Surah At-Tawbah (9): 36

Commentary Introduction

This verse explains the third category of reprehensible actions committed by the Jews, Christians, and polytheists: their attempt to alter the rulings of Allah. Since Allah decreed a specific ruling for every time period, their alteration of these rulings through an-Nasī’ (postponement/intercalation) was an attempt to change the ruling of the year according to their whims and opinions. This increased their disbelief and regret.

There are several issues discussed in this verse:

Issue 1: The Definition of the Year (As-Sanah)

Know that, for the Arabs of old, the year (as-sanah) referred to twelve lunar months. The evidence for this is this very verse, and also Allah’s saying: {It is He Who made the sun a shining light and the moon a [reflected] light, and determined for it phases, that you may know the number of years and the calculation} (Jonah: 5). This verse makes the determination of the moon’s phases the reason for knowing the years and calculation, which is only valid if the year is tied to the moon's cycle. Furthermore, Allah says: {They ask you about the new moons. Say, "They are measurements of time for the people and for the Hajj"} (Al-Baqarah: 189).

For other communities (like the Jews and Christians), the year refers to the period the sun takes to complete one full cycle. The lunar year is shorter than the solar year by a known amount. Because of this deficit, the lunar months shift from one season to another. Consequently, the Hajj would sometimes fall in winter and sometimes in summer. This caused them hardship. Moreover, when they came for Hajj, they often came for trade. This timing might not align with the arrival of trade caravans from other regions, disrupting their commercial interests.

For this reason, they resorted to the practice of al-Kabīsah (intercalation), as is known in the science of astronomy, adopting the solar year. This ensured that the time of Hajj remained fixed to a specific time that suited their interests, allowing them to benefit from their trade and affairs.

Although an-Nasī’ resulted in worldly benefits, it necessitated changing Allah’s decree. Since Allah specified the Hajj for certain, precisely defined months, the Nasī’ caused the Hajj to fall in other months, thus changing Allah’s ruling and obligation.

Conclusion: Out of concern for their worldly interests, they sought to change Allah’s rulings and nullify His commands. This is why they incurred severe censure in this verse.

Know that since the solar year exceeds the lunar year, they would accumulate this surplus. When the surplus amounted to a month, they would make that year thirteen months long. Allah strongly condemned this, stating that Allah’s decree is that the year must be twelve months, no more and no less. Their arbitrary declaration that some years have thirteen months was a ruling contrary to Allah’s decree, leading to the alteration of divine obligations, all of which is contrary to religion.

Know that the Arabs’ doctrine from the earliest times was that the year should be lunar, not solar. This ruling was inherited from Abraham and Ishmael (peace be upon them). This was not the case among the Jews and Christians. Some Arabs learned the method of intercalation from the Jews and Christians, and this practice appeared in the Arabian lands.

Issue 2: Grammatical Analysis of the Verse

Abu Ali al-Fārisī stated that the phrase {the number of the months} cannot be grammatically connected to the phrase {in the Book of Allah} because it would require separating the relative pronoun (al-ṣilah) from its antecedent (al-mawṣūl) by the predicate, which is {twelve months}, and this is impermissible.

There are several ways to parse this verse grammatically:

1. First Interpretation: {The number of the months} (‘idda al-shuhūr) is the subject (mubtada’), and {twelve months} (ithnā ‘ashara shahran) is the predicate (khabar). The phrases {at Allah} (‘inda Allāh) and {in the Book of Allah} (fī kitāb Allāh) and {the Day He created the heavens and the earth} (yawma khalaqa al-samāwāt wa-al-arḍ) are adverbial phrases (ẓurūf) where one substitutes for the other. The intended meaning is: "Indeed, the number of the months is twelve months, according to Allah, in the Book of Allah, from the Day Allah created the heavens and the earth." The benefit of mentioning these successive substitutions is to affirm that this number is established and fixed in Allah’s knowledge and His Book from the very beginning of the world's creation.

2. Second Interpretation: The phrase {in the Book of Allah} is related to an implied word that serves as an adjective for the predicate. The meaning is: "twelve months, established in the Book of Allah." This "Book" cannot refer to a physical book, as it is connected to {the Day He created the heavens and the earth...}, and proper nouns do not relate to adverbial phrases (you wouldn't say, "Your slave on Friday"). Rather, kitāb here is a verbal noun (maṣdar). The meaning is: "Indeed, the number of the months according to Allah is twelve months, according to His decree established on the Day He created the heavens."

3. Third Interpretation: Kitāb is a noun. The phrase {the Day He created the heavens} is related to an implied verb. The meaning is: "Indeed, the number of the months according to Allah is twelve months, written in the Book of Allah, which He wrote on the Day He created the heavens and the earth."

Issue 3: Interpretation of the Verse’s Rulings

Regarding the meaning of the verse: {Indeed, the number of the months according to Allah is twelve months in the Book of Allah}:

There are different interpretations for "the Book of Allah":

1. Ibn Abbas: It refers to the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ), wherein the affairs of all creation are detailed, and it is the source for all books Allah revealed to the Prophets.
2. Some Scholars: It refers to the Qur'an. We have already cited verses indicating that the valid year in the religion of Muhammad (PBUH) is the lunar year. If so, this ruling is written in the Qur'an.
3. Abu Muslim: {in the Book of Allah} means "in what He has legislated and decreed." Kitāb here means decree and obligation, like His saying: {Fighting has been decreed for you} (Al-Baqarah: 216), {Retaliation is prescribed for you} (Al-Baqarah: 178), and {Your Lord has decreed for Himself mercy} (Al-An'am: 54). Al-Qāḍī considers this view distant because Allah used Kitāb here as an adverbial container (a place/time), and applying it to calculation only works metaphorically. However, it can be argued that even if metaphorical, it is a common metaphor; one might say, "This matter is in the calculation/decree of so-and-so."

As for {the Day He created the heavens and the earth}, we discussed interpretations in Issue 2. The closest interpretation is the third one: that Allah decreed and legislated this ruling on the Day He created the heavens and the earth. The purpose is to show that this ruling has been established since the beginning of the world's creation, emphasizing its permanence and confirmation.

Regarding {of them are four sacred months}:

There is consensus that three of these four months are consecutive: Dhū al-Qa‘dah, Dhū al-Ḥijjah, and Muḥarram, and one is separate: Rajab. The meaning of Ḥurum (sacred) is that disobedience within them incurs a severer punishment, and obedience yields greater reward. The Arabs greatly revered them; a man might see his father's killer among them and not attack him.

Inquiry: Since the parts of time are essentially similar, what is the reason for this distinction?

Answer: This distinction is not strange in divine laws; there are many examples. Did Allah not distinguish the Sacred Precinct (al-Balad al-Ḥarām) from other lands with greater sanctity? Did He not distinguish Friday from other days of the week with greater sanctity? Did He not distinguish the Day of Arafah with a specific act of worship? Did He not distinguish the month of Ramadan with the obligation of fasting? Did He not distinguish certain hours of the day with the obligation of prayer? Did He not distinguish certain nights, like Laylat al-Qadr? Did He not distinguish certain individuals by granting them the robe of prophethood?

Since these examples are clear and well-known, what is strange about specifying certain months with greater sanctity? Furthermore, Allah may know that performing acts of obedience during these times has a greater effect on purifying the soul, and committing sins during them has a stronger effect on corrupting the soul. This is not rejected by the wise; some have written books on times when prayers are likely to be answered, mentioning that specific times possess causes that necessitate this.

The Prophet (PBUH) was asked which fast is best. He replied: "The best fast after the fast of Ramadan is the fast of the month of Allah, Muḥarram." He also said: "Whoever fasts one day of the Sacred Months, for him is the reward of thirty days." Many jurists increased the blood money (diyah) for a killer because the killing occurred in these months.

There is another benefit: Human nature is inclined toward oppression and corruption, and abstaining from these evils entirely is difficult for them. Therefore, Allah specified certain times and certain places with greater veneration and respect. A person might refrain from evils and prohibitions during these times and places, which leads to various virtues and benefits:

1. First: Abandoning these evils during these times is desired because it reduces the occurrence of evil deeds.
2. Second: When one abstains during these times, perhaps this abstinence becomes a reason for their nature to incline toward abandoning them altogether.
3. Third: If a person performs acts of obedience during these times and avoids sins, then after these times pass, if they were to engage in evil deeds, their commencement would nullify the effort and hardship they endured in performing obedience during those sacred times. A rational person would not accept this, so it becomes a reason for them to avoid sins entirely. This is the wisdom behind specifying certain times and places with greater veneration and respect.

Then Allah says: {That is the correct religion (ad-dīn al-qayyim)}. There are two points of discussion here:

First Point: Is {That} (dhālika) a reference to {Indeed, the number of the months according to Allah is twelve months, no more and no less}, or to {of them are four sacred months}? I believe the former is more appropriate. The disbelievers admitted that four months are sacred, but due to intercalation, they sometimes made the year thirteen months and changed the positions of the months. The purpose of this verse is to refute them, so the wording must refer to that.

Second Point: There are interpretations for the word ad-dīn:

1. The Calculation: Ad-dīn can mean calculation. It is said: "The intelligent person is he who disciplines (dāna) himself," meaning he calculates himself. Al-Qayyim means upright or correct. Thus, the interpretation is: "That is the correct, sound, and complete calculation/justice."
2. Al-Ḥasan: {That is the religion that is Qayyim}, meaning it is established, unchangeable, permanent, and eternal—the religion upon which people are naturally inclined (fiṭrah).
3. Some Scholars: It means this prescribed worship is the religion incumbent upon Islam. Al-Qāḍī argues that applying ad-dīn to worship is preferable to applying it to calculation, as the latter is metaphorical. However, it can be argued that the root of ad-dīn is submission (inqiyād). It is said: "The necks submitted to him" (dānat lahu al-riqāb). Calculation is called dīn because it necessitates submission, and the prescribed number of months is called dīn. Therefore, applying this word to worship is not more preferable than applying it to calculation.

The scholars state that Muslims are obligated by this verse to consider the Arabic lunar year for their sales, debt periods, Zakat calculations, and all other rulings, and it is not permissible for them to adopt the non-Arab or Roman year.

Then Allah says: {So do not wrong yourselves therein}. There are two points of discussion:

First Point: The pronoun in {therein} (fīhinna) has two opinions:

1. Ibn Abbas: It means: Do not wrong yourselves during the twelve months, intending to forbid committing corruption absolutely throughout one's life.
2. The Majority: The pronoun refers back to the four sacred months. They argue that the reason is what we mentioned: some times have a greater effect on increasing reward for obedience and punishment for prohibitions. The evidence that this view is preferable is:
   • The pronoun {therein} must refer to the previously mentioned noun. It must refer to the closest mention, which is {of them are four sacred months}.
   • Allah specifically honored these months in another verse: {Hajj is [during] well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein [by entering Ihram]—there shall be for him no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj} (Al-Baqarah: 197). These actions are forbidden even outside of Hajj, but Allah emphasized the prohibition during these days to indicate their elevated status.
   • Al-Farra’: It is better for the pronoun to refer to the four months because the Arabs use the plural form {fīhinna} for numbers between three and ten. If the number exceeds this, they use the singular feminine plural form, as the plural of few (jam‘ al-qillah) is treated like a feminine singular, and the plural of many (jam‘ al-kathrah) is treated like a feminine singular. (He cites poetic examples to illustrate this grammatical rule regarding jam‘ al-qillah vs. jam‘ al-kathrah).

Second Point: There are opinions regarding the meaning of this wrongdoing (ẓulm):

1. It refers to an-Nasī’ that they practiced, postponing Hajj from the month Allah commanded it to be in to another month, thus changing Allah’s obligations.
2. It forbids fighting during these sacred months.
3. It forbids all sins, due to the greater effect these months have on increasing reward and punishment. The closest interpretation to me is forbidding an-Nasī’, as Allah mentioned it immediately following the verse about the months.

Then Allah says: {And fight the polytheists all together as they fight you all together}. There are three discussions:

First Point: Al-Farra’ says {all together} (kāffatan) means collectively. Kāffah is neither masculine nor pluralized according to the number of men (i.e., not kāffīn or kāffāt). It remains kāffatan (feminine singular form) because, although it has the form of an active participle (fā‘ilah), it functions like a verbal noun (maṣdar), similar to khāṣṣah (specifically) and ʿāmmah (generally). This is why Arabs do not use the definite article (al-) with it, as it is equivalent to saying, "They stood together." Al-Zajjāj says kāffatan is in the accusative case indicating state (ḥāl), and it cannot be dualized or pluralized, just as if you said, "Fight them generally (ʿāmmatan)," you would not dualize or pluralize it, similarly to khāṣṣah.

Second Point: Regarding {all together} (kāffatan), there are two opinions:

1. It means fight them all, united in fighting you, just as they fight you united. This implies that you should cooperate and support one another in this, not become lax or divided, and be united servants of Allah in confronting the enemies.
2. Ibn Abbas said: Fight them entirely, and do not show favoritism to some by refraining from fighting them, just as they permit fighting all of you. The first opinion is closer to making the comparison between the two sides valid.

Third Point: The apparent meaning of {And fight the polytheists all together} permits fighting them in all months. Some people argue that fighting the disbelievers is forbidden, based on {of them are four sacred months, so do not wrong yourselves therein}, meaning do not wrong yourselves therein by permitting fighting and raiding. We discussed this issue in Surah Al-Baqarah when interpreting {They ask you about the sacred month—fighting therein} (Al-Baqarah: 217).

Then Allah says: {And know that Allah is with the pious (al-muttaqīn)}. This means He is with His allies who fear Him in performing obedience and avoiding prohibitions. Al-Zajjāj said its interpretation is that He guarantees them victory.

Verse 37

Translation: "Indeed, the postponement (an-Nasī’) is an addition to disbelief, whereby those who disbelieve are led astray. They permit it one year and forbid it another year to conform to the number [of months] Allah has made sacred, thus permitting what Allah has forbidden. Their evil deeds have been made attractive to them. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people."