The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 695
PT. 10 AT-TAUBAH Zakāh, then leave their way free. Surely, Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful. 1168 1168. Commentary: is generally الاشهر الحرم The term applied to the four sacred months of Muharram, Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Rajab, the first three being the months of the Greater Pilgrimage, while in the last the Arabs generally performed the Lesser Pilgrimage or 'Umrah (see notes on 2:195 and 2:218). In this verse, however, the words signify not the "sacred months", but "forbidden months" and refer to the four months mentioned in 9:2 above. These were meant to grant a respite to idolaters to travel through the land in safety and see whether Islam had not triumphed and whether the Word of God had not proved true. At the end of this period, during which all hostilities were to be suspended, war was to be resumed against the idolatrous Arabs with the exception, of course, of such as had entered into a treaty with Muslims, and the treacherous and faithless idolaters already at war with Muslims were to be captured and killed wherever found. It should, however, be remembered that the command to wage war after the expiry of the four forbidden months did not apply to all idolaters without discrimination, but was directed only against such avowed enemies of Islam as had themselves started hostilities against Islam and had broken their plighted word and plotted to expel the Holy Prophet from the city. The reason for b CH. 9 سَبِيلَهُمْ إِنَّ اللهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمُ this ultimatum is given in the following few verses, viz. 9:8-13. As for those idolaters who had not been guilty of faithlessness and treachery, they were to be protected (see 9:4, 7). It is highly regrettable, however, that, divorcing this commandment from its context, some critics have made this verse the basis for an attack against Islam, alleging that it inculcates the destruction of all non-Muslims. The Quran and history belie this baseless allegation. 1135 The words, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush, mean that a strict watch should be kept over the movements of the enemy that he may not be able to create mischief and on malicious propaganda carry against Muslims. The very words of the verse point to the existence of a great danger. These times were indeed very hard for Muslims. On the one hand, the Eastern Roman Empire was preparing to attack them and, on the other, the internal enemies of Islam were hatching plots to bring about its downfall. The words, But if they repent. . . . show that even those enemies of Islam at whose hands Muslims had suffered such grievous losses were to be forgiven, if they repented and accepted Islam of their own free will. That no compulsion was to be used is clear from the very next verse, as also from the fundamental injunction laid down in 2:257. The truth is that there