سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 5
فَإِذَا ٱنسَلَخَ ٱلْأَشْهُرُ ٱلْحُرُمُ فَٱقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَٱحْصُرُوهُمْ وَٱقْعُدُوا۟ لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ ۚ فَإِن تَابُوا۟ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ فَخَلُّوا۟ سَبِيلَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿5﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Then when the Sacred Months (the 1st, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islâmic calendar) have passed, then kill the Mushrikûn (See V.2:105) wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush. But if they repent and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât, then leave their way free. Verily, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَإِذَا
fa-idhā
Then when
ٱنسَلَخَ
insalakha
have passed
ٱلْأَشْهُرُ
l-ashhuru
the sacred months
ٱلْحُرُمُ
l-ḥurumu
the sacred months
فَٱقْتُلُوا۟
fa-uq'tulū
then kill
ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
l-mush'rikīna
the polytheists
حَيْثُ
ḥaythu
wherever
وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ
wajadttumūhum
you find them
وَخُذُوهُمْ
wakhudhūhum
and seize them
وَٱحْصُرُوهُمْ
wa-uḥ'ṣurūhum
and besiege them
وَٱقْعُدُوا۟
wa-uq'ʿudū
and sit (in wait)
لَهُمْ
lahum
for them
كُلَّ
kulla
(at) every
مَرْصَدٍۢ ۚ
marṣadin
place of ambush
فَإِن
fa-in
But if
تَابُوا۟
tābū
they repent
وَأَقَامُوا۟
wa-aqāmū
and establish
ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ
l-ṣalata
the prayer
وَءَاتَوُا۟
waātawū
and give
ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ
l-zakata
the zakah
فَخَلُّوا۟
fakhallū
then leave
سَبِيلَهُمْ ۚ
sabīlahum
their way
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
غَفُورٌۭ
ghafūrun
(is) Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمٌۭ
raḥīmun
Most Merciful
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 5) ➊ {فَاِذَا انْسَلَخَ الْاَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ … :} By these four months are meant the days from the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah to the 10th of Rabi' al-Thani. Some people have taken this to mean the well-known sacred months, that is, Rajab, Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah, and Muharram. If the declaration of disassociation was made on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah, then until the end of Muharram, it totals fifty days, which is why Hafiz Ibn Kathir and other commentators have taken the four months to mean from the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah to the 10th of Rabi' al-Thani, and they have been called {’’ الْاَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ ‘‘} because during this respite, the killing of the polytheists was forbidden. This is the correct interpretation.
➋ { كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ:} By "places of ambush" is meant those routes or places where the passage of the enemy is expected and from where it is possible to attack and finish them off. The meaning is that it is not enough to fight these polytheists only on the battlefield, but by whatever means you can overpower and kill them, you must do so.
➌ {فَاِنْ تَابُوْا وَ اَقَامُوا الصَّلٰوةَ … :} Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "Those with whom a promise had been made and no treachery was seen from them, their peace remained, and those with whom there was no promise, they were given a respite of four months. And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said that the knowledge of the heart is with Allah; outwardly, whoever is a Muslim is equally under protection, and the limit of outward Islam was set as bringing faith, repenting from disbelief, and establishing prayer and zakat. Therefore, when a person abandons prayer, his protection is lifted." (Mowdih) This is the ruling on the basis of which Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) fought those who denied zakat and said, "I will certainly fight the one who differentiates between prayer and zakat." And Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establish prayer, and pay zakat. Then when they do these (three) things, they have protected their blood and wealth from me, except by the right of Islam, and their reckoning is with Allah." [ بخاری، الإیمان، باب : « فإن تابوا و أقاموا الصلاۃ…» : ۲۵ ]
Remember that in the testimony to the messengership of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the acknowledgment of obedience to all his commands is included. If someone denies any of these commands, which is commonly known to all as the command of Allah and His Messenger, then he will be considered an apostate. And if he does not deny any command but is unable to act upon it, then he will be a sinful Muslim, not a disbeliever. However, the outward signs of being a Muslim are those mentioned above; merely acknowledging them or believing in them in the heart is not sufficient, but acting upon them has been made the guarantee for the protection of blood and wealth.
➋ { كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ:} By "places of ambush" is meant those routes or places where the passage of the enemy is expected and from where it is possible to attack and finish them off. The meaning is that it is not enough to fight these polytheists only on the battlefield, but by whatever means you can overpower and kill them, you must do so.
➌ {فَاِنْ تَابُوْا وَ اَقَامُوا الصَّلٰوةَ … :} Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "Those with whom a promise had been made and no treachery was seen from them, their peace remained, and those with whom there was no promise, they were given a respite of four months. And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said that the knowledge of the heart is with Allah; outwardly, whoever is a Muslim is equally under protection, and the limit of outward Islam was set as bringing faith, repenting from disbelief, and establishing prayer and zakat. Therefore, when a person abandons prayer, his protection is lifted." (Mowdih) This is the ruling on the basis of which Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) fought those who denied zakat and said, "I will certainly fight the one who differentiates between prayer and zakat." And Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establish prayer, and pay zakat. Then when they do these (three) things, they have protected their blood and wealth from me, except by the right of Islam, and their reckoning is with Allah." [ بخاری، الإیمان، باب : « فإن تابوا و أقاموا الصلاۃ…» : ۲۵ ]
Remember that in the testimony to the messengership of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the acknowledgment of obedience to all his commands is included. If someone denies any of these commands, which is commonly known to all as the command of Allah and His Messenger, then he will be considered an apostate. And if he does not deny any command but is unable to act upon it, then he will be a sinful Muslim, not a disbeliever. However, the outward signs of being a Muslim are those mentioned above; merely acknowledging them or believing in them in the heart is not sufficient, but acting upon them has been made the guarantee for the protection of blood and wealth.
