۞ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فِىٓ أَيَّامٍ مَّعْدُودَٰتٍ ۚ فَمَن تَعَجَّلَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَن تَأَخَّرَ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ لِمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ ۗ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ 203
Translations
And remember Allāh during [specific] numbered days. Then whoever hastens [his departure] in two days - there is no sin upon him; and whoever delays [until the third] - there is no sin upon him - for him who fears Allāh. And fear Allāh and know that unto Him you will be gathered.
Transliteration
Wadhkuroo Allaha fee ayyamin ma'dudatin faman ta'ajjala fee yawmayni fala ithma alayhi wa man ta'akhkhara fala ithma alayhi limani ittaqa wattaqoo Allaha wa'lamoo annakum ilayhi tuhsharoon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This verse refers to the Days of Tashreeq (the three days following Eid al-Adha) during which pilgrims must remember Allah through the Talbiyah and Takbeer. Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that the verse permits flexibility in fulfilling this obligation: pilgrims may depart on the second day without sin, or remain through the third day, provided they maintain piety and God-consciousness. The verse emphasizes that sincerity and taqwa (God-consciousness) are the true measures of one's worship, not merely external compliance.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the Hajj instructions revealed in Surah Al-Baqarah (a Medinan surah). It appears in the context of detailed rulings about the Hajj pilgrimage, specifically addressing the permissibility of varying the duration of stay during Tashreeq based on individual circumstances while maintaining spiritual devotion.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim record that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said regarding the Days of Tashreeq: 'All the days of Tashreeq are days of eating, drinking, and remembrance of Allah.' Additionally, Jabir ibn Abdullah reported that the Prophet allowed people to leave on different days during Tashreeq without sin.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Islamic law balances obligation with compassion, allowing believers flexibility according to their circumstances—the true essence of worship lies in sincere God-consciousness rather than rigid external adherence, and believers should remember that all actions will be accounted for before their Creator.
Related Ayahs
وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ كِتَـٰبَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
And when a messenger from Allāh came to them confirming that which was with them, a party of those who had been given the Scripture threw the Scripture of Allāh [i.e., the Torah] behind their backs as if they did not know [what it contained].
وَمِنْهُمْ أُمِّيُّونَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ إِلَّآ أَمَانِىَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ
And among them are unlettered ones who do not know the Scripture except [indulgement in] wishful thinking, but they are only assuming.
بَلَىٰ مَن كَسَبَ سَيِّئَةً وَأَحَـٰطَتْ بِهِۦ خَطِيٓـَٔتُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
Yes, [on the contrary], whoever earns evil and his sin has encompassed him - those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.
إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَٱلْفُلْكِ ٱلَّتِى تَجْرِى فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنفَعُ ٱلنَّاسَ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن مَّآءٍ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍ وَتَصْرِيفِ ٱلرِّيَـٰحِ وَٱلسَّحَابِ ٱلْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the [great] ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allāh has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every [kind of] moving creature, and [His] directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and earth are signs for a people who use reason.