"SAWM" - ABSTINENCE; another multiple meaning word to be careful with.
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Peace all,
There are several instances of the word "SAWM" in the reading, and because most people are familiar with this concept as fasting from food, drink and sexual contact they might assume that other uses of this word in the reading mean the same thing when in fact they don't.
The best example that shows that SAWM should be treated contextually is the following. "SAWM" means abstinence - but the context should indicate what it is that the abstinence must be from...
The traditional understanding is...
583 Those who estrange their wives in this manner, then reconcile thereafter, shall atone by freeing a slave before resuming their sexual relations. This is to enlighten you. GOD is Cognizant of everything you do.
584 If you cannot find a slave to free, you shall fast two consecutive months before resuming sexual relations. If you cannot fast, then you shall feed sixty poor people. You shall believe in GOD and His messenger. These are GOD's laws. The disbelievers have incurred a painful retribution.
Modified translation with respect to the context...
583 Those who estrange their wives in this manner, then reconcile thereafter, shall atone by freeing a slave before resuming their sexual relations. This is to enlighten you. GOD is Cognizant of everything you do.
584 If you cannot find a slave to free, you shall abstain two consecutive months before resuming sexual relations. If you cannot abstain, then you shall feed sixty poor people. You shall believe in GOD and His messenger. These are GOD's laws. The disbelievers have incurred a painful retribution.
Firstly the subject of these verses have nothing whatsoever to do with 'ramadan'. The subject matter is quite patently the estrangement from a spouse. The underlying issue is the resumation of sexual relations between the partners. The steps required are in order of preference
- Freeing a slave - not an issue in the modern world.
- Fasting from - sexual intercourse with the wife - not food and drink for two months.
- Feeding of 60 individuals.
Note that the fast in this scenario is not the same as the one for 'ramadan'. 584 makes it clear that the fast or abstinence is from sexual intercourse for a period of two months. The context is plain. If you dispute the contextual nature of fasting then please see this verse which is amazing in its ability to smash through the misconceptions...
1926 "Eat and drink, and be happy. When you see anyone, say, `I have made a vow to Ar-Rahman to fast; so I am not talking today to anyone.' "
Fakulee waishrabee waqarree AAaynan fa-imma tarayinna mina albashari ahadan faqoolee innee nathartu lilrrahmani sawman falan okallima alyawma insiyyan
Note carefully that it begins with "EAT AND DRINK" and yet Mary is fasting/abstaining ... from speech which is the context of the word 'sawm' in this verse. So the 'sawm' in this verse has nothing whatsoever to do with fasting from food and drink.
Similarly for 584. The verse is contextually framing the fast as abstinence from sexual intercourse with the wife for 2 months before they can resume again.
The final option is the feeding of 60 people. Now if the person has the wherewithal to free a slave or to feed 60 people; then he may resume sexual intercourse with the wife immediately - the very minute he fulfils these things.
So it should be clear that the fast referred to in 584 is from sexual intercourse and has no bearing or relationship to 'ramadan'.
Regards.
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Peace Truth,
You have true insight brother and your are obviously a very ardent student of the qur'an. Great post brother.
Salaam,
Damon. -
Very simple yet effective post. Peace.
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Peace be upon you,
I am glad you all agree with this understanding. Perhaps you can help me with this question in the following thread;
http//www.free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=3796.0
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peace oben
are you saying the fast mentioned in chapter 58 and it's circumstances?
Or is this on fasting period in the quran?
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Peace all,
I find 'truth's' post above to be nothing more than a fanciful one. When quranists start cheering for what he is talking about above, then its time to call upon Allah to help you out, which I sincerely doubt.
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Please comment with reasons why it's fanciful if someone thinks so. I don't wish for the atmosphere to turn out like it did a month ago. Thanks.
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peace
Peace all,
I find 'truth's' post above to be nothing more than a fanciful one. When quranists start cheering for what he is talking about above, then its time to call upon Allah to help you out, which I sincerely doubt.
And I find Danish's post above to be nothing more than a fanciful one. When anti-quranists start cheering for what he is talking above, then its time to call upon Allah to help you out, which I sincerely doubt. ;D
I don't wish for the atmosphere to turn out like it did a month ago. Thanks.
I wish we could be me more civil too.
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Peace truth, all,
I had a wrong understanding of the abstinence in 584. Thanks for the opening eyes.
Abstinence in 584 and abstinence of "shahr ramadan" are not same because one can approch approach the women sexually in the second case.What avout the abstinence in 595, 589, 492? Is this about the abstinence from talking?
Thanks.
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There are several instances of the word "SAWM" in the reading, and because most people are familiar with this concept as fasting from food, drink and sexual contact they might assume that other uses of this word in the reading mean the same thing when in fact they don't.
The best example that shows that SAWM should be treated contextually is the following. "SAWM" means abstinence - but the context should indicate what it is that the abstinence must be from...
The traditional understanding is...
583 Those who estrange their wives in this manner, then reconcile thereafter, shall atone by freeing a slave before resuming their sexual relations. This is to enlighten you. GOD is Cognizant of everything you do.
584 If you cannot find a slave to free, you shall fast two consecutive months before resuming sexual relations. If you cannot fast, then you shall feed sixty poor people. You shall believe in GOD and His messenger. These are GOD's laws. The disbelievers have incurred a painful retribution.
Modified translation with respect to the context...
583 Those who estrange their wives in this manner, then reconcile thereafter, shall atone by freeing a slave before resuming their sexual relations. This is to enlighten you. GOD is Cognizant of everything you do.
584 If you cannot find a slave to free, you shall abstain two consecutive months before resuming sexual relations. If you cannot abstain, then you shall feed sixty poor people. You shall believe in GOD and His messenger. These are GOD's laws. The disbelievers have incurred a painful retribution.
- The freeing of a slave, fasting for 2 consecutive months and feeding 60 poor people respectively, were pre-requisites to reconciliation of an estranged relationship during ancient times.
- Abstinence from sexual contact already factors in on an estranged relationship.
- The point of not having sexual contacts for 2 months AFTER reconciliation is meaningless when the abstinence from intercourse is already present during a hostile relation, i.e. BEFORE reconciliation.
- Such customary traditions, i.e. fasting, freeing slaves and feeding the poor, etc. referencing half-baked marital relations, were a tribal norm in ancient times long before the advent of Islam, vanishing with time, and not just because an alleged Allah said so centuries later in a man-made book.
- These ancient laws/systems are outdated and are not a norm within our modern societies and will be considered foolish and ignorant.
- ?Sawm? (fasting) cannot mean one thing in one verse and something else in another verse, and this must hold true for all words, ONLY if it?s coming out of "Allah".
The subject matter is quite patently the estrangement from a spouse.
The subject matter deals with conditional reconciliation/fixation of an estranged relation gone sour.
Finally, taking an ancient way of life and modifying to force the issues onto our advanced current way of life, becomes a manipulative new-age ignorant way of life, hence cannot remain ?Allah?s Absolute Words? for all times. Never was!
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1926 "Eat and drink, and be happy. When you see anyone, say, `I have made a vow to Ar-Rahman to fast; so I am not talking today to anyone.' "
huh? confused
lol if they made a vow not to speak they cannot actually say they have made a vow. do ya know what i mean? unless that is the only thing they are allowed to say?
peace,
sugar -
peace,
Yes it refers to that she will not carry on any conversations after those words....