah (may Allah sanctify their secrets) is the preservation of the primordial covenant ('ahd al-azal) by abandoning everything other than the Truth.

Among them is fasting, a law prescribed to remove the domination of bestial powers. In the view of the People of Truth, it is abstaining from every word, action, and movement that is not by the Truth, for the Truth. The "numbered days" are the days of the world, which will soon vanish, so make them all days of your fasting and make your breaking of the fast the festival of meeting Allah the Exalted. The month of Ramadan is the time for the burning of the self and its dissolution by the lights of the manifestations of Proximity, in which the Quran was revealed—which is the comprehensive, summary knowledge—as guidance to people toward Unity in the consideration of the Collective, and detailed proofs of the Collective and the Singular. Whoever among you is present at that time and reaches the station of witnessing, let him refrain from everything except for Him, by Him, in Him, from Him, and to Him.

Whoever is afflicted with diseases of the heart and psychic veils that prevent witnessing, or is on a journey and turns toward that station, then he has other stages to traverse until he reaches it. (Allah intends for you ease)—and reaching the station of Tawhid and the ability by His power—(and He does not intend for you hardship)—and the exertion of actions by the weak self. (And that you may complete the period)—the count of the stages—(and that you may glorify Allah) for His guidance to you to the station of the Collective, (and that you may be grateful)—by steadfastness.

(And when My servants ask you)—those who are devoted to Me, who have cut off everything for Me—(concerning Me, I am near)—to them, without "where," or "between," or aggregation, or separation. (I answer)—the one who calls upon Me with the tongue of his condition and readiness by giving him what his state and readiness necessitate. (So let them respond to Me)—by purifying their readiness—(and let them believe in Me)—and witness Me upon purification when I manifest in the mirrors of their hearts, so that they may be steadfast in the station of tranquility and the realities of establishment (tamkin).

Since man has colorings according to the variation of the Divine Names, at times he is under the rule of the dominance of spiritual attributes during the day of Divine arrivals, and then he fasts from human interests. At other times, he is under the rule of human impulses and needs, returned by the requirement of wisdom to the darkness of animal attributes. This is the time of heedlessness that permeates that abstinence. He permitted him, in some times, to descend to accompanying the selves, which is the rafath (sexual intercourse) with women, and He justified it by His saying, Exalted is He: (They are a clothing for you, and you are a clothing for them)—that is, you have no patience for them according to nature because they clothe you and you clothe them through necessary attachment. (Allah knew that you were deceiving yourselves)—and violating its remaining benefits by stealing those fleeting benefits during the times of wayfaring and spiritual exercise—so He relented toward you and pardoned you. (So now)—that is, the time of steadfastness and establishment, the state of remaining (baqa') after annihilation (fana')—(go to them) according to necessary need, (and seek) with the power of this approach (what Allah has written for you) of piety and the ability to fulfill the rights of steadfastness and reach the rational stations.

(And eat and drink) in the nights of sobriety until the indications of Presence appear to you and its flashes shine, and its effects and lights overcome the blackness and darkness of heedlessness. Then be in real abstinence by being present with the Truth until the time of the other heedlessness arrives, for everyone who is present has a share of it, and were it not for that, the interests of livelihood would be paralyzed. To this is the allusion in the tradition: "I have a time with Allah in which neither an angel brought near nor a messenger-prophet can encompass me; and I have a time with Hafsa and Zaynab."

(And do not approach them) while you are in i'tikaf (seclusion) and presence in the stations of proximity and intimacy and the mosques of the hearts. (And do not eat) the wealth of those who know (among yourselves) in vain by the lusts of the self, and send them to the rulers of the souls that command evil, (so that you may eat) a portion (of the wealth) of the spiritual powers unjustly, for you spend them on the pleasures of the psychic powers (while you know) that this is sin and placing things in other than their proper place.

(They ask you about the new moons)—which are the heart-risings upon the radiance of the light of the spirit upon them—(Say: They are measurements of time) for the wayfarers by which they know the times of the obligation of dealing in the path of Allah, the resolution of the wayfaring, the circumambulation of the house of the heart, the standing at Arafat of Gnosis, and the striving between the purity of Safa and the monument of Marwah. It is said: (The new moons) are the times of the daily litanies for the ascetics, and the times of the contemplations for the sincere ones. The prevailing state of the former is fulfilling the outward laws of Sharia, and for the latter, fulfilling the realities of Truth. If He manifests upon them with the attribute of Majesty, they are bewildered; if He manifests upon them with the attribute of Beauty, they live. So they are between Majesty and Beauty, and submission and coquetry. May Allah the Exalted benefit us through them and bestow upon us their blessings.

(And it is not righteousness that you enter houses from their backs)—Ibn Jarir and Al-Bukhari recorded from Al-Bara' who said: "In the pre-Islamic period, when they entered the state of ihram, they would enter the house from its back." Allah then revealed (And it is not righteousness...). It is as if they were hesitant to enter through the door because of the door-lintel, fearing it would come between them and the sky, as Al-Zuhri stated in Ibn Jarir's narration from him. They counted that act of theirs as piety, and He showed them that it is not righteousness. (But righteousness is he who fears Allah)—that is, the righteous one is he who fears the forbidden things and the lusts, or "but the possessor of righteousness is he who fears."

The manifest view is that the sentence of negation is a conjunction to the saying [in the verse "They ask you"], so there must be a common thread between them. Either it is said: They asked about both matters as they happened, so He joined them in the answer based on the coincidental gathering in the questioning, and the second matter is omitted—yet its mention was left out for brevity and sufficiency in the indication of the answer upon it, and to signal that this matter is not one that should occur, thus requiring one to ask about it. Or it is said: The question occurred (about the new moons) only, and this is used either literally, mentioned for digression (as He mentioned the times of Hajj, and the mentioned act of theirs is also among their deeds, except for the five), or as an allusion that what is appropriate for their situation is to ask about the likes of this matter and not to busy themselves with what does not concern them about the matter of the new moons. Or it is by way of metaphorical analogy, that He has likened their state in asking about what does not concern them and leaving the important, to the state of one who left the door and came from other than the path, to warn them of their reversing the matter in this question. So the meaning is: "And it is not righteousness that you reverse your questions, but righteousness is he who fears" that, and does not resort to the like of it.

It is permitted that the conjunction is to His saying, Exalted is He: (They ask you), and the common thread between them is that the first is a saying that should not be, and the second is a deed that should not be, both having occurred from the Ansar, as some narrations recount.

(And enter houses from their doors)—for there is no righteousness in deviation—and proceed with matters from their faces. The sentence is a conjunction to (And it is not righteousness), either because it is in the interpretation of "and do not enter the houses from their backs" or because it is the saying [of the Prophet/the content of the revelation], and the conjunction of the initiate (insha') to the report (ikhbar) is permissible in what has a place in parsing, especially after a saying. Ibn Kathir and others read it with a kasrah on the ba' of al-buyut wherever it occurs. And fear Allah in changing His rulings, such as entering houses from their doors and asking about what does not concern one, and concerning the wisdoms and benefits deposited in His created things after knowing that He perfected everything, or in all your affairs (that you may succeed)—that is, so that you may attain the desired guidance and righteousness. For whoever fears Allah the Exalted, the springs of wisdom gush forth from his heart, and the subtleties of secrets are unveiled to him according to his piety.