O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous - 183 [Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess - it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew. 184 The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the Criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, (let him fast the same) number of other days. Allah desireth for you ease; He desireth not hardship for you; and (He desireth) that ye should complete the period, and that ye should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that peradventure ye may be thankful. 185 (Muhammad), if any of My servants ask you about Me, tell them that the Lord says, "I am near; I accept the prayers of those who pray." Let My servants answer My call and believe in Me so that perhaps they may know the right direction. 186 It has been made lawful for you to go to your wives during the nights of the fast days. They are as a garment to you and you are as a garment to them. Though Allah knew that you were secretly dishonest to yourselves, He has pardoned your guilt and forgiven you. NOW you are permitted to have intercourse with your wives and enjoy what Allah has made lawful for you. You are also pemitted to eat and drink during the nights of the Fast months. until you can discern the white streak of dawn from the blackness of night. " Then (abstain from all these things and) complete your fast till night-fall. But you should not have intercourse with your wives while you confine yourselves to mosques. These are the bounds set by Allah; so do nut go near them. In this way Allah makes His Commands clear to mankind. It is expected that they will guard themselves against wrong ways. 187 And eat not up your property among yourselves in vanity, nor seek by it to gain the hearing of the judges that ye may knowingly devour a portion of the property of others wrongfully. 188