~Dhul Qa'dah, 9 AH (within hours of Abu Bakr RA's departure for Hajj) · 9 AH
Scholars read this differently
Scholars differ on whether the "sacred months" referred to in verse 5 mean the four sacred months of the Hijri calendar generally, or specifically the four-month grace period just granted to the pagans in verse 2.
Within a few hours of Abu Bakr RA leaving Madinah to lead the Muslims on Hajj, Allah revealed the opening two and a half pages of Surat al-Tawba. These verses were addressed to the pagans of Arabia. Someone suggested to the Prophet ﷺ that he simply send the verses on to Abu Bakr. The Prophet ﷺ replied that no one would convey these verses on his behalf except someone from his own household. So he chose Ali ibn Abi Talib RA, who had not been part of the original group. Ali RA was to ride out, catch up with Abu Bakr RA, and announce the verses to the people during the Hajj.
Surat al-Tawba was one of the very last surahs to be revealed, and it opens without the Basmala ("In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"). Its first verse declares a bara'ah, a complete disassociation of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ from the pagans with whom the Muslims had made treaties. With this, those treaties were cancelled. Verse 2 gives the pagans four months in which they may travel freely and settle their affairs. Verse 3 names the Day of the Greater Hajj (10 Dhul Hijjah) as the day this disassociation would be announced publicly. It also tells the pagans that repenting is the better path.
Verse 4 makes an exception. If a pagan group had a treaty with a fixed end date and had never broken faith with the Muslims, their treaty was to be honoured until it ran out. Verse 5 is often called the "Verse of the Sword." It says that once the sacred months have passed, the pagans are to be fought, captured and besieged wherever they are found. But if they repent, establish prayer and give zakat, they are to be let go. Verse 6 follows straight after. It says that any pagan who asks for protection must be given it, allowed to hear the Qur'an, and then escorted safely to a place where he is secure.
Critics of Islam misread verse 5 more than any other verse in the Qur'an, by taking it out of its setting in the 9th year after the Hijrah. At that time, paganism was being ended by law within the Haram and the Arabian Peninsula specifically. The verse was not a general license to kill non-Muslims. It gave the pagans of Arabia a four-month warning and a plain choice. They could accept Islam, or they could leave. The very next verse, verse 6, guarantees safe conduct to anyone who still wants to hear the message. Historically, not a single person is known to have been killed because of this verse. Its effect was to end idolatry in the Arabian Peninsula. Muslim rulers elsewhere continued to tolerate paganism. Jews and Christians were allowed to live under Muslim rule and practise their faith if they paid the jizya, a tax on non-Muslim subjects. Zoroastrians were later treated the same way, following a precedent set by Umar RA after Persia was conquered.
Other events recorded in 9 AH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.
Why don't you send these verses to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq?
Asked shortly after the opening verses of Surat al-Tawba were revealed in Madinah, after Abu Bakr RA's delegation had already left for Hajj.
No one shall convey these verses on my behalf other than someone from my own household.
بَرَاءَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّم مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
“[This is a declaration of] disassociation, from Allah and His Messenger, to those with whom you had made a treaty among the polytheists.”
This ayah is part of the opening of Surat al-Tawba, revealed -- as this event's own description states -- within hours of Abu Bakr RA's Hajj delegation departing Madinah, and proclaimed by Ali ibn Abi Talib RA during that Hajj.
فَإِذَا انسَلَخَ الْأَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ فَاقْتُلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَاحْصُرُوهُمْ وَاقْعُدُوا لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ ۚ فَإِن تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakat, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”
The "Verse of the Sword".
فَسِيحُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِي اللَّهِ ۙ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ مُخْزِي الْكَافِرِينَ
“So travel freely, [O disbelievers], throughout the land [for] four months, but know that you cannot cause failure to Allah and that Allah will disgrace the disbelievers.”
This ayah is part of the opening of Surat al-Tawba, revealed -- as this event's own description states -- within hours of Abu Bakr RA's Hajj delegation departing Madinah, and proclaimed by Ali ibn Abi Talib RA during that Hajj.
وَأَذَانٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى النَّاسِ يَوْمَ الْحَجِّ الْأَكْبَرِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ بَرِيءٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ۙ وَرَسُولُهُ ۚ فَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِي اللَّهِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
“And [it is] an announcement from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the day of the greater Hajj that Allah is disassociated from the disbelievers, and [so is] His Messenger. So if you repent, that is best for you; but if you turn away -- then know that you will not cause failure to Allah. And give tidings to those who disbelieve of a painful Punishment.”
This ayah is part of the opening of Surat al-Tawba, revealed -- as this event's own description states -- within hours of Abu Bakr RA's Hajj delegation departing Madinah, and proclaimed by Ali ibn Abi Talib RA during that Hajj.
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّم مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنقُصُوكُمْ شَيْئًا وَلَمْ يُظَاهِرُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَحَدًا فَأَتِمُّوا إِلَيْهِمْ عَهْدَهُمْ إِلَىٰ مُدَّتِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ
“Excepted are those with whom you made a treaty among the polytheists and then they have not been deficient toward you in anything or supported anyone against you; so complete for them their treaty until their term [has ended]. Indeed, Allah loves the righteous [who fear Him].”
This ayah is part of the opening of Surat al-Tawba, revealed -- as this event's own description states -- within hours of Abu Bakr RA's Hajj delegation departing Madinah, and proclaimed by Ali ibn Abi Talib RA during that Hajj.
وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّىٰ يَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَعْلَمُونَ
“And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah. Then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.”
This ayah is part of the opening of Surat al-Tawba, revealed -- as this event's own description states -- within hours of Abu Bakr RA's Hajj delegation departing Madinah, and proclaimed by Ali ibn Abi Talib RA during that Hajj.
This ayah is part of the opening of Surat al-Tawba, revealed -- as this event's own description states -- within hours of Abu Bakr RA's Hajj delegation departing Madinah, and proclaimed by Ali ibn Abi Talib RA during that Hajj.