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THE ISLAMIC MONTHS OF THE YEAR
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Truly, the number of months with Allah is
twelve, in the Command of Allah the day He created the Heavens and the
Earth; four of them are sacred: that is the straight religion. So wrong
not in them upon yourselves, and fight the polytheists in all
circumstances as they fight you in all circumstances. And know that
Allah is with those who are pious, God-fearing.
[Qur'aan 9:36] |
The Holy Qur'aan declares that the number of months is not the product of
man's history but it is the part of the Divine Scheme for the administration and
regulation of human affairs according to Divine Law. Out of these twelve months,
four are sacred ones wherein committal of sins and wrongs is more serious than
in other months. And this is the "Straight Religion" of Ibrahim
(Abraham - 
- peace be
upon him).
In the Divine Constitution, the year has always been of twelve months,
neither less nor more. And in Ibrahim's
religion, four months were sacred: Zil-Qa'd, Zil-Hijj, Muharram and Safar. In
them, fighting was unlawful and the Arabs kept peace during these months so that
people from far and wide might perform 'Umrah and Hajj without fear. Nowadays,
according to a majority of the scholars, this order (prohibition of fighting
during these sacred months) does not exist. From this verse it is also inferred
that Jihad against the enemies of Islam has always been lawful, but wronging one
another has always been sinful and in these months moreso. But it is better to
avoid fighting and the Muslims should not open war if some non-believer observes
their sacred inviolability.
[Tafseer-e-Usmani]
References:
A voice of the Muslim Ummah
