Tafsir Surat Al Baqarah 183: "Fasting Reaching Piety"

The month of Ramadan is the month of the Qur'an. Supposedly in this Qur'an Muslims tighten their belts and sticking gas to be excited to read and reflect on the content of the Qur'an Al Karim. Yes, contemplation Koran should get a large portion of the activities of Muslims in this holy month. Considering this is only the Muslims can restore the role of the Qur'an as a guide to life and guide to the right path.

شهر رمضان الذي أنزل فيه القرآن هدى للناس وبينات من الهدى والفرقان

"The month of Ramadan is the month of the revelation of the Qur'an. Al Quran is a guidance for mankind and the explanations of the clues and the difference (between the right and a false) "(Surat al-Baqara: 185)

This noble effort can be started from a verse that is often read, echoed, even memorized by the Muslims, ie surah Al Baqarah verse 183, which deals with fasting. The noble verse reads:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا كتب عليكم الصيام كما كتب على الذين من قبلكم لعلكم تتقون

"O ye who believe, fasting is obligatory upon you as required above those before you that ye may fear Allah" (Surat al-Baqara: 183)

This paragraph contains a lot of valuable lessons related to fasting. Let's peel deep wisdom behind this noble verse.

يا أيها الذين آمنوا

"O ye who believe!"

Of lafadz is known that this verse madaniyyah or lowered in Medina (after hijrah, pen), whereas that begins with the fateful ayyuhan yaa, yaa sons or adam, is the verse revealed in Makkah makkiyyah or [1].

Imam Tabari stated that the purpose of this verse is: "O those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, and pledged his faith to justify both to them" [2]. Ibn Kathir interprets this verse: "Allah Almighty's Word is addressed to those who believe from the human race, and this is the command for fasting" [3].

From this verse we see clearly the link between fasting with one's faith. Allah Ta'ala commanded fasting to those who have faith, thus Allah Ta'ala had just received the fasting of the souls who are of faith in it. And fasting is also a sign of the perfection of one's faith.

Then, what is faith?

Language of faith means to believe or justify. As in the verse of the Qur'an:

وما أنت بمؤمن لنا ولو كنا صادقين

"And you're never going to believe us, even if we are the right people" (Surah Yusuf: 17)

Rasulullah SAW Shallallahu'alaihi clearly explain the meaning of faith in a hadith:

الإيمان أن تؤمن بالله وملائكته وكتبه ورسله واليوم الآخر وتؤمن بالقدر خيره وشره

"Faith is the God you believe in, believe in His angels, believe in His Books, His Apostles believe, believe in the Day of Judgment, and Qadr qadha faith, both good and bad" [4]

Thus the six points that should be owned by people who claim to believe. So people are reluctant to offer worship to God alone, or worshiping other gods besides Allah, his faith is unquestionable perfection. People are reluctant mengimana Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah or leave Sunnah, worship invent tuntunkan he does not, his faith is unquestionable perfection. People who do not believe in the existence of angels, do not believe the coming apocalypse, do not believe in fate, faith is unquestionable perfection.

But do you think that faith is simply believing in the heart. Imam ash-Shafi'i explains:

وكان الإجماع من الصحابة والتابعين من بعدهم ممن أدركناهم أن الإيمان قول وعمل ونية, لا يجزئ واحد من الثلاثة بالآخر

"To my knowledge, has become the consensus of the Companions and the tabi'in that faith in the form of words, actions, and intentions (heart action), do not reduce any one of these three things" [5].

Thus can not be justified people who claim to have faith but are reluctant to perform prayers, reluctant to pay zakat, and other outward deeds-deeds. Or a woman who said "Although I do not veiled, veiled my heart that is important". If the true faith, of the heart of the 'veil' will be shown as well as outward, which wears the hijab and Muslim dress properly. Hence also, the outward practice of fasting as a consequence of faith.

كتب عليكم الصيام

"It is incumbent upon you to fast"

Al Qurtubi interprets this verse: "As Allah Ta'ala has mentioned the necessity of Qisas and a testament to the people who mukallaf the previous verse, Allah Almighty also mentioned the obligation of fasting and require it to them. There is no disagreement about the necessity of "[6].

But know, in the early development of Islam, fasting is only recommended but not required. As indicated by the verse:

فمن كان منكم مريضا أو على سفر فعدة من أيام أخر وعلى الذين يطيقونه فدية طعام مسكين فمن تطوع خيرا فهو خير له وأن تصوموا خير لكم إن كنتم تعلمون

"So whoever among you is ill or on a journey (then he break), then (subject needs to be fast for him) as much as the day it left the other days. And mandatory for the people who run heavy (if they are not fasting) pay fidyah, (namely): to feed a poor person. Whoever did the service with great eagerness (fasting), then that is better for him. And fasting is better for you if ye only knew "(Surat al-Baqara: 184)

Ibn Kathir explains at length about this issue, then he stated: "In conclusion, the elimination of the law (advocate fasting) is true for people who are on the go and a healthy body, which is the mandatory fasting by paragraph:

فمن شهد منكم الشهر فليصمه

'Whoever among you is present in the month (of Ramadan), it is obligatory for him fasting' (Surat al-Baqarah: 185) "[7].

Bertahapnya compulsory fasting is progressing according to the condition when the Aqeedah of Muslims. Shaikh Ali Hasan Al-Halabi-Hafizhahullah stated: "The obligation of fasting was delayed until the second year of Hijra, when the Companions had been steady in tawheed and to glorify the greatness of Islam. The legal transfer done gradually. Because initially they were given the option to fast or not, but still recommended "[8].

Of this there is a valuable teaching for us, that the obedience of a servant to his Lord is directly proportional to the extent to which he applied monotheism.

كما كتب على الذين من قبلكم

"As is obligatory upon those before you"

Imam Al-Alusi in his commentary explains: "What is meant by 'the people before you' are the Prophets since the time of Prophet Adam 'Alaihissalam until now, as indicated by the generality isim maushul. According to Ibn Abbas and Mujahid, who referred to here is the People of the Book. According to Al Hasan, Suddi As, and As sya'bi in question is the Christians.

This verse shows the emphasis of law, pep, and reassure the other person (ie humans). Because it's a difficult case if it is a common thing many people do, would be a matter of course.

The permisalan fasting Ummah of Muhammad with people before, namely in the form of equally obligatory, or at execution time, or the same levels "[9].

Some history states that the fasting people before the people of Muhammad are disyariatkannya fasting three days each month, as explained by Ibn Kathir in his commentary: "There is a history of Muadh Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn 'Abbas, Atha', Qatadah, Ad Dhahak bin Mazahim, which states that fasting is only required during the first three days of each month, then it was abrogated by in-disyariatkannya Ramadan fasting. In addition there is a history that the obligation of fasting three days each month has existed since the days of Noah until finally in-abrogated by Allah Ta'ala with Ramadan fasting "[10].

لعلكم تتقون

"So you fear Him"

La'alla says in the Qur'an has several meanings, including ta'lil (reason) and tarajji 'Indal mukhathab (expectations of the people to talk to). With ta'lil meaning, we can interpret that the reason fasting is mandatory in order to achieve the degree of the fasting person piety. With tarajji meaning, we can interpret that the fasting person fast forward through it can be a pious [11].

Imam At-Tabari interprets this verse: "The point is that you fear Him (keep away) from eating, drinking and berjima 'with a woman when fasting" [12].

Imam Al Baghawi expand the interpretation of the explanation: "I mean, hopefully you guys pious because fasting causes. Because fasting is taqwa wasilah heading. Because fasting can subdue and defeat lust lust. Most commentators also stated, that is: so that you guard against lust that comes from food, drink and jima "[13].

In Jalalain described it succinctly: "It means that you are devoted from sin. Because fasting can beat lust which is the source of immorality "[14].

The question is now, whether it is taqwa?

In Arabic, taqwa comes from ficil ittaqa-yattaqi, which means cautious, wary, afraid. Immoral pious intention of alert and fear fall into sin. But the term, the definition of the most beautiful taqwa is expressed by Habib Bin Thalq Al'Anazi:

العمل بطاعة الله, على نور من الله, رجاء ثواب الله, وترك معاصي الله, على نور من الله, مخافة عذاب الله

"Taqwa is to practice obedience to God by the light of God (the argument), hoping for Allah's forgiveness, leaving sinners with God's light (the argument), and fear of the wrath of God" [15].

Such is the nature of those who fear Him. Pious worship, bermuamalah, hanging out, doing good as he remembered the proposition that promises rewards from Allah Ta'ala, not on the bandwagon, traditions, blind imitation, or worldly orientation. Likewise pious people always fear doing things forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, because he remembered the argument that threatens to torment terrible. From here we know that faith can not be achieved without having the light of God, which is the science of the arguments of the Qur'an and Sunnah Shallallahu'alaihi Wasallam. If a person meets these criteria, it is worth it to be a noble servant at his side:

إن أكرمكم عند الله أتقاكم

"Verily the most honored in the sight of Allah is the most pious among you" (Surat al-Hujurat: 13)

After knowing the meaning of taqwa, check out the following beautiful explanation of Shaykh Abdurrahman ibn Nasir As Sa'di rahimahullah in his commentary, about the relationship between fasting with devotion: "Fasting is one of the biggest reasons to the faith. Because the fasting person has carried out the orders of Allah and stay away from the ban. In addition, the broader relationship between fasting and devotion:

People who abstain from fasting is forbidden by God in the form of eating, drinking Jima 'and semisalnya. Though the human soul has a tendency to all that. He left all for the sake of getting closer to God, and hope for reward from Him. It's all a form of piety '
Fasting person trained himself to draw closer to God, to stay away from things that are favored by the lust, when in fact he was able to eat, drink or berjima unnoticed, but he left knowing that God is watching
Fasting was narrowed motion demon in the human blood stream, thus weakening the influence of Satan. Consequently immoral can be reduced
Fasting in general it can reproduce obedience to God, and this is a pious nature
By fasting, the rich feel the pangs of hunger. So he will be more concerned to people who lack Faqir. And this is also a pious nature "[16]

Hopefully we can be a witness fasting before God on our faith in Him. And may our fasting leads us to the degree of piety, a noble servant of Allah Ta'ala.

Author: Julian Purnama

Www.muslim.or.id article
[1] See Al Itqan fi Ulumil Qur'an by Imam As Suyuti, 55

[2] Jami 'Al Bayan FII Ta'wiil Qur'an, 3/409

[3] Tafsir Al Quran Azhim Libni Katheer, 1/497

[4] HR. Muslim 102, 108

[5] Sharh Usul I'tiqad Ahlis Sunnah, 4/149

[6] Al-Jami 'Li Ahkam Al-Qur'an, 2/272

[7] Tafsir Al Quran Azhim Libni Katheer, 1/500

[8] Shifatu Shaumin FII Prophet Ramadan, 1/21

[9] Ruuhul Ma'ani FII Tafsiir Qu'ran Al Azhim, 2/121

[10] Tafsir Al Quran Azhim Libni Katheer, 1/497

[11] See the work of the Ad Durr Al Masun As Samin Al Halabi case 138, and Al Itqan FII Ulumil As Suyuti thing Qur'an by 504

[12] Jami 'Al Bayan FII Ta'wiil Qur'an, 3/413

[13] At Tanziil Ma'alim, 1/196

[14] Tafsir Al Jalalain, 1/189

[15] Siyar A'lamin Nubala, 8/175

[16] Taisir Kariimir Rahman, 1/86


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