There
are many ways to contemplate the verses of the Quran. One of them is to find a
link between the various Ayat as they come one after the other while the
subject matter seems to change.
Some
commentators of the Quran have ignored this aspect of finding a linkage between
the Ayat. There are others who have devoted books on the subject of the order
of the Quranic Ayat, such as As Suyuti, Biqa’i and others.
I
incline towards this second methodology. Here is an example of a link between
the Ayat about fasting in Surah Baqara 103-187 and the verses preceding and
following them.
The
three verses preceding the Ayat of fasting speak about inheritance bequests,
the rulings, the importance of writing a will, and whether it can be amended or
not if the testator has shown unjust favour to someone or tried to deprive someone
from his share. The verses say:
Prescribed for you when death approaches [any] one of you if
he leaves wealth [is that he should make] a bequest for the parents and near
relatives according to what is acceptable - a duty upon the righteous.
Then whoever alters the bequest after he has heard it - the
sin is only upon those who have altered it. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and
Knowing.
But if one fears from the bequeather [some] error or sin and
corrects that which is between them, there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is
Forgiving and Merciful.
[Quran
2:180-182]
These
three Ayat are followed by 5 Ayat of Fasting beginning with Ayah 183:
O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed
upon those before you that you may become righteous
[Fasting for] a limited number of days. So
whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number
of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with
hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And
whoever volunteers excess - it is better for him. But to fast is best for you,
if you only knew.
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a
guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever
sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a
journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and
does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and
to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be
grateful.
And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], 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 [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be
[rightly] guided.
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 sunset. And do not have relations with them as long
as you are staying for worship in the mosques. These are the limits [set by]
Allah , so do not approach them. Thus does Allah make clear His ordinances to
the people that they may become righteous.
[Quran
2:183-187]
This
passage on fasting is followed by an Ayah which speaks about the evil act of
consuming someone’s property or wealth through bribing judges or in any other
false manner.
It
says:
And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or send it
[in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you [to] consume a
portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know [it is unlawful].
[Quran
2:188]
So
here comes the question: why are the Ayat of fasting surrounded by a mention of
two malpractices which lead one to acquire someone’s money immorally?
The
linkage between these Ayat is the following saying of the Prophet (SAW):
“The person who does not abandon lies or
acting upon them, Allah is in no need to ask him to leave his food or drink.”
So
fasting is prescribed to develop “Taqwa” (to beware of the bad consequences of
our deeds) i.e. to stop evil deeds and embark upon good ones.
A
person may have been fasting throughout his life but all his fasting is wasted
because his last action before death was to leave a bequest in which either he
has shown favour to someone who does not deserve it or has deprived someone a
share which he deserved to receive.
Similarly, during his life he may have acquired other people’s property
or wealth through bribery and wrong means. Such people, even if they fast, will
not reap the fruits of fasting.
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