Fasting

S 2:183 Those who have believed, fasting has been written upon you as it was written upon those before you; perhaps you will fear.

S 2:184 Counted days. So he who among you was sick or on a journey then an ‘iddah of other days. And upon those who endure it, a ransom, feeding of a needy person. So he who has done good voluntarily, it is better for him. And to fast is better for you if you know.

S 2:185 The month of Ramadan wherein the Quran was sent down, a guidance for people and proofs of the guidance and the Furqan. So he among you who has witnessed the month, let him fast on it, and he who was ill or on a journey, then an ‘iddah of other days. Allah wants ease for you and does not want hardship for you, and that you complete the ‘iddah and magnify Allah for what he has guided you; and perhaps you will thank.

S 2:187 Obscenity towards your women has been made lawful for you on the night of fasting. They are a garment for you and you are a garment for them. Allah knew that you used to deceive yourselves so he repented for you and pardoned you. So now have relations with them and seek what Allah has written for you. And eat and drink until the white thread is distinguished for you from the black thread of dawn. Then complete the fast to the night. And do not have relations with them when you are secluded in the mosques. Those are Allah’s hudud, so do not approach them. Thus Allah clarifies his verses for people; perhaps they will fear.

Regarding the verse above:

Another incident in which ’Umar was involved is an anecdote mentioned by most Muslim scholars and recorded for us by Suyuti in his book, "The Reasons For Verses Of Qur’an" (Asbab al-Nuzul, p. 31). The Suyuti says:

"During Ramadan, (the fasting month) Muslim’s were accustomed to eat, drink and have intercourse with women if they are not sleeping. After they sleep and wake up they abstain. ’Umar had an intercourse with (one of his women) after he woke up from his sleep. He went to the prophet and told him what happened to him. God sent down this verse, ‘It is made lawful for you to go unto your wives on the night of the fast"’ (2:187).

This story is recorded not only by the Suyuti but by all the scholars also (refer, for instance, to the Bukhari, part 6, p. 31; Zamakh-shari in his book al-Kash-Shaf part I, p. 337; the Baydawi, p. 39; the Jalalan p. 26, and the Sahih al-Muswad p. 17).

In this episode, we find ’Umar ibn al-Khattab does not like to refrain from sexual intercourse with his wife during the fasting month and after sleeping. Therefore, after he and other Muslim men violated the commandment, Muhammad found that he did not have a choice but either to punish and to reprove them or to rescind the order by claiming that Gabriel had come down to him with the above mentioned verse. Muhammad chose the latter to appease ’Umar and his friends. Capricious Revelation of the Qur’an

Here is another instance of Allah permitting indecency, lewdness:

Permitted to you, upon the night of the Fast, is to go in to (alrrafathu) your wives; -- they are a vestment for you, and you are a vestment for them. God knows that you have been betraying yourselves, and has turned to you and pardoned you. So now lie with them, and seek what God has prescribed for you. And eat and drink, until the white thread shows clearly to you from the black thread at the dawn; then complete the Fast unto the night, and do not lie with them while you cleave to the mosques. Those are God's bounds; keep well within them. So God makes clear His signs to men; haply they will be godfearing. S. 2:187

The word alrrafathu, which comes from rafath, refers to obscene, immoral behaviour and conduct. The word is used in this manner in the following citation:

The pilgrimage is (in) the well-known months, and whoever is minded to perform the pilgrimage therein (let him remember that) there is (to be) no lewdness (rafatha) nor abuse nor angry conversation on the pilgrimage. And whatsoever good ye do Allah knoweth it. So make provision for yourselves (Hereafter); for the best provision is to ward off evil. Therefore keep your duty unto Me, O men of understanding. S. 2:197 Pickthall ... Let there be no obscenity, nor wickedness, nor wrangling in the Hajj ... Y. Ali ... abstain from lewd speech, from all wicked conduct, and from quarrelling ... Asad

Renowned Sunni expositor Ibn Kathir commented on the meaning of Rafath in Sura 2:197:

Prohibition of Rafath (Sexual Intercourse) during Hajj Allah said: ... <He should not have Rafath> This Ayah means that those who assume the Ihram for Hajj or `Umrah are required to avoid the Rafath, meaning, sexual intercourse. Allah's statement here is similar to His statement: <It is made lawful for you to have Rafath (sexual relations) with your wives on the night of the fast.> (2:187) Whatever might lead to sexual intercourse, such as embracing, kissing and talking to women about similar subjects, is not allowed. Ibn Jarir reported that Nafi` narrated that `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "Rafath means sexual intercourse or mentioning this subject with the tongue, by either men or women." `Ata' bin Abu Rabah said that Rafath means sexual intercourse and foul speech. This is also the opinion of `Amr bin Dinar. `Ata' also said that they used to even prevent talking (or hinting) about this subject. Tawus said that Rafath includes one's saying, "When I end the Ihram I will have sex with you." This is also the same explanation offered by Abu Al-`Aliyah regarding Rafath. `Ali bin Abu Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said, "Rafath means having sex with the wife, kissing, fondling and saying foul words to her, and similar acts." Ibn `Abbas and Ibn `Umar said that Rafath means to have sex with women. This is also the opinion of Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Abu Al-`Aliyah who narrated it from `Ata' and Makhul, `Ata Al-Khurasani, `Ata' bin Yasar, `Atiyah, Ibrahim, Ar-Rabi`, Az-Zuhri, As-Suddi, Malik bin Anas, Muqatil bin Hayyan, `Abdul-Karim bin Malik, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak, and others. (Source; italic and underline emphasis ours)

The late Maulana Muhammad Ali wrote:

197b. Three things are prohibited in pilgrimage, rafath, fusuq and jidal. Rafath means foul, unseemly, immodest or obscene speech (LL). Fusuq, according to a saying of the Prophet, signifies abusing (Rz). Jidal signifies contending in an altercation or disputing or litigating (LL). The pilgrimage represents the final stage of spiritual progress, and hence the pilgrim is enjoined not to speak words which should be a source of annoyance to anybody. Perfect love of God requires perfect peace with man; hence no offence should be caused to any man. The doing of good to others is recommended instead in the words whatever good you do, Allah knows it. (Source: *, *)

Now intercourse itself is obviously not obscene or lewd when done within the confines of marriage between a husband and wife. God is the one who created us as sexual beings and sanctioned sexual intimacy in the first place. It is therefore obvious that the Quran is referring to and sanctioning obscene sexual acts, lewd sexual behavior, acts that are unnatural and abnormal. In this verse, the Quran does not use the common word for intercourse, nikkah (e.g. S. 2:230, 4:22, 33:53; cf. this article), but rafath. In other words, Allah is explicitly permitting Muslim men to commit obscene, lewd conduct with their wives!

As the following source says:

The Arabic word rafath is defined by Abu Ubaida and other reliable Arabic commentaries as "behaving in an obscene manner". But translators of the Quran into English have been biased. The original Arabic verse does not just use the expression, "go unto your wives," but succinctly and explicitly states: "go and behave in an obscene manner with your wives." (The True Guidance: Commentary on Quranic Verses [Light of Life, P.O. Box 13, A-9503 Villach, Austria], part 5, pp. 40-41) Qur'an Contradiction: Does Allah Command Evil and Abomination or Doesn’t He?

S 2:196 And complete the Hajj and the Umrah for Lah. Then if you have been prevented, what has been obtained with ease of the hadi. And do not shave your heads until the hadi reaches its spot. Then he who among you was ill or had in him a harm of his head then a ransom of fasting or charity or immolation. Then when you have felt secure, he who has enjoyed the Umrah to the Hajj, then what he has obtained with ease of the hadi. But he who has not found, then a three-day fast in the Hajj and seven when you have returned. That is ten whole. That is for him who does not have his family present at the Sacred Mosque. And fear Allah and know that Allah is the severe in punishment.

S 4:92 And it was not for a believer to kill a believer except by mistake. And he who has killed a believer by mistake then the freeing of a believing neck and bloodwit is paid to his family unless they remit as charity. But if he was from a people hostile to you and he was a believer then the freeing of a believing neck. And if he was from a people with a treaty existing between you and them then bloodwit is paid to his family and the freeing of a believing neck. And he who has not found then fasting for two months consecutively, repentance from Allah. And Allah was learned, wise.

S 5:89 Allah does not censure you for nonsense in your oaths but censures you for what you have contracted of the oaths. So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people of an average of what you feed your family or their clothing or freeing a neck. But he who has not found then fasting for three days. That is an expiation for your oaths when you have sworn. And guard your oaths. Thus Allah clarifies his verses for you; perhaps you will thank.

S 5:95 Those who have believed, do not kill game while you are hurum. And he who has killed it among you intentionally, a penalty the like of what he has killed of cattle, two just men among you judging it as a hadi reaching the Ka’bah or an expiation--feeding needy people or an equivalent of that in fasting that he may taste an evil consequence of his deed. Allah has pardoned what has passed and he who has returned, Allah takes vengeance on him. And Allah is mighty, a possessor of vengeance.

S 19:26 So eat and drink and cool the eye. And if you see any man, say: I have vowed a fast to Al-Rahman so will not speak to man today.

S 33:35 The Muslims and the Muslimahs and the male believers and the female believers and the obedient men and the obedient women and the truthful men and the truthful women and the patient men and the patient women and the humble men and the humble women and the mutasadiqun and the mutasadiqat and the fasting men and the fasting women and the male keepers of their privates and the female keepers and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember has Allah prepared for them forgiveness and a great wage.

S 58:4 So he who has not found then fasting for two months consecutively before they touch each other. But he who was not able then the feeding of 60 needy men. That, that you may believe in Allah and his messenger and those are Allah’s hudud and for the kafirun there is painful torture.