POSTED JULY 16, 2012.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

THE MONTH OF RAMADAN

SURA AL BAQARA VERSE 185

EXPLANATION FROM TAFSIR JALALAYN

AND TAFSIR AL QURTUBI

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{ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِيۤ أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضاً أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلاَ يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُواْ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُواْ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ }

FROM TAFSIR JALALAYN

{ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الذى أُنزِلَ فِيهِ القرآن } من اللوح المحفوظ إلى السماء الدنيا في ليلة القدر ، منه { هُدًى } حال هادياً من الضلالة { لّلنَّاسِ وبينات } آيات واضحات { مِنَ الهدى } مما يهدي إلى الحق من الأحكام { وَ } من { الفرقان } مما يفرق بين الحق والباطل { فَمَن شَهِدَ } حضر { مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ على سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ } تقدّم مثله وكرر لئلا يتوهم نسخه بتعميم ( من شهد ) { يُرِيدُ الله بِكُمُ اليسر وَلاَ يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ العسر } ولذا أباح لكم الفطر في المرض والسفر ولكون ذلك في معنى العلة أيضا للأمر بالصوم عطف عليه { وَلِتُكْمِلُواْ } بالتخفيف والتشديد [ ولتكمِّلوا ] { العدة } أي عدّة صوم رمضان { وَلِتُكَبّرُواْ الله } عند إكمالها { على مَا هداكم } أرشدكم لمعالم دينه { وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ } الله على ذلك .

These days of, the month of Ramadān, wherein the Qur’ān was revealed, from the Preserved Tablet to the earthly heaven on the Night of Ordainment [laylat al-qadr] from Him, a guidance (hudan, ‘a guidance’, is a circumstantial qualifier), guiding away from error, for the people, and as clear proofs, lucid verses, of the Guidance, the rulings that guide to truth, and, of, the Criterion, that discriminates between truth and falsehood; So let those of you, who are present at the month, fast it and if any of you be sick, or if he be on a journey, then a number of other days (this [concession] has already been mentioned, but it is repeated here to avoid the mistaken impression that it has been abrogated by the comprehensive implication of man shahida, ‘who are present’). God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship for you, and for this reason He has permitted you the breaking of the fast during illness or travel, [this ease being] the very reason He has commanded you to fast; He supplements [the previous statement with]: and that you fulfil (read tukmilū or tukammilū) the number, of the fasting days of Ramadān, and magnify God, when you have completed them, for having guided you, for having directed you to the principal rites of His religion, and that you might be thankful, to God for this.

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Tafsir al-Jalalayn, trans. Feras Hamza

www.altafsir.com

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FROM TAFSIR ALQURTUBI

 تفسير الجامع لاحكام القرآن/ القرطبي (ت 671 هـ) مصنف و مدقق 
قوله تعالى: { شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ } قال أهل التاريخ: أوّل من صام رمضان نوح عليه السلام لما خرج من السفينة، وقد تقدّم قول مجاهد: كتب الله رمضان على كل أمة، ومعلوم أنه كان قبل نوح أمم؛ والله أعلم. والشهر مشتق من الإشهار لأنه مشتهر لا يتعذّر علمه على أحد يريده؛ ومنه يقال: شهرت السيف إذا سللته. ورمضانُ مأخوذ من رَمضَ الصائمُ يَرْمَضُ إذا حَرّ جوفُه من شدّة العطش. والرَّمضاء (ممدودة): شدّة الحر؛ ومنه الحديث:" صلاة الأوّابين إذا رَمِضت الفِصَال " خرّجه مسلم. ورَمَضُ الفِصَالِ أن تَحرِق الرَّمْضَاءُ أخفافَها فتُبرك من شدّة حرّها. فرمضانُ ـ فيما ذكروا ـ وافق شدّة الحرّ؛ فهو مأخوذ من الرَّمْضَاء. قال الجوهري: وشهر رمضان يُجمع على رَمَضانات وأرمِضاء؛ يقال إنهم لما نقلوا أسماء الشهور عن اللغة القديمة سَمّوْها بالأزمنة التي وقعت فيها، فوافق هذا الشهر أيام رَمَضِ الحرّ فسُمّيَ بذلك. وقيل: إنما سُمِّي رمضان لأنه يرمض الذنوب أي يحرقها بالأعمال الصالحة، من الإرماض وهو الإحراق؛ ومنه رَمِضَت قَدَمُه من الرَّمْضاء أي ٱحترقت. وأرْمَضَتْني الرمضاء أي أحرقتني؛ ومنه قيل: أرْمَضَنِي الأمر. وقيل: لأن القلوب تأخذ فيه من حرارة الموعظة والفكرة في أمر الآخرة كما يأخذ الرمل والحجارة من حرّ الشمس. والرمضاء: الحجارة المُحْمَاة. وقيل: هو من رَمَضْتُ النّصل أَرْمِضُه وأَرْمُضُه رَمْضاً إذا دَقَقْته بين حجرين لَيرِقّ. ومنه نَصْل رميض ومرموض ـ عن ٱبن السِّكِّيت ـ؛ وسُمّي الشهر به لأنهم كانوا يرمضون أسلحتهم في رمضان ليحاربوا بها في شوّال قبل دخول الأشهر الحُرُم.

Allah’s statement: The month of Ramadan. The historians state that the first person to fast in the month of Ramadan was Prophet Noah, peace be upon him, when he came out of his ship. And the statement of Mujahid (a student of Abdullah ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and a famous commentator of the Holy Quran) has been mentioned already that Allah prescribed (the fasting during) the month of Ramadan on every community, and it is well established that there were nations before Prophet Noah, peace be upon him. And Allah knows the best.

The word الشهر is derived from الاشهار (publicity) because it is well known and is knowledge is available to everyone who seeks it. And when the sword is drawn it is called to be شهرت.

The word Ramadan is adopted from رمض. The person who fasts feels the heat in his stomach from the severity of thirst. And الرمضاء (extended) means the severity of heat as is mentioned in the hadith that the prayers of Awwabeen are to be offered when the young camel’s hoofs feel the heat, as reported by Imam Muslim.

From what the scholars have reported the word Ramadan is synonamous with the severity of the heat.

Al Jawhari said that the plurals of Ramadan are رمضانات and ارمضاء.

When the people reported the well-known names (of the months) from their ancient language, they named them according to the times when they happened. The month of Ramadan happened to occur during the hot weather.

It is also mentioned that it was so named because it burns the sins by virtue of doing good deeds.

The word ارماض means burning just like in saying that his feet have been burnt, and it burnt me.

And it is also mentioned that such and such matter has burnt me. The hearts are receptive to the warmth of admonition and concern about the matters of the Hereafter just like the sand and the stones are receptive to the heat of the sun.

The word الرمضاء applies to burning stones.

This word is also used for making the blade or arrow head thin as by crushing it between two stones.

Ibn Sukait mentioned that the month of Ramadan was so names because the people used to sharpen their weapons during the month of Ramadan to get ready for war in the following month of Shawwal before the beginning of the forbidden months (the months during which fighting was prohibited even before the advent of Islam.)