The Quran

189

Preface

۞ يَسأَلونَكَ عَنِ الأَهِلَّةِ ۖ قُل هِيَ مَواقيتُ لِلنّاسِ وَالحَجِّ ۗ وَلَيسَ البِرُّ بِأَن تَأتُوا البُيوتَ مِن ظُهورِها وَلٰكِنَّ البِرَّ مَنِ اتَّقىٰ ۗ وَأتُوا البُيوتَ مِن أَبوابِها ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُم تُفلِحونَ

Yusuf Ali

They ask thee concerning the New Moons¹. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage. It is no virtue if ye enter your houses from the back: It is virtue if ye fear God. Enter houses through the proper doors²: And fear God. That ye may prosper.

There were many superstitions connected with the New Moon, as there are to the present day. We are told to disregard such superstitions. As a measure of time, where the lunar calendar is used, the New Moon is one great sign, for which people watch with eagerness. Muslim festivals, including the Pilgrimage are fixed by the appearance of the New Moon. The Arabs, among other superstitions, had one which made them enter their houses by the back door during or after the Pilgrimage. This is disapproved, for there is no virtue in any such artificial restrictions. All virtue proceeds from the love and fear of God.
This is a Muslim proverb now, and much might be written about its manifold meanings. A few may be noted here. (1) If you enter a society, respect its manners and customs. (2) If you want to achieve an object honourably, go about it openly and not “by a backdoor.” (3) Do not beat about the bush. (4) If you wish success in an undertaking, provide all the necessary instruments for it (Cf. 5:23). The subject of the New Moon provides a good transition between the Ramadān fast, which begins and ends with the New Moon, the Pilgrimage, whose ten days commence with the New Moon, and the War which Islam had to wage in selfdefence against the Pagans, who wanted to exclude them from the Pilgrimage after they had driven them out of house and home.