Other translations of verse 217
They ask you about fighting in the Sacred Months111. Say, “Fighting therein is a great sin, but preventing people from the path of Allah, disbelieving in Him, preventing from the Sacred Mosque, and expelling its people from it is a greater sin with Allah, and persecution is far worse than fighting112.” They will not cease fighting you until they turn you away from your faith if they can. And if anyone among you renounces his faith and dies as a disbeliever, their deeds will be void in this life and in the Hereafter. They are the people of the Fire; they will abide therein forever.
Notes
[111] Sacred Months are: 1st, 7th, 11th and 12th months of the lunar calendar. [112] The disbelievers asked this to scorn the Prophet (ﷺ) for what they saw as breaking an oath when a group of believers unknowingly killed a disbeliever during a sacrosanct month. [An-Nasā’ī, As-Sunan al-Kubrā].
They ask you concerning fighting in the Sacred Months (i.e. 1st, 7th, 11th and 12th months of the Islâmic calendar). Say "Fighting therein is a great (transgression) but a greater (transgression)52 with Allâh is to prevent mankind from following the Way of Allâh, to disbelieve in Him, to prevent access to Al-Masjid-Al-Harâm (at Makkah), and to drive out its inhabitants, and Al-Fitnah53 is worse than killing. And they will never cease fighting you until they turn you back from your religion (Islâmic Monotheism) if they can. And whosoever of you turns back from his religion and dies as a disbeliever, then his deeds will be lost in this life and in the Hereafter, and they will be the dwellers of the Fire. They will abide therein forever."
Notes
[52] (V.2:217) The provision of this Verse has been abrogated by Verse 9:36. Jihâd cf., (V.2:216).
[53] (V.2:217) Fitnah: polytheism and to disbelieve after one has believed in Allâh, or a trial or a calamity or an affliction or to set up rivals in worship with Allâh, etc.
They question thee (O Muhammad) with regard to warfare in the sacred month. Say: Warfare therein is a great (transgression), but to turn (men) from the way of Allah, and to disbelieve in Him and in the Inviolable Place of Worship, and to expel His people thence, is a greater with Allah; for persecution is worse than killing. And they will not cease from fighting against you till they have made you renegades from your religion, if they can. And whoso becometh a renegade and dieth in his disbelief: such are they whose works have fallen both in the world and the Hereafter. Such are rightful owners of the Fire: they will abide therein.
They ask thee concerning fighting in the Prohibited Month. Say: "Fighting therein is a grave (offence); 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." Tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter. Nor will they cease fighting you until they turn you back from your faith if they can. And if any of you Turn back from their faith and die in unbelief, their works will bear no fruit in this life and in the Hereafter; they will be companions of the Fire and will abide therein.
They ask you concerning the sacred month about fighting in it. Say: Fighting in it is a grave matter, and hindering (men) from Allah's way and denying Him, and (hindering men from) the Sacred Mosque and turning its people out of it, are still graver with Allah, and persecution is graver than slaughter; and they will not cease fighting with you until they turn you back from your religion, if they can; and whoever of you turns back from his religion, then he dies while an unbeliever-- these it is whose works shall go for nothing in this world and the hereafter, and they are the inmates of the fire; therein they shall abide.
They ask you concerning the Inviolable month, (and) fighting in it. Say, "Fighting in it is great (transgression); and barring from the way of Allah, and disbelief in Him and the Inviolable Mosque, and driving its population out of it, is greater (transgression) in the Reckoning of Allah; and temptation is greater than killing." And they will not cease fighting against you till they make you turn back from your religion, in case they are able to do so. And whoever of you turn back from his religion, and so dies and he is a disbeliever, then those are the ones whose deeds have been frustrated in the present (life) (Literally: the lowly "life", i.e., the life of this world) and the Hereafter; and those are the companions (i.e., inhabitants) of the Fire; they are therein eternally (abiding).
