أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ ٱلصِّيَامِ ٱلرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَآئِكُمْ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنكُمْ فَٱلْـَٰٔنَ بَٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَٱبْتَغُوا۟ مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ ٱلْخَيْطُ ٱلْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ ٱلْخَيْطِ ٱلْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ ٱلْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا۟ ٱلصِّيَامَ إِلَى ٱلَّيْلِ وَلَا تُبَٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَٰكِفُونَ فِى ٱلْمَسَٰجِدِ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوهَا كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ
“It is made lawful for you to go in unto your wives on the night of the fast. They are raiment for you and ye are raiment for them. Allah is Aware that ye were deceiving yourselves in this respect and He hath turned in mercy toward you and relieved you. So hold intercourse with them and seek that which Allah hath ordained for you, and eat and drink until the white thread becometh distinct to you from the black thread of the dawn. Then strictly observe the fast till nightfall and touch them not, but be at your devotions in the mosques. These are the limits imposed by Allah, so approach them not. Thus Allah expoundeth His revelation to mankind that they may ward off (evil).” — M. M. Pickthall
Taberî9-10. c.✓ Citation verified
According to this exegete, the 'white thread' mentioned in the verse refers to the whiteness of the true dawn (fajr) that spreads over the darkness of night and illuminates the sky; it should not be confused with the false dawn (fake sunrise), which is a beam of light shining in the sky. This white thread is not the entirety of dawn, but a sign/beginning of dawn; when it appears, fasting begins, and eating, drinking, and sexual relations become forbidden. Based on this measure, the exegete considers the view of those who say that those intending to fast may eat and drink until sunrise to be incorrect.
الضوء الساطع في السماء ليس بالصبح، ولكن ذاك الصبح الكذاب، إنما الصبح إذا انفضح الأفق
Zemahşerî12. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Zemahşerî, the pronoun in the phrase 'they will not be held accountable' refers either to the People of the Book (since they already accept fasting) or to those from among the polytheists who are known to refrain from destruction out of fear upon hearing the news of fasting; it is hoped that a warning will be issued to these, not to the stubborn ones. The phrase 'Lealle-hüm yectenibûn' means either that these people will avoid speaking falsehood out of shame or fear of discomfort, or that the pious will persevere in and increase their piety. Furthermore, it is narrated that Muslims said that if they had to stand up every time the Qur'an was mocked, they would not be able to sit in al-Masjid al-Haram or perform circumambulation, whereupon they were given permission.
وإما ناس من المشركين علم من حالهم أنهم يخافون إذا سمعوا بحديث البعث أن يكون حقا فيهلكوا ، فهم ممن يرجى أن ينجع فيهم الإنذار ، دون المتمردين منهم ، فأمر أن ينذر هؤلاء
İbn Kesîr14. c.✓ Citation verified
Ibn Kesîr addresses many dimensions of the ruling in verse 187 of Sura al-Baqarah concerning fasting and sexual relations: the characterization of spouses as 'libaas' (garment/clothing) to one another, the wisdom behind permitting sexual relations during Ramadan nights, the determination of the time of suhur (dawn meal) by the white thread and black thread with dawn, the encouragement of breaking the fast at its proper time, and the prohibition of fasting without interruption (wisal), and finally the prohibition of approaching spouses while in seclusion for worship (i'tikaf). Each of these rulings is connected to different portions of the verse and supported by hadith reports.
وحاصله أن الرجل والمرأة كل منهما يخالط الآخر ويماسه ويضاجعه فناسب أن يرخص لهم في المجامعة في ليل رمضان لئلا يشق ذلك عليهم ويحرجوا
Beydâvî13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Beydâvî, this group of verses explains the ruling of abrogation regarding the permissibility of intimate relations (mubaashra) with spouses during the nights of fasting; 'rafes' is an allusive expression for sexual relations, and the phrase 'hunne libaasun lekum' (they are garments for you) explains the reason for this permissibility, namely the difficulty of restraint toward spouses and the hardship of being apart from them. Furthermore, the phrase 'hattaa yatebayyana lekumul-haytu-l-abyad' (until the white thread becomes clear to you) describes the beginning of dawn through the simile of white and black threads, which also indicates the boundary of eating and drinking. Finally, it is noted that sexual relations with spouses while in seclusion for worship (i'tikaf) are forbidden and would invalidate the worship, and that 'approaching the limits of Allah' means not overstepping the boundary between truth and falsehood.
والرفث: كناية عن الجماع، لأنه لا يكاد يخلو من رفث وهو الإفصاح بما يجب أن يكنى عنه، وعدي بإلى لتضمنه معنى الإفضاء، وإيثاره هاهنا لتقبيح ما ارتكبوه ولذلك سماه خيانة.
Fahreddin er-Râzî12-13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to this exegete, the rulings regarding fasting were revealed to explain the corruption of pre-Islamic customs; the people of Jahiliyyah used to eat little on the days of pilgrimage and avoid fatty foods to enhance their pilgrimage, and some of them claimed that certain things in the bellies of animals were forbidden by Allah and thus forbade bahirah and saibaah. The verse was revealed to demonstrate the invalidity of both of these misunderstandings. Furthermore, the ruling in the word 'Rabbena' is absolute and covers all times and all foods and drinks; therefore, the original principle is that permissibility is permissible at all times and for all foods and drinks unless separated by a different piece of evidence.
فأنزل الله تعالى هذه الآية لبيان فساد تلك الطريقة
Kurtubî13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to this exegete, the text states that the word 'rafes' mentioned in the verse is an allusive expression for sexual relations, and this phrasing is used because Allah is generous. Furthermore, it explains that the word 'libaas' (garment) expresses the clinging and merging of spouses with one another, used in the sense that each covers the other. Finally, it is conveyed that the phrase 'ma kataballahu lekum' has different meanings such as desiring children, the Qur'an, the Night of Power, or seeking permission.
والرفث : كناية عن الجماع لأن الله عز وجل كريم يكنى قاله بن عباس والسدي
Comparison
Common ground
The common point addressed by Taberî, Ibn Kesîr, Beydâvî, and Kurtubî is the consensus that the phrase 'white thread-black thread' in Sura al-Baqarah 187 indicates the beginning of dawn (the time of suhur) and that fasting is bounded by this point; furthermore, regarding the words 'rafes' and 'libaas,' Kurtubî, Beydâvî, and Ibn Kesîr present similar explanations that these are allusive expressions for sexual relations and denote the merging of spouses. All exegetes use linguistic/rhetorical analysis together with reports from the Companions and successors.
Differences
While Zemahşerî and al-Rāzî focus on different passages (discussion of the pronoun's referent and criticism of Jahiliyyah customs), Taberî concentrates on clarifying the juristic measure, Ibn Kesîr on comprehensively treating the rulings with hadith reports, Beydâvî on the jurisprudence of abrogation and seclusion for worship (i'tikaf), and Kurtubî on word analysis. These differences stem from differing approaches: linguistic (Zemahşerî, Beydâvî), narration-focused (Taberî, Ibn Kesîr), and methodological/contextual (al-Rāzî).
Historical context
While the early period exegete Taberî provides a linguistically-based explanation grounded in reports from the Companions and successors, later period exegetes (Zemahşerî, al-Rāzî, Beydâvî, Kurtubî) expanded the subject by adding layers of rhetoric, methodology, and context; the basic juristic framework (beginning of dawn, allusive expression of relations) remained stable throughout the periods, while the tools of interpretation diversified.
Modern connection
This comparative reading points to the importance of both spiritual depth and specific measures/boundaries in acts of worship; it reminds us that knowledge (language, observation, time determination) must be harmoniously coordinated with the performance of worship. In family life, the idea that spouses are 'garments' to one another can yield a general lesson about the value of mutual patience, understanding, and mutual support. Furthermore, the respectful evaluation of different interpretations together can be read as an example of a spirit of tolerance and consultation.
AI analysis — not a fatwa or ruling, not yet reviewed by a scholar