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
Translations
And when the inviolable 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 zakāh, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
Transliteration
Fa-idha ansalakha al-ashhuru al-hurum faqtuloo al-mushrikeen haythu wajadtumohum wa-khudohum wa-ahsurohum wa-aqAAdu lahum kulla marssad. Fa-in taboo wa-aqamoo al-salata wa-ataw al-zakat fa-khalluu sabılahum. Inna Allaha ghafoorun raheem.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands fighting polytheists after the expiration of the sacred months (when truces expired), permitting believers to pursue them wherever found, capture them, and besiege them. However, the verse provides a crucial condition: if the polytheists repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, they must be released, emphasizing that Islam offers the path to salvation and divine mercy. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this represents the final abrogation of earlier peaceful verses regarding pagans who refused to accept Islam, applying specifically to those who rejected the final message despite being given time to respond.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed during the 9th year of Hijrah (the Year of Delegations) after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah had expired and polytheists continued breaking treaties. It follows the declaration of Bara'ah (immunity from obligations to polytheists) and represents the command for the final military expeditions in Arabia to establish Islamic authority. The sacred months mentioned refer to the four sacred months (Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab) when fighting was traditionally prohibited by Arab custom.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said regarding similar commands: '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' (Sahih Muslim 1/61). Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet commanded gentle treatment even in war, showing that fighting was always constrained by ethical limits.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah demonstrates that Islam balances firmness in defending its message with compassion, always leaving the door open for repentance and peace—the true goal was never endless warfare but the acceptance of monotheism and moral submission. For modern readers, this teaches that righteous struggle must always maintain ethical boundaries and offer genuine opportunities for reconciliation and reformed conduct.
Related Ayahs
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
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].
وَيُذْهِبْ غَيْظَ قُلُوبِهِمْ ۗ وَيَتُوبُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
And remove the fury in their [i.e., the believers'] hearts. And Allāh turns in forgiveness to whom He wills; and Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ رَضُوا۟ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَقَالُوا۟ حَسْبُنَا ٱللَّهُ سَيُؤْتِينَا ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ رَٰغِبُونَ
If only they had been satisfied with what Allāh and His Messenger gave them and said, "Sufficient for us is Allāh; Allāh will give us of His bounty, and [so will] His Messenger; indeed, we are desirous toward Allāh," [it would have been better for them].
إِنَّمَا يَسْتَـْٔذِنُكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَٱرْتَابَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ فَهُمْ فِى رَيْبِهِمْ يَتَرَدَّدُونَ
Only those would ask permission of you who do not believe in Allāh and the Last Day and whose hearts have doubted, and they, in their doubt, are hesitating.