Understanding Islam — Page 105
103 wished to avoid bloodshed. Some companions even reproached the Muslims who did this, and said: You did that which you had not been ordered, and you fought in the Sacred Month, although you had not been ordered at all to fight in this campaign. 8 This event had caused much controversy, and Muslims and disbelievers were discussing it as well. Finally, the following Quranic verse was revealed as a means of relief for the Muslims: They ask thee about fighting in the Sacred Month. Say: ‘Fighting therein is a great transgression, but to hinder men from the way of Allah, and to be ungrateful to Him and to hinder men from the Sacred Mosque, and to turn out its people therefrom, is a greater sin with Allah; and persecution is worse than killing. ’ And they will not cease fighting you until they turn you back from your faith, if they can. And whoso from among you turns back from his faith and dies while he is a disbeliever, it is they whose works shall be vain in this world and the next. These are the inmates of the Fire and therein shall they abide. 9