Tafsir of Al-A'raf 7:31

(O Children of Adam, take your adornment)—meaning your garments, for the covering of your private parts. This is because what is understood from the command is obligation, and what is obligatory is the covering of the private parts at every masjid—meaning every circumambulation (tawaf) or prayer. Mujahid, Abu al-Shaykh, and others held this view.

The reason for the revelation, as narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), is that there were people from the Bedouins who would circumambulate the House (the Kaaba) naked, to the extent that a woman would circumambulate the House while naked, hanging straps over her private parts—like those straps found on the faces of donkeys to ward off flies—saying: "Today, some or all of it is exposed; and whatever of it is revealed, I do not deem it lawful." Then Allah (the Exalted) revealed this verse.

Some have interpreted "adornment" as clothing for beautification, as that is what primarily comes to mind, and this is attributed to al-Baqir (may Allah be pleased with him). It is narrated from al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) that when he stood for prayer, he would wear his finest garments. He was asked: "O son of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah be pleased with him), why do you wear your finest clothes?" He replied: "Allah is Beautiful and loves beauty, so I beautify myself for my Lord, and He says: 'Take your adornment at every masjid.' Therefore, I love to wear my finest garments." It is not hidden that the command in this case is not taken as an obligation, for it is clear that such adornment is recommended (sunnah), not obligatory. It has been said that the verse, according to the first interpretation, points to the recommendation of beautification, because when it indicated the obligation of taking adornment to cover the private parts, it was understood from it, in general, that it is good to beautify oneself by wearing what possesses goodness and beauty.

It is attributed to al-Sadiq (may Allah be pleased with him) that taking adornment means combing, as if to say: "Comb yourselves at every prayer." Perhaps this is by way of limiting it to some forms of adornment, and it is not intended to restrict it to what was mentioned. Similar to this is what Ibn ‘Adi and Ibn Marduyah extracted from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Take the adornment of prayer." They asked: "And what is the adornment of prayer?" He replied: "Wear your sandals and pray in them." Ibn ‘Asakir and others also extracted from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with him) said, regarding His saying (the Exalted): "Take your adornment," etc.: "Pray in your sandals."

(And eat and drink [from what is good for you])—Al-Kalbi said: "The people of the pre-Islamic era would not eat of food except for survival, and they would not eat fats during the days of their pilgrimage. So the Muslims said: 'O Messenger of Allah, we are more entitled to that,' and Allah (the Exalted) revealed the verse." From this, the reason for mentioning eating and drinking here becomes clear.

(And do not commit excess)—[meaning] by declaring the lawful as prohibited, as is appropriate to the reason for revelation; or by transgressing into the forbidden, as narrated from Ibn Zayd; or by indulgence in food and greed, as held by many. Abu Nu'aym extracted from Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "Beware of gluttony in food and drink, for it is corrupting to the body, a generator of disease, and makes one lazy for prayer. Adhere to moderation in them, for it is more wholesome for the body and further from excess. Verily, Allah (the Exalted) hates the fat scholar, and a man will not perish until he prioritizes his desires over his religion."

It is said that the intent is excess and overstepping the limit in a way that is broader than what was mentioned, including a person eating whenever they desire, and eating twice a day. Ibn Majah and al-Bayhaqi extracted from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "It is indeed an excess that you eat everything you crave." The latter also extracted (and weakened) from Aisha: She said: "The Prophet (may Allah be pleased with him) saw me eating twice in a day, and said: 'O Aisha, do you not like to have any occupation other than your belly? Eating twice a day is a form of excess.'" In my view, this varies according to individuals. It is not unlikely that what was mentioned as indulgence in food—and counting among it the cooking of food with rose water and adding musk, for instance, without any need other than desire—is included.

Some have held that the prohibited excess also extends to clothing. This is narrated from ‘Ikrimah. Ibn Abi Shaybah and others extracted from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: "Eat what you wish and wear what you wish, provided two things do not befall you: excess and arrogance." Al-Bukhari also narrated it from him as a hanging report (ta’liq). This does not contradict what al-Tha’alibi and other litterateurs have mentioned: that a person should eat what they desire and wear what people desire, as it is said: "I advised him a piece of advice spoken by the intelligent: Eat what you desire, and wear what people desire." This is because refraining from what is not customary among people is disliked, and this refers to the permissibility of all that they are accustomed to.

In Al-‘Aja’ib by al-Kirmani, it is stated that a Christian physician said to Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Waqid: "There is nothing of medical science in your book, and knowledge is two kinds: the science of bodies and the science of religions." He replied: "Allah has gathered all of medicine in half a verse of His Book." He asked: "And what is it?" He said: "(Eat and drink, and do not commit excess)." The Christian then asked: "Does your Messenger not mention anything regarding medicine?" He said: "Our Messenger (may Allah be pleased with him) summarized medicine in a few words." He asked: "And what are they?" He said: "His saying (may Allah be pleased with him): 'The stomach is the house of illness, and abstinence is the head of all medicine; and give the body what you have accustomed it to.'" The Christian said: "Your Book and your Prophet have left no medicine for Galen." What he attributed to the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with him) is from the words of al-Harith ibn Kalada, the physician of the Arabs, and it is not correct to attribute it to the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with him). In Al-Ihya’, it is attributed (as a marfu’ report): "Gluttony is the source of all illness, and abstinence is the source of all medicine; and accustom the body to what it is used to." Al-Iraqi followed it up by saying: "I found no basis for it."

In Shu’ab al-Iman by al-Bayhaqi and Laqt al-Manafi’ by Ibn al-Jawzi, it is narrated from Abu Hurairah, also as a marfu’ report: "The stomach is the reservoir of the body, and the veins flow into it; so if the stomach is sound, the veins become sound, and if the stomach is corrupt, the veins become diseased." Al-Daraqutni followed it up, saying: "We do not know this as being from the words of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with him); rather, it is from the words of ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Sa’id ibn Abhar." In Al-Durr al-Manthur, Muhammad ibn al-Khallal extracted from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with him) entered upon her while she was complaining (of illness) and said to her: "O Aisha, adhere to abstinence; the stomach is the house of illnesses, and accustom the body to what it is used to." I have not seen anyone follow this up. Indeed, I saw in Al-Nihayah by Ibn al-Athir: Amr asked al-Harith ibn Kalada: "What is the medicine?" He replied: "Abstinence—meaning hamiyyah (dieting/avoiding harmful things)—and holding the teeth together (fasting/refraining)." Yes, the authentic hadiths are consistent in condemning satiation and excessive eating, and in that is guidance for the nation toward all wisdom.

(Indeed, He does not love the transgressors)—rather, He hates them and is not pleased with their actions. The sentence is in the place of providing a reason for the prohibition. This verse, as it is said, has gathered the foundations of the rulings: command, permissibility, prohibition, and information.