Writer:

Ustadz Aris Munandar, S.S., M.P.I. ‫حفظه هللا‬

Transcriptor:
Jasmine Yuvarizky
Cover Design:
Fajar Sugeng A. (Inkstep Design)
Translator & Layouter:
Teguh Dwi Cahyadi, S.S., M.A.
(ustadzaris.com Publishing)
Published by:

ustadzaris.com Publishing
Pogung Kidul, Sleman, D.I Yogyakarta
ustadzarispublishing@gmail.com
 Table of Contens
Table of Contens ....................................................... 3
Interpretation & Benefit from The Fasting Verse ... 4
General Explanations of The Verse ....................... 4
ُ َ َ ‫َ َ ُّ َ ذ‬
Tafseer ﴾ ‫ ﴿ يا أيها اَّلِين آمنوا‬....................................... 7
ُ َ ُ ُ َْ َ َ ُ
Tafseer ﴾ ‫الصيام‬ ِ ‫﴿ كتِب عليكم‬................................... 12
ْ ُ َْ ْ َ ‫َ َ ُ َ ََ ذ‬
Tafseer ﴾ ‫﴿ كما كتِب لَع اَّلِين مِن قبلِكم‬..................... 13
َ ُ‫ََذ ُ ْ َذ‬
Tafseer ﴾١٨٣‫ ﴿ لعلكم تتقون‬.......................................... 20
Content of The Verse .............................................. 24

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

3
 Interpretation And Benefit From
The Fasting Verse
(Surah Al Baqarah: 183)

Allah Glorified and Exalted is He says:

ََ َ ُ َ َ ُ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ُ ُ َ َ ‫َ َ ُّ َ ذ‬
‫الصيام كما كتِب لَع‬
ِ ‫﴿يا أيها اَّلِين آمنوا كتِب عليكم‬
َ ُ‫ذ َ ْ َْ ُ ْ ََذ ُ ْ َذ‬
﴾١٨٣‫اَّلِين مِن قبلِكم لعلكم تتقون‬
“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as
it was decreed upon those before you that
you may become righteous”
(Surah al-Baqarah: 183).

General explanation of the verse:

As we all know, among the commands of Allah
is fasting (i.e. shaum) in the Ramadan as we are
doing now – by Allah’s permission. Undoubtedly,
we hope Allah may make us part of the people who
live and take advantage of the month properly, so

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

4
Ramadan this year will not just be a name, but really
become the true Ramadan for us.
‘Ramadan’ in Arabic is a scorching heat.
Ramadan is so named because it burns away the sin
of those who can make the best use of the month.
Ibn Qudamah al-Hanbali said, “Disputed the cause
of the naming of the month by ‘Ramadan’.
‫ إمنا مسي رمضان‬: ‫روى أنس عن النيب صلى هللا عليه و سلم أنه قال‬
‫ألنه حيرق الذنوب‬
Anas (i.e. bin Malik) narrated from Prophet
Muhammad n, he said, “Ramadan is named Ramadan
because that month burn sins” (This hadith is mentioned
by as-Suyuthi in “al-Jami’ ash-Shaghir” and he
graded this hadith as dhaif ‘weak’ hadith).
It’s possible the Prophet meant by saying
Ramadan burns sin that is the fasting in Ramadan
burns so that the name of Ramadan is in harmony
with its meaning.”[1].
Hence the most important thing is not only
being able to meet Ramadan, but no less important
is also how Allah may bless us in Ramadan. So that
[1]
“al-Mughni” (4/324), Dar ‘Alam al-Kutub.

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

5
 we become people whose sins are burned and
various kinds of mistakes are forgiven in this month
by doing various kinds of special deeds guided by
Allah Exalted and Glorified is He.
Let’s ponder the word of Allahl relating to
Ramadan fasting obligation. It is one famous verse
that we may have properly memorized. That is word
of Allah in Surah Al-Baqarah: 183,
ََ َ ُ َ َ ُ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ُ ُ َ َ ‫َ َ ُّ َ ذ‬
‫الصيام كما كتِب لَع‬
ِ ‫﴿يا أيها اَّلِين آمنوا كتِب عليكم‬
َ ُ‫ذ َ ْ َْ ُ ْ ََذ ُ ْ َذ‬
﴾١٨٣‫اَّلِين مِن قبلِكم لعلكم تتقون‬
“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it
was decreed upon those before you that you may become
righteous” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 183).

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

6
 ُ َ َ ‫َ َ ُّ َ ذ‬
﴾ ‫﴿ يا أيها اَّلِين آمنوا‬
“O you who have belived,…”

Before Allah prescribed fasting obligation, Allah

opens this verse with exclamation, calling “O you
who have believed”. This implies that performing
the fasting obligation which Allah will convey later
is a consequence of faith (i.e. īmān). Otherwise,
leaving fasting which Allah requires is such thing
that is contrary to faith. It means that the believer
(i.e. mu’min) will do the fasting that Allahl
requires and the action of leaving the fasting is
contrary to faith.
The form of the contradiction to faith is of
two kinds depending on the causal factor of
leaving the Ramadhan fasting obligation:
1. Some people left Ramadan fasting because they
feel that Ramadhan fasting is not obligatory (i.e.
wājib) for themselves as they have become holy
men. As if after being one of the “allies of Allah
(i.e. waliyy-Allah)”, the person doesn’t feel
Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse
7
 required and need to obey various kinds of
Allah’s rules for Muslim, which include fasting
obligation in Ramadan. If that person left
Ramadan fasting because the person doesn’t feel
required with fasting obligation in Ramadan,
then all scholars (i.e. ‘Ulamā’) agree that it’s
disbelief (i.e. kāfir) that invalidates the faith.
2. Some people left Ramadan fasting because they
are lazy or love food more than obedience to
Allah Exalted and Glorified is He. This action is to
leave Ramadan fasting because of laziness even
though by realizing fasting is an obligation and
feeling guilty for leaving it, so the scholars
disputed whether to classify it as to cancel the
faith or only classify it as a major sin that doesn’t
cancel the faith. Surely the big sin that the
scholars disputed whether it invalidates the faith
or not is a sin that is more damnable than the
sin or mistake that the scholars agree if the sin
is not to the extent of canceling the faith. This
shows the danger of leaving Ramadan fasting
despite only because of laziness, even though it’s
not because of reneging Ramadan fasting
obligation.

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

8
 Allah has opened this verse with says, َ‫﴿يَا َأ ُّيها‬
ُ َ َ ‫ذ‬
﴾‫“ اَّلِين آمنوا‬O you who have believed!” Those who have
learned Arabic will understand that this sentence is
addressed to male. Because the word ‫( آمنوا‬i.e. āmanū)
is addressed to male. Similarly, the word ‫( اذلين‬i.e.
alladzīna) differs to the word ‫( الاليئ‬allā’ī) and ‫اليت‬
(allatī). So, in Arabic the word ‫ آمنوا‬and ‫ اذلي‬are
addressed to male.
Nevertheless, as we know together, Ramadhan
fasting obligation is not only required and valid for
male, but it’s required for male and woman. This is
because one of important rules (i.e. qā’idah) in Islam
that says Allah Exalted and Glorified is He and His
Prophet’s n commands which are intended for men
are also applied to women. Likewise, the Sharia rules
aimed at women and used the words for woman are
also applied to men, unless there is a clear argument
that shows what Allah intended by the command is
only for men without women. Consider the words
of the Prophet n narrated by [Imam] Ahmad, Abu
Dawud and others, the Prophet said,

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

9
 ِ ‫إِ ممنَا النِ َساءُ َش َقائِ ُق‬
ِ ‫الر َج‬
‫ال‬
“Indeed the women are part of the men in various commands
of Allah l and His Prophet”[1]
Based on this hadith, all orders addressed to
women also apply for men. Otherwise, orders that
addressed to men also apply for women. So, even
though the sentence in the above verse is a sentence
used for men, the fasting obligation applies to both
men and woman.
In this verse, Allah commands and requires
fasting for those who believe (i.e. mu’minūn).
Please note, the word “you have believed”
in the Qur’an has two meanings and
understandings:
1. If Allah l is He uses the word “you have
believed” in the context of praise, talking about
the inhabitants of heaven and people who have
good luck, then the believers referred to here are
faithful people with perfect faith.

[1]
The hadith reported by Abu Dawud 236 and [Imam] Ahmad 26195,
status “hasan” by Sheikh al-Albani.

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

10
2. Otherwise, if the word “you have believed” is used
in Qur’an as opening for various kinds of
commands and prohibitions, then the meaning
is different from the word in the context of
praise and flattery above. When opening for a
command and prohibition, the word “you have
believed” includes a person of good quality of
faith, called “mu’min”, or people who are
ordinary or quite low in quality of their faith, as
contained in the hadith “Jibrīl” which referred
to as ‘muslim’, even included in ‘the hypocrites’.
Therefore, all those who display the faith and
hide disbelief are included in the command to
do fasting.

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

11
 ُ َ ُ ُ َْ َ َ ُ
﴾ ‫الصيام‬
ِ ‫﴿ كتِب عليكم‬
“decreed upon you is fasting…”

ُ َْ َ َ ُ
Allah says next ﴾‫الص َي ُام‬
ِ ُ
‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫“﴿كتِب علي‬decreed upon you
is fasting”. This verse shows that the fasting becomes
obligation for us as muslimīn and the believers with
various kinds of quality of faith, people who have
high quality, or medium and low quality in faith.
Even the person who merely shows faith while
hiding his disbelief is also covered by this obligation
(i.e. fasting). Allah requires all of them, these three
groups of people, to practice worship (i.e. ‘ībādah)
called shiyam or fasting.

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

12
 ْ ُ َْ ْ َ ‫َ َ ُ َ ََ ذ‬
﴾ ‫﴿ كما كتِب لَع اَّلِين مِن قبلِكم‬
“as it was decreed upon those before you…”

Then Allah says this fasting had been obliged by

Allah to the previous people. In this verse, Allah
stressed that the obligation to fast, beside Allah
obliged to us the people of the Prophet n, had also
been decreed upon the people of the past. This
sentence (i.e. “as it was decreed upon those before you”) is
one thing that we do not find in other commands
(i.e. in sharia). We will not find this kind of sentence
in command to do prayers (i.e. shalah), e.g. “Shalah as
it was decreed upon those before you”. Likewise, it is not
found in the alms (i.e. zakah) command, e.g. “Pay a
zakah as it was decreed upon those before you”.
Although fasting, shalah and zakah had been
required upon the previous people, but the
commandments sent by Allah in the Qur’an are
different. We won’t meet the sentence “as it was
decreed upon those before you” for shalah command and
orders to pay zakah. This uniqueness shows and

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

13
 hints at the severity of fasting. Fasting is a heavy
worship not only because it requires extra energy,
but also it has become the character of the human
soul to feel very heavy to leave something that has
become a habit.
In the morning, people may sit relaxed while
drinking tea and snacking, but when fasting, all these
routine habits must be abandoned. This is one thing
that’s very heavy. It may be heavier than various
other jobs and activities, even though it simply
leaves something that has been routine and has
become a tradition to be done. Therefore, Allah
comforts us as a people (i.e. ummah) of the Prophet
shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam so that we don’t feel heavy
with the obligation of fasting, by conveying the
fasting that Allah had required upon the previous
people. The meaning is that many people have had
this obligation and they have done it.
The human soul has the principle that
something heavy will be felt light when it is known
that many friends are in the same boat. On the
contrary, a man will feel something light is very
heavy if he realizes he is alone and has no friends to
do it.

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

14
 Allah says to us, “decreed upon you is
fasting as it was decreed upon those before you”
(Surah Al-Baqarah: 183). This sentence has
wisdoms:
1. As comforters for us, so that we don’t feel heavy
and we realize and understand that there are
many people get this kind of command. We are
not alone in doing this hard thing. With this
feeling, hopefully it’s lighter to do the fasting.
2. Allah says, “as it was decreed upon those before you”
to encourage us so that we become the best
people to do this worship. Indirectly, Allah
wants to say that the previous people (i.e.
ummah) had been required fasting and they too
can do it well. Are you, the people of
Muhammad n, unable to fast properly? No
doubt, the answer is as the previous people were
able to fast well so the Muhammad n people
could too. This is among the wisdom of Allah
saying, “as it was decreed upon those before you”. With
this sentence, Allah wants pumping our spirit to
be the best by doing the fasting, because we
don’t want to lose with previous people that got
the fasting obligation and they had to do it well.

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

15
 Ibn al-Kathir said, “Allah mentioned, as Allah
required the Muhammad’s n people to do
fasting, Allah had also required the previous
people to do fasting. There is an example from
previous people in the matter of fasting for the
Muhammad n people. This people should be
serious about carrying out the fasting obligation
so as to produce a more perfect fasting than the
previous people.”[1].
3. The phrase of this verse shows that the special
deeds that Allah had given to the previous
people were collected by Allah for Muhammad’s
n ummah. Ibn al-‘Uthaimin said, “Allah collects
for this people superior deeds that had been
prescribed to the previous people. There is no
doubt that fasting is a superior deed. Therefore,
Allah has specialized fasting for Himself.”[2].
Relating to the word of Allah that the fasting
obligation upon the Muhammad n ummah is like the
obligation Allah gave to the previous people, the
scholars (i.e. ulamā’ at-tafseer) dissent (i.e. ikhtilaf al-
Ulamā’) on the meaning and purpose. Some say the
[1]
“Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azhim”, 2/53.
[2]
“Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Karim Surah al-Baqarah”, 2/317.

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

16
similarity in this case is only the similarity in
obligations, while the procedure and time of
implementation may be different. Sheikh
[Muhammad bin Shalih] al-‘Uthaimin said, “In this
verse, the likeness is between the obligation of the
Muhammad’s n ummah with the obligation of the
previous people, not the likeness between fasting
which is required to the Muhammad n people with
the fasting of the previous people”[1].
However, the opinion of some other scholars,
and this is the opinion chosen by Ibn al-Kathir t
in his interpretation, the fasting for the previous
people was like the fasting obligation for people of
Muhammad n. That is, those (i.e. previous ummah)
were obligated to Ramadan fast too and with
procedures that are the same as those performed by
the ummah of Muhammad n. The difference
between our fasting and the fasting Allah had
ordained to Prophet Musa and Prophet ‘Isa is the
existence of the sahoor eating.

[1]
“Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Karim Surah al-Baqarah”, 2/316.

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

17
 ‫اَّللُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلم َم إِ من‬
‫صلمى م‬ ِ‫ول م‬
‫اَّلل‬ ُ ‫ال َر ُس‬
َ َ‫ال ق‬ ِ ‫َع ْن َع ْم ِرو بْ ِن ال َْع‬
َ َ‫اص ق‬
َ
‫الس ُحوِر‬
ُّ ُ‫اب أَ ْكلَة‬ِ َ‫ْكت‬ ِ ِ ِ َ ْ ‫صل ما ب‬
ِ ‫صي ِام أ َْه ِل ال‬
َ ‫ْي صيَامنَا َو‬ َ َ َ ْ َ‫ف‬
From ‘Amr (i.e. bin al-‘Ash), the Prophet n said:
“Indeed, the different point between our fasting (i.e.
Muhammad’s people) with ahlu al-kitab (i.e. jews and
christians) fasting is sahoor eating”[1].
Ibn al-Kathir said, “In verse 184 (i.e. Surah al-
Baqarah) Allah explains the level of fasting that is
required. Fasting obligation is not every day of the
year because it will be burdensome so that people
struggle to shoulder the fast and do it. Obligated
fasting is only for a few days (i.e. Ramadan). So was
the fasting in the early days of Islam. Muslims did
fasting for three days each month. Then this sharia
was abolished by the fasting in Ramadan. At first, it
was reported that fasting obligation in Islam was like
the fasting of the previous people which is only
fasting three days each month. This information is
as narrated from Mu’adz [i.e. bin Jabal], ‘Abdullah
[i.e. bin Mas’ud], ‘Abdullah [i.e. bin ‘Abbas], Atha’
[i.e. bin Abi Rabbah], Qatadah [i.e. bin Da’amah as-
Sadusi], and adh-Dhahhak [i.e. bin Muhazim]. Even
[1]
This Hadith reported by [Imam] Ahmad and Nasa’i.

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

18
adh-Dhahhak [i.e. bin Muhazim] added that it was
fasting sharia (i.e. fasting three days each month]
since the time of Prophet Noah until Allah abolished
with the fasting sharia in Ramadan.”[1].
The writer of “Shifah Shaum an-Nabi” book said,
“Allah requires us to fast as Allah required to ahlu al-
kitab before us. At first the fasting time and the law
for us were the same as the provisions for ahlu al-
kitab. No eating, drinking and marital relations (i.e.
jimā’) after falling asleep at night. The meaning is if
the man falling asleep before eating in the night, then
he couldn’t eat until the next night. This was the time
of fasting Allah obliged the Muslims (i.e. in the early
days of Islam). After Allah had removed this fasting
time provision, then Allah commanded to do sahoor
in order to distinguish the fasting of the Muslims
from the fasting of the ahlu al-kitab.”[2].

[1]
“Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Azhim”, 2/53, Dar Ibn al-Jauzi.
[2]
“Shifah Shaum an-Nabi”, pg. 38, Dar Ibn Hazm.

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

19
 َ ُ‫ََذ ُ ْ َذ‬
﴾١٨٣‫﴿ لعلكم تتقون‬
“that you may become righteous.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah: 183)

َ ُ َ ُ ‫َ ذ‬
Allah says, ﴾١٨٣‫﴿ل َعلك ْم ت ذتقون‬ “that you may become
righteous.” The main purpose of Allahl presenting
fasting to us is that we become righteous people (i.e.
muttaqīn). When we fast, we are trained to abandon
things that are permissible (i.e. mubāh) only because
of Allah’sl command. If we have felt it easy to
leave things that are permissible because Allah’sl
commands and because of fear of Allahl, then
why do we feel it hard to leave the things that Allah
forbids? Necessarily and certainly leaving the things
that Allah forbids is felt lighter than leaving the
things that Allah allows (i.e. mubāh).
Among the meanings of piety (i.e. taqwa) in this
verse, if related to the context of fasting, is to fear
Allah (i.e. taqwa-Allah) by avoiding the prohibitions
of fasting especially things that cancel fasting. Sheikh

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

20
[‘Abdurrahman] as-Sa’di said, “Among the forms of
piety that constitute fasting are those who fast to
leave eating, drinking, biological relations (i.e. jimā’),
and others that Allah forbids for those who fast.
They are all things liked by the souls of people who
are fasting. This is done in order to get closer to
Allah and hope reward (i.e. ajrun/thawābun) by
leaving (i.e. things that Allah forbids for those who
fast). So, this is a part of piety.”[1]
Likewise, Allah says “that you may become
righteous”. This verse fragment shows that main
purpose of fasting is to reach a piety soul and not
merely the health of the body. Therefore, this verse
could be said to contain signs of incorrect truth of
the famous hadith that is often delivered by many
people in Ramadan. It’s the hadith that says,
‫صوموا تصحوا‬
“Fast, you will undoubtedly be healthy body” [2].
This is something that’s not true. This hadith is
weak from the side of sanad, (i.e. chain of hadith), so

[1]
“Taisir al-Karim ar-Rahman”, pg. 84, Dar Ibn al-Jauzi.
[2]
The hadith reported by Ibn Sunni, from Abu Hurairah, rated weak
by Sheikh al-Albani in “Dhaif al-Jami’ ash-Shagir”, 3504.

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

21
 is the problem of the content of its meaning. The
hadith says that the purpose of fasting is to be able
to be healthy even though Allah said the purpose of
the fasting is to reach piety souls.
Then, as we all know that sick people is allowed
to not fast in Ramadan. When fasting causes pain
getting worse or healing longer, then it’s forbidden
(i.e. makruh) to fast. If fasting causes health,
therefore, the sick person is ordered and prescribed
to fast to recover from all diseases that exist in him
and befall his body.
Thus, the discussion relates to the content of the
word of Allah Exalted and Glorified is He in Surah Al-
Baqarah verse 183. Along with this is prayer to Allah
Exalted and Glorified is He that Allah may give us
blessings in this Ramadan, so that we become people
who can truly utilize this month properly.

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

22
Content The Verse:
1. The urgency of fasting because the obligation to
fast is opened with a call. Fasting is a
consequence of faith, therefore that
commandment of obligation is addressed to
those who believe. Not fasting (i.e. Ramadan
fasting) is damaging the faith.
2. The above verse shows the fasting obligation.
3. The fasting was also obligated to previous
people.
4. Someone is entertained by being informed that
the same obligations are also obligated to others.
So that the person feels light to carry out these
obligations.
5. The wisdom of fasting is to fear Allah.
6. Because fasting is so special, a Muslim should
do things that lead to piety. Allah requires
fasting for this purpose, that a muslim be a piety
person. This shows that piety is a very noble
goal.
7. Among the wisdoms of Allah is the prescription
of various kinds of worship. The goal is that the

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

23
 various worship service can be a perfect test for
all humans. The most difficult practice for each
person is different. Some find it hard to pay
zakah. There is one who is light to pay zakah but
heavy to do shalah. There is another who is also
light to pay zakah and to do shalah but heavy to
fast, and so on.

Interpretation And Benefit From The Fasting Verse

24