Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:203

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:203)

"And remember Allah during the specified days."

It is noted that when the Almighty mentioned what relates to the Sacred Monument (Al-Mash'ar al-Haram), He did not mention the stoning (of the Jamarat) for two reasons:

1. Familiarity: Stoning was a well-known practice among them, and they did not deny it. However, Allah commanded the remembrance of Allah during these days because they neglected this specific act.
2. Inference: Perhaps the stoning was not explicitly mentioned because the command to remember Allah during these days implies it, as it was part of the Sunnah to recite the Takbir (Allahu Akbar) upon throwing each pebble.

Then He said: "And remember Allah during the specified days (Ayyāmin Ma‘dūdāt)." In this phrase, there are several issues:

Allah the Almighty mentioned two types of days in the rituals of Hajj: Al-Ayyām al-Ma‘lūmāt (the Known Days) and Al-Ayyām al-Ma‘dūdāt (the Specified/Numbered Days).

• Here, He says: "And remember Allah during the specified days."
• In Surah Al-Hajj, He says: "That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on specified days [Ayyāmin Ma‘lūmāt]..." (22:28).

The view of Imam Shafi‘i (may Allah be pleased with him):

• Al-Ayyām al-Ma‘lūmāt are the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah, ending with the Day of Sacrifice (Yawm an-Nahr).
• Al-Ayyām al-Ma‘dūdāt are the three days following the Day of Sacrifice—the Days of Tashreeq (Ayyām at-Tashreeq).

Evidence for Al-Ayyām al-Ma‘dūdāt being the Days of Tashreeq:

1. Allah mentioned Al-Ayyām al-Ma‘dūdāt using the plural form of Ayyam (days), implying a minimum of three days.
2. Immediately following this, He said: "But whoever hastens in two days, there is no sin upon him, and whoever delays, there is no sin upon him." This implies that the option to hasten in two days is related to these Ma‘dūdāt days.
3. The Ummah is agreed that this ruling applies specifically to the days in Mina, which are the Days of Tashreeq. Therefore, we know that Al-Ayyām al-Ma‘dūdāt are the Days of Tashreeq.

Confirmation from Narration: Al-Qaffal supported this by citing a narration in his Tafsir from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Nu‘mān al-Daylami, stating that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) commanded a caller to announce: "Hajj is ‘Arafah. Whoever arrives on the night before the dawn has attained Hajj. The days of Mina are three days; whoever hastens in two days, there is no sin upon him, and whoever delays, there is no sin upon him." This indicates that Al-Ayyām al-Ma‘dūdāt are the Days of Tashreeq.

Definition of the Days of Tashreeq (according to Al-Wahidi): The Days of Tashreeq are three days after the Day of Sacrifice:

1. The Day of Departure (Yawm an-Nafar), which is the 11th of Dhu al-Hijjah, when people depart from Mina.
2. The First Day of Departure (Yawm an-Nafar al-Awwal), as some people depart on this day from Mina.
3. The Second Day of Departure (Yawm an-Nafar ath-Thānī).

These three days, along with the Day of Sacrifice, constitute the days of sacrifice and the days for throwing the pebbles (Jamarat). These four days, plus the Day of ‘Arafah, are the days for reciting the Takbir after prayers, as we will explain the differing views on this matter.

The intended remembrance in these days is:

1. Remembrance at the Jamarat: Reciting the Takbir with every pebble thrown.
2. Remembrance after Prayers: Reciting the Takbir after obligatory prayers.

The Ummah agrees on this, but they differ on the specific times/locations:

Location 1: Takbir after Prescribed Prayers

The Ummah agrees that the Takbir restricted to being after prayers is specific to Eid al-Adha. However, there is disagreement regarding its beginning and end times.

View 1: It begins with the Dhuhr prayer on the Day of Sacrifice and ends after the Fajr prayer on the last day of Tashreeq. This means Takbir is recited after fifteen prayers. This is the view of Ibn ‘Abbas and Ibn ‘Umar, and also Malik and Shafi‘i (in one of his opinions).

• Evidence: The command for these Takbir was revealed concerning the pilgrims (Hujjaj). Allah says: "Then remember Allah as you remember your fathers..." (2:200), followed by: "...And remember Allah during the specified days..." (2:203), which applies to the pilgrims. Therefore, the command applies to the pilgrims, and others follow them. The Dhuhr prayer is the first prayer the pilgrim performs Takbir after in Mina (as they recite the Talbiyah before that). The last prayer they perform in Mina is the Fajr prayer on the last day of Tashreeq. Thus, these Takbir must be restricted to this timeframe for non-pilgrims as well.

View 2 (Shafi‘i): It begins with the Maghrib prayer on the night preceding the Day of Sacrifice and ends after the Fajr prayer on the last day of Tashreeq. This results in Takbir after eighteen prayers.

View 3 (Shafi‘i, Alqamah, Al-Aswad, An-Nakha‘i, Abu Hanifah): It begins with the Fajr prayer on the Day of ‘Arafah and ends after the ‘Asr prayer on the Day of Sacrifice. This results in Takbir after eight prayers.

View 4 (The Majority of Companions and Scholars): It begins with the Fajr prayer on the Day of ‘Arafah and ends after the ‘Asr prayer on the last day of Tashreeq. This results in Takbir after twenty-three prayers. This is the view of major Companions like ‘Ali, ‘Umar, Ibn Mas‘ud, and Ibn ‘Abbas, and scholars like Ath-Thawri, Abu Yusuf, Muhammad, Ahmad, Ishaq, Al-Muzani, and Ibn Shurayh. This is the practice in most regions.

• Evidence for View 4:
  1. It is narrated from Jabir that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed Fajr on the Day of ‘Arafah, then turned to them and said: "Allahu Akbar," and extended the Takbir until the ‘Asr prayer on the last day of Tashreeq.
  2. The view of Abu Hanifah (View 3) takes the minimum number of days, whereas this view (View 4) takes the maximum, and maximizing the Takbir is preferable due to Allah’s saying: "And remember Allah with much remembrance" (33:41).
  3. This view is the most cautious; increasing the Takbir is better than decreasing it.
  4. Since these Takbir are attributed to the Days of Tashreeq, they must continue until the end of those days.

• Rebuttal to a potential objection: If one argues that since the Takbir is attributed to the Ma‘dūdāt days (Tashreeq), it should not be legislated on the Day of ‘Arafah:
  • Response: This would imply no Takbir on the Day of Sacrifice, which is contrary to consensus. Furthermore, since the majority of the period involves the Days of Tashreeq, it is valid to attribute the Takbir to them generally.

Location 2: The Manner of Takbir

Shafi‘i's view (and Malik's): It is recommended to say the Takbir three times consecutively (in sequence).

Abu Hanifah's and Ahmad's view: One should say it twice.

• Evidence for Three Times (Shafi‘i): It is narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr ibn ‘Amr ibn Hazm that he saw the Imams saying the Takbir three times after the prayer during the Days of Tashreeq. Also, since it is an increase in remembrance, it is preferable based on "And remember Allah with much remembrance."

Further elaboration by Shafi‘i: After the three Takbir, one should say: "Lā ilāha illallāh, wallāhu akbar, wa lillāhi al-hamd" (There is no god but Allah, and Allah is the greatest, and to Allah belongs all praise). Anything more than this remembrance is good.

Distinction between Takbir and Talbiyah: Regarding the Talbiyah, Shafi‘i preferred not to exceed the Prophet's (PBUH) recitation. The difference is that repetition is part of the Sunnah of the Talbiyah, so repetition is preferred over adding extra phrases. Here, the Takbir is only mentioned once, so adding to it is preferable to remaining silent.

Regarding the Takbir over the Pebbles (Jamarat): It is narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) used to say Takbir with every pebble, so this should be done.

This verse raises several questions:

Question 1: Why "Fa-man ta‘ajjala" (Whoever hastens) and not "Fa-man ‘ajjala" (Whoever speeds up)?

Answer (from Al-Kashshāf): The verbs ta‘ajjala and ista‘jalla can both mean "to hasten" (intransitive). They can also be transitive, e.g., ta‘ajjala al-dhahāb (he hastened the departure).

Question 2: The phrase "And whoever delays, there is no sin upon him" seems problematic.

If someone has completed all the necessary rites of Hajj, why is it stated that "there is no sin upon him"? This phrase is typically used for someone who has fallen short, not for someone who has completed the full duty.

Answers (Several views):

1. Removing Misconception: Since Allah permitted hastening as a concession (rukhsah), some might assume that those who do not follow this concession are sinful (like Abu Hanifah, who considered shortening prayers obligatory, making completion impermissible). Allah removed this doubt by stating there is no sin in either action: hasten according to the concession, or delay without sin.
2. Addressing Mutual Criticism: Some commentators say that some pilgrims would hasten while others would delay. Each group criticized the other—the latecomers viewed hastening as violating the Sunnah, and the early leavers viewed delaying as violating the Sunnah. Allah clarified that there is no fault in either group.
3. Defining the Limit: The removal of sin for the one who delays means for those who stay beyond the three days. It implies: the prescribed stay in Mina is three days; if one hastens in two days, there is no sin, and if one delays beyond the third day (into the fourth) without departing with the general populace, there is no sin upon him.
4. Exaggeration of Forgiveness: This statement is an emphasis on the Hajj being a cause for the removal of sins. It is like a physician telling someone who took an antidote: "If you take poison now, there is no harm; if you don't, there is no harm." The physician’s goal is to show the antidote is fully effective against harm, not that taking or not taking poison are equal actions. Similarly, the goal here is to emphasize that Hajj expiates all sins, not that hastening and delaying are equivalent in merit. This is supported by the Hadith: "Whoever performs Hajj without sexual misconduct or transgression, he emerges from his sins like the day his mother bore him."
5. Addressing the Status of Staying: Many scholars disliked residing near the Haram (staying long), arguing that proximity diminishes longing, whereas absence increases it. Given this, some might think the one who hastens (and returns to Mecca for Tawaf al-Ziyarah) is better than the one who stays in Mina. Allah clarified that there is no sin or blame in either choice.
6. Linguistic Parallelism (Al-Wahidi): The phrase "and whoever delays, there is no sin upon him" is used to match the structure of the first phrase, similar to "The recompense of a bad deed is a bad deed like it" (42:40). We know that the recompense for a bad deed is not inherently a bad deed itself. If the structure is maintained where the meaning is sound (removing sin from the delayed one), it is more appropriate to maintain it where the meaning is sound (removing sin from the hastened one).

Question 3: Does the verse indicate the obligation to stay in Mina after descending from Muzdalifah?

Answer: Yes, just as the verse "So when you pour forth from ‘Arafat..." (2:198) indicates the obligation to stand there, this verse implies the obligation to stay in Mina.

Scholarly Note on Hastening: The jurists state that hastening in two days is only permissible if one departs before sunset on the second day. If the sun sets on the second day before departure, one must wait until the third day, as the second day has passed. This is the view of Shafi‘i and many Successors. Abu Hanifah, however, permits departure until the dawn of the third day, as the time for stoning has not yet begun.

This phrase has several interpretations:

1. Future Conduct: The pilgrim returns forgiven on the condition that he fears Allah in the remainder of his life and does not commit acts deserving punishment. This serves as a warning against relying solely on past Hajj deeds; one must maintain piety afterward.
2. Past Piety: This forgiveness is only attained by one who was pious before the Hajj, as Allah says: "Allah only accepts from those who are righteous" (5:27). A persistent sinner benefits nothing from Hajj, even if he performed the outward obligations.
3. Piety During Hajj: This forgiveness is attained by one who was pious regarding all prohibitions while performing the Hajj, as indicated by the Hadith: "Whoever performs Hajj without sexual misconduct or transgression..."

The first view (future conduct) emphasizes the present requirement, but in reality, all three aspects are necessary.

A Weak Interpretation: Some commentators suggest li-man ittaqā refers to avoiding prohibitions during the Hajj, such as hunting game. This is weak because:

1. It restricts an absolute term without evidence.
2. It doesn't fit the context of the days mentioned. For instance, after the first stage of exiting the state of Ihram (by stoning, circumambulating, and shaving on the Day of Sacrifice), the obligation to avoid hunting is only related to the Haram area, not the state of Ihram itself. Since the wording implies piety during these days, this interpretation fails.

This is a command for the future, contrasting with "for those who are righteous" (which refers to the past/present state). Thus, it is not a repetition. Piety (Taqwa) means fulfilling obligations and abandoning prohibitions.

This serves as an emphasis and encouragement for strict adherence to piety. When one realizes that gathering, accountability, and judgment are inevitable—and the afterlife is only Paradise or Hellfire—this becomes the strongest incentive for righteousness.

The Gathering (Hashr): This term covers the entire process from emerging from graves until reaching the final station, as their presence there is not complete without all these stages.

"To Him": This signifies that He alone is the Owner, the only refuge, and no one can repel judgment from oneself, as stated: "On the Day when no soul will have power to do anything for another soul, and the command that Day will be for Allah" (82:19).

Verses 262–265 (Start of the next section)

"And among the people are those whose talk about the worldly life impresses you, and he calls Allah to witness what is in his heart, yet he is the fiercest of opponents. And when he turns away, he strives throughout the land to cause corruption therein and destroy crops and cattle. And Allah does not love corruption. And when it is said to him, 'Fear Allah,' pride takes him to sin. Sufficient for him is Hell, and wretched is the resting place."