Answering the Discredit that Says: Muhammad Fought in the Sacred Month

Refuting this Suspicion

This subject is about the following verse from the holy Quran :

“They ask you concerning fighting in the sacred months (i.e. 1st, 7th, 11th and 12th months of the Islamic calendar). Say, "fighting therein is a great (transgression) but a greater (transgression) with  Allah is to prevent mankind from following the way of Allah, to disbelieve in him, to prevent access to Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (in Makkah), and to drive out its inhabitants, and al-fitnah (sneaking) is worse than killing. And they will never cease fighting you until they turn you back from your religion (Islamic monotheism) if they can.”

(Al Baqara : 217)

All Muslims and especially their leader and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) are the most knowing that it is firmly forbidden to fight in the sacred months and doing it is a very great sin.

But what shall Muslims do if they were attacked by their enemies and were near to be driven out of Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (in Makkah) although it belongs to them. They of course have to protect themselves and protect Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (in Makkah).

The Quranic law that we can read in the following two verses allows people to protect themselves and their homes and lands from the tyrannical and oppressive forces and to protect the places of worship of all Muslims, Christians and Jews.

 “And if Allah did not check one set of people by means of another, the earth would indeed be full of mischief.” ( Al Baqara:251)

“For had it not been that Allah checks one set of people by means of another, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, wherein the name of Allah is mentioned much would surely have been pulled down. Verily, Allah will help those who help His (cause). Truly, Allah is all-strong, all-mighty.“  (Al Haj:40)

This is the law that Allah orders to apply to prevent those polytheists and all enemies of Islam from attacking our lands and holy places.

This means that those who are given strength, wealth and knowledge – according to the Quranic law – have to be of good morals and honesty; not to use their strength, wealth and knowledge to destroy and to by tyrannical over the others but to protect noble values to apply justice and spread morality over all societies; and so the whole world will live in freedom and constancy. “Those (Muslim rulers) who, if we give them power in the land, (they) order for iqamat-as-salat. [i.e. to perform the five compulsory congregational salat (prayers) (the males in mosques)], to pay the zakat and they enjoin al-ma'ruf (i.e. Islamic monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid al-munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and all that Islam has forbidden) [i.e. they make the Qur’an as the law of their country in all the spheres of life]. And with Allah rests the end of (all) matters (of creatures).” (Al Haj:4)

Allah allows those who are oppressed and attacked and killed to fight and protect their lands because oppressing people and killing them in their lands without any right isn’t of less sanctity than the sacred months.

 This is clear in the verse that we introduced in the beginning of this subject:

“They ask you concerning fighting in the sacred months (i.e. 1st, 7th, 11th and 12th months of the Islamic calendar). Say, "fighting therein is a great (transgression) but a greater (transgression) with Allah is to prevent mankind from following the way of Allah, to disbelieve in him, to prevent access to Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (in Makkah), and to drive out its inhabitants, and al-fitnah (sneaking) is worse than killing. and they will never cease fighting you until they turn you back from your religion (Islamic monotheism) if they can.”

(Al Baqara : 217)