~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 hours of Abu Bakr RA leaving Madinah at the head of the Hajj delegation, Allah revealed the opening two-and-a-half pages of Surat al-Tawba, addressed to the pagans of Arabia. When someone suggested to the Prophet ﷺ that the verses simply be sent on to catch up with Abu Bakr, he ﷺ said no one could convey them on his behalf except a member of his own household, and so he chose Ali ibn Abi Talib RA, who had not been part of the original delegation, to ride out, catch up with Abu Bakr, and proclaim them to the people during the Hajj. Surat al-Tawba, one of the very last surahs revealed, opens without a Basmala; verse 1 declares a bara'ah (complete disassociation) from Allah and His Messenger toward the pagans with whom treaties had been made, nullifying those treaties. Verse 2 grants the pagans four months of safe passage to settle their affairs. Verse 3 sets the Day of the Greater Hajj (10 Dhul Hijjah) as the day this disassociation is publicly announced, offering repentance as the better path. Verse 4 excepts any pagan group whose treaty carries a fixed term and who had not broken faith with the Muslims: their treaty is to be honored to its end. Verse 5 (the so-called "Verse of the Sword") states that once the sacred/grace months have passed, the pagans are to be fought, captured, and besieged wherever found, unless they repent, establish prayer, and give zakat, in which case they are to be let go. Verse 6 immediately follows with the instruction that any pagan seeking protection is to be granted it, allowed to hear the Qur'an, and then escorted safely to his place of safety.
Verse 5 is the most misread verse in the Qur'an by critics of Islam, taken out of the specific context of the 9th year: paganism being ended, by law, within the Haram and the Arabian Peninsula specifically, not a general license to kill non-Muslims. It gave the pagans of Arabia a plain choice (accept Islam or leave) under a four-month threat, and the very next verse (6) guarantees safe conduct to anyone still seeking to hear the message. Historically, not a single person is known to have been killed as a direct consequence of this verse; its effect was to complete the elimination of idolatry from the Arabian Peninsula, while Muslim rulers elsewhere continued to tolerate paganism, and Jews, Christians, and (by the precedent Umar RA later set for the Zoroastrians of Persia) Zoroastrians were long permitted to live under Muslim rule and practice their faith on payment of the jizya.
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.