TAFSEER IBN KATHIR - SURAH # 7: AL-A'RAF

TAFSEER IBN KATHIR – SURAH # 7: AL-A'RAF

Allah commands taking Adornment when going to the Masjid

This honorable Ayah refutes the idolators' practice of performing Tawaf around the Sacred House while naked. Muslim, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Jarir, (the following wording is that of Ibn Jarir) recorded that Shu`bah said that Salamah bin Kuhayl said that Muslim Al-Batin said that Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Ibn `Abbas said, "The idolators used to go around the House while naked, both men and women, men in the day and women by night. The woman would say, "Today, a part or all of it will be unveiled, but whatever is exposed of it, I do not allow.'' Allah said in reply,

﴿خُذُواْ زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ﴾

(Take your adornment to every Masjid,) Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas commented on:

﴿خُذُواْ زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ﴾

(Take your adornment to every Masjid) o"There were people who used to perform Tawaf around the House while naked, and Allah ordered them to take adornment, meaning, wear clean, proper clothes that cover the private parts. people were commanded to wear their best clothes when performing every prayer.'' Mujahid, `Ata', Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Qatadah, As-Suddi, Ad-Dahhak and Malik narrated a similar saying from Az-Zuhri, and from several of the Salaf. They said that this Ayah was revealed about the idolators who used to perform Tawaf around the House while naked. This Ayah (7:31), as well as the Sunnah, encourage wearing the best clothes when praying, especially for Friday and `Id prayers. It is also recommended ﴿for men﴾ to wear perfume for prayer, because it is adornment, and to use Siwak for it is part of what completes adornment. The best color for clothes is white, for Imam Ahmad narrated that Ibn `Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah said,

«الْبَسُوا مِنْ ثِيَابِكُمُ الْبَيَاضَ فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ خَيْرِ ثِيَابِكُمْ، وَكَفِّنُوا فِيهَا مَوْتَاكُمْ وَإِنَّ خَيْرَ أَكْحَالِكُمُ الْإثْمَدُ فَإِنَّهُ يَجْلُو الْبَصَرَ وَيُنْبِتُ الشَّعَر»

(Wear white clothes, for it is among your best clothes, and also wrap your dead with it. And Ithmid (antimony) is among the best of your Kuhl, for it clears the sight and helps the hair grow.) This Hadith has a sound chain of narration, consisting of narrators who conform to the conditions and guidelines of Imam Muslim. Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah also recorded it, and At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih.''

Prohibiting Extravagance

Allah said,

﴿وَكُلُواْ وَاشْرَبُواْ﴾

(And eat and drink..). Al-Bukhari said that Ibn `Abbas said, "Eat what you wish and wear what you wish, as long as you avoid two things: extravagance and arrogance.'' Ibn Jarir said that Muhammad bin `Abdul-A`la narrated to us that Muhammad bin Thawr narrated to us from Ma`mar from Ibn Tawus from his father who said that Ibn `Abbas said, "Allah has allowed eating and drinking, as long as it does not contain extravagance or arrogance.'' This chain is Sahih. Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Miqdam bin Ma`dikarib Al-Kindi said that he heard the Messenger of Allah saying,

«مَا مَلَأَ ابْنُ آدَمَ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنِهِ بِحَسْبِ ابْنِ آدَمَ أَكَلَاتٍ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ فَاعِلًا لَا مَحَالَةَ فَثُلُثٌ طَعَامٌ وَثُلُثٌ شَرَابٌ وَثُلُثٌ لِنَفَسِه»

(The Son of Adam will not fill a pot worse for himself than his stomach. It is enough for the Son of Adam to eat a few bites that strengthens his spine. If he likes to have more, then let him fill a third with food, a third with drink and leave a third for his breathing.) An-Nasa'i and At-Tirmidhi collected this Hadith, At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan'' or "Hasan Sahih'' according to another manuscript. `Ata' Al-Khurasani said that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah,

﴿وكُلُواْ وَاشْرَبُواْ وَلاَ تُسْرِفُواْ إِنَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ﴾

(And eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allah) likes not the wasteful.) "With food and drink.'' Ibn Jarir commented on Allah's statement,

﴿إِنَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ﴾

(Certainly He (Allah) likes not the wasteful.) "Allah the Exalted says that He does not like those who trespass the limits on an allowed matter or a prohibited matter, those who go to the extreme over what He has allowed, allow what He has prohibited, or prohibit what He has allowed. But, He likes that what He has allowed be considered as such (without extravagance) and what He has prohibited be considered as such. This is the justice that He has commanded.''

﴿قُلْ مَنْ حَرَّمَ زِينَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِى أَخْرَجَ لِعِبَادِهِ وَالْطَّيِّبَـتِ مِنَ الرِّزْقِ قُلْ هِى لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا خَالِصَةً يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ كَذَلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الآيَـتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴾

(32. Say: "Who has forbidden the adornment with clothes given by Allah, which He has produced for His servants, and At-Tayyibat (good things) of sustenance'' Say: "They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, (and) exclusively for them (believers) on the Day of Resurrection.'' Thus We explain the Ayat in detail for people who have knowledge. )