إِنَّ عِدَّةَ ٱلشُّهُورِ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِى كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ مِنْهَآ أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ ۚ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا۟ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ وَقَـٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةً كَمَا يُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةً ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ 36
Translations
Indeed, the number of months with Allāh is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allāh [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion [i.e., way], so do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allāh is with the righteous [who fear Him].
Transliteration
Inna iddatal-shuhuuri inda-llahi ithna ashar shahran fee kitabi-llahi yawma khalaqa-samawati wal-arda minhal arbaatu hurum. Dhalika-d-deenu-l-qayyim. Fala tadlimu fihinna anfusakum. Wa qatilu-l-mushrikina kaffatan kama yuqatilunakum kaffatan. Wa'lamu anna-llaha ma'a-l-muttaqin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that the Islamic calendar consists of twelve lunar months as ordained by Allah from the time of creation, with four of these months being sacred (Muharram, Rajab, Dhul-Qi'dah, and Dhul-Hijjah) in which fighting is prohibited except in self-defense. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that the sacred months represent a divinely established straight path (ad-din al-qayyim), requiring believers to abstain from oppression and wrongdoing, particularly during these months. The ayah concludes by commanding comprehensive struggle against polytheists and affirming that Allah is with the God-conscious.
Revelation Context
Revealed during the 9th year of Hijrah in Medina, this surah addresses the regulations for the sacred months following the Prophet's farewell pilgrimage. The context relates to the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah and the abolition of pre-Islamic intercalation (nasi') where Arabs would alter the sacred months according to their interests, and establishes the inviolability of these divinely ordained months within the Islamic legal framework.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The year consists of twelve months, of which four are sacred: three are consecutive—Dhul-Qi'dah, Dhul-Hijjah, and Muharram—and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumada and Sha'ban' (Sahih Bukhari 3197). Additionally, 'Do not wrong yourselves in these four sacred months' is reported in various collections emphasizing the prohibition of fighting during these times.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that respecting divinely established times and boundaries reflects submission to Allah's wisdom, and that while self-defense is permissible, believers must maintain consciousness of God and avoid injustice in all circumstances, knowing that divine support comes to those who maintain piety and God-consciousness.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذَا مَآ أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ فَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ أَيُّكُمْ زَادَتْهُ هَـٰذِهِۦٓ إِيمَـٰنًا ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فَزَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَـٰنًا وَهُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ
And whenever a sūrah is revealed, there are among them [i.e., the hypocrites] those who say, "Which of you has this increased in faith?" As for those who believed, it has increased them in faith, while they are rejoicing.
وَجَآءَ ٱلْمُعَذِّرُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ لِيُؤْذَنَ لَهُمْ وَقَعَدَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ ۚ سَيُصِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
And those with excuses among the bedouins came to be permitted [to remain], and they who had lied to Allāh and His Messenger sat [at home]. There will strike those who disbelieved among them a painful punishment.
مَا كَانَ لِأَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ أَن يَتَخَلَّفُوا۟ عَن رَّسُولِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَرْغَبُوا۟ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌ وَلَا نَصَبٌ وَلَا مَخْمَصَةٌ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَطَـُٔونَ مَوْطِئًا يَغِيظُ ٱلْكُفَّارَ وَلَا يَنَالُونَ مِنْ عَدُوٍّ نَّيْلًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُم بِهِۦ عَمَلٌ صَـٰلِحٌ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
It was not [proper] for the people of Madīnah and those surrounding them of the bedouins that they remain behind after [the departure of] the Messenger of Allāh or that they prefer themselves over his self. That is because they are not afflicted by thirst or fatigue or hunger in the cause of Allāh, nor do they tread on any ground that enrages the disbelievers, nor do they inflict upon an enemy any infliction but that it is registered for them as a righteous deed. Indeed, Allāh does not allow to be lost the reward of the doers of good.
وَلَا تُصَلِّ عَلَىٰٓ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُم مَّاتَ أَبَدًا وَلَا تَقُمْ عَلَىٰ قَبْرِهِۦٓ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَمَاتُوا۟ وَهُمْ فَـٰسِقُونَ
And do not pray [the funeral prayer, O Muḥammad], over any of them who has died - ever - or stand at his grave. Indeed, they disbelieved in Allāh and His Messenger and died while they were defiantly disobedient.