[2:183-187] : Fasting and Ramadan in the Quran - a rhetoric analysis

[good_logic]

Peace All.

I have asked this particular question to Qoran
Why does GOD send a message to humans? Is it to impose some rituals or burden on them to carry out in their life?

Here are the answers , according to my own study of the book

1-GOD is no need for anything from any one of you humans.
2-This is a message from your creator to guide you in life and teach you some knowledge that help you lead your life successfully and peacefully.
3-This is a mercy and a healer to humans.
4- What does GOD gain from your punishment? If you heeded the message , leaned some wisdom from it and straightened yourself- followed the straight path- or from anything. The human either gains or loses for their own soul.
5- This is a Mercy , a great help to those who prepare to meet their Lord.
;;;And many other benefits to the human. GOD requires nothing-zero things- from humans.

GOD will be either supportive to those who accept His way or very disappointed /giving many opportunities to those who go it alone/follow other than GOD/ Oppose GOD s way/path..

Now Qoran gives a clear path on what to do in life- the straight path- GOOD work, good character and good morals- It is crystal clear that those who believe and follow the straight path will succeed. They believe they are to meet their Lord and accept accountability and responsibility in their life.

Coming back to what people call rituals, it is up to their understanding of the message using their own faculty/reasoning what they do with Qoran s instructions to them.

Those who connect with their Lord and do the prayer how they understand it, sawm how they understand it. give of what GOD has provided for them to whom they choose and how much they choose ...etc, what harm are they doing to anyone else? Are they forcing anything on anyone?
GOD knows all our innermost thoughts and intentions, then GOD is our judge.

What I am saying here is that differences about rituals are not the issue. Leading our life ,doing, interacting with others, socialising, helping one another, looking after each other...are the most important things in life. That is how we unite or divide not what rituals we do.

However there is nothing wrong in anyone sharing their understanding with good intentions and honesty, accepting that freedom of choice is a GOD given right to all humans.
May the Lord unite us all to follow His system /the straight path- .
GOD bless you all.
Peace.

[Iyyaka]

Peace good logic,

Coming back to what people call rituals, it is up to their understanding of the message using their own faculty/reasoning what they do with Qoran s instructions to them.

But we must be wary here of putting the cart before the horse...
If I may, you're conflating two things the literal understanding of a text in its context, and your personnal opinions on this text. My personal goal is to provide an effort to understand the Quran without personal lenses. The rituals may not be useful to you or you may not see an interest in them for you personal faith, but if the Quran mentions these rituals, then we must discuss and understand them. What you do with them afterwards is indeed of your own responsibility.

If everyone can understand the Quran in his primary sense as they see fit, then what's the purpose/useful of a divine message?
This text, like any discourse, has two essential dimensions

• language
• structuring of the discourse. In this forum, my aim is to share the composition of the text in order to have a better understand of it. Any text should be understood in the way the author intended it to be read. A text that has not been arranged in a classical manner according to our modern standards. And, as much as I can, by using a robust methodology, i try to leave my personal preferences/opinions.

To return to the passage that concerns us here, fasting has both a physical and spiritual dimension, a spiritual dimension in connection with the Quran, to celebrate it during the lunar month in which it began to be revealed, and then as a guide that should be particularly meditated upon during this month. It is an effort and a collective moment centred around what brings us together the Quran and its reading/meditation.

[good_logic]

Peace Iyyaka.

I need to clarify for you my take in case you think I find things in Qoran that are not useful.

I am saying Qoran gives us a basic start with our surrender , then we can climb the ladder.
Every potential believer starts with "Muslim" to GOD Alone ,This stage is all about the "Ibada"- Straight path;. Ibada - Following GOD Alone and His system -

In surah one GOD sets the way for us
First "Iyyaka Nabudu" ,then Iyyaka Nastaeen".
What is Ibada?
Ibada has nothing to do with rituals, it is simply " Following GOD Alone and the straight path"

• Wa MA kahalaktu ...I did not create the Jinns and Inns...Illa Liyabuduni"Only to Ubudu GOD Alone.
• Wa Anni Ibuduni...GOD Alone.. Hada Siratun Mustaqeem... This is the straight path.

-فَمَن يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَن يَهدِيَهُ يَشرَح صَدرَهُ لِلإِسلٰمِ وَمَن يُرِد أَن يُضِلَّهُ يَجعَل صَدرَهُ ضَيِّقًا حَرَجًا كَأَنَّما يَصَّعَّدُ فِى السَّماءِ كَذٰلِكَ يَجعَلُ اللَّهُ الرِّجسَ عَلَى الَّذينَ لا يُؤمِنونَ

This is the straight path to your Lord. We have explained the revelations for people who take heed.
وَهٰذا صِرٰطُ رَبِّكَ مُستَقيمًا قَد فَصَّلنَا الـٔايٰتِ لِقَومٍ يَذَّكَّرونَ

So Ibada is the straight path, what is the straight path- Simply to try very hard to lead a righteous life-

Say, "Come let me tell you what your Lord has really prohibited for you You shall not set up idols besides Him. You shall honor your parents. You shall not kill your children from fear of poverty - we provide for you and for them. You shall not commit gross sins, obvious or hidden. You shall not kill - God has made life sacred - except in the course of justice. These are His commandments to you, that you may understand."

قُل تَعالَوا أَتلُ ما حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُم عَلَيكُم أَلّا تُشرِكوا بِهِ شَيـًٔا وَبِالوٰلِدَينِ إِحسٰنًا وَلا تَقتُلوا أَولٰدَكُم مِن إِملٰقٍ نَحنُ نَرزُقُكُم وَإِيّاهُم وَلا تَقرَبُوا الفَوٰحِشَ ما ظَهَرَ مِنها وَما بَطَنَ وَلا تَقتُلُوا النَّفسَ الَّتى حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلّا بِالحَقِّ ذٰلِكُم وَصّىٰكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُم تَعقِلونَ

You shall not touch the orphans' money except in the most righteous manner, until they reach maturity. You shall give full weight and full measure when you trade, equitably. We do not burden any soul beyond its means. You shall be absolutely just when you bear witness, even against your relatives. You shall fulfill your covenant with God. These are His commandments to you, that you may take heed.
وَلا تَقرَبوا مالَ اليَتيمِ إِلّا بِالَّتى هِىَ أَحسَنُ حَتّىٰ يَبلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَأَوفُوا الكَيلَ وَالميزانَ بِالقِسطِ لا نُكَلِّفُ نَفسًا إِلّا وُسعَها وَإِذا قُلتُم فَاعدِلوا وَلَو كانَ ذا قُربىٰ وَبِعَهدِ اللَّهِ أَوفوا ذٰلِكُم وَصّىٰكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُم تَذَكَّرونَ

This is My path - a straight one. You shall follow it, and do not follow any other paths, lest they divert you from His path. These are His commandments to you, that you may be saved.

وَأَنَّ هٰذا صِرٰطى مُستَقيمًا فَاتَّبِعوهُ وَلا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُم عَن سَبيلِهِ ذٰلِكُم وَصّىٰكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُم تَتَّقونَ

Is there any rituals mentioned here?
This is the basic criteria that should unite all believers in GOD s religion.
That is the utmost priority that saves and makes us succeed in life.

Then there is "Iyyaka Nastaeen"- We seek GOD s help and guidance with The salat, Sawm...etc.
Wa Istainu Bi Al sabr and The Salat..."

This is an ongoing relationship with our creator and the differences are not the issue as GOD s guidance will eventually strengthen our unity and we meet somewhere agreeable or even agree to disagree and not to disunite.
The strength of our relationship and unity is in the social interaction, our day to day tasks and relationships and our behaviour with each other.
Hope you get my point brother.
GOD bless you.
Peace.

[Fusion]

I agree with GL. The irony is that the nation of Islam has been reduced to rituals, while the essence of faith, righteousness, justice, and devotion to God should have come first.

The Quran does mention what appear to be rituals, like Zakariya’s silent remembrance (341) and Maryam’s fasting from speech (1926), or the verses of Fasting... but they were always tied to a greater purpose.

Rituals may have their place if at all, but when they become the foundation instead of faith itself, the horse is put before the cart.

[Iyyaka]

Peace good logic and Fusion,

You make good observations, but allow me to say that you are off-topic. The aim here is to understand a textual unit of the Quran that extends from verse 183 to verse 187 and to expose its structure. That is the extent of it. The Quran prescribes fasting, particularly during an entire lunar month, describing in detail its observance or the conditions for its non-observance. The idea again, I repeat myself, is to expose its beautiful structure, to meditate on it (savour it) and thus avoid, as much as possible, exegetical manipulation through an atomistic reading of the Quran (isolated verse).

NB

• That's not the subject, but you're right to point out that in (192614)/ṣawman it concerns abstinence in general, and it's specified further on that this abstinence only refers to abstinence from speech. This should be translated as "a vow of abstinence" rather than "a fast".

[SarahY]

Salam All,

I’m not sure exactly what you’re asking, what misconception are you correcting?

Anyway I have some thoughts.

Whilst today, many people may use Ramadan as a sort of festival as you say fusion, their actions are not harmful furthermore they’re practises also linked with tradition. So, I’m not sure what your questioning… their sincerity in their personal benefit of fasting? How do you conclude it’s not directly tied to the personal experience of fasting?

My understanding of the message of the Quran is to benefit ourselves and the community we are in. it’s not a one person conquering their own self but rather being a better person to better the society we are in.

The question of ritual I’m not sure what people mean by rituals. Life is full of rituals… Practising Islam in my opinion is submitting to God’s will, to God’s law and being mindful which isn’t always easy. One can perform rituals unmindfully and mindfully. One can't assume that all God believers will always practise self-control, gratitude and closeness to God. I believe from human experience it is easy to get distracted, it is easy to be ungrateful, it is easy to be lazy. I mean you all might be a super disciplined elite humans but certainly I know I am flawed.

Just a ritual. Brushing one’s teeth can be a ritual. Is it crucial… It can be done both mindfully and unmindfully. One who is more meticulous may have better teeth and oral hygiene than one who is unmindful. Rituals can be beneficial even if one is not intentional.

I don’t believe fasting is “just a ritual” or an unmindful act. I believe it is deeper. If you have fasted you will have an idea of how it makes you feel and how dependent and weak humans are. What one gets out of it, is dependent on them.

[good_logic]

Peace SarahY,all.
I am only highlighting the importance of the straight path ,if one is Muslim to GOD.

The message of Qoran to me is giving us the best way to lead our life. "Ibada. Ubudu GOD" is not Salat, Zakat, Sawum.., What some call the 5 pillars of Islam. Qoran does not say that.

I have not seen a single verse that connects "Ibada" with Salat, Zakat, Sawm. But I am not saying they are not useful.

Ibada is always to do with the "straight path," to do with our works/deeds. i.e How we should live our life and deal with ourselves and our brothers and sisters, the humans,according to GOD s instructions/commands of the straight path.

GOD Alone is the focal point. To follow GOD s straight path is GOD s "Ibada"

To follow any other path,is to follow another authority. It is Shirk -You are doing "Ibada" to another god/system.

Now as far as Salat ,Zakat ,Sawm...They are the soul needs ,just like our body needs- Like food, drink,dance, entertainment, sport,amusement...

GOD does not need anything from us. GOD is warning us in His message to look after our soul and nourish it, Why?

Because the soul needs to grow in readiness to meet the creator on that fatal day.
The day our universe and earth are going to be annexed to GOD s kingdom like promised.
The day GOD and His Angels are going to show here-Yawma Tashakkaku Al Sama Bi Alghamami Wa nuzzila Al Malaika Tanzeela- -Wa Jeea Rabbuka Wa Al Malaku Saffan Saffa-

Either our soul is heavy and ready to withstand GOD s presence- Janna- on that day, or is light-undernourished- and runs away from GOD s presence -Gehenna-
The soul/ Nafs needs GOD s input/noutishment to grow. Salat, Sawm, ...add to that growth.
Kad Aflaha Man Zakkaha( Either Grown it), Wa Kad Khaba Man Dassaha-( Or Starved it).
GOD bless you.
Peace.

[Iyyaka]

Peace all,

Three additional reflection on this textual unit (2183-187)

(1)
As I mentioned in my introductory post, the second part (verses 185-187) has a concentric structure in A/X/A'

• A (verse 185) observation -> The Quran is guidance for people ("hudan lilnnāsi&quot

• X (verse 186) God's call for people to respond to this call in order to be guided (falyastajībū lī)

• A' (verse 187) Positive response from believers who "seek what God has prescribed for you" (wa-ib'taghū mā kataba l-lahu lakum), particularly during "extended stays in places of worship" (wa-antum ʿākifūna fī l-masājidi)

(2)
I have not translated the word "l-qur'ānu", defining it as a proper noun. However, in this passage, one could translate "l-qur'ānu" as "the Call" (a call par excellence as a discourse in which one addresses the public to exhort them). The use of the word "lyastajībū/let them respond" in confirms this translation. The form X of the triliteral root jīm wāw bā (ج و ب) refers to the idea of "responding favourably to someone", i.e., responding favourably to the divine Call. The Quran is, originally, a verbal message and not a written one. The word Quran, in its 60 occurrences, has the primary meaning of calling above all, the Quran is a Call, a "Cry" to rediscover the meaning of the same root Qara'a in different Semitic languages. The meaning of reading or reciting is derived from the primary meaning, which is vocal, dating from a time when the voice "descended from the heavens" did not yet have a scriptural support the Call was then in the process of being constituted.

(3)
The term "maʿdūdātin" in verse in the expression "ayyāman maʿdūdātin" is what is called a plural of paucity (cf. Sibawayhi and the concept of jamu l-qilla (A 'fourth number' in Arabic, the plural of paucity); even if Sibawayhi does not use the specific expression "jamu l-qilla&quot. In short, in archaic Arabic (time of Muhammad), there exists a category of plural nouns that grammarians call jamʿu 'l-qilla ("plural of few&quot. These are the forms afʿāl, afʿul, afʿilatun, fiʿlatun, which in classical language were used only for a number of elements from 3 to 10.
Before the revelation of verse 184, the number of fasting days at the beginning of the stay in Medina must therefore have been between 3 and 10 (3 per month according to the tradition + the fast of Ashura). So, the use of the word "maʿdūdātin" lends credence to this tradition. Then verse 184 was revealed, which extended this number to 29/30 consecutive days during the lunar month of Ramadan.

[Anoushirvan]

Among the most misunderstood verses in Qur'an, their "kings" are certainly those related to sawm or siyam.

In Qur'an, there are six occasions of "siyam".
If we except the first occasion, all the other occasions of siyam are commands to do penance for various wrongdoings, more or less serious

• in verse 2.196, siyam is ordered for those who cannot properly do the hajj.
• in verse 4.92, siyam is ordered for someone who unvoluntarily kills a believer
• in verse 5.89, siyam is ordered for breaking one's oaths
• in verse 5.92, siyam is ordered for killing animals around the Ka'aba during hajj
• in verse 58.4, siyam is ordered for those who assimilated their wives to their mothers, then coming back on their declarations.

In view of these, there is therefore no reason that siyam ordered in verse 2.183 and followings should be considered a festive ritual, as they are considered in Islam.
It must have to do with penance as well.

Significance of siyam in verse 2.183 and followings has been lost, simply put.

And among the "king" misunderstood verses of Qur'an, verse 2.187 is the king of kings.

Here are the misconceptions to be cleared in verse 2.187

• rafath (رَفَث) does not mean sexual relationship but lewed or obscene speech

• uḥilla (أُحِلَّ) here does not mean it has been made lawful or halal from legal point of view.
  It means you were permitted to this or that, in the sense of you allowed yourself to do this or that.

In Qur'an the verb aḥalla (أَحَلَّ) does not necessarily mean that the act to allow something is correct.
For example, in verse 9.37, the rejectors "yuḥillūna" (allow it) an-nasa while they shouldn't.

• takhtānūna anfusakum does not mean to have clandestine sexual relationships but deceive yourselves. This is in relation with the word uhilla above you allowed yourselves to talk obscene speech to your women (like harassment in a modern world) but you were deceiving yourselves.

• the verb bāshiru (بَٰشِرُ) has nothing to do with having sexual relationship.
  It is related to the word bushra which means glad tidings.
  I suspect that the meaning related to sexual relationship is because this verse was totally misunderstood by early grammarians.

It should be noted that if having sex with women (and here only with wives of course, not any woman) was forbidden by God during fasting before this verse was revealed, then there is no way God would suddenly allow it just because people were not able to stick to that rule.
And if it was not forbidden, then there is no way God would have to forgive anyone for doing something not forbidden.

So the traditional understanding of verse 2.187 to allow sex during the nights of Ramadan is theologically meaningless.

The bushra is an extremely important concept, it is the cornerstone of all the Scriptures from the Torah, to Gospels, to Qur'an.
So bāshirūhunna means "bring them (the women) glad tidings", understood instead of rafath, i.e. instead of obscene speech.
In fact, bashiru and bushra have much stronger sense than just good speech.
Their actual meaning is more like bring good news of the good promises.
In the context of verse 2.187, it means bring women good promises to alleviate their conditions. I'll come back to this later.

We come to most complicated part of verse 2.187, because it switches to metaphorical meaning without notice.

• Eat and drink first of all, it's a positive command.
  Nowhere in this verse it is said "don't eat or don't drink".

Of course, it is still possible to take them in the proper sense.
But w.r.t. what was previously explained about obscene speech vs. bring good news and good promises, their true meaning in this context is really metaphorical.

It simply means study and learn!
More in the context, it means please study and learn first before moving forward.

It is important to notice that this command "eat and drink until..." is still related to bringing glad tidings to women because after that, the verse continues with "do not bring them glad tidings while you are secluded in the mosques".
So it is not a general command describing the ritual of fasting of Ramadan as in Islam but a specific command related to the women conditions.

• Then the ultimate complicated part "until becomes distinct to you the white thread from the black thread from the dawn".
  This expression actually comes from Judaism and the Talmud where it is ordered to the faithful to perform the morning prayer when he can distinguish a blue thread from a white thread on his tallit (shawl).

It should be noted that Jews since centuries now are not able to fulfill this command because this is a particular blue dye whose recipe has been lost since the Middle Age.

The command in the Talmud can indeed be taken in the proper sense, however it is recognized by the Jewish tradition that it has also figurative meanings, either related to knowledge of the divine commandments, or related to the coming of the messianic era.

This is a analogue figurative meaning at work in the verse.
Before elaborating on this, we need the following

• then fulfill the siyam until the night
  The scheme for redemption is the following first bring glad tidings that the promise of redemption will be accomplished, then hold an atonement period, then redemption takes place.

For example, Zacharia receives the glad tidings of a son, but then is condemned to silence until the birth of Yahiya.
Another example is Maryam she receives the glad tidings of a son, but then decides the remain silent until she returns to her people, and btw, during a sawm, she eats and drinks but remains silent.

Therefore, eat and drink until becomes distinct to you the white thread from the black thread from the dawn, then fulfill the siyam until the night. This means study and learn until the divine commandments (the threads) bearers of the promise to alleviate the conditions of women become clear to you, then perform the atonement period until they actually enter into force.

• walā tubāshirūhunna wa antum ʿākifūna fī l-masājidi do not bring women glad tidings while you are secluded in the mosques.
  This is in fact more or less the explicit version in the proper sense of the previous metaphorical and figurative sentence.
  We learn several things here at that time, mosques were not only places of prayer.
  They were in fact also places to teach religion and the divine will.
  And it is really unlikely they were invented by the Muslim community at the same time Qur'an was elaborated so they certainly existed well before Qur'an.

Mosques were also places for retreat and to perform atonement.

Also, siyam in verse 2.187, and this is likely consistent with its other uses in Qur'an is about remaining silent and secluded until redemption happens.
It is not uncompatible with abstinence of physical food and drink during the day, but the focus is not on that.
The focus is on abstinence of speech during the day and seclusion whose goal is to amend and reform.

Now we have the complete understanding of verse 2.187

You allowed yourselves to have lewed speech against your women during the nights of atonement while you have mutual rights and obligations (garments), you and them. God knows you were deceiving yourselves, so He turned to you and forgave you. Now, be bearers of glad tidings to them, seek what God has commanded to you. Study and learn until the divine commandements to reach redemption become clear for you, then fulfill the atonement period, and do not bring them (women) glad tidings during your seclusion in the mosques. Do not cross the lines set by God. God makes clear His teachings for the people so that they become righteous.

Then we can turn to verses 2.183 until 2.185.
Verse 2.183 clarifies what is the purpose of siyam it is to make people reach righteousness.

So whatever ritual is followed by people, such as not eating nor drinking nor smoking nor having sexual relationship, during the day, etc, if it does not make them reach righteousness, this is not siyam as in Qur'an.

Righteousness according to Qur'an is somewhat defined in verse 2.177
Piety is not to turn your faces towards the east and the west, but pious is one who believes in God and the Last Day, and the angels, and the Book, and the prophets, and he gives wealth out of love to the relatives, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer, and those who ask, and to free the slaves; and he establishes the prayer, and contributes towards purification; and those who keep their pledges when they make a pledge, and those who are patient in the face of adversity and hardship and when in despair. These are the ones who have been truthful, and these are the righteous (muttaqi).

As we can infer from verses 2.177 and 2.183 the ultimate goal of siyam in verse 2.183 is not to establish a religious ritual per se, but to amend and reform the society.

From what I can observe in Islam, the fasting of Ramadan as it is performed makes people more religious, yes, but as to whether they become more righteous, this is another matter.

On the other hand, verse 2.183 while establishing the practice of siyam does not explicitly say how to practice it.

And verse 2.187 is not the actual explanation of how to practice siyam in verse 2.183, as verse 2.187 is specifically related to promises to women.

Nevertheless, there is a link between verse 2.183 and verse 2.187 because verse 2.187 happens in the context of an already ongoing siyam.

Verse 2.184 explains that doing siyam voluntarily (here, to reach righteousness) is a good for oneself, and people not able doing it for various reasons should consider postponing it to another moment.
And for those people able to do it but not willing to do it, they should feed a poor in compensation.

Verse 2.184 also implies that siyam to reach righteousness was a collective action performed at the same moment by the community, otherwise, there would no point postponing it later if unable to do it, as people would be able to chose the preferred moment for them.

Therefore, siyam in the context of verses 2.183 and 2.184 is a collective action undertaken by the community at a dedicated moment, analog to what was done by previous believing communities, and to which people should voluntarily participate for their own good.

Verse 2.185 explains that during "shahr ramadhana" Qur'an was revealed as a guidance to the people, and was also revealed the Furqan.
Furqan is not Criterion.
I will not dig into it, but Furqan is not an Arabic word, it is the Syriac word puqdana, which, when written in Syriac script looks like the word Furqan in Arabic script.
And puqdana means commandments, not criteria.

That said, it could also be the Syriac word purqana meaning salvation for the same scripting reason.

Both commandments or salvation could actually make sense in the context of verse 2.185, though I believe that commandments is perhaps more likely.

Anyway, verse 2.185 conveys the idea that revelations of Qur'an and Furqan were the glad tidings that the promise of redemption was going to be fulfilled.
So by the same scheme as above, after glad tidings are brought, atonement by fasting of speech must take place as an occasion to reflect and understand.

However the meaning in verse 2.185 is not so straightforward because of this
faman shahida minkumu al-shahra falyaṣum'hu

First, siyam is to be undertaken by anyone (man / minkum) as a consequence of having witnessed (shahida) al-shahra.
Witnessing a month is a completely meaningless sentence even in Arabic you possibly see the first crescent of moon announcing the beginning of a month, but seeing a month does not make sense, even less witnessing it.

Also siyam is an individual action by anyone witnessing, it is not said that someone witnesses and then all the other follow.

And shahr means something manifest. Even the original signification of shahr for moon was because it was conspicuous.
Whereas the first crescent starting a new month is hardly visible, and this is the reason why the first of Ramadan is called in Islam "Night of Doubt" laylatu ash-shakk.

W.r.t. the general lexical fields employed in Qur'an for clarity and light, the night of doubt is totally antinomic to Qur'an.

Also falyaṣum'hu literally it means let him fast the month. Again this is totally meaningless, you cannot fast a month more than you can witness it.

For those reasons, shahr cannot be taken here only in the sense of month.
This points to a double-entendre of the expression shahru ramaḍāna.
It certainly means month of Ramadan, but it also means something like manifestation of bloody or scorching situation.

This manifestation of bloody situation motivated the revelation of Qur'an and Furqan as a fulfillment of promise of salvation for the people.
So whoever witnesses this manifestation of bloody situation after having received Qur'an shall expiate it.

Again, how to expiate the bloody situation is not explicitly told in this verse.
But as verse 2.187 incidentally suggests, atonement was likely to be performed in mosques by fasting of the speech in first place.

Fasting of the speech already exists in Judaism on the Day of Atonement, i.e. Yom Kippur.
It is accompagnied by fasting of other natures like fasting of the food and drink.
In several places in those verses, Qur'an says that atonement is for a few days, three to ten days.
This is cognate to the Ten Days of Repentance in Judaism starting with the New Year (Rosh Hashanna) and culminating with Yom Kippur.
There is also an ancient Muslim tradition that the fast was initially on Ashura on the 10th day of Muharram.

Siyam in Qur'an at verses 2.183 to 2.187 therefore bears a lot of ressemblances with Yom Kippur and much less with fasting of Ramadan in Islam.
On the other hand, fasting of Ramadan in Islam bears more ressemblances with Christian customs.

[Wakas]

verses discussed here
https//mypercept.co.uk/articles/meaning-masjid-quran.html
https//mypercept.co.uk/articles/Quran-sawm-fasting.html

[Anoushirvan]

verses discussed here
https//mypercept.co.uk/articles/meaning-masjid-quran.html
https//mypercept.co.uk/articles/Quran-sawm-fasting.html

This doesn't mean their case is settled and closed though, on the contrary.

I completely disagree that masjid is not a physical building in Qur'an as implied by your conclusion, and this shows the limitations of philology done using only Qur'an where Qur'an is not rooted in its historical context.

We have an early Syriac chronicle where as of around 640 AD, Arabs were building a "midzgitha" for 3000 persons at Jerusalem after the conquest on the place located near the destroyed temple.
So this "midzgitha" is how the writer transliterated the Arabic word masjid into Syriac and it shows that as early 640 AD, a masjid was a physical building.

And the beginning of Sura 17 reminds the two calamities that stroke the Children of Israel, where the masjid was profaned.
It is obvious for anyone knowing a minimum the history of Israel and the Scriptures that the masjid that was destroyed is the First Temple and the Second Temple.
Especially as the passage starts in verse 17.4 "And We decreed for the Children of Israel in the Scriptures...", so for the Jews, the meaning here is obvious.

On the other hand, that a masjid was indeed a physical building does not mean it was any random building.
It had a specific purpose.

Masjids were in fact the first colleges in Islam, before madrassa took the place, see George Makdisi, "the Rise of Colleges, Institutions of Learning in Islam and the West".
Masjids were also a rest place for wayfarers and destitutes. They could also be a lodging place for ascetics.