Indeed, the postponing [of restriction within sacred months] is an increase in disbelief by which those who have disbelieved are led [further] astray. They make it473 lawful one year and unlawful another year to correspond to the number made unlawful by Allāh474 and [thus] make lawful what Allāh has made unlawful. Made pleasing to them is the evil of their deeds; and Allāh does not guide the disbelieving people.
Notes
[473] Fighting during a sacred month.
[474] If they found it advantageous to violate a sacred month, they would do so, designating another month in its place in which to observe the restrictions concerning fighting.
Verse 37 of Surah At-Tawbah (9:37), a Medinan surah, is in juz 10, on page 193 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 37 of Surah At-Tawbah
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Tafsir of verse 37
Al-Mukhtasar
Postponing the sacredness of the month of Muḥarram to another month, as the Arabs of the time of ignorance before Islam used to do, was another example of their disbelief and rejection of His laws. Satan led the disbelievers further astray through this, when he made them adopt this evil practice. They would declare a sacred month not to be sacred one year, exchanging it for one of the other months, and honoured its sacredness another year, making up the same number of months that Allah made sacred, but changing which months, in opposition to Allah’s law. Satan made their evil actions seems attractive to them so that they did them, and one such action was postponing sacred months through their invention. Allah does not give success to the disbelievers and those who persist in disbelief.
The postponement of [Sacred Months] is an act of disbelief35, which leads them further astray. They declare a month lawful in one year and sacred the next year, in order to match the number of months that Allah has declared as sacred, thus making lawful what Allah has made forbidden36; their evil deeds have been made appealing to them, and Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.
Notes
[35] Fighting during a sacred month.
[36] If they found it advantageous to violate a sacred month, they would do so, designating another month sacrosanct instead to observe the restrictions of fighting.
The postponing (of a Sacred Month) is indeed an addition to disbelief: thereby the disbelievers are led astray, for they make it lawful one year and forbid it another year in order to adjust the number of months forbidden by Allâh, and make such forbidden ones lawful. The evil of their deeds is made fair-seeming to them. And Allâh guides not the people who disbelieve.
Postponement (of a sacred month) is only an excess of disbelief whereby those who disbelieve are misled; they allow it one year and forbid it (another) year, that they may make up the number of the months which Allah hath hallowed, so that they allow that which Allah hath forbidden. The evil of their deeds is made fairseeming unto them. Allah guideth not the disbelieving folk.
Verily the transposing (of a prohibited month) is an addition to Unbelief: the Unbelievers are led to wrong thereby: for they make it lawful one year, and forbidden another year, in order to adjust the number of months forbidden by Allah and make such forbidden ones lawful. The evil of their course seems pleasing to them. But Allah guideth not those who reject Faith.
Postponing (of the sacred month) is only an addition in unbelief, wherewith those who disbelieve are led astray, violating it one year and keeping it sacred another, that they may agree in the number (of months) that Allah has made sacred, and thus violate what Allah has made sacred; the evil of their doings is made fairseeming to them; and Allah does not guide the unbelieving people.
Surely the month postponed is only an increase in disbelief whereby the ones who have disbelieved are led into error; one season they make it lawful, (i.e., they make fighting in it lawful) and keep it prohibited (i.e. they make fighting in it unlawful) (another) season to make it coincide with the (right) number that ? Allah has prohibited, so make lawful what Allah has prohibited. Their odious deeds have been adorned for them; (i.e., made attractive to them) and Allah does not guide the disbelieving people..
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions arrived at Makkah assuming Ihrām for Hajj on the fourth day (of Dhu al-Hijjah). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered…
And [it is] an announcement from Allāh and His Messenger to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage that Allāh 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 Allāh. And give tidings to those who disbelieve of a painful punishment.
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
O you who have believed, do not invalidate your charities with reminders [of it] or injury as does one who spends his wealth [only] to be seen by the people and does not believe in Allāh and the Last Day. His example is like that of a [large] smooth stone upon which is dust and is hit by a downpour that leaves it bare. They are unable [to keep] anything of what they have earned. And Allāh does not guide the disbelieving people.
How shall Allāh guide a people who disbelieved after their belief and had witnessed that the Messenger is true and clear signs had come to them? And Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.
That is more likely that they will give testimony according to its [true] objective, or [at least] they would fear that [other] oaths might be taken after their oaths. And fear Allāh and listen [i.e., obey Him]; and Allāh does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.
The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not take it on is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books]. Wretched is the example of the people who deny the signs of Allāh. And Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.
