Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:189

It is narrated that Mu'adh ibn Jabal and Tha'labah ibn Ghanm al-Ansari said: "O Messenger of Allah, why does the new moon appear thin like a thread, then increase until it becomes full and level, then continue to decrease until it returns to how it began, never remaining in one state?" Then this was revealed:

"Mawaqit (Times/Fixed points)" They are markers by which people determine the times for their farming, their trade, the due dates of their debts, their fasting and breaking of the fast, the counting of their wives' periods, the duration of their pregnancies, and other such matters. They are also markers for the Hajj, by which its time is known.

Some of the Ansar, when they entered the state of Ihram, would not enter a garden, a house, or a tent through the door. If they were city-dwellers, they would dig a hole in the back of their house to enter and exit through, or they would set up a ladder to climb over. If they were desert-dwellers, they would exit from behind the tent. It was said to them:

"And righteousness is not..." ...in your avoidance of entering through the door.

"But righteousness is..." ...the righteousness of...

"He who fears (Allah)..." ...what Allah has forbidden.

If you ask: What is the connection of this to what preceded it? I say: It is as if, when they asked about the new moons and the wisdom behind their waning and waxing, it was said to them: "Know that everything Allah Almighty does is nothing but profound wisdom and benefit for His servants. So, leave off questioning about it, and look instead at a practice you yourselves perform which is not righteousness at all, yet you consider it righteousness."

It is also possible that this is mentioned by way of digression, because it was mentioned that they (the moons) are markers for Hajj, and this was one of their practices during Hajj.

It is also possible that this is a parable for their inversion in their questioning; their likeness in this is like one who leaves the door of a house and enters it from the back.

The meaning is: Righteousness—and what you ought to be upon—is not to invert your affairs, but rather, righteousness is the righteousness of one who fears that and avoids it, and does not dare to do the like of it.

Then He said: "And enter houses from their doors." Meaning: Approach matters from the aspects through which they ought to be approached, and do not invert them.

The intent is the obligation to settle the soul and bind the heart to the belief that all of Allah’s actions are wisdom and correctness, without the flickering of a doubt or the objection of suspicion, so that one does not question them, for in such questioning lies the accusation of harboring doubt.

"He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned." (Al-Anbiya: 23)