Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:222

"Al-Mahid" (Menstruation): A verbal noun (masdar). It is said: hadat mahidan, just as you say ja’a maji’an (he came a coming) and bata mabitan (he spent the night a night-spending).

"Say, it is harm": Meaning, menstruation is something repulsive; it harms those who approach it due to aversion and dislike.

"So keep away from women": Meaning, avoid them—specifically, avoid sexual intercourse with them. It is narrated that the people of the Pre-Islamic era (Jahiliyyah), when a woman menstruated, would not eat with her, drink with her, sit with her on a mat, or live with her in a house, similar to the practice of the Jews and the Magians. When this verse was revealed, the Muslims took the command to "keep away" literally and expelled them from their homes. Some Bedouins said, "O Messenger of Allah, the cold is severe and clothing is scarce. If we give them the clothing, the rest of the household perishes, and if we keep it, the menstruating women perish." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "You were only commanded to avoid sexual intercourse with them when they menstruate; you were not commanded to expel them from their homes as the non-Arabs do."

It is said that the Christians would have intercourse with them regardless of menstruation, while the Jews would avoid them in everything. Allah commanded a middle path between the two. There is a disagreement among jurists regarding this avoidance: Abu Hanifah and Abu Yusuf mandate avoiding everything covered by the loincloth (izar), while Muhammad ibn al-Hasan mandates only avoiding the private parts. Muhammad narrated the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that Abdullah ibn Umar asked her if a man may have intimacy with his wife while she is menstruating, and she replied: "Let her tie her loincloth tightly around her lower part, then he may have intimacy with her if he wishes."

Zayd ibn Aslam narrated that a man asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), "What is lawful for me from my wife while she is menstruating?" He replied: "Let her tie her loincloth tightly, then you have your way with her upper part." This is the position of Abu Hanifah.

There is an even more lenient report from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: "Avoid the place of blood, and he may have what is besides that."

"Until they are pure (yathurna)" Read with a shaddah (emphasis), meaning: until they perform ritual purification (tatahhur), as evidenced by the phrase: "And when they have purified themselves (tataharna)." Abdullah read it as hatta yat-hurna and yat-hurna with a light ha (no shaddah). Tatahhur is the ritual bath (ghusl), while tuhr is the cessation of menstrual blood.

Both readings must be acted upon. Abu Hanifah held that a man may approach her during the longest period of menstruation after the blood ceases, even if she has not yet bathed. In the shortest period, he may not approach her until she bathes or the time for a prayer passes. Al-Shafi'i held that he may not approach her until she is both pure (blood stops) and has purified herself (bathed), combining both requirements. This is a clear position, supported by the phrase: "And when they have purified themselves."

"From where Allah has commanded you": From the place of entry that Allah has commanded you and made lawful for you, which is the vagina.

"Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant": For what might occur from them regarding the commission of what they were forbidden from in this regard.

"And He loves those who purify themselves": Those who keep themselves away from indecencies. Or, Allah loves those who repent—those who purify themselves through the purity of repentance from every sin—and He loves those who purify themselves from all filth, such as intercourse with a menstruating woman, or with a pure woman before the ritual bath, or engaging in what is not permitted, and so on.

"Your wives are a tilth for you": Places of cultivation for you. This is a metaphor; He likened them to fields, comparing the sperm placed in their wombs—from which offspring come—to seeds.

"So come to your tilth however you wish": A parable. Meaning: approach them as you approach your lands that you intend to cultivate, from whichever direction you wish. No direction is forbidden to you over another. The meaning is: have intercourse with them from whichever side you desire, provided the place of entry is one—the place of cultivation.

The verses "It is harm, so keep away from women," "From where Allah has commanded you," and "So come to your tilth however you wish" are among the subtle metaphors and elegant allusions. These and their likes in the Speech of Allah are refined manners that believers should learn, adopt, and strive to emulate in their own conversations and correspondence.

It is narrated that the Jews used to say, "If a man has intercourse with his wife from behind in her front, the child will be cross-eyed." This was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and he said: "The Jews have lied." Then this verse was revealed.

"And put forth [good] for yourselves": That which must be put forth of righteous deeds, which is the opposite of what you were forbidden from. It is also said: it means seeking children, or saying the name of Allah (Bismillah) before intercourse.

"And fear Allah": Do not be bold in committing what is forbidden.

"And know that you will meet Him": So provide yourselves with that which will not cause you disgrace.

"And give good tidings to the believers": Those who deserve praise and honor for abandoning the ugly and performing the good.

If you ask: What is the position of the statement "Your wives are a tilth for you" in relation to what precedes it? I say: Its position is that of an explanation and clarification for the statement: "So come to them from where Allah has commanded you." It means that the place of entry Allah commanded you to use is the place of cultivation. It is a translation and interpretation of it, or a removal of doubt, indicating that the primary purpose of the act is to seek offspring, not to satisfy desire. Therefore, do not approach them except from the place of entry to which this purpose relates.

If you ask: Why does "They ask you" appear without the conjunction "and" (wa) three times, and then with the conjunction three times? I say: Their questions about those first incidents occurred at separate times, so the conjunction was not used because each question was a new, independent inquiry. They asked about the other incidents at one time, so the conjunction was used for that reason. It is as if it were said: "They are gathering for you the question about wine and gambling, the question about spending, and the question about such and such."