2. Surah al-Baqara, Medina 87

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ قِتَالٍ فِيهِ...

2: 217. They ask thee concerning fighting in the Prohibited Month.

C237. Prohibited Month: See 2:194, n. 209.

... قُلْ قِتَالٌ فِيهِ كَبِيرٌ...

Say: "Fighting therein is a grave (offence);

... وَصَدٌّ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَكُفْرٌ بِهِ وَالْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِخْرَاجُ أَهْلِهِ مِنْهُ أَكْبَرُ عِندَ اللّهِ...

but graver is it in the sight of Allah to prevent access to the path of Allah,

to deny Him, to prevent access to the Sacred Mosque, and drive out its members.

C238. The intolerance and persecution of the Pagan clique at Makkah caused untold hardships to the holy Messenger of Islam and his early disciples. They bore all with meekness and long-suffering patience until the holy one permitted them to take up arms in self-defence. Then they were twitted with breach of the custom about Prohibited Months, though they were driven to fight during that period against their own feeling in self defence.

But their enemies not only forced them to engage in actual warfare, but interfered with their conscience, persecuted them and their families, openly insulted and denied Allah, kept out the Muslim Arabs from the Sacred Mosque, and exiled them. Such violence and intolerance are deservedly called worse than slaughter.

... وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ...

Tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter.

C239. Cf. 2:191, 193, where a similar phrase occurs.

Fitnah: trial, temptation, as in 2:102; or tumult, sedition, oppression, as here;

Mawlvi Muhammad Ali, Hafiz Sarwar, and M Pickthall translate "persecution" in this passage, which is also legitimate, seeing that persecution is the suppression of some opinion by violence, force, or threats.

... وَلاَ يَزَالُونَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ حَتَّىَ يَرُدُّوكُمْ عَن دِينِكُمْ إِنِ اسْتَطَاعُواْ...

Nor will they cease fighting you until they turn you back from your faith if they can.

... وَمَن يَرْتَدِدْ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ ...

And if any of you turn back from their faith and die in unbelief,

... فَأُوْلَـئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ...

their works will bear no fruit in this life and in the Hereafter;

... وَأُوْلَـئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ ﴿٢١٧﴾

they will be Companions of the Fire and will abide therein.