His saying: "And it is not righteousness that you enter houses from their backs."

[The first interpretation]

1709 - Yunus ibn Habib narrated to us, Abu Dawud narrated to us, Shu‘bah narrated to us, from Abu Ishaq, from al-Bara’ who said: When the Ansar returned from a journey, a man would not enter from the direction of his door. Then this verse was revealed: "And it is not righteousness that you enter houses from their backs, but righteousness is [for] one who fears Allah, and enter houses from their doors."

And the second interpretation:

1710 - Ahmad ibn Mansur al-Ramadi narrated to us, Abu al-Jawwab narrated to us, from ‘Ammar ibn Ruzayq, from Sulayman al-A‘mash, from Abu Sufyan, from Jabir who said: The Quraysh were called the Hums; they used to enter from the doors while in a state of Ihram, whereas the Ansar and the rest of the Arabs would not enter from a door while in a state of Ihram. While the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was in a garden, he went out through its door, and Qutbah ibn ‘Amir al-Ansari went out with him. They said, "O Messenger of Allah, Qutbah ibn ‘Amir is an evildoer, yet he has gone out with you through the door." They said to him, "What prompted you to do what you did?" He said, "I saw you do it, so I did it as you did." He said, "I am a Hums [person]." He said to him, "My religion is your religion." Then Allah revealed: "And it is not righteousness that you enter houses from their backs, but righteousness is [for] one who fears Allah, and enter houses from their doors."

1711 - Muhammad ibn Sa‘d al-‘Awfi reported to us in what he wrote to me, my father narrated to me, my uncle al-Husayn narrated to us, from his father, from his grandfather, from Ibn ‘Abbas, regarding His saying: "And it is not righteousness that you enter houses from their backs, but righteousness is [for] one who fears Allah, and enter houses from their doors." Men of the people of Medina, when one of them feared something from his enemy, would enter into a state of Ihram so as to be safe. When he was in a state of Ihram, he would not enter from the door of his house, but would make a hole from the back of his house. When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) came to Medina, there was a man in that state of Ihram. The people of Medina used to call the garden "al-Hush." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) entered a garden, and he entered it through its door, and that man in Ihram entered with him. A man called out to him from behind, "O so-and-so, you are in a state of Ihram and have entered with the people." He said, "O Messenger of Allah, if you are in a state of Ihram, then I am in a state of Ihram, and if you are a Hums, then I am a Hums." Then this verse was revealed: "And it is not righteousness that you enter houses from their backs."

The third interpretation:

1712 - al-Hasan ibn Ahmad narrated to us, Ibrahim ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Bashshar narrated to us, Surur ibn al-Mughirah narrated to me, from ‘Abbad ibn Mansur, from al-Hasan, regarding His saying: "And it is not righteousness that you enter houses from..."