Surah Al-Baqarah 2:187 is one of the most comprehensive verses on the laws of fasting. It permits eating, drinking and marital relations during the nights of Ramadan, defines the fast as lasting from true dawn until nightfall, and forbids marital relations during i’tikaf, the spiritual retreat in the mosque. It describes spouses as garments for one another, and it ends by calling these rules “the limits of Allah” whose purpose is taqwa, God-consciousness.

This article explains the verse in the light of its background of revelation and classical commentary, then studies i’tikaf through the authentic Sunnah, including the hadith of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace be upon him) observed i’tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan. It summarises the main rulings and etiquette of i’tikaf and draws out its three spiritual dimensions: focused worship, sincere repentance, and inner awakening. The article shows that Islam combines mercy toward human needs with discipline of the soul, and that i’tikaf is the peak of that training in Ramadan.

Keywords: Ramadan, I’tikaf, Al-Baqarah 2:187, Fasting from dawn to sunset, Spouses as garments, Limits of Allah (Hudud Allah), Taqwa, Repentance (Tawbah), Laylat al-Qadr

Introduction

Ramadan is a month of training. For thirty days, a believer gives up things that are normally lawful, food, drink and marital relations, from dawn until sunset, purely for the sake of Allah. Allah states the goal of this training at the start of the passage on fasting: “Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may attain taqwa” (Al-Baqarah 2:183).

Yet Islam does not ask believers to deny their nature completely. Only a few verses later, Allah declares: “Allah intends ease for you, not hardship” (Al-Baqarah 2:185). Verse 187 shows this balance in practice. It opens the nights for the lawful needs of the body, and closes the days for the training of the soul.

The same verse then mentions i’tikaf, a time when the believer withdraws from even lawful worldly matters to devote himself entirely to Allah in the mosque. In this way, the verse moves from ordinary fasting to the highest level of Ramadan devotion. Understanding it helps us see Ramadan not as a month of hunger, but as a structured journey toward Allah.

The Verse: Surah Al-Baqarah 2:187

Allah Almighty says:

اُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ اِلٰى نِسَاۗىِٕكُمْ ۭ ھُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَاَنْتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ ۭعَلِمَ اللّٰهُ اَنَّكُمْ كُنْتُمْ تَخْتَانُوْنَ اَنْفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنْكُمْ ۚ فَالْئٰنَ بَاشِرُوْھُنَّ وَابْتَغُوْا مَا كَتَبَ اللّٰهُ لَكُمْ ۠وَكُلُوْا وَاشْرَبُوْا حَتّٰى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْاَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْاَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ۠ ثُمَّ اَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ اِلَى الَّيْلِ ۚ وَلَا تُـبَاشِرُوْھُنَّ وَاَنْتُمْ عٰكِفُوْنَ ۙ فِي الْمَسٰجِدِ ۭ تِلْكَ حُدُوْدُ اللّٰهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوْھَا ۭ كَذٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللّٰهُ اٰيٰتِهٖ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُوْنَ (البقرة: 187)

Translation: “It has been made lawful for you to approach your wives on the nights of the fast. They are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them. Allah knew that you used to wrong yourselves, so He turned to you in mercy and pardoned you. So now you may be intimate with them and seek what Allah has written 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 nightfall. But do not be intimate with them while you are in i’tikaf in the mosques. These are the limits of Allah, so do not come near them. In this way Allah makes His verses clear to people, so that they may become mindful of Him.”

The background of revelation

In the early period after fasting was prescribed, the Companions understood that once a person slept after sunset, food, drink and marital relations became forbidden until the following sunset. This caused real hardship.

Al-Bara’ bin ‘Azib narrated that Qays bin Sirmah al-Ansari, who worked on his land, came home at iftar time, but his wife had no food ready. While she went to prepare it, he fell asleep from exhaustion. The next day, at midday, he fainted while working. When this was mentioned to the Prophet (peace be upon him), this verse was revealed, and the Companions rejoiced greatly (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1915).

Al-Bara’ also reported that some Companions had found it hard to stay away from their wives throughout the nights of Ramadan, and some fell short of the restriction. Allah then revealed: “Allah knew that you used to wrong yourselves, so He turned to you and pardoned you” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4508). The verse thus came as a mercy, removing a burden and forgiving a weakness.

Explanation of the Verse

“They are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them”

This is one of the most beautiful descriptions of marriage in any scripture. Ibn ‘Abbas explained “garment” as a source of rest and tranquillity for each other. Commentators draw several meanings from the image: a garment covers faults, protects from harm, gives warmth and comfort, adorns the wearer, and is the closest thing to the body. Spouses are meant to be all of this for each other. Notice also that the verse uses the same word for both husband and wife, showing that this closeness is mutual.

“Allah knew that you used to wrong yourselves”

The Arabic word takhtanun comes from khiyanah, betrayal. A person who breaks a rule he has accepted betrays his own soul before anyone else. Yet the verse immediately follows with “so He turned to you and pardoned you”. Allah did not expose or punish; He forgave and eased the law. This is a lesson in how Allah deals with human weakness.

“And seek what Allah has written for you”

Ibn ‘Abbas, Mujahid and others said this means seeking righteous children, so that even this lawful pleasure becomes connected to a noble intention. Another view reported from Ibn ‘Abbas is that it refers to seeking Laylat al-Qadr. Both meanings direct the believer to keep a higher purpose in mind, even in lawful matters.

“Until the white thread becomes distinct from the black thread”

The Companion ‘Adi bin Hatim once placed a white thread and a black thread under his pillow and kept looking at them at night. The Prophet (peace be upon him) smiled and explained that the verse refers to the whiteness of day appearing against the darkness of night (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1916). The fast therefore begins at true dawn (al-fajr al-sadiq), when the light spreads across the horizon.

“Then complete the fast until nightfall”

The fast ends when the sun has set. The Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged both ends of the fast to be observed with blessing: “Take suhur, for in suhur there is blessing” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1923), and “People will remain upon goodness as long as they hasten to break the fast” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1957).

“Do not be intimate with them while you are in i’tikaf in the mosques”

During i’tikaf, marital relations are forbidden at all times, day or night. Commentators mention that some Companions in i’tikaf used to go home to their wives and then return to the mosque, and this verse stopped that practice. The words “in the mosques” also show that i’tikaf for men takes place in a mosque.

“These are the limits of Allah, so do not come near them”

In another verse about family law, Allah says “do not transgress them” (Al-Baqarah 2:229). Here He says “do not come near them”. Scholars note that where desire is strong, Allah forbids even approaching the boundary, because the one who walks close to the edge is likely to fall. The verse ends with the goal of all these rules: taqwa.

I’tikaf in the Sunnah

The practice of the Holy Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم) is reported in the following narration:

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ کَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَعْتَکِفُ الْعَشْرَ الْأَوَاخِرَ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ (صحیح البخاری، کتاب الاعتکاف: 2025؛ صحیح مسلم: 1171)

Translation: ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to observe i’tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan.”

The Arabic construction kana ya’takifu (“he used to observe i’tikaf”) indicates a regular, repeated practice. I’tikaf was not an occasional act of the Prophet but a fixed part of his Ramadan.

Other narrations that complete the picture

• A practice kept until the end. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that he observed i’tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan until Allah took him, and his wives observed i’tikaf after him (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2026; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1172). This shows that the practice was not abrogated and is for women as well as men.
• Twenty days in the final year. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet used to observe i’tikaf for ten days every Ramadan, but in the year he passed away he observed it for twenty days (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2044). The closer he came to meeting Allah, the more he increased in devotion.
• The search for Laylat al-Qadr. He said: “Seek Laylat al-Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2017). I’tikaf ensures that the believer is in worship on whichever night it falls.
• Full effort in the last ten. ‘A’ishah said that when the last ten nights began, the Prophet would tighten his waist-wrap, stay awake through the night, and wake his family for worship (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2024).

Rulings and Etiquette of I’tikaf

The following points summarise what the major schools of Islamic law agree upon, with notes where they differ. For detailed personal questions, a reader should consult a qualified scholar of his own school.

1. Meaning: Linguistically, i’tikaf means staying devoted to something. In Islamic law it is remaining in the mosque with the intention of worship.
2. Status: I’tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan is a strongly emphasised Sunnah. The Hanafi school describes it as sunnah mu’akkadah ‘ala al-kifayah: if some people in a locality perform it, the responsibility is fulfilled for the rest.
3. Place: For men it must be in a mosque, as the verse says “in the mosques”. The wives of the Prophet observed i’tikaf in the mosque, while the Hanafi school recommends that women observe it in a designated prayer place within their homes.
4. Intention and fasting: I’tikaf begins with the intention. For the Ramadan i’tikaf, the person is already fasting. Some schools consider fasting a condition of i’tikaf, while others do not.
5. Leaving the mosque: ‘A’ishah said that the Sunnah for one in i’tikaf is not to visit the sick, not to attend a funeral, not to touch his wife, and not to go out except for a necessity (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 2473). Necessities include using the toilet, a required bath, and bringing food if no one else can.
6. What breaks it: Marital relations, as clearly stated in the verse, and leaving the mosque without a valid need.
7. How to spend the time: Prayer, recitation and reflection on the Qur’an, dhikr, seeking forgiveness, supplication, and learning religious knowledge. Unnecessary talk, arguments and excessive use of the phone go against the spirit of i’tikaf.

Worship, Repentance and Spiritual Awakening

Worship: an undivided heart

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim explained that the purpose of i’tikaf is to gather the heart upon Allah, to cut it off from distraction by creation, and to make the remembrance of Allah and love for Him take the place of worldly concerns. Fasting reduces the pull of the body; i’tikaf reduces the pull of the world. Together they create rare conditions in which the heart can focus fully on its Lord.

Repentance: returning to Allah

Verse 187 itself contains a lesson in repentance: “He turned to you in mercy and pardoned you.” The last ten nights are the best time to seek that same mercy. ‘A’ishah asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) what she should say if she found Laylat al-Qadr. He taught her:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي (جامع الترمذی: 3513)

Translation: “O Allah, You are the One who pardons, and You love to pardon, so pardon me.”

The person in i’tikaf has time to review his life honestly, regret his sins, resolve to change, and repeat this supplication through the nights.

Spiritual awakening: carrying Ramadan forward

The true measure of i’tikaf is not only the ten days in the mosque but the person who walks out afterwards. Someone who has tasted night prayer, constant dhikr and freedom from distraction for ten days returns home with new habits and a renewed heart.

Practical guidance

• Plan early. Arrange work and family responsibilities before Ramadan so that i’tikaf, or at least part of the last ten nights, can be devoted to worship.
• Set a simple timetable. Divide the day between prayer, Qur’an, dhikr, reading and rest, so that time is not lost.
• Limit the phone. Keep it off or use it only for necessary contact.
• If full i’tikaf is not possible, spend as many hours or nights as you can in the mosque with the intention of worship, and give the last ten nights extra effort at home.
• Keep one habit after Ramadan, such as a daily portion of Qur’an, a few rak’ahs of night prayer, or regular istighfar.

Conclusion

Surah Al-Baqarah 2:187 reveals the character of Islamic law: merciful toward human needs, firm in its limits, and always aimed at taqwa. It removed a hardship the Companions had faced, forgave their weakness, honoured marriage as a bond of mutual protection and comfort, and defined the fast with clarity, from the first light of dawn to nightfall.

The same verse leads the believer to i’tikaf, where even lawful pleasures are set aside for a few days in order to stand before Allah with an undivided heart. The Prophet (peace be upon him) kept this practice every year until his death, and increased it in his final Ramadan. For the believer today, i’tikaf remains a path to deeper worship, sincere repentance and lasting spiritual awakening. Whoever enters it with sincerity can hope to leave it forgiven, renewed and closer to Allah.

References

1. The Holy Qur’an: Al-Baqarah 2:183, 2:185, 2:187, 2:229.
2. Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1915, 1916, 1923, 1957, 2017, 2024, 2025, 2026, 2044, 4508.
3. Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1171, 1172.
4. Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 2473.
5. Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3513.
6. Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim, and al-Qurtubi, al-Jami’ li-Ahkam al-Qur’an, commentary on Al-Baqarah 2:187.
7. Ibn al-Qayyim, Zad al-Ma’ad, section on the Prophet’s guidance in i’tikaf.

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