The document discusses the correct understanding of fasting (sawom) in Ramadan based on Quranic verses 2:185 and 2:187. It argues that traditional interpretations contradict the Quran by claiming fasting involves hunger and abstaining from sexual relations at night. Instead, it says the Quran enjoins conveying Allah's message during Ramadan, including at night in places of prostration like temples at the time, and cooperating with women in related activities with their safety in mind. Key words are explained based on Arabic grammar and usage to support this reading, challenging traditional translations.

1. CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF QURANIC SAWOM ‫صوم‬ WITH
REFERENCE TO THE VERSES 2:185 AND 2:187 OF THE QURAN
Salaam to everyone,
I hope my following reply to one of my reader, who is a researcher in
Canadian education department, will also help others to understand the
SAWOM ‫صوم‬ from Quranic prospect.
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Dear Readers,
Salaam,
Nice to hear from you and I am very thankful for your kind words. You're
absolutely right Islam is really a beautiful way of life and we need nothing
except the Quran to follow Allah's Deen.

2. Dr. Shabbir Ahmed is good but as you have said he could not explain the
true spirit of the Quran. He used to work in Saudi Arabia and was very
much impressed with the Arabs, especially the Royals. This could be one
of the reasons why he could not leave the tradition completely.
In my opinion if you follow the Arabic text of the Quran word by word and
pay your attention to the grammar and the articles used before and after
the verbs, nouns and pronouns you don't go wrong and reach the true
interpretation.
Dr Shabbir has also opposed fasting in Ramadan but he could not grasp
the true understanding of the word SAWOM (‫)صوم‬ and diverted it towards
the penalty and sentence to justify his interpretation of fasting. However, he
understood that the traditional "hunger fasting" is not mentioned in the
Quran but he could not get what Allah is urging us to do in Ramadan by the
imperative verb ‫انزل‬ (ANZAL), i.e. an order to convey Allah's message to
others and determination to accommodate/convey the guidance mentioned
in the Quran is the SAWOM ‫.صوم‬ There is no "negation" for eating or
drinking was revealed in the verses of SAWOM ‫صوم‬ however our scholars
deliberately used the preposition "‫ى‬َّ‫ت‬َ‫ح‬" to negate the clear orders to carry on
eating and drinking " ْ‫وا‬ُ‫ل‬ُ‫ك‬ْْ‫وا‬ُ‫ب‬َ‫ر‬‫اش‬ َ‫و‬ "
Also in the same verse 2:187 the definite noun "ُْ‫ض‬َ‫ي‬‫ب‬َ‫"اْل‬ means "brilliant
white", "clear white", "pure white" and as white as an egg but to bring the
forbidden pagan fasting in Islam our scholars have translated this word
"ُْ‫ض‬َ‫ي‬‫ب‬َ‫"اْل‬ to mean "Dawn time" and "Twilight timing". Everyone knows that it
is still dark at that time which is clearly against the definition of the word
"ُْ‫ض‬َ‫ي‬‫ب‬َ‫,"اْل‬ the brilliant white. Likewise, the definite noun of the same verse
(2:187) "ْ‫د‬ َ‫و‬‫س‬َ‫"اْل‬ gives meaning of the complete darkness, fully black and
antonym of the above stated meaning of the brilliant white"ُْ‫ض‬َ‫ي‬‫ب‬َ‫"اْل‬ but they
translated it to mean "Dusk", which is not black and you can still observe
whiteness of the day at the time of opening the fast. They are also
confused with the word "ْ‫ر‬‫َج‬‫ف‬‫ال‬ " that is revealed in the same clause of the
verse 2:187 and they mix up "ُْ‫ض‬َ‫ي‬‫ب‬َ‫"اْل‬ with "ْ‫ر‬‫َج‬‫ف‬‫ال‬ ". Whereas, "ْ‫ر‬‫َج‬‫ف‬‫ال‬ " is a sign

3. of the "clear appearance" or " become quite visible", which for sure refers
to "ْ‫د‬ َ‫و‬‫س‬َ‫"اْل‬ the black and "ُْ‫ض‬َ‫ي‬‫ب‬َ‫"اْل‬the white.
In the said verse 2:187 Allah has revealed the clauses of His laws in same
legal format as we observe the clauses and sections of regulation by
legislative authority of our countries. Therefore, the next clause of the same
verse 2:187 begins with the adverb and pronoun "ْ‫م‬ُ‫ث‬" meaning to "then" or "
another", which clearly indicates "another" clause of the same regulation
that is being imposed but again to justify the non Quranic "hunger fasting"
our scholars have ignored this word "ْ‫م‬ُ‫ث‬" and muddled up the statement of
the preceding clause with the succeeding clause, and wrongly translated
the words " َْ‫ام‬َ‫ي‬ِّ‫الص‬ْ‫ى‬َ‫ل‬‫إ‬ْْ‫ل‬‫ي‬‫ال‬ " to mean "fast till night". Lie is always a lie that is not
covered by fabricated fake tactics and the truth has to be revealed. Thus, if
"ْ‫ل‬‫ي‬‫"ال‬ is night then what is "ْ‫د‬ َ‫و‬‫س‬َ‫"اْل‬the pure black?.It is not possible to take two
words for one thing. When we make a fast timing calendar to open our fast
which word do we take to mean "Dusk" out of "ْ‫د‬ َ‫و‬‫س‬َ‫"اْل‬ (Pure Black) and "ْ‫ل‬‫ي‬‫"ال‬
(The dark night)?
These are the drawbacks in the misleading translation of this verse.
According to this clause " ْ‫م‬ُ‫ث‬ْْ‫وا‬ُّ‫م‬‫ت‬َ‫أ‬َْْ‫ام‬َ‫ي‬ِّ‫الص‬ْ‫ى‬َ‫ل‬‫إ‬ْْ‫ل‬‫ي‬‫ال‬ " of the verse 2:187, the SAWON
‫صوم‬ which is prescribed by Allah does not end even at night. You have to
fulfill the obligations/achieve the goal of SAWON ‫صوم‬ even at night to work
in the places of prostration " َْ‫ون‬ُ‫ف‬‫اك‬َ‫ع‬ْْ‫ف‬‫ي‬ْْ‫د‬‫اج‬َ‫س‬َ‫م‬‫ال‬ ". These places of prostration
were not our mosques but the temples of the pagans because Muslims had
no mosque when this verse was revealed. So, rushing to the temples to
preach the Quran is one of the obligations of the SAWOM ‫,صوم‬ which is
perfectly consistent with the word "ََ‫ل‬ ِ‫نز‬ُ‫أ‬ " of the verse 2:185 in which Allah
actually orders us " َْ‫ل‬‫نز‬ُ‫أ‬ْْ‫يه‬‫ف‬ُْْ‫ن‬‫آ‬‫ر‬ُ‫ق‬‫ال‬ "to convey the Quran instead of the wrong
translation “the Quran was revealed" and the whole purpose of keeping the
Quranic Sawom ‫صوم‬ was " ْ‫وا‬ُ‫ل‬‫م‬‫ك‬ُ‫ت‬‫ل‬ َ‫و‬ْْ‫ال‬َْ‫ة‬‫د‬‫ع‬ْْ‫وا‬ُ‫ِّر‬‫َب‬‫ك‬ُ‫ت‬‫ل‬ َ‫و‬َْْ ِّ‫الل‬ " to fulfill the prescribed
commitment to promote Allah (2:185)
Furthermore, if the SAWOM ‫صوم‬ prescribed by Allah does not end at night
" ْ‫م‬ُ‫ث‬ْْ‫وا‬ُّ‫م‬‫ت‬َ‫أ‬َْْ‫ام‬َ‫ي‬ِّ‫الص‬ْ‫ى‬َ‫ل‬‫إ‬ْْ‫ل‬‫ي‬‫ال‬ " (the clause of verse 2:187), how can the practitioners of

4. "hunger fasting" and "abstaining from going to women" during the fast eat
and drink and go to women at night? These are the lies that were employed
to bring into Islam hunger fasting and abstaining from going to women for
the pagan deity Moon god. The words"ْ‫ُن‬‫ه‬‫و‬ُ‫ر‬‫اش‬َ‫ب‬" and "ْ‫ُن‬‫ه‬‫و‬ُ‫ر‬‫اش‬َ‫ب‬ُ‫ت‬" were misused
to insert in the Quran the pagan concept of not having sex with women
during the SAWON ‫صوم‬ and in the mosques (temples). To understand the
actual meaning of "َُ‫ر‬ِ‫ش‬‫ا‬َ‫ب‬"just turn on your TV and find any live broadcast
from any Arab TV channel and you will see a slide "‫("مباشر‬Mubashir) on the
screen, which means live involvement in a real time. ‫مباشر‬ (Mubashir) is an
adjective of the root word "‫"بشر‬ (Bashar) that itself reveals its true meaning
of "real time activist" that is also known as "human being". So, the Quranic
words "ْ‫ُن‬‫ه‬‫و‬ُ‫ر‬‫اش‬َ‫ب‬" and "ْ‫ُن‬‫ه‬‫و‬ُ‫ر‬‫اش‬َ‫ب‬ُ‫ت‬" are combination of the verb forms of the root
word "‫"بشر‬ and third person plural objective pronoun of females, i.e. ُْ‫ر‬‫اش‬َ‫ب‬
(verb)+ْ‫ُن‬‫ه‬ Likewise, ُْ‫ت‬ُْ‫ر‬‫اش‬َ‫ب‬ is a plural verb and ْ‫ُن‬‫ه‬ is the 3rd person female
pronoun. Therefore the correct meaning of the clause " َْ‫ن‬‫اْل‬َ‫ف‬ْْ‫ُن‬‫ه‬‫و‬ُ‫ر‬‫اش‬َ‫ب‬ْْ‫وا‬ُ‫غ‬َ‫ت‬‫اب‬ َ‫و‬ْ‫ا‬َ‫م‬ْ
َْ‫َب‬‫ت‬َ‫ك‬ُْْ ِّ‫الل‬ " of the verse 2:187 will be "Now involve them (women) and seek
what Allah has prescribed". Likewise, the clause " َْ‫ل‬ َ‫و‬ْْ‫ُن‬‫ه‬‫و‬ُ‫ر‬‫اش‬َ‫ب‬ُ‫ت‬ْْ‫م‬ُ‫ت‬‫ن‬َ‫أ‬ َ‫و‬َْْ‫ون‬ُ‫ف‬‫اك‬َ‫ع‬ْ‫ي‬‫ف‬ْ
ْ‫د‬‫اج‬َ‫س‬َ‫م‬‫"ال‬ of the same verse 2:187 is actually saying " Do not involve them
(women) while you are immersed in the temples of prostration. This is
100% true translation of the above clauses of the verse 2:187, in which
women should be involved in the activities of conveying the message of the
Quran in the SAWOM ‫صوم‬ but they are not involved in the same activity of
conveying the Quran at night to the temples of idol prostration because
women's safety is kept in view to keep women away from unexpected
opposition and glitch of mess from those who were prostrating idols in the
places of pagan worship, when you go to convey the message of the
Quran.
How shameful is the interpretation of their dirty minds who have twisted the
above most valuable words of the Quran to having or not having sex with
women. Till last Ramadan I was also told the same misleading
interpretation in the so called "Dars-e-Quran" held by the group of the
Quranists in London. I don't know how many innocent people were
misguided by them in the name of "Pure Quranic Education". Oh, before I
go further I must tell you that the translation of the clause " ْ‫اس‬َ‫ب‬‫ل‬ْْ‫م‬ُ‫ك‬‫ل‬ْْ‫م‬ُ‫ت‬‫ن‬َ‫أ‬ َ‫و‬ْْ‫اس‬َ‫ب‬‫ل‬ْ
ْ‫ن‬ُ‫ه‬‫ل‬ " of the same verse 2:187 is also not only wrong but quite misleading as

5. well. They use the meaning of the Persian word "ْ‫اس‬َ‫ب‬‫ل‬ " (Libas) to mean
"garment" or "dress". However, I believe that the Quran was revealed in
pure Arabic therefore, the meaning of the Arabic word "ْ‫اس‬َ‫ب‬‫"ل‬ should be
taken to translate this clause of the verse we are discussing. In Arabic
language "garments" are called "‫"مالبس‬ you can see this word written on the
boards of all garment shops in Saudi Arabia and the same word is used in
the advertisement and publicity of "garments". Whereas the word of the
above verse "ْ‫اس‬َ‫ب‬‫"ل‬ means "cover" or covering something" So, " ْ‫اس‬َ‫ب‬‫ل‬ْْ‫م‬ُ‫ك‬‫ل‬ْْ‫م‬ُ‫ت‬‫ن‬َ‫أ‬ َ‫و‬ْ
ْ‫اس‬َ‫ب‬‫ل‬ْْ‫ن‬ُ‫ه‬‫ل‬ " You cover them (women) and they (women) cover you/ they
facilitate or provide you with the cover and you facilitate or provide them
necessary cover ( ْ‫م‬ُ‫ت‬‫ن‬َ‫أ‬َْْ‫ب‬‫ل‬ْ‫اس‬ ). This cover is not the dress but a technical term of
discussing the secrets (ُْ‫ث‬َ‫ف‬‫)الر‬ of enemy to plan a strategy. The same term of
"cover" and "under cover" is used in the departments of intelligents, Special
Forces and secret agencies. So, " ْ‫اس‬َ‫ب‬‫ل‬ْْ‫م‬ُ‫ك‬‫ل‬ْْ‫م‬ُ‫ت‬‫ن‬َ‫أ‬ َ‫و‬ْْ‫اس‬َ‫ب‬‫ل‬ْْ‫ن‬ُ‫ه‬‫ل‬ "they (women) are
under your cover and you are under their cover. Technically "ُْ‫ث‬َ‫ف‬‫"الر‬ means
exchange of secrets and secret talk but the vulgar scholars translated this
word towards having dirty sexual relations and dirty contacts. Do you now
see how they have destroyed Allah's message in the name of teaching the
true education of the Quran?
They must revert to Islam and immediately stop their infidel activities of
misleading people in the name of the Quran.
Seeing your interest in the Quran and your understanding about my recent
articles on SAWOM ‫صوم‬ I have explained to you the true understanding of
the above verses 2:185 and 2:187. Being a professional researcher of
education of Canada, I hope you can develop the above translation further,
using your analytical skills.
Regards
Dr. Kashif Khan