187- IT IS PERMITTED FOR YOU ON THE NIGHT OF FASTING TO HAVE INTERCOURSE WITH YOUR WIVES, THEY ARE GARMENTS FOR YOU AND YOU ARE GARMENTS FOR THEM.  ALLAH KNOWS THAT YOU USED TO DECEIVE YOURSELVES, AND HE PARDONED AND FORGAVE YOU.  NOW APPROACH THEM AND SEEK WHAT ALLAH ORDAINED FOR YOU, AND EAT AND DRINK UNTIL THE BLACK THREAD IS CLEAR FROM THE WHITE THREAD FROM THE DAWN, THEN COMPLETE FASTING UNTIL THE NIGHT.  AND DO NOT APPROACH THEM SEXUALLY WHILE YOU ARE ON RETREAT IN THE MOSQUES.  THESE ARE ALLAH’S LIMITS, SO DO NOT TRANSGRESS THEM.  SUCH DOES ALLAH CLARIFIES HIS AYAHS TO MANKIND SO THAT YOU MAY BE PIOUS.

Before this Ayah was sent down, the rules concerning fasting stated that a Muslim could eat, drink and have intercourse after Iftar as long as they did not sleep.  Once they went to sleep after Iftar, they are on fast until next day sunset.  This was difficult for many Muslims to observe.

A man went to Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him telling him that he had intercourse with his wife after Iftar and after he has been to sleep.  Another Muslim, Omar Ibn El-Khatab went to Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him to tell him that after Iftar his wife went to sleep, but he wanted her and had intercourse with her, which he later felt guilty about and hence told Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him.

Allah the Highest knew that some of the Muslims deceive themselves, not deceiving Him.  No one can deceive Allah the Highest who knows every thing.  Yet Allah the Highest being Most Merciful and Forgiving, pardoned them and forgave them.  What is more, Allah the Highest removed the difficult conditions in fasting:

1-    Allowing the Muslim husband and wife to have intercourse from Iftar until dawn.

2-    Allowing the Muslim to eat and drink all the night of fasting until dawn. 

Allah the Highest knew what we can and can not bear.  He shows us that He can make worship difficult for us, but he chooses not to out of His Mercy.  We should not make it difficult for ourselves.

Allah the Highest speaks about a man and his wife describing each as a garment for the other.  This is a very meaningful analogy because:

1-    A garment covers the person’s body with all its faults.

2-    A garment protects and shields also provide warmth and comfort to the person.  

3-    A garment is the closest thing to the person and is felt all the time.

4-    A garment is personal and private.

5-    The garment provides pleasure, comfort, and beauty to the believer.

6-    The garment should be clean and pure.

These are also the characteristics of a good marital relationship.

As for the time of stopping eating it is the Dawn.  The white and black threads are the darkness of the night and the whiteness of the day.  Adi Ibn Hatem, Allah’s messenger companion said: “When this Ayah “ AND EAT AND DRINK UNTIL THE BLACK THREAD IS CLEAR FROM THE WHITE THREAD FROM THE DAWN” was sent down, I got two robes, one black and the other white, and I put them under my pillow.  I kept looking at them until I could distinguish the black from the white, then I stop eating and drinking.  In the morning, I went to Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him and told him what I did, he said: “It is the whiteness of the day and the blackness of the night”. (B: Sowm; 16 & M: Sayam; 33 & D: Sayam; 17 & N: Sayam; 29)

Sohour:

We should continue to eat and drink until dawn.  The late meal is called Sohour, which Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him encourage us to eat saying: “Eat Sohour, for there is blessing in Sohour”.  (B: Sowm; 20 & M: Sowm; 45 & T: Sowm; 17)

He prayer and peace upon him also said: “Eating Sohour is a blessing, so do not leave it, even if one of you drinks a sib of water, for Allah and His angels pray for those who eat Sohour”.  (A: 3; 12, 44)

Iftar:

Which is the mean we break our fast with at sunset.  The Sunah is to eat it soon after sunset.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “My nation shall be right as long as they hurry Iftar and delay Sohour”.  (A: 5; 147,172 6; 48,173 & N: Sayam; 23)

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him forbad us from continuing to fast after sunset, he said: “Do not continue fasting uninterrupted (by eating)”.  They said: “But you continue Allah’s messenger”.  He said: “I am like you; I am fed and watered by my Lord overnight”.  (B:Sowm;49 & M:Sayam;57 & T:Sowm;51 & Da:Sowm;14 & A:3;124)

The maximum one can continue fasting to be until dawn, and then his Iftar will be his Sohour.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Do not continue fasting, but if any of you wants to continue, he may continue until dawn”.  (B: Sowm; 50 & a: 3; 78)

As Allah the Highest allows us to eat, drink and have marital relations until dawn, then dawn might come before those who had marital relations had a chance to bath.  This does not stop them fasting, for this did not stop Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him from fasting.  Om Salama Allah’s messenger wife said: “Allah’s messenger used to rise in a state of Jonob (impurity from intercourse) not from wet dream, and he will bath and fast, and does not fast another day instead”.  (B: Sowm; 22, 25 & M: Taharah; 97 & T: Sowm; 62 & Ma: Sayam; 27)

Affectionate relations between husband and wife while fasting:

It is only right that we should not have such associations in the mosques, in Ramadan or any other month. 

Allah the Highest does not forbid every affectionate relationship between man and wife while fasting in Ramadan, provided it does not arouse the sexual desire.  Aisha Allah’s messenger wife reported: “Allah’s messenger used to kiss me while he was fasting, and who of you can control his desires as Allah’s messenger controls his desires”.  (B: Sowm; 23 & T: Sowm; 31 & M: Sayam; 62-71)

Omar Ibn Abi Salama, the son of Om Salama Allah’s messenger’s wife asked Allah’s messenger while in Om Salama’s house: “Can a fasting person kiss?”  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Ask her”.  She told him that Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him does that.  He said: “Allah’s messenger, but Allah has forgiven you your past and coming sins?”  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “By Allah, but I am the most pious and the one who fears Allah most of you” (M: Sayam; 74)

There is an occasion when Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him told a young man not to kiss while fasting and another when he told an older man he can kiss.  There is not contradiction, but I feel that the rule is still as long as it is arousing to sexual feelings.

These are Allah’s boundaries and limits.  Whoever transgresses over them is disobeying Allah, and this is the road to the Hell-Fire.  Instead of what, Allah’s Forgiveness and the Paradise, the reward for fasting.

B: Bukhari   M: Muslim    Mal: Malek   A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood     

 Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi