Taberî discusses the meaning of the expressions 'until they are purified' (حتى يطهرن) and 'when they are purified' (فإذا تطهرن) in this verse; he clarifies that women's purification from menstruation occurs through ritual bathing (ghusl), and that they become lawful to their husbands only through ghusl, not merely by the cessation of blood or by performing ablution for prayer. He also explains that the expression 'as God has commanded you' (من حيث أمركم الله) indicates that sexual relations should occur only from the front of the woman (the vagina), and that relations from the rear are not permitted by this verse in any way. He supports this view with reports from early scholars such as Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, and Ikrimah.

وأولى التأويلين بتأويل الآية قول من قال، معنى قوله، فإذا اغتسلن لإجماع الجميع على أنها لا تصير بالوضوء بالماء طاهرا الطهر للذي يحل لها به الصلاة

Al-Razi addresses this verse around three distinct issues: whether the required purification (tathir) after the cessation of menstrual blood means ritual bathing or merely washing the area, whether the expression 'approach them from where God has commanded you' (fe'tûhünne min haysü emerakümüllah) refers to approaching the woman from the front during intercourse or to approaching after the menstrual state, and the meaning of the praise of 'those who repent' (et-tevvâbîne) and 'those who purify themselves' (el-mütetahhirîne). According to Al-Shafi'i and the majority of jurists, purification means ritual bathing; Ata and Tawus are said to have meant washing the area and performing ablution. Al-Razi prefers the ghusl view through evidence and consensus, and argues that the verse does not permit relations through the rear, but rather commands approaching from the front (the vagina).

والصحيح هو الأول لوجهين الأول : أن ظاهر قوله : حكم عائد إلى ذات المرأة ، فوجب أن يحصل هذا التطهر في كل بدنها لا في بعض من أبعاض بدنها

Al-Qurtubi transmits the reason for the revelation of the verse, noting that it was revealed in response to a question from Muslims regarding the custom of Jews who would not eat with menstruating women or be in the same house with them. He discusses linguistically how the word 'al-mahid' (menstruation) can refer both to the menstrual blood itself and to the time and place of menstruation. He also conveys the juristic differences among the schools of law regarding what is permissible during relations with a menstruating woman and whether purification (tatahhur) is accomplished through water or through the cessation of blood.

وفي صحيح مسلم عن أنس أن اليهود كانوا إذا حاضت المرأة فيهم لم يؤاكلوها ولم يجامعوهن في البيوت فسأل أصحاب النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فأنزل الله تعالى : ويسألونك عن المحيض قل هو أذى فاعتزلوا النساء في المحيض

According to Ibn Kathir, the state of 'being pure' mentioned in the verse refers to women being cleansed from impurities and harm, that is, having exited the menstrual state and washed themselves; what is specifically meant by approaching (qurban) is sexual intercourse (nikah/intercourse), and contact and intimacy other than in the genital area are not prohibited. According to this view, the majority of scholars hold that all types of contact (mubasharah) with a menstruating woman are permissible except in the genital area; reports regarding the practices of the Prophet and the Companions support this ruling.

وقال أبو رزين وعكرمة والضحاك وغير واحد يعني طاهرات غير حيض ولهذا قال أي من الذنب وإن تكرر غشيانه يعني الفرج لقوله اصنعوا كل شيء إلا النكاح ولهذا ذهب كثير من العلماء أو أكثرهم إلى أنه يجوز مباشرة الحائض فيما عدا الفرج

According to Al-Baydawi, this verse specifies that menstrual blood is a harmful and filthy thing (adha) and commands men to abstain from sexual relations with their wives during this period; however, this should be understood not in the manner of Jewish extremism, such as forbidding women to leave the house or not sitting with them, but only as abstaining from sexual intercourse. The text emphasizes that the verse charts a middle path (iqtisad) between Jewish extremism and Christian laxity. Furthermore, it is noted that the reading 'yathurne' means ritual bathing, thereby supporting the view that relations become lawful only after the blood ceases and ghusl is performed; it is mentioned that Abu Hanifah holds a different view on this point.

وهو الاقتصاد بين إفراط اليهود، وتفريط النصارى فإنهم كانوا يجامعوهن ولا يبالون بالحيض. وإنما وصفه بأنه أذى ورتب الحكم عليه بالفاء إشعارا بأنه العلة.