Sūrat al-Baqarah
Section 28 of 59 · Surah Studies · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
The Moons
The eighth:
۞ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْأَهِلَّةِ ۖ قُلْ هِىَ مَوَٰقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَٱلْحَجِّ ۗ وَلَيْسَ ٱلْبِرُّ بِأَن تَأْتُوا۟ ٱلْبُيُوتَ مِن ظُهُورِهَا وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ ۗ وَأْتُوا۟ ٱلْبُيُوتَ مِنْ أَبْوَٰبِهَا ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“They ask you about the new moons. Say: They are indicative of time for the people, and of the Hajj. It is not righteousness that you come into your houses from their backs, but righteousness is that one fears Allah. So come into houses through their doors; and fear Allah so that you may be successful.” (2:189)
They ask now about the moons. There is much to be gained by anyone who grasps this properly and acts upon it: one needs to understand not merely the solar reckoning one is used to, but the lunar months, since so many of our acts of worship depend upon them — Ramadan, the two Eids, ʿĀshūrāʾ and much besides.