Context from Tafheem: Having established the obligation, wisdom, and basic concessions for the fast of Ramadan, these concluding verses of the passage provide essential details regarding the conduct of the fast. They define its duration, what is permissible during the nights, and offer profound reassurance about God’s closeness to those who call upon Him.

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سورة البقرة (Surah Al-Baqarah)

آية 186

القرآن: وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ
Translation: And when My servants ask you 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 and believe in Me that they may be guided.

Explanation (Tafheemul Quran):
Maududi explains that this verse, while placed within the fasting passage, carries a universal and profound message, prompted perhaps by questions about how to worship and pray during this sacred month.

· Divine Proximity: In response to questions about God’s nature and accessibility, the declaration is made: “Indeed I am near.” This negates any notion that God is distant or unconcerned. His nearness is not spatial but pertains to His knowledge, attention, and responsiveness.
· The Promise of Response: God assures that He “responds to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.” Maududi emphasizes that this is a guaranteed promise. The response may come in the form of granting what was asked, averting a harm, granting something better, or storing the reward for the Hereafter—but a response is certain.
· The Human Obligation: This divine guarantee imposes a duty on the believers: “So let them respond to Me and believe in Me.” To “respond” to God means to obey His commands (like fasting) and to submit to His will. Coupled with sincere belief, this is the path to true guidance (“that they may be guided”).
· Connection to Fasting: This verse imbues the fasting experience with a special spiritual quality. The fasting person, in a state of heightened God-consciousness (Taqwa), is reminded that their Lord is exceptionally close and responsive to their prayers, especially during the breaking of the fast and the night prayers of Ramadan.

آية 187

القرآن: أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَائِكُمْ ۚ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ ۗ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنكُمْ ۖ فَالْآنَ بَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَابْتَغُوا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۚ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ ۚ وَلَا تُبَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ ۗ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ آيَاتِهِ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ
Translation: It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. Allah 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 Allah has decreed for you. 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 while you are in retreat in the mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allah, so do not approach them. Thus does Allah make clear His verses to the people that they may become righteous.

Explanation (Tafheemul Quran):
Maududi explains this verse provides the detailed rules for the fasting day and corrects an initial, overly strict practice.

· Permissibility During the Nights of Ramadan: Initially, after the fast was prescribed, Muslims were forbidden from eating, drinking, and marital relations for the entire 24-hour period of a fast day, from sunset to sunset. This proved excessively difficult.
· Divine Mercy and Correction: God, knowing they were “deceiving yourselves” (perhaps by trying to adhere but finding it unbearable, or by secret violations), “accepted your repentance and forgave you.” He then eased the rule: all these things are now permissible during the nights of Ramadan, from sunset to dawn.
· The Beautiful Metaphor: Spouses are described as “clothing” for each other. Maududi explains this signifies intimacy, mutual protection, comfort, and adornment—highlighting the goodness and permissibility of marital relations.
· The Clear Temporal Boundaries:

1. The Start of the Fast: “And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night].” This means dawn (Fajr), not first light (false dawn). The fast begins at the true dawn.
2. The End of the Fast: “Then complete the fast until the night [i.e., sunset].” The fast ends at sunset (Maghrib).
   · Special Rule for I’tikaf: An exception is stated: “And do not have relations with them while you are in retreat in the mosques.” I’tikaf (spiritual retreat) requires complete devotion; therefore, marital relations are suspended during its duration.
   · The Principle of Divine Limits: The verse concludes by emphasizing that these are “the limits [set by] Allah.” They are not arbitrary but divinely ordained boundaries for human conduct. The command “so do not approach them” means do not even come close to transgressing them.
   · The Purpose of Clarification: God makes these limits clear “that they may become righteous (la’allahum yattaqun).” Adhering to these clear commandments in matters of physical desire is a direct training in Taqwa—exercising self-restraint within the divinely prescribed bounds.

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Summary from Tafheemul Quran Perspective (Verses 186-187):

These concluding verses complete the legislation on fasting by:

1. Infusing the Fast with Spiritual Intimacy: Verse 186 reminds the fasting believer of God’s ever-present nearness and responsiveness, turning the month into a special time for heartfelt supplication (du’a).
2. Establishing Practical, Merciful Rules: Verse 187 replaces an initial hardship with a balanced, manageable regulation, defining the clear timeline of the fast (from dawn to sunset) and permitting all normal marital and physical comforts during the night. This embodies the principle of ease mentioned in verse 185.
3. Reinforcing the Concept of Hudud (Limits): The fast is framed as an exercise in recognizing and respecting the divine boundaries that govern human life, which is the essence of Taqwa.
4. Integrating Physical and Spiritual Discipline: The passage as a whole (183-187) shows that Islamic worship seamlessly integrates the physical act of abstention with the spiritual goals of closeness to God, gratitude, self-purification, and moral guidance.