Surah Al-Baqarah — Verse 217
The Cow · 2:217 · 217/286
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلشَّهْرِ ٱلْحَرَامِ قِتَالٍ فِيهِ ۖ قُلْ قِتَالٌ فِيهِ كَبِيرٌ ۖ وَصَدٌّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَكُفْرٌۢ بِهِۦ وَٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ وَإِخْرَاجُ أَهْلِهِۦ مِنْهُ أَكْبَرُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَٱلْفِتْنَةُ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ ٱلْقَتْلِ ۗ وَلَا يَزَالُونَ يُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَرُدُّوكُمْ عَن دِينِكُمْ إِنِ ٱسْتَطَـٰعُوا۟ ۚ وَمَن يَرْتَدِدْ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِۦ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَـٰلُهُمْ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
Yas-aloonaka AAani ashshahri alharamiqitalin feehi qul qitalun feehi kabeerun wasaddunAAan sabeeli Allahi wakufrun bihi walmasjidi alharamiwa-ikhraju ahlihi minhu akbaru AAinda Allahi walfitnatuakbaru mina alqatli wala yazaloona yuqatiloonakumhatta yaruddookum AAan deenikum ini istataAAoowaman yartadid minkum AAan deenihi fayamut wahuwa kafirunfaola-ika habitat aAAmaluhum fee addunyawal-akhirati waola-ika as-habuannari hum feeha khalidoon
Translations of this verse 7
Saheeh International
They ask you about the sacred month - about fighting therein. Say, "Fighting therein is great [sin], but averting [people] from the way of Allāh and disbelief in Him and [preventing access to] al-Masjid al-Ḥarām and the expulsion of its people therefrom are greater [evil] in the sight of Allāh. And fitnah is greater than killing." And they will continue to fight you until they turn you back from your religion if they are able. And whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever - for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.
M.A.S. Abdel Haleem
They ask you [Prophet] about fighting in the prohibited month. Say, ‘Fighting in that month is a great offence, but to bar others from God’s path, to disbelieve in Him, prevent access to the Sacred Mosque, and expel its people, are still greater offences in God’s eyes: persecution is worse than killing.’ They will not stop fighting you [believers] until they make you revoke your faith, if they can. If any of you revoke your faith and die as disbelievers, your deeds will come to nothing in this world and the Hereafter, and you will be inhabitants of the Fire, there to remain.
Marmaduke Pickthall
They question thee (O Muhammad) with regard to warfare in the sacred month. Say: Warfare therein is a great (transgression), but to turn (men) from the way of Allah, and to disbelieve in Him and in the Inviolable Place of Worship, and to expel His people thence, is a greater with Allah; for persecution is worse than killing. And they will not cease from fighting against you till they have made you renegades from your religion, if they can. And whoso becometh a renegade and dieth in his disbelief: such are they whose works have fallen both in the world and the Hereafter. Such are rightful owners of the Fire: they will abide therein.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
They ask thee concerning fighting in the Prohibited Month. Say: "Fighting therein is a grave (offence); but graver is it in the sight of Allah to prevent access to the path of Allah, to deny Him, to prevent access to the Sacred Mosque, and drive out its members." Tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter. Nor will they cease fighting you until they turn you back from your faith if they can. And if any of you Turn back from their faith and die in unbelief, their works will bear no fruit in this life and in the Hereafter; they will be companions of the Fire and will abide therein.
Mufti Taqi Usmani
They ask you about the Sacred Month, that is, about fighting in it. Say, “Fighting in it is something grave, but it is much more grave, in the sight of Allah, to prevent (people) from the path of Allah, to disbelieve in Him, and in Al-Masjid-ul-Harām, and to expel its people from there, and Fitnah (to create disorder) is more grave than killing.” They will go on fighting you until they turn you away from your faith if they could, while whoever of you turns away from his faith and dies an infidel, such people are those whose deeds will go to waste in this world and in the Hereafter, and they are people of the Fire. They shall be there forever
Al-Hilali & Khan
They ask you concerning fighting in the Sacred Months (i.e. 1st, 7th, 11th and 12th months of the Islâmic calendar). Say "Fighting therein is a great (transgression) but a greater (transgression) with Allâh is to prevent mankind from following the Way of Allâh, to disbelieve in Him, to prevent access to Al-Masjid-Al-Harâm (at Makkah), and to drive out its inhabitants, and Al-Fitnah is worse than killing. And they will never cease fighting you until they turn you back from your religion (Islâmic Monotheism) if they can. And whosoever of you turns back from his religion and dies as a disbeliever, then his deeds will be lost in this life and in the Hereafter, and they will be the dwellers of the Fire. They will abide therein forever."
Abul A'la Maududi (Tafhim)
People ask you about fighting in the holy month. Say: “Fighting in it is an awesome sin, but barring people from the Way of Allah, disbelieving in Him, and denying entry into the Holy Mosque and expelling its inmates from it are more awesome acts in the sight of Allah; and persecution is even more heinous than killing.” They will not cease fighting against you till they turn you from your religion if they can. (So remember well) that whoever from amongst you turns away from his religion and dies in the state of unbelief their work will go to waste in this world and in the Next. They are destined for the Fire and it is there that they will abide.
Reason for Revelation Asbāb al-Nuzūl
Arabic source: al-Wāḥidī / al-Suyūṭī, via Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies (CC BY 4.0)
قال تعالى: {يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ قِتَالٍ فِيهِ قُلْ قِتَالٌ فِيهِ كَبِيرٌ وَصَدٌّ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَكُفْرٌ بِهِ وَالْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِخْرَاجُ أَهْلِهِ مِنْهُ أَكْبَرُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ وَلَا يَزَالُونَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ حَتَّى يَرُدُّوكُمْ عَنْ دِينِكُمْ إِنِ اسْتَطَاعُوا وَمَنْ يَرْتَدِدْ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُولَئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَأُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ (217) إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أُولَئِكَ يَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ (218)} [البقرة: 217، 218].
35 - عن جندب بن عبد الله - رضي الله عنه -، عن النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم -: أنه بعث رهطاً، وبعث عليهم أبا عبيدة، فلما ذهب لينطلق بكى صبابة إلى رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم -، فجلس، فبعث عليهم عبد الله ابن جحش مكانه، وكتب له كتاباً وأمره أن لا يقرأ الكتاب حتى يبلغ مكان كذا وكذا، وقال: "لا تكرهن أحداً من أصحابك على المسير معك"، فلما قرأ الكتاب استرجع، وقال: سمعاً وطاعة لله ولرسوله، فخبرهم الخبر وقرأ عليهم الكتاب، فرجع رجلان ومضى بقيتهم فلقوا ابن الحضرمي فقتلوه، ولم يدروا أن ذلك اليوم من رجب أو جمادى؟.
فقال المشركون للمسلمين: قتلتم في الشهر الحرام؟! فأنزل الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ {يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ} الآية، فقال بعضهم: إن لم يكونوا أصابوا وزراً فليس لهم أجر، فأنزل الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أُولَئِكَ يَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ (218)} ¬أخرجه أبو يعلى برقم: 1534، والبيهقي: 9/ 11 - 12، وابن جرير في التفسير: 2/ 356، والطبراني في الكبير برقم: 1670، وقال الهيثمي في المجمع: 6/ 198 رواه الطبراني ورجاله ثقات، وصححه الشوكاني في فتح القدير: 1/ 218 وعزاه لابن المنذر وابن أبي حاتم، وصحح السيوطي إسناد البيهقي في الدر: 1/ 250.¥.
36 - وعن عروة بن الزبير -رضي الله عنهما- نحواً من هذا أيضاً - وفيه: فكان ابن الحضرمي أول قتيل قتل بين المسلمين والمشركين، فركب وفد من كفار قريش حتى قدموا على رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - بالمدينة فقالوا: أيحل القتال في الشهر الحرام؟ فأنزل الله {يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ} الآية ¬أخرجه ابن جرير في التفسير: 2/ 347، وابن إسحاق في السيرة كما في سيرة ابن هام: 2/ 178، والبيهقي في السنن: 9/ 58 - 59، والواحدي في أسباب النزول: ص 68، وابن سعد: 2/ 10 - 11، وإسناده صحيح إلى عروة، وهو مرسل ويشهد له الحديث السابق، وقد استقصى الحافظ أبو بكر البيهقي في كتاب دلائل النبوة 3/ 17 طرق هذا الحديث.¥.
قال تعالى: {* يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِنْ نَفْعِهِمَا وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنْفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ (219)} [البقرة: 219].