What does the word Salah mean in Surah al-Nisa, verse 43?

The word Salah in Surah al-Nisa, verse 43 is actually referring to the place of Salah, not Salah itself. This is according to senior Imams of Tafseer from the Sahabah and Tabieen.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلاةَ وَأَنْتُمْ سُكَارَى حَتَّى تَعْلَمُوا مَا تَقُولُونَ وَلا جُنُبًا إِلا عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ حَتَّى تَغْتَسِلُوا

O you who have believed, do not approach Salah whilst you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying, nor in a state of Janabah (major ritual impurity). Except those passing through, (others are not permitted) until they have washed themselves. (Surah al-Nisa, 43).

The above verse is clearly prohibiting us from approaching Salah in a state of Janabah (major ritual impurity). However, what does Salah mean in Surah al-Nisa, verse 43? It sounds like an obvious question with a clear answer. Salah normally refers to the ritual prayer. However, in this verse there is evidence to suggest it means something else. The words ‘Except those passing through’ do not seem to be referring to ritual prayer, since you do not pass through the ritual prayer.

Many narrations quote Sahaabah and Tabieen interpreting Salah to mean the Masjid in this verse. This interpretation seems to align better with the words ‘Except those passing through.’ Since you do not pass through Salah but you do pass through a Masjid.

عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْكَرِيمِ الْجَزَرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، أَنَّهُ كَانَ يُرَخِّصُ لِلجُنُبِ أَنْ يَمُرَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ مُجْتَازًا، وَلَا أَعْلَمُهُ إِلَّا قَالَ: «وَلَا جُنُبًا إِلَّا عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ». (المصنف لعبد الرزاق)

Abd al-Razaaq narrated from Ma’mar, from Abd al-Kareem al-Jazari, from Abi Ubaydah bin Abdillah from Ibn Masood (May Allah Most High be pleased with him), that he used permit a person in Janabah (major ritual impurity) to walk through a Masjid swiftly. And he used to mention (the verse), ‘And neither a person in Janabah (major ritual impurity) unless he is passing through.’ (Musanaf Abd al-Razzaaq).

The above Nass has Sayidina Abdullah Ibn Masood (May Allah Most High be pleased with him), who is one of the greatest companions of the holy Prophet ﷺ, understand the word Salah in the verse to be referring to Masaajid not the ritual prayer. Imam Abd al-Razaaq also narrated this in his Tafseer. Imam Ibn al-Mundhir narrated a similar meaning from (Sayidina) Ibn Abbas (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both):

وَحَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الرَّازِيُّ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ:{وَلا جُنُبًا إِلا عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ} ، قَالَ: لا تَدْخُلِ الْمَسْجِدَ، وَأَنْتَ جُنُبٌ، إِلا وَأَنْتَ {عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ} إِلا وَأَنْتَ مَارًّا فِيهِ. (تفسير القرآن لابن المنذر)

Ali bin Abd al-Aziz narrated to us saying, Abu Nu’aym narrated to us saying, Abu Ja’far al-Razi narrated to us from Zayd bin Aslam, from Atta bin Yasir, from (Sayidina) Ibn Abbas (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both): He said (regarding the verse) ‘And neither a person in Janabah (major ritual impurity) unless he is passing through.’ You may not enter a Masjid whilst you are in Janabah (major ritual impurity). ‘Unless he is passing through.’ (Meaning) Unless you are going through (swiftly). (Tafseer Ibn al-Mundhir).

So above we have two of the greatest and most knowledgeable Sahabah interpreting the word Salah in Surah al-Nisa, verse 43 to mean Masjid. Although this would suffice as proof for this interpretation, there are many other great authorities who provided similar interpretations. Imam Ibn Katheer provides a long list of such scholars from the Sahabah and Tabieen:

{وَلا جُنُبًا إِلا عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ حَتَّى تَغْتَسِلُوا}

قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي حَاتِمٍ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ الدَّشْتَكي، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الرَّازِيُّ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فِي قَوْلِهِ: {وَلا جُنُبًا إِلا عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ حَتَّى تَغْتَسِلُوا} قَالَ: لَا تَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ وَأَنْتُمْ جُنُبٌ إِلَّا عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ، قَالَ: تَمُرُّ بِهِ مَرًّا وَلَا تَجْلِسُ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: ورُوي عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، وَأَنَسٍ، وَأَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ، وَسَعِيدِ بْنِ المُسَيّبِ، وَأَبِي الضُّحَى، وَعَطَاءٍ، ومُجَاهد، وَمَسْرُوقٍ، وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ النَّخَعي، وَزَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، وَأَبِي مَالِكٍ، وعَمْرو بْنِ دِينَارٍ، وَالْحَكَمِ بْنِ عُتَيْبَة وعِكْرِمَة، وَالْحَسَنِ الْبَصْرِيِّ، ويَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ، وَابْنِ شِهَابٍ، وقتادَة، نحوُ ذَلِكَ. (تفسير القرآن العظيم)

Except those passing through, (others are not permitted) until they have washed themselves. Ibn Abi Hatim said, I was informed by Muhammad bin Ammar (who said), I was informed by Abd al-Rahmaan al-Dashtaki (who said), I was informed by Abu Ja’far al-Razi, from Zayd bin Aslam, from Atta bin Yasir, from (Sayidina) Ibn Abbas (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) who said regarding the verse: Except those passing through, (others are not permitted) until they have washed themselves. Meaning, do not enter the Masjid whilst in Janabah (major ritual impurity) unless (you are) passing through. Meaning you pass through and do not sit. Then he (Ibn Abi Hatim) said, something similar to this has (also) been narrated from Ibn Mas’ood, Anas, Abi Ubaydah, Saeed bin Musayib, Abi al-Duhaa, Atta, Mujahid, Masrooq, Ibrahim al-Nakhai, Zayd bin Aslam, Abi Malik, Amr bin Dinaar, Hakeem bin Utaybah, Ikrimah, Hasan al-Basri, Yahya bin Saeed al-Ansari, Ibn Shihaab, Qatadah and others. (Imam Ibn Katheer, Tafseer al-Quran al-Adheem).

Due to the abundance of narrations from the Imams of Tafseer regarding the meaning of Salah in the verse prohibiting us from approaching Salah in a state of Janabah (major ritual impurity), leading Hanafi scholars have mentioned this opinion in their books:

قِيلَ: الْمُرَادُ مِنْ الصَّلَاةِ مَكَانُهَا، وَهُوَ الْمَسْجِدُ كَذَا رُوِيَ عَنْ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ. (بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع)

It has been said that the meaning of ‘Salah’ (in this verse) is the place, and that is the Masjid. As has been narrated from Ibn Masood (May Allah Most High be pleased with them). (Imam Ala al-Deen al-Kaasaani, Badai al-Sanai).

    {لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنْتُمْ سُكَارَى حَتَّى تَعْلَمُوا مَا تَقُولُونَ وَلَا جُنُبًا إِلَّا عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ حَتَّى تَغْتَسِلُوا}

[النساء: 43] قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ وَغَيْرُهُ: أَيْ مَوَاضِعَهَا، وَهِيَ الْمَسَاجِدُ. (مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح)

Do not approach Salah whilst you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying, nor in a state of Janabah (major ritual impurity). Except those passing through, (others are not permitted) until they have washed themselves. (Surah al-Nisa, 43). Ibn Abbas (May Allah Most High Be pleased with them both) and others said, it means its places, and they are the Masaajid. (Imam Ali al-Qari, Mirqaat al-Mafateeh.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

– Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (17.02.2022)

See also:

Women in menses entering a Masjid

Is a room connected to the prayer area considered part of the Masjid?

How strong is the Hadith about a menstruating woman not entering the Masjid?

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