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Al-Baqarah (The Cow)

Verse 184of 286

أَيَّامًۭا مَّعْدُودَٰتٍۢ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍۢ فَعِدَّةٌۭ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُۥ فِدْيَةٌۭ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍۢ ۖ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًۭا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌۭ لَّهُۥ ۚ وَأَن تَصُومُوا۟ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ﴿١٨٤

Translation (Sahih International)

[Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of 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 excess - it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.

Word-by-word meaning

أَيَّامًۭاayyāman(Fasting for) days
مَّعْدُودَٰتٍۢ ۚmaʿdūdātinnumbered
فَمَنfamanSo whoever
كَانَkānais
مِنكُمminkumamong you
مَّرِيضًاmarīḍansick
أَوْawor
عَلَىٰʿalāon
سَفَرٍۢsafarina journey
فَعِدَّةٌۭfaʿiddatunthen a prescribed number
مِّنْminof
أَيَّامٍayyāmindays
أُخَرَ ۚukharaother
وَعَلَىwaʿalāAnd on
ٱلَّذِينَalladhīnathose who
يُطِيقُونَهُۥyuṭīqūnahucan afford it
فِدْيَةٌۭfid'yatuna ransom
طَعَامُṭaʿāmu(of) feeding
مِسْكِينٍۢ ۖmis'kīnina poor
فَمَنfamanAnd whoever
تَطَوَّعَtaṭawwaʿavolunteers
خَيْرًۭاkhayrangood
فَهُوَfahuwathen it
خَيْرٌۭkhayrun(is) better
لَّهُۥ ۚlahufor him
وَأَنwa-anAnd to
تَصُومُوا۟taṣūmūfast
خَيْرٌۭkhayrun(is) better
لَّكُمْ ۖlakumfor you
إِنinif
كُنتُمْkuntumyou
تَعْلَمُونَtaʿlamūnaknow

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

The Order to FastIn an address to the believers of this Ummah, Allah ordered them to fast, that is, to abstain from food, drink and sexual activity with the intention of doing so sincerely for Allah the Exalted alone. This is because fasting purifies the souls and cleanses them from the evil that might mix with them and their ill behavior.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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