The Heifer (Al-Baqarah)

Commentary

(b) The waxing and waning of the moon are meant to serve only as measures of time. The superstitious believe that the days when the moon is waxing are auspicious while the days of the moon’s waning are inauspicious. The moon, in fact, is an almanac of nature appearing in the sky so that people may plan the timings of their worldly affairs as well as their worship. But there are many people who have come to regard mere outward observance as religiosity. (c) The ancient Arabs believed (a mere supposition) that, after the donning of ihram to perform Hajj, nothing should come between them and the sky, for they thought it was against the etiquette of ihram. Due to this superstitious custom, when the Arabs left their homes after donning ihram, they did not enter their houses by the doors, but climbed over the walls to reach the courtyard during or after the pilgrimage. This is disapproved of, for there is no virtue in observing any such outward rituals in the name of religion. True religiosity is to fear God and remain within the bounds laid down by Him. (a) The fighting (qital) mentioned here refers to that which took place during the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet’s Makkan opponents, not content with just expelling the Prophet and his companions from Makkah, their home- town, also prevented them from living and working peacefully in the neighbouring town of Yathrib (Madinah) where they had gone to settle. Without any provocation, they repeatedly attacked the Muslims who then had to fight in self- defence. When aggression has already been committed by opponents, believers are obliged to defend themselves. Initiating hostilities is not permitted for Muslims. Only defensive war is permitted in Islam. Even defensive war has to be openly declared by an established state. (b) The Quranic exhortation to do battle against religious persecution (fitnah) has been explained by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, a senior companion of the Prophet. He said that this verse referred to the coercive religious system that prevailed in the ancient world. (Fathul Bari, vol. 8, p. 60). Temporary in nature, the war against fitnah was thus one of limited duration, meant to be engaged in only until its specific purpose had been served. In the wake of the Islamic revolution, religious persecution was replaced by intellectual freedom. As ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said, they had already put an end to fitnah, therefore, except in cases where self-defence had become inevitable, the Quran did not give permission for violence.