البقرة
The Cow
Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
faman baddalahu baʿdamā samiʿahu fa-innamā ith'muhu ʿalā alladhīna yubaddilūnahu inna al-laha sami'un alimun
Then whoever alters it [i.e., the bequest] after he has heard it - the sin is only upon those who have altered it. Indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.
faman khāfa min mūṣin janafan aw ith'man fa-aṣlaḥa baynahum falā ith'ma ʿalayhi inna l-laha ghafūrun raḥīmun
But if one fears from the bequeather [some] error or sin and corrects that which is between them [i.e., the concerned parties], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū kutiba ʿalaykumu l-ṣiyāmu kamā kutiba ʿalā alladhīna min qablikum laʿallakum tattaqūna
O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous -
ayyāman maʿdūdātin faman kāna minkum marīḍan aw ʿalā safarin faʿiddatun min ayyāmin ukhara waʿalā alladhīna yuṭīqūnahu fid'yatun ṭaʿāmu mis'kīnin faman taṭawwaʿa khayran fahuwa khayrun lahu wa-an taṣūmū khayrun lakum in kuntum taʿlamūna
[Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of other days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers good [i.e., excess] - it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.
shahru ramaḍāna alladhī unzila fīhi l-qur'ānu hudan lilnnāsi wabayyinātin mina l-hudā wal-fur'qāni faman shahida minkumu l-shahra falyaṣum'hu waman kāna marīḍan aw ʿalā safarin faʿiddatun min ayyāmin ukhara yurīdu l-lahu bikumu l-yus'ra walā yurīdu bikumu l-ʿus'ra walituk'milū l-ʿidata walitukabbirū l-laha ʿalā mā hadākum walaʿallakum tashkurūna
The month of Ramaḍān [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’ān, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the crescent of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allāh intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allāh for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
wa-idhā sa-alaka ʿibādī ʿannī fa-innī qarībun ujību daʿwata l-dāʿi idhā daʿāni falyastajībū lī walyu'minū bī laʿallahum yarshudūna
And when My servants ask you, [O Muḥammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.
uḥilla lakum laylata l-ṣiyāmi l-rafathu ilā nisāikum hunna libāsun lakum wa-antum libāsun lahunna ʿalima l-lahu annakum kuntum takhtānūna anfusakum fatāba ʿalaykum waʿafā ʿankum fal-āna bāshirūhunna wa-ib'taghū mā kataba l-lahu lakum wakulū wa-ish'rabū ḥattā yatabayyana lakumu l-khayṭu l-abyaḍu mina l-khayṭi l-aswadi mina l-fajri thumma atimmū l-ṣiyāma ilā al-layli walā tubāshirūhunna wa-antum ʿākifūna fī l-masājidi til'ka ḥudūdu l-lahi falā taqrabūhā kadhālika yubayyinu l-lahu āyātihi lilnnāsi laʿallahum yattaqūna
It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are a clothing for you and you are a clothing for them. Allāh knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allāh has decreed for you [i.e., offspring]. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the night [i.e., sunset]. And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allāh, so do not approach them. Thus does Allāh make clear His verses [i.e., ordinances] to the people that they may become righteous.
walā takulū amwālakum baynakum bil-bāṭili watud'lū bihā ilā l-ḥukāmi litakulū farīqan min amwāli l-nāsi bil-ith'mi wa-antum taʿlamūna
And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you [to] consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know [it is unlawful].
yasalūnaka ʿani l-ahilati qul hiya mawāqītu lilnnāsi wal-ḥaji walaysa l-biru bi-an tatū l-buyūta min ẓuhūrihā walākinna l-bira mani ittaqā watū l-buyūta min abwābihā wa-ittaqū l-laha laʿallakum tuf'liḥūna
They ask you, [O Muḥammad], about the crescent moons. Say, "They are measurements of time for the people and for ḥajj [pilgrimage]." And it is not righteousness to enter houses from the back, but righteousness is [in] one who fears Allāh. And enter houses from their doors. And fear Allāh that you may succeed.
waqātilū fī sabīli l-lahi alladhīna yuqātilūnakum walā taʿtadū inna l-laha lā yuḥibbu l-muʿ'tadīna
Fight in the way of Allāh those who fight against you but do not transgress. Indeed, Allāh does not like transgressors.
wa-uq'tulūhum ḥaythu thaqif'tumūhum wa-akhrijūhum min ḥaythu akhrajūkum wal-fit'natu ashaddu mina l-qatli walā tuqātilūhum ʿinda l-masjidi l-ḥarāmi ḥattā yuqātilūkum fīhi fa-in qātalūkum fa-uq'tulūhum kadhālika jazāu l-kāfirīna
And kill them [in battle] wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al-Ḥarām until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.
fa-ini intahaw fa-inna l-laha ghafūrun raḥīmun
And if they cease, then indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
waqātilūhum ḥattā lā takūna fit'natun wayakūna l-dīnu lillahi fa-ini intahaw falā ʿud'wāna illā ʿalā l-ẓālimīna
Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah and [until] religion [i.e., worship] is [acknowledged to be] for Allāh. But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression [i.e., assault] except against the oppressors.
al-shahru l-ḥarāmu bil-shahri l-ḥarāmi wal-ḥurumātu qiṣāṣun famani iʿ'tadā ʿalaykum fa-iʿ'tadū ʿalayhi bimith'li mā iʿ'tadā ʿalaykum wa-ittaqū l-laha wa-iʿ'lamū anna l-laha maʿa l-mutaqīna
[Battle in] the sacred month is for [aggression committed in] the sacred month, and for [all] violations is legal retribution. So whoever has assaulted you, then assault him in the same way that he has assaulted you. And fear Allāh and know that Allāh is with those who fear Him.
wa-anfiqū fī sabīli l-lahi walā tul'qū bi-aydīkum ilā l-tahlukati wa-aḥsinū inna l-laha yuḥibbu l-muḥ'sinīna
And spend in the way of Allāh and do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [by refraining]. And do good; indeed, Allāh loves the doers of good.
wa-atimmū l-ḥaja wal-ʿum'rata lillahi fa-in uḥ'ṣir'tum famā is'taysara mina l-hadyi walā taḥliqū ruūsakum ḥattā yablugha l-hadyu maḥillahu faman kāna minkum marīḍan aw bihi adhan min rasihi fafid'yatun min ṣiyāmin aw ṣadaqatin aw nusukin fa-idhā amintum faman tamattaʿa bil-ʿum'rati ilā l-ḥaji famā is'taysara mina l-hadyi faman lam yajid faṣiyāmu thalāthati ayyāmin fī l-ḥaji wasabʿatin idhā rajaʿtum til'ka ʿasharatun kāmilatun dhālika liman lam yakun ahluhu ḥāḍirī l-masjidi l-ḥarāmi wa-ittaqū l-laha wa-iʿ'lamū anna l-laha shadīdu l-ʿiqābi
And complete the ḥajj and ʿumrah for Allāh. But if you are prevented, then [offer] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals. And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal has reached its place of slaughter. And whoever among you is ill or has an ailment of the head [making shaving necessary must offer] a ransom of fasting [three days] or charity or sacrifice. And when you are secure, then whoever performs ʿumrah [during the ḥajj months] followed by ḥajj [offers] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals. And whoever cannot find [or afford such an animal] - then a fast of three days during ḥajj and of seven when you have returned [home]. Those are ten complete [days]. This is for those whose family is not in the area of al-Masjid al-Ḥarām. And fear Allāh and know that Allāh is severe in penalty.
al-ḥaju ashhurun maʿlūmātun faman faraḍa fīhinna l-ḥaja falā rafatha walā fusūqa walā jidāla fī l-ḥaji wamā tafʿalū min khayrin yaʿlamhu l-lahu watazawwadū fa-inna khayra l-zādi l-taqwā wa-ittaqūni yāulī l-albābi
Ḥajj is [during] well-known months, so whoever has made ḥajj obligatory upon himself therein [by entering the state of iḥrām], there is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during ḥajj. And whatever good you do - Allāh knows it. And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allāh. And fear Me, O you of understanding.
laysa ʿalaykum junāḥun an tabtaghū faḍlan min rabbikum fa-idhā afaḍtum min ʿarafātin fa-udh'kurū l-laha ʿinda l-mashʿari l-ḥarāmi wa-udh'kurūhu kamā hadākum wa-in kuntum min qablihi lamina l-ḍālīna
There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord [during ḥajj]. But when you depart from ʿArafāt, remember Allāh at al-Mashʿar al-Ḥarām. And remember Him, as He has guided you, for indeed, you were before that among those astray.
thumma afīḍū min ḥaythu afāḍa l-nāsu wa-is'taghfirū l-laha inna l-laha ghafūrun raḥīmun
Then depart from the place from where [all] the people depart and ask forgiveness of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
fa-idhā qaḍaytum manāsikakum fa-udh'kurū l-laha kadhik'rikum ābāakum aw ashadda dhik'ran famina l-nāsi man yaqūlu rabbanā ātinā fī l-dun'yā wamā lahu fī l-ākhirati min khalāqin
And when you have completed your rites, remember Allāh like your [previous] remembrance of your fathers or with [much] greater remembrance. And among the people is he who says, "Our Lord, give us in this world," and he will have in the Hereafter no share.