The Four Sacred Months – Tafseer
Ibn Kathir
(36. Verily, the number
of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allah
on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four
are sacred. That is the right
religion, so wrong not yourselves therein, and fight against the Mushrikin idolaters
collectively as they fight against you collectively. But know that Allah is
with those who have Taqwa.)
Soorat at-Tawbah
9:36
The Year consists of
Twelve Months
Imam Ahmad recorded
that Abu Bakrah said that the Prophet said in a speech during his Hajj,
(The division of time
has turned to its original form which was current when Allah created the
heavens and the earth. The year is of twelve months, out of which four months
are sacred: Three are in succession Dhul-Qa`dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and
(the fourth is) Rajab of (the tribe of) Mudar which comes between Jumada
(Ath-Thaniyah) and Sha`ban.”
The Prophet then
asked, (What is the day today’) We said, “Allah and His Messenger know better.
He kept quiet until we thought that he might give that day another name. He
said (Isn’t it the day of Nahr) We replied, “Yes.” He further asked, (Which
month is this) We again said, “Allah and His Messenger know better,” and he
kept quiet and made us think that he might give it another name. Then he
said,(Isn’t it the month of Dhul-Hijjah) We replied, “Yes.” He asked, (What
town is this) We said, “Allah and His Messenger know better,” and he kept quiet
until we thought that he might change its name. He asked, (Isn’t this the
(Sacred) Town) We said, “Yes.” He said,
(Verily! Your blood, property and honor are sacred to one
another like the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours and in
this city of yours. Verily, you will meet your Lord and He will question you
about your actions. Behold! Do not revert to misguidance after me by striking
the necks of one another. Have I conveyed It is incumbent upon those who are
present to inform those who are absent, because those who are absent might
comprehend (what I have said) better than some who are present.)
Al-Bukhari and Muslim
collected this Hadith.
In a small book
collected by Shaykh `Alam ad-Din As-Sakhawi, entitled, Al-Mashhur fi Asma’
Al-Ayam wash-Shuhur, he mentioned that Muharram is so named because it is a sacred
month. To me, it was so named to emphasize its sacredness. This is because the Arabs would switch it
around. One year they would say it was a sacred month, the following year they
would say that it was not. The author said, “…and Safar is so named because they used to leave their
homes during that month for fighting and traveling. When saying `Safir’ a
place, it means to leave it… Rabi` Al-Awwal is called that because they used to do Irtiba` in it, that is to
maintain one’s property… and Rabi` Al-Akhir, was so named for the same reasons. Jumada is called that because the water would dry up
(Jamud) then….They say Jumada Al-Uwla and Al-Awwal, or Jumada Al-Akhar or Al-Akhirah. Rajab comes from Tarjib, meaning to honor. Sha`ban because the tribes would separate and return
to their homes. Ramadan was so named because of the severity of the Ramda’ – that is –
the heat, and they say that the branch Ramadat when it is thirsty…And the
saying that it is a Name of Allah is a mistake, for there is no proof or
support for that…”
The Sacred Months
Allah said,
(of them four are sacred). The Arabs used to consider these months sacred during the time
of Jahiliyyah, except for a group of them called Al-Basl, who held eight months
of the year to be sacred as way of exaggeration in religion.
The Prophet said,
(Three are in succession; Dhul-Qa`dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram,
and (the fourth is) Rajab of (the tribe of) Mudar which comes between Jumada
(Ath-Thani) and Sha`ban).
The Prophet said
“Rajab of Mudar” to attest to the custom of Mudar, in saying that Rajab is the
month that is between Jumada and Sha`ban, not as the tribe of Rabi`ah thought,
that it is between Sha`ban and Shawwal, which is Ramadan in the present calendar.
The four Sacred Months were made four, three in succession and one alone, so
that the Hajj and `Umrah are performed with ease. Dhul-Qa`dah, the month before
the Hajj month, was made sacred because they refrained from fighting during
that month. Dhul-Hijjah, the next month, was made sacred because it is the
month of Hajj, during which they performed Hajj rituals. Muharram,
which comes next, was made sacred so that they are able to go back to their
areas in safety after performing Hajj. Rajab, in the middle of the lunar year, was made sacred so
that those coming from the farthest areas of Arabia are able to perform `Umrah
and visit the House and then go back to their areas safely.
Allah said next,
(That is the right
religion), that is the Straight
Law, requiring implementing Allah’s order concerning the months that He made
sacred and their true count as it was originally written by Allah. Allah said,
(so wrong not yourselves therein) during these
Sacred Months, for sin in them is worse than sin in other months. Likewise,
sins in the Sacred City are written multiplied,
(…and whoever inclines
to evil actions therein (in Makkah) or to do wrong, him We shall cause to taste
from a painful torment) 22:25. Similarly, sin in general is worse during the Sacred
Months
`Ali bin Abi Talhah
narrated that Ibn `Abbas said, Allah’s statement,
(Verily, the number of
months with Allah…), is
connected to
(so wrong not yourselves
therein), “In
all (twelve) months. Allah then chose four out of these months and made them
sacred, emphasizing their sanctity, making sinning in them greater, in addition
to, multiplying rewards of righteous deeds during them.” Qatadah said about
Allah’s statement,
(so wrong not yourselves
therein), “Injustice
during the Sacred Months is worse and graver than injustice in other months.
Verily, injustice is always wrong, but Allah makes things graver than others as
He will.”
He also said,
“Allah has chosen some of His creation above others. He chose
Messengers from angels and from men. He also chose His Speech above all speech,
the Masajid above other areas of the earth, Ramadan and the Sacred Months above
all months, Friday above the other days and Laylatul-Qadr (The Night of Decree)
above all nights. Therefore, sanctify what Allah has sanctified, for doing so
is the practice of people of understanding and comprehension.”
Fighting in the Sacred
Months
Allah said,
(and fight against the
idolators collectively), all of you,
(as they fight against
you collectively.), all of them,
(But know that Allah is
with those who have Taqwa),
and know that initiating battle during the Sacred Months is forbidden. Allah
said in other Ayat,
(O you who believe!
Violate not the sanctity of the symbols of Allah, nor of the sacred month.) 5:2,
(The Sacred Month is for
the Sacred Month, and for the prohibited things, there is the law of equality
(Qisas). Then whoever transgresses the prohibition against you, you transgress
likewise against him) 2:194, and,
(Then when the Sacred
Months have passed, kill the idolators…) 9:5. As for Allah’s statement,
(And fight against the
idolators collectively as they fight against you collectively), it includes permission for the believers to
fight the idolators in the Sacred Month, if the idolators initiate hostilities
therein. Allah said in other Ayat,
(The Sacred Month is for
the Sacred Month, and for the prohibited things, there is the law of equality
(Qisas)) 2:194, and,
(And fight not with them
at Al-Masjid Al-Haram, unless they (first) fight you there. But if they attack
you, then kill them.) 2:191.
As for the Messenger
of Allah laying siege to At-Ta’if until the Sacred Month started, it was a
continuation of the battle against Hawazin and their allies from Thaqif. They
started the fighting and gathered their men for the purpose of conducting war.
The Messenger of Allah marched to meet them and when they took refuge in
At-Ta’if, the Prophet laid siege to them so that they descend from their forts,
but they inflicted casualties on Muslims. The siege continued for about forty
days, during which a Sacred Month began, and the siege continued for several
days in that month. The Messenger broke the siege and went back (to Makkah). So
fighting that carries over into it the Sacred Month is not the same as
initiating warfare during it, Allah knows best.
Source: Tafseer Ibn Kathir, Soorat at-Tawbah
9:36, Dar-us-salam english Publications
Fast a day before (the Day of ‘Ashura’) and a day after it. 
But, it is Makruh (reprehensible)
to observe Sawm on the Day of ‘Ashura’ only, i.e. without accompanying it by
the preceding or the succeeding day. May Allah grant us success!
