Surah Al-Baqarah 2:203
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ · Medinan · Verse 203 of 286
۞ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فِىٓ أَيَّامٍۢ مَّعْدُودَٰتٍۢ ۚ فَمَن تَعَجَّلَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَن تَأَخَّرَ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ لِمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ ۗ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ
Translation
Remember God on the appointed days. If anyone is in a hurry to leave after two days, there is no blame on him, nor is there any blame on anyone who stays on, so long as they are mindful of God. Be mindful of God, and remember that you will be gathered to Him.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This powerful verse offers guidance to pilgrims during a critical phase of Hajj, the "Ayyam Ma'doodaat," or the Counted Days, which are the days of Tashreeq in Mina following Eid al-Adha. It's a call from Allah to remember Him, giving pilgrims a choice in their departure while grounding all actions in deep piety and awareness of the ultimate return.
The "Counted Days"
The term ﴿أَيَّامٍۢ مَّعْدُودَٰتٍۢ﴾ (Ayyam Ma'doodaat), meaning "counted days," is specific and precise. As Ibn Ashur explains, these are the three days after the Day of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha), spent in Mina. This choice of "counted" rather than "known" (as in "Ayyam Ma'loomat" in Surah al-Hajj) subtly emphasizes their limited, defined duration. The command to remember Allah (dhikr) is repeated from earlier verses, but here it is explicitly tied to these specific days, highlighting their unique time and place for this profound act of worship. This repetition, as Ibn Ashur notes, is intentional, underscoring the importance of *dhikr* at this particular juncture of the Hajj. Historically, as he adds, this command served to redirect the pre-Islamic Arabs who used these days for boasting and idle talk, turning their focus instead to the remembrance of Allah.
The Choice to Hasten or Delay
The verse then presents a choice: ﴿فَمَن تَعَجَّلَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَن تَأَخَّرَ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ﴾ (Whoever hastens in two days, there is no sin upon him; and whoever delays, there is no sin upon him). The verbs *ta'ajjal* (to hasten oneself) and *ta'akhkhar* (to delay oneself), as noted by al-Zamakhshari and al-Razi, are often used in a *mutawa'i* (intransitive) form. This linguistic choice emphasizes the pilgrim's personal agency in deciding their departure from Mina.
The repetition of ﴿فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ﴾ (there is no sin upon him) for both options is significant. It unequivocally declares both choices permissible, removing any doubt or anxiety a pilgrim might feel. As Ibn Ashur explains, this phrase might also serve to counteract a misconception from the time of Jahiliyyah, where some considered one option sinful. Moreover, it clarifies that while an earlier departure is permitted, a delayed departure is not a lesser act. Indeed, staying longer in these blessed places for continued remembrance of Allah is often considered superior, if done with sincere piety.
The Condition of God-Fearing
This permissibility is qualified by ﴿لِمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ﴾ (for whoever is God-fearing). This crucial phrase, inserted between the two choices and the final admonition, elevates the discussion beyond mere legal allowance to the spiritual state of the pilgrim. As Ibn Ashur indicates, it means the choice is valid for the one who fears Allah in their actions, ensuring their *ta'akhkhur* (delay) is not for idle talk but for continued worship. It emphasizes that true benefit from these concessions and the Hajj itself comes only to the one who maintains piety.
The Ultimate Gathering
The verse concludes with a profound reminder: ﴿وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ﴾ (And fear Allah, and know that to Him you will be gathered). The command to "fear Allah" here is a general, overarching one, reminding pilgrims that piety is not confined to the days of Hajj but must extend to all aspects of life. The choice of the word ﴿تُحْشَرُونَ﴾ (you will be gathered), rather than "return" or "become," is particularly striking. As Ibn Ashur highlights, it is a comprehensive word, resonating deeply with the pilgrim's experience. Just as pilgrims gather from diverse places for Hajj and then disperse, they will ultimately be gathered again before Allah for judgment. This powerful word choice links the physical gathering and dispersion of Hajj with the ultimate gathering on the Day of Judgment, emphasizing accountability and inspiring a continuous state of God-consciousness, knowing that all paths ultimately lead back to Him alone, as al-Razi adds with the emphasizing particle *ilayhi* (to Him).
Sources: Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jalalayn
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:203 is discussed in 2 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
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